Can You Use Tanning Oils or Butters With a Fake Tan? Why They Damage Your Tan — and Why Sunbaking Without SPF Is Dangerous

There’s a lot of confusion around whether you can apply popular “tanning oils” or body butters — like Carroten, Brunae Body, Bali Body, Hawaiian Tropic and similar products — over the top of a fake tan.

The short answer?

No — tanning oils and butters are not compatible with fake tan.
They break down DHA, cause patchiness, and dramatically shorten the life of your tan.

Even more importantly, many of these products are marketed as “tanning oils”, which leads people to believe they’re safe for sun exposure. Most of them contain little to no SPF, and using them under the sun can lead to burns, peeling, skin damage and long-term ageing.

This guide breaks down:

• Why tanning oils ruin your fake tan

• Why they cause patchiness and fading

• What to use instead

• The serious dangers of sunbaking with no SPF

• Why you should protect your skin even if you love a bronzed look

1. Why You Can’t Use Tanning Oils or Butters With Fake Tan

Fake tan develops using DHA (dihydroxyacetone) — a sugar-derived ingredient that reacts with amino acids in the skin to create a bronzed colour.

Tanning oils and tanning butters interfere with this process in several ways:

A. Oils Break Down DHA

Oils such as:

• Coconut oil

• Mineral oil

• Shea butter

• Cocoa butter

• Carrot oil

• Almond oil

• “Bronzing” oil blends

…break down DHA once it’s developed in the skin.

This causes:

• Rapid fading

• Patchiness

• Uneven colour

• Dark areas lifting off in chunks

• Streak marks on the legs, chest and inner arms

This is why people often notice their tan looks perfect until they start moisturising with a body butter or tanning oil.

B. Oils Create a Barrier That Blocks DHA Absorption

If you apply tanning oils or butters before your tan, they create an oily film on the skin.

This barrier stops DHA from absorbing evenly, which leads to:

• Pale patches

• Missed areas

• Tan that “doesn’t stick”

• Tan that develops too light on dry areas

• Patchy or blotchy finish

Oil and DHA simply do not mix.

C. Many Tanning Oils Contain Ingredients That Strip Tan

Some tanning oils, especially those marketed for “sunbaking”, contain solvents and emulsifiers that cause tan to lift prematurely.

These stripping agents can cause:

• Fast fading

• Flaking

• Orange patchiness

• Rough texture

This happens particularly around the:

• Chest

• Shins

• Inner arms

• Neck

• Elbows and knees

These areas naturally fade faster, so oils intensify the unevenness.

D. Oils Increase Sweat and Heat — Which Disrupt Tan Development

Oils amplify heat on the skin, especially in the sun.

Heat + sweat = DHA developing unevenly.

DHA needs a calm, stable environment to develop. Excess heat or sweating causes:

• Under-developed tan

• Patchy patches

• Dark spots

• Streaking under the arms and between the breasts

2. Why Using Tanning Oils With Fake Tan Causes Patchiness as You Fade

Even once your tan is fully developed, tanning oils accelerate transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This means:

• The skin dries out

• The tan lifts off unevenly

• Dry patches become darker

• Smooth patches fade quickly

That’s why people who use oils often report:

“I get patchy after day three.”
“My tan never lasts a week.”
“My chest and shins fade instantly.”

A high-quality moisturiser like Naked Tan Crème de la Crème, not oil, is what truly extends your tan.

3. Why Sunbaking While Wearing Tanning Oil Is Dangerous

Most tanning oils contain zero SPF, or extremely low SPF (like SPF 2–6), which is essentially the same as wearing nothing.

Here’s why this is dangerous:

A. Tanning Oils Intensify UV Penetration

Oils create a reflective surface that can increase UV absorption.

This leads to:

• Faster burning

• Deeper skin damage

• Heightened inflammation

• More DNA damage

• Increased risk of melanoma and skin cancer

Many people mistakenly believe tanning oil “helps them tan”.
What it actually does is help the sun damage their skin faster.

B. Sunbaking With No SPF Causes Sunburn — Which Ruins Any Fake Tan

Sunburn leads to:

• Barrier damage

• Redness

• Hyperpigmentation

• Peeling

• Textural damage

• Patchy DH-based tan

And once the skin peels, your fake tan peels with it — leaving your skin blotchy and uneven.

C. Sun Damage Dramatically Ages the Skin

UV exposure is responsible for:

• 80% of visible ageing

• Fine lines

• Wrinkles

• Sagging

• Pigmentation

• Rough texture

• Broken capillaries

No tan (fake or real) can hide structural damage.

D. Heat + Sweat = Fake Tan Disaster

When people sunbake after applying fake tan, the heat and sweat cause:

• Tan lifting

• Tan melting

• Dark drip marks

• Greenish underarm patches

• Chest streaking

• Saddle-bag streaks (under backside/upper thigh area)

Fake tan simply cannot survive prolonged heat and sweat.

4. Can You Use “Natural Tanning Oils” With Fake Tan?

Brands like Brunae Body, Carroten, Bali Body and others often promote their oils as:

• “Natural”

• “Hydrating”

• “Skin softening”

• “Bronzing”

But “natural” doesn’t mean “compatible with DHA”.

Natural oils still break down tan, including:

• Coconut

• Jojoba

• Carrot

• Almond

• Shea butter

• Cocoa butter

They are wonderful skincare products — just not when you’re trying to maintain a fake tan.

5. What to Use Instead of Tanning Oils or Butters

If you want:

• Hydration

• Glow

• Longevity

• Smooth skin

• Even fade

Use this instead:

A. Naked Tan Crème de la Crème

• Hydrates without stripping

• Protects the barrier

• Helps prevent patchiness

• Extends the life of your tan

• Smooths peeling or dryness

• Perfect for daily maintenance

B. Naked Tan Body Cleanser

Your tan will fade unevenly if you use:

• Acid body washes

• Perfumed supermarket washes

• Exfoliating washes

• Soap bars

Body Cleanser maintains your tan longer and smoother.

C. Naked Tan Gradual Tan

If you want deeper colour over your existing tan:

Use Gradual Tan — not a sunbaking oil.

It deepens colour evenly without damaging the DHA that’s already there.

D. Naked Tan Instant Tan for Events

If you want instant glow without sun exposure:

Instant Tan gives a luminous bronze finish without risking UV damage.

6. The Danger of Relying on “Tanning Oils” as UV Protection

Many tanning oils falsely imply safety under the sun.

But SPF 0–6 is:

• Not sun protection

• Not protective against UVA

• Not safe for prolonged sun exposure

• Not enough to prevent burning or DNA damage

You need at least SPF 30, ideally SPF 50, for genuine protection.

7. Why Fake Tan Is the Safest Alternative to Sunbaking

Fake tan:

• Does NOT require UV exposure

• Does NOT damage the skin

• Can be used year-round

• Produces darker colour than sunbaking without any harm

• Gives fast, even results

Sunbaking:

• Damages DNA

• Causes wrinkles

• Causes pigmentation

• Weakens the barrier

• Causes peeling

• Can permanently damage collagen

• Increases cancer risk

Tan with Naked Tan products → NOT the sun.

Fake Tan and Tanning Oils Don’t Mix — and Sunbaking Isn’t Safe

To summarise:

❌ Tanning oils and butters break down fake tan

❌ Oils create barriers that stop DHA developing

❌ Oils cause rapid fading and patchiness

❌ Sunbaking with tanning oils is dangerous

❌ Low-SPF tanning oils do NOT protect your skin

✔ Fake tan is the safest way to get colour

✔ Naked Tan Body Cleanser and Crème de la Crème help maintain an even, long-lasting tan

✔ Gradual Tan is the best way to deepen your colour

✔ Instant Tan gives a sun-kissed glow without UV damage

If you want long-lasting, streak-free, nourished and glowing skin — skip the oils and protect your skin with SPF instead.