Moist Skin Tans Better

Moisturize With Vitamins

The reduced barrier function of the skin caused by the dry cold winter allows a variety of environmental pollutants to enter the skin. These pollutants can deplete the antioxidant system of the skin, making the skin more susceptible to oxidative damage. Vitamins can reduce or eliminate this damage.

A good moisturizer will help replace the vitamins skin needs. Vitamin E, or tocopheryl acetate, is a potent antioxidant that should be found in a good moisturizer. Vitamin C, frequently included as ascorbyl palmitate, acts in concert with vitamin E in a healthy antioxidant system. Scientists have found several situations where these vitamins are more powerful together than alone.

Moisturize With AHAs

AHAs have been used for more than 3,000 years to improve the condition of skin. Scientists are not sure if the AHAs affect the structure of the natural oils or the proteins, or some other system yet to be discovered. They have shown that AHAs increase the flexibility of the skin much like water. Skin treated with AHAs becomes softer, more supple, and the color improves over continued use.

A quality moisturizer for your tanning clients will contain a low level (less than 1 percent) of AHAs to generate good moisturization in the skin. A moisturizer with a high level (greater than 1 percent of AHAs) will decrease the melanogenesis process, causing your client to lose their tan.

The Results

Dry, cold winter prevents skin from maintaining a moist healthy condition due to the loss of natural oils, natural moisturizing factors, and vitamins. A good moisturizer will contain these three items with a low level of AHAs. Your clients need to use a good moisturizer regularly and to apply it generously. Moisturizing skin helps replenish and retain the normal moisture content of the stratum corneum, keeping the skin soft and supple. Moist skin is healthy skin and healthy skin will tan better and more evenly than dry skin.