Oooh! I can answer this one! LOL I worked at 2 tanning salons, and did the Smart Tan program... so any tanning questions ~ ask away!
Ok... well first off, indoor lotions CAN be used outdoors. The same UV rays that make them work in the bed, are the same ones coming from the sun - so no need for a "special" lotion... they are interchangeble. For a good base tan, Austrailian Gold is great, as well as some of the base tanners offered by Supre. (Coco Beach is my favorite... smells like coconuts!) After you reach a base, you can intensify with a deep-tan enhansing lotion like Tatoo, Smoke, Hempz, or a Level 2 Austrailian gold. (Most lotions have a "level") Level 1 is for a base, Level 2 is next, to get you a nice brown, Level 3 to optimize your tan or get over that "plateau" where you don't seem to tan anymore, and Level 4's are usually tan Extenders and maintainers. Now every lotion has different ingredients, or different name brands, or different packaging to "catch the eye"... but some similar ingredients can help you make a decision on what lotion is right for you. An accelerator, usually is just an intensifying lotion. It will help you tan, but you probably would want something a little more powerful on hand to throw in every 2-3 times you tan. Lotions with "Bronzers" contain self-tanners that will leave you more 'bronze' than accelerators... but you have to be sure you apply evenly & always WIPE YOUR HANDS!
Next, are the "tingle" lotions... which sometimes takes a little getting used to, so you don't want to try one the first time you tan. They have ingredients that dilate blood vessles, and this brings blood closer to the skin (why you get red & blotchy) and when the blood is closer to the skin, it creates more oxygen in the skin... which is great for intensifying your tan. They sting a little and 'heat up' ... and sometimes will leave you feeling hot and often itchy. These effects fade, but the color you get is sometimes worth the slight discomfort. Lotions with "cooling' ingredients tend to feel opposite of tingle lotions. They feel cool against the skin, and when tanning, keep your skin cool & chilled. Shimmer lotions have just that... shimmer. They will leave your skin glistening with sheen. Usually these work nicely if you have somewhere to go afterwards and want a little glow. Hemp Lotions (hemp oil, cannibus sativa) have (THC free lol) hemp oil to help keep the skin super moisturized & nourished, so it won't dry you out when you tan. I personally love hemp lotions... and also Hempz Moisture Lotion as a body lotion... I get great results from hemp lotions. And just some little pointers... it's better to have body lotion on than to go tan with nothing... moisturized skin tans better, and won't look like a raisin after repeated exposure. Also using some sort of lotion will help protect against burns... now this does NOT mean that you won't burn... exposure and intesity is the key factor in that.... but - having the skin protected by a layer of lotion is always a good idea than going without. Anyway.... There are a few ideas - my fingers are now tired... lol But if you ever have any other questions ... just ask!
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