Any product that is sold over the counter has an expiration date or a shelf life. The shelf life of a product is how long that product is effective and does what it is supposed to do. The same applies with tanning products. The shelf life of tanning products is usually around two years, however it can vary according to the manufacturer.
If you use outside tanning products past their shelf life date, you risk getting the harmful rays of the sun while tanning. When tanning products are within their shelf life, they will protect your skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun. Outside tanning products vary on the strengths of protection, which is also, know as the SPF factor. After the shelf life has expired, the SPF factor loses its effectiveness.
If you use inside tanning products such as those used in tanning booths and tanning beds you need to be especially aware of the shelf life of that product. Indoor tanning products as with outside tanning products usually have a shelf life of approximately two years. Indoor tanning products do not have the SPF factor since they are not formulated the same way as outdoor tanning products. However, if you use them past their shelf life expiration, you risk getting the harmful rays that are produced with all tanning equipment. These rays are even more harmful that the rays produced by the sun since the rays are simulated. There are many more risks associated with tanning equipment that with tanning outdoors.
To be sure you are buying a tanning product that is within its shelf life date, all you need to do is check out the bottle. Most shelf life dates are stamped on the bottom of the bottle, however, it can also be found anywhere on the box or various parts of the bottle. Sometimes the date is even on the cap of the bottle. If the shelf life date of the product is close to expiration, do not buy that product. A little know fact is that most tanning products start to lose their effectiveness before the shelf life expiration date. There are also some tanning products that maintain their effectiveness long after the shelf life expiration date. However, since this cannot be determined without trying the product, it is best to pay attention to the expiration date.
To find the best indoor or outdoor tanning product that best suits your needs, all you need to do is shop online. Check out the manufacturer websites for information on each of their tanning products and which one would be best for you and your skin. Once you find the one that would be right for you check around for discounts, sales. Coupons and samples on the manufacturer website. You may even be able to print out a few coupons. Many sales and coupons are for online customers only so be sure to check that out. You can also visit product review websites to read about the experiences of previous customers that have used that product.
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Be extremely ceufarl if you use indoor tanning lotion outdoors. About all of the indoor lotions have no sunscreen in them at all there are a few here and there that have an spf of 4 or so, but that’s still really low, and could burn you really fast if you’re outdoors for a prolonged period of time.If you want to tan outdoors some, the best thing to do would be to get a sunscreen with an spf of at least 10-15. You will still tan, but part of the sun’s rays will be blocked out, so that you aren’t at such a high risk of getting burned.