Kayla Young
There’s just something special about the sun-kissed tint of a natural tan that makes the skin glow and feels amazing.
Natural tans usually last for a longer time than spray tans will, and don’t require continuous spray applications to keep up. And there’s no risk of the orange-goblin fake tan look.
But how to get that beautiful, natural, even suntan? When is the best time to tan outside? And will focusing on tanning during those peak hours significantly improve the quality of your tan?
In this article, I’ll dig into the details of how and when to get the best tan you can.
Contents
When is the Best Time to Tan?
The best time of day to tan is in the morning hours when the sun is at its weakest and the human circadian rhythm is at its optimal time. This is especially important for those with lighter skin.
Regular exposure during prime tanning hours will build a base tan.
Is Tanning Safe?
Most Cancer Societies simply plug their ears when they hear the word “suntan” and say “LALALALALA” as loud as they can. These organizations often argue that all tanning is bad, and tanning is nothing more than skin damage cause by UV exposure.
I can clearly understand this position.
But there are a bunch of real-world issues with it that cancer societies ignore. If you take it to their extreme and follow the position that no amount of sun exposure is safe, then we might as well all pack it in and sit on the couch all day and watch TV.
Maybe order uber eats, as well, since we’re in front of the TV already.
This is not a good thing, and certainly not healthy!
There is some significant data that suggests suntanning isn’t such a bad thing when carefully controlled.
A few quick benefits of tanning are:
- Being outside is good
- Outdoor time frequently involves exercise and other healthy habits
- You get Vitamin D and Nitrous Oxide
- Sun exposure can elevate the mood
- Many people who tan feel better about their bodies
- You might burn some calories
- Many feel psychological benefits from having a tan
Is Today a Good Day To Tan?
Well, that depends on where you are!
The first question is what the weather will be like today. If it’s going to be sunny and warm in the morning and afternoon, you’re good! Remember you can still tan through clouds, so don’t let that stop you!
After that, you should check the UV index for your area and see if it is suitable for getting some rays. You’re typically looking for a 5 or 6 on the UV index for the best tanning.
What are the Best Hours to Tan?
The best time of day to tan is in the morning, and the best hours to tan are from 8am to about 11am. The sun is at its most powerful between 12pm and 3pm, when its rays are strongest. But for many people, the sun during this time is too strong, and sensitive skin will burn and get immediately damaged.
Due to this circumstance, it can often be smart to avoid tanning during this time and instead choose a time when the sun is less intense. You can even tan late in the day, after 5pm.
The best time of day to tan is in the morning, and the best hours to tan are from 8am to about 11am.
Can you get a tan at 9am? And can you get a tan at 3pm? Which is better?
Either time will work, but for humans, it seems that early morning tanning is better than late afternoon. This is because of the body’s circadian rhythms and how they react to sun exposure. (Note: that study is on mice, and hasn’t been replicated in humans at this point).
Early morning sun can be extremely valuable to those of us with fair, light, sensitive skin. Focusing your suntan schedule on the morning hours when the sun is relatively weak, and the body is ready to fix DNA damage, will allow you to build the all-important base tan as safely as possible.
Early morning sun exposure is ideal, and it will likely provide similar benefits to a dawn simulator light or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) light.
Is it safe to tan during peak sunlight times?
None of the scientific bodies recommend tanning during peak sun times. The sun is too powerful, and even those with dark skin can suffer DNA damage. You should avoid suntanning during these times if at all possible, and wear a healthy amount of high-SPF sunblock or otherwise cover up.
However, the reality of living in the world is that many of us want to be outside during the peak times of the day, whether it be at the park, the beach, going for a run, playing a game at the golf course, etc.
All of these activities can bring great health benefits. But they involve sun exposure.
For this reason, you should be cautious about sun exposure. Do your best to prevent injury during peak times.
When you’re out in the sun during the prime tanning hours, do not use any accelerators or oils on the skin, as this can damage the skin quickly.
Yes, those tanning lotions can help give the skin that luminous deep tone that we all love, but during the high-power time of day, you should put on sunblock instead of an accelerator!
Stick with a broad-spectrum, mineral-based sunscreen with SPF of at least 30.
You should also be careful about the length of time you’re going to be exposed to direct sun during peak times. If you’re going to be out for a significant period of time, don’t mess around. Use sunblock!
The best time of day to tan is in the morning hours when the sun is at its weakest and the human circadian rhythm is at its optimal time. This is especially important for those with lighter skin.
Types of UV Rays
Let’s go through a quick primer on the types of rays the sun produces so we can see how they react in various circumstances. There are two major categories of sunlight: UVA and UVB Rays.
UVB Rays
UVB Rays are the notorious skin-cancer-causing rays. This approximately 5% portion of the ultraviolet spectrum causes skin burns and damage, and is the primary target of all sunblocks and sunscreens. UVB Rays impact the epidermis (the outer layer of skin) only.
UVB Rays are the rays that cause sunburns.
However, they also help the body produce Vitamin D, which is a significant benefit to health.
UVA Rays
UVA Radiation makes up almost all of the light of the sun. UVA Rays impact the epidermis (outer layer of the skin) and travel down into the dermis. These rays cause skin tanning, as well as premature aging and wrinkles.
For a long time, the scientific position has been that UVA Rays don’t contribute to skin cancer, but they do cause wrinkles. This is changing, and now the understanding is that both UVA and UVB contribute to cancer.
For this reason, be sure to get a full-spectrum sunblock that protects against both UVA and UVB radiation.
Consider Your Skin Color
Those of us with pale skin, perhaps with northern European family origins, will tan and burn at very different rates than those with olive skin or brown skin. In order to determine the ideal time to tan, start with your current base tan level and your skin type.
The Fitzpatrick scale, shown above, is a helpful guide.
Light Skin Tones
If you’ve got extremely light skin, start your tanning in the early morning before the sun gets too intense. By starting out early, you’ll get less of a tan each time you sit out, but the tan will slowly build.
Dark Skin Tones
If you’ve already got a great base tan, or you have relatively dark skin, you may be able to approach the higher-power times between noon and 3pm.
You should only be out at this time if your skin is quite dark, and you should be careful of exposure. Always listen to your body, and if you feel that the sun is too intense, immediately seek shelter.
Keep Your Tanning Time on Schedule
Try to tan at the same time each day so that the skin gets regular, natural exposure to similar amounts of light each time. Of course, this can be difficult when the weather changes and clouds, but you should do your best to stick to a schedule for tanning, day in and day out.
You won’t be over-exposing your skin at any given time, and you’ll slowly build that healthy-looking base tan. With luck and persistence, eventually, you’ll reach a dark tan.
Tanning on Cloudy Days
What is the best time of day to tan on a cloudy day? Just because the clouds are obscuring the sky, ultraviolet rays are still getting through! Depending on the thickness of the clouds, up to 75% of the sun’s UV rays can be blocked.
But in some cases, thin clouds can block very little UV rays, and can theoretically enhance the UV levels due to the scattering of the light.
For these reasons, many people find that they tend to get sunburns on cloudy days more frequently than on sunny days. People may underestimate the power of the sun on these days and skip any sort of sunblock. This may lead to significant burns and skin damage.
You’ll have to decide for yourself if it’s worth attempting to tan on a cloudy day.
Many people find that they tend to get sunburns on cloudy days more frequently than on sunny days.
Tanning in Winter
It may sound funny, but it’s absolutely possible to get a tan in the winter (unless you live somewhere where the sun literally doesn’t come up during the winter).
If you’re in an area that gets decent sun in the winter, you’ll still get a tan, just milder.
If you’re in an area with lots of snow, you’re probably not going to be out in a bathing suit. But you should still respect the sun in winter!
Snowy reflects sunlight, causing the sun to be relatively more powerful in the winter than it is in the summer. Should you plan to go skiing, snowmobiling, winter hiking, etc., put sunscreen on your exposed skin!
Can You Tan with Sunscreen On?
Absolutely you can and should tan with sunscreen on. This is almost always the way to go with suntanning, and you can even use sunscreen with an SPF30 or 50+.
Most people who use sunscreen don’t end up applying as much as they should, and the end result is that a real-world application of SPF50 sunscreen ends up resulting in actual protection of about SPF30.
You should be using sunscreen with both UVA and UVB protection, and keep your tanning to the morning: the best time of day to tan.
Building a Base Tan
By sticking with your routine, you’ll eventually get a solid base tan which you can then build on to achieve beautiful bronze skin.
The base tan is critical and will help prevent burns and get a good balance of color on the skin.
How Long Should You Lay in the Sun?
Here’s a detailed article on how long to tan in the sun. It’s best to start out by spending about 10-15 minutes per morning getting sun exposure when the UV Index is low. After that, you should be wearing sunblock during this time, at least SPF30.
After about one week of exposure, you can up your exposure to 15-20 minutes per morning.
Once your body is used to that, you can jump up to 30 minutes as your maximum. You should halt any heavy exposure to the sun at 30 minutes, and put on a good sunblock at that time.
Sun Tanning Tips
Here are some hints to get your glow on. For more, see our article on outdoor tanning tips.
Apply Lip Balm When Tanning
Don’t forget those lips! Your lips can get sunburned as easily as the rest of your body when exposed to direct sun. Be sure to wear lip balm with sun protection in it!
Protect Your Hair
Those of us who have sensitive, fair skin are more likely to have sensitive, fair hair as well! Be sure to consider how your hair will be exposed to the powerful sun while tanning. For safety, use a hair conditioner with UV-protectant in it.
Don’t Forget the Shade!
As I mentioned above, you don’t want to spend more than 30 minutes of maximum exposure to the sun each day. And that’s for those of us who have already spent a couple of weeks building up a base tan.
Plan to have a beach umbrella with you, or some other sort of shade, when you’re out during the day. You should be spending the vast majority of your time in the shade, not in the sun, so take advantage of that time by bringing a comfortable hat, a beach umbrella, etc.
The Sun is More Intense at the Beach
Just as the winter snow reflects sunlight back from the ground, the lovely warm sand and water at the beach do as well. Treat the time at the beach with care, and remember that the sun exposure ramps up quickly.
Regularly reapply your sunblock, especially if you’re in and out of the water.
Final Thoughts Best Time to Tan
The best time to tan is in the morning, and prime tanning hours are before 11am.
It can be soooo tempting to just skip right to the high-power sun and get as much exposure as possible during those powerful noontime hours. This method will almost always result in burns, uneven tans, and skin damage.
Stick to a schedule and get your sun exposure in the morning when the amount of sun is relatively mild. Let the tan slowly build up over time, and it will look its best. You could try tan-through swimwear to help even your tan out.
If you really want to speed things up, you can supplement your outdoor tanning schedule with some tanning lotions, self-tanners, or perhaps a spray tan. This regimen will likely allow you to speed up the overall process.
You should wait 3-4 hours to shower after tanning using these chemicals, to allow them to fully set.
Get your sun in the morning, the best time of day to tan. Your skin will look luscious, deep, and luminous in no time!
