Summer may be a distant memory. That doesn’t mean you can’t sport a healthy glow. Follow our self tanning tips on choosing and using the best natural tanners.

Whether you plan to hit the beach or are simply tired of looking at lifeless skin color, there are healthy options to achieving tanned skin. Forget tanning beds or spray tans and get your glow on at home.

Sunshine is good for us. It triggers the body to produce vitamin D (something most of us are low on this time of year) and is a natural mood booster. Of course, overexposure and inadequate protection increases our risk for skin cancer, sun spots, and premature aging. Moderation is key. Around 15 minutes of unprotected sun exposure daily is recommended. Beyond that, be sure you are using safe sun protection.

So tanning the old fashioned way is out. We’ve heard about the dangers of tanning beds, and spray tans are said to be a detriment to health due to inhalation, chemical or not.

That leaves self tanning lotion. Easy to use, can be applied right in your own bathroom, and offers a natural looking tan. Better still, you have healthy options here.

While self tanners have come a long way from the orange streak-inducing products of yester-decades, not all of them have made the jump to using nontoxic ingredients. Why skip the tanning bed just to slather yourself in chemicals? Many mainstream self tanners contain dyes, synthetic fragrance and preservatives, and other harmful ingredients we try to steer clear of.

Safe natural self tanners are made with plant-derived ingredients Dihydroxyactone (DHA) and Erythrulose. DHA is derived from sugar beets or cane sugar and Erythrulose is found in fruits like raspberries. The sugars react with the amino acids in the top layer of skin to create a tanned effect. These natural tanning ingredients are not only safer for skin and body, but create a more natural looking tan than chemical tanners.

Don’t know where to start? Following are healthy all natural self tanners for face and body. They not only provide desired results but look and feel like regular moisturizer.

True Natural Self Tanner Anti-Aging Face & Body

True Natural Perfect Tan Facial Self Tanner & Moisturizer

Chocolate Sun Cocoa Illume Lite for Face

Lavera Self Tanning Lotion

True Natural Tropical Tan Face & Body Self Tanner, Dark Tan

Chocolate Sun Absolute Sun Sunless Tanning Cream

Self Tanning Tips for Application:

For best results, start with clean, freshly exfoliated skin. This goes for face too. Apply as you would your regular face or body moisturizer, working in smooth fluid motions to ensure even coverage. Go slightly lighter over tops of feet, ankles, knees, and elbows. Lightly wipe over eyebrows and lips with a towel after applying tanner.

Some practice will help, but this is not rocket science. Just a good, safe tan.

Related on EcoSalon

Can You Fight Sun Spots Naturally?

The Dark Truth Behind Tanning Addiction

The Silent Killer: Avoid Sun Damage to Your Skin this Winter

Image of woman in the sun via Shutterstock

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This week’s medical news comes with a heaping side order of mixed messages. Tanning is bad! (But you already knew that.) Sunscreen is also bad! There’s a lot of conflicting medical advice out there about sun exposure. My advice? PANIC.

Medicine and health writers make a living from informing readers about the innocuous, daily habits that are killing you right now. It’s their bread and butter. So it’s important to take alarmist headlines with a grain of salt. But not too much salt, because you’re already eating too much and it’s slowly killing your sodium-bloated body. You’ll know it’s working when you’re afraid of everything.

Proponents for increased Vitamin D intake like Dr. Mark Hyman of The Huffington Post claim that Vitamin D deficiency can contribute to “cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, depression – and multiple sclerosis.” The human body naturally produces Vitamin D during sunlight exposure, so those of us who slather on the sunscreen religiously are missing out, especially because the only food sources that provide Vitamin D are herring and cod liver oil. Eating herring is (probably) worse than skin cancer or rickets.

For those of you who live in places where sunning yourself outside isn’t possible about eight months out of the year (hello, Minnesota readers!), you might be tempted to build up your Vitamin D levels by visiting a tanning salon. You’ll also build up your melanoma levels, unfortunately; the American Association of Cancer Research links indoor tanning with a “74-percent higher risk of skin cancer.” Thanks for playing!

There’s no need to despair just yet, however: NYU dermatology professor Dr. Darrell Rigel claims many studies show that elevated levels of Vitamin D don’t make a difference. So stay in. Or go out. Or go out, but only swathed in white cotton and SPF 45. Or rub yourself down with cod liver oil and go tanning. Just stop getting your medical advice from the Internet, okay?

Image: Evil Erin

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