Best Suntan Lotion For Tanning Outside: 10 Brands That Will Help You Safely Achieve The Tan Of Your Dreams

Sun is out and that’s where you want to be as well! A few hours of sunbathing sounds like a great way to spend a lazy afternoon or morning.

While a healthy sun-kissed glow is something everyone wants to achieve, you must take precautions to ensure that you get your tan safely and responsibly.

To ensure that you tan and do not burn, you need to use the best suntan lotion for tanning outside. In this guide, we’re going to tell you about how you can pick the proper suntan lotion for you and give you some tips on how to safely achieve the tan of your dreams. We have  answered here how long does a tan last.

How To Pick The Best Suntan Lotion For Tanning Outside 

The best suntan lotion for tanning outside is one that offers you broad-spectrum protection and has an SPF level of at least 30.

Let’s look at these two factors of a good suntan lotion a little closer. First, what is broad-spectrum protection?

Broad-spectrum protection means that a suntan lotion or sunscreen can block harmful UV radiation from the sun. Specifically, it’s meant to protect you and your skin from UVA and UVB rays. Without broad-spectrum protection, skin exposed to UVA/UVB rays can be damaged, leading to sunburn, premature aging, and skin cancer.

UV radiation, especially UVA rays, has been proven to cause skin cancer, especially basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Exposing yourself to the sun for prolonged periods increases the risk of these types of cancer. While these cancers are curable if detected early, why take the risk when it’s relatively simple to prevent. All you need to do is choose a suntan lotion for tanning outside that has broad-spectrum protection.

SPF or the sun protection factor is more connected to blocking UVB rays. As we mentioned, UVB rays cause your skin to burn and are the cause of your skin reddening and burning. Too much exposure to UVB rays and you will end up with a painful sunburn that is the opposite of the golden tan you were hoping to achieve.

The SPF number on a bottle of suntan lotion or sunscreen tells you how long you have before exposure to UVB rays cause your skin dry to redden and burn,

For example, if your skin will start to burn after 10 minutes of sun exposure, SPF will extend that time. If the SPF is 30 this means that, if you wear the product, you would need to be exposed to 30 times more the amount of sun before you burned.

The basic formula is, the time it takes your skin type to redden without sunscreen multiplied by the SPF level. So, if your skin reddens in 10 minutes and you use an SPF 30 sunscreen, you will start to burn after 300 minutes. If you use sunscreen with SPF 50, you will start to burn after 500 minutes of continuous sun exposure.

The safest and best suntan lotions for outdoor tanning would have an SPF level of at least 30. No matter what the SPF level of your sunscreen, however, it’s important that you apply them thoroughly and reapply every few hours.

Take note that, a product that says that it offers “sun protection” and only gives an SPF level is only protecting you from UVB rays and not UVA rays. For protection from UVA rays, a product needs to be broad spectrum.  So it’s really best to choose a suntanning lotion that offers broad-spectrum levels and a high SPF level.

Should My Suntanning Lotion Be Waterproof? 

There are currently no waterproof sunscreen products, what you will find are suntan lotions and sunscreen products that are “water-resistant”. 

Even if you are not planning on going swimming, it’s probably best to choose a sun protection product that is water-resistant. Most of the time this means that they are sweat-resistant as well. Water and sweat-resistant suntan lotion will stay on longer and protect you longer. It will also prevent painful “accidents” such as sweat mixed with suntan lotion getting in your eyes.  

Most water-resistant sun protection products are water-resistant for either 40 or 80 minutes. Make sure to take note of this time limit and reapply accordingly if you get wet. 

Tips On How To Get The Most Of Your Outdoor Suntanning Lotion

One of the most important factors in ensuring that your suntanning lotion offers you the protection you need when suntanning outdoors is proper application.

Here are a few application tips that will make sure that you are getting the most of your suntan lotion and your outdoor suntanning time.

• Apply sunscreen at least 15 to 20 minutes before going out in the sun. This will allow the sunscreen to be absorbed into your skin damage and ensure that you are protected from the first moment that you begin your tanning session.
• Use a generous amount of sunscreen to ensure you can cover your entire body. The rule of thumb is, about an ounce of sunscreen should be used with every application.
• Make sure you cover all areas that are going to be exposed to the sun, this includes “hidden areas” such as your ears and the backs of your knees and the tops of your feet.
• Reapply sunscreen regularly, at least every two hours. If you are going swimming and are using a water-resistant sunscreen, check the label and reapply it as needed after you get out of the water.
• Do not leave your bottle of suntan lotion out in the sun. If you are at home, keep your sunscreen in an area where it isn’t exposed to direct sunlight. When you are outdoors, protect your sunscreen by keeping it in the shade or just wrapping it in a towel. If you have a cooler on hand, you can also keep it in there.
• Consider keeping your tanning sessions short. Melanin production in the skin stops after about two to three hours of continuous sun exposure, so staying out in the sun after three hours won’t really help you tan. Several short sessions over consecutive days may be safer and result in a gradual, more even tan.

10 Best Suntanning Lotions For Outdoor Tanning

Here is a list of suntanning lotions for you to consider that offer you the sun protection you need to achieve your perfect outdoor tan.

1. Nivea Sun Moisturizing Lotion SPF 50

Nivea offers a line of sun-protection products through their Nivea Sun line. The line offers broad-spectrum protection from UVA and UVB rays. You can get a lotion with either SPF 30 or SPF 50 levels.  

Nivea Sun claims to be fast-absorbing, offering immediate sun protection without the need to wait 20 minutes for the sunscreen to sink into your skin. It is also supposed to be water-resistant, though they still advise you to reapply every two hours. 

This sunscreen contains moisturizing ingredients such as pro-vitamin B5 and aloe vera to protect your skin from damage.  

The lotion is rather thick, so it initially leaves a white cast. It can also look and feel a little greasy. If you have oily skin, you might want to try something else for daily use. It might also be too heavy or thick for you to use on your face. 

CONs

• Greasy.
• Leaves a white cast.

2. Banana Boat’s Light As Air Sunscreen Lotion

Banana Boat is a “drugstore” suntan lotion brand, which means that it is easy to find and relatively budget-friendly. This particular variant provides effective sun protection, with broad-spectrum SPF 50+ that shields you from most of the harmful effects of UVA and UVB rays when tanning outside. 

What makes this Light As Air lotion different from other Banana Boat sunscreens is it’s specially formulated to feel “light” and cool. This is a good suntanning lotion for outdoor tanning as it absorbs quickly into your skin, so you don’t have to worry about feeling or looking “greasy”. It also gets you in a beach mood with its easy, breezy, piña colada. 

Light As Air is water-resistant, so even if you go swimming, you will only need to reapply after around 80 minutes. It’s also reef-friendly, which means it contains no Oxybenzone or Octinoxate.  

CONs

• Some people don’t like the fragrance.

3. La Roche Posay’s Anthelios Melt-In Milk Sunscreen 

This body and facial sunscreen offers broad-spectrum SPF 60+ protection. It’s non-greasy and fast-absorbing and is suitable for all skin types. 

If you have sensitive skin, you will be happy to know that this sunscreen is both fragrance and paraben-free. It is also water-resistant for up to 80 minutes.  

Anthelios’ sunscreens and suntan lotions use their cell-ox shield technology, which combines a UV ray-filtering system with an antioxidant complex to protect your skin from free radicals.  

CONs

• Very liquid, prone to spillage
• Pricey

4. Hawaiian Tropic’s Sheer Touch Lotion Sunscreen

Aside from broad-spectrum 50 SPF levels, this sunscreen is packed with moisturizers to ensure that you are left with a great-looking tan and soft, sun-protected skin. It contains Vitamin E as well as shea butter and mango fruit extracts.  

Hawaiian Tropic sunscreens are known for their distinctive “tropical scents”, a mixture of coconut and mango that’s meant to conjure visions of the tropics. While some people like this, others might find it a bit cloying. People with sensitive skin might also want to avoid heavily fragranced sun-screen, so they should look elsewhere for their sun protection. 

This sunscreen is oil-free, which means that it’s non-greasy. It’s also water-resistant for around 80 minutes. 

CONs

• Highly fragrant

5. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen 

This is another sunscreen that is a go-to for many because it’s easily found in drug stores and supermarkets. Another reason for the popularity is the “dry-touch” formulation. The sunscreen absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave you feeling greasy or looking shiny.

Neutrogena products are lightly fragranced, so if you don’t like strong scents this will work well for you. Take note, however, that it contains oxybenzone which can cause an allergic reaction.

Protection-wise, the sunscreens in this line offer broad-spectrum protection and have several SPF levels from 45 to 70. It is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes.

Neutrogena states that this line of sunscreen is non-comedogenic, which means it won’t clog your pores and is suitable for use on your face, especially if you have oily or acne-prone skin and are looking for protection while tanning outside.

CONs

• Could trigger an allergic reaction

6. Australian Gold Botanical Sunscreen Mineral Lotion   

This is a mineral sunscreen, which means that it uses naturally-derived minerals that create a physical shield to block harmful UV rays. In this case, both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide work to provide you with protection from UV rays. It offers SPF 50+ and 70+levels of protection and is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes.  

The lotion applies smoothly and doesn’t feel greasy, it does however leave a little white cast.  It is hypoallergenic and only lightly fragranced.  

It contains Kakadu Plum, Eucalyptus, and Red Algae extracts as well as Vitamin C. These natural antioxidants help fight free radicals and nourish your skin.  

CONs

• Can leave a white cast

7. Coppertone Pure And Simple Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 

Coppertone is a classic sunscreen brand and their Pure and Simple Sunscreen Lotion offers broad Spectrum SPF 50 protection using zinc oxide. It’s a dependable suntan lotion for both children and adults and is good for tanning outside.  

Pure and Simple is formulated to fit the “modern” sensibilities of using naturally source ingredients to provide you with gentle and dermatologist tested skin protection. It’s hypoallergenic and tear-free and can be used on both the face and the body.  

It is easy to apply and, while there may be a white cast at first, it doesn’t stain clothing.  

CONs

• Can feel sticky initially

8. EltaMD UV Sport Sunscreen Lotion 

Like some of the other mineral sunscreens we discussed here, EltaMD uses zinc oxide to block UV rays and protect your skin from the sun. However, EltaMD uses transparent zinc oxide, which means it avoids the white tinge that some other zinc-based sunscreens have. 

This full-body sunscreen lotion offers broad-spectrum and SPF 50 protection and is water-resistant, which makes it a good suntan lotion for tanning outside. It’s also sweat-resistant and marketed for use for those indulging in outdoor sports in and around the water.  

This sunscreen is fragrance-free and oil-free so it won’t clog your pores and is supposed to be good for sensitive skin.  

CONs

• A bit pricy

9. COOLA Organic Sunscreen SPF 50 

If you are looking for a vegan-friendly way to get the sun protection you need and deserve, check this out.

Coola uses 70% organic ingredients to create a lightweight, water-resistant sunscreen that hydrates and nourishes your skin at the same time as it protects from harmful UV rays. It’s also water-resistant and reef-friendly.

This “guava-mango” smelling sunscreen offers broad-spectrum SPF 50 protection so it’s a good option for a suntanning lotion if you are looking to suntan outside. You can find here how to tan in a tanning bed.

CONs

• A bit pricy.
• Some people might not like the fragrance.

10. Bare Republic Mineral Sunscreen Gel Lotion 

This zinc-oxide gel-lotion is specially formulated to smooth easily over your skin, hydrating at the same time that it’s providing you with protection from the sun’s rays. It quickly absorbs into your skin, so it goes on sheer and doesn’t leave a greasy feel. 

This particular sunscreen has a lower SPF level than the others on this list, but most dermatologists recommend that you use a sunscreen with at least an SPF 30 level when tanning outside, so it should still provide you adequate protection as long as you apply it properly.  

CONs

• Lower SPF level than others on this list.
• Only water resistant for 40 minutes.