With all the promotional hype nowadays about how some company has invented a revolutionary method of sunless tanning, the real truth about its history has been lost. Do we call these companies the pioneers of sunless tanning technology or are they just innovators who have added their own ingredients in perfecting the technology for their own purposes? Well, it really is like the latter.
In fact, the first sunless tanning lotion was introduced to the market in the 1960’s. QT©, or Quick Tanning Lotion, was created by Coppertone to meet the demands of a safer, easier way to tan. A TV commercial featuring a girl and boy dancing to a catchy tune says “You get a quick tan with QT! Double tan you see! You tan anytime, rain or shine, when you use QT!” We successfully created an advert for our first ever tanning lotion. However, the media hype died down immediately as consumers saw that QT© not only gave them an even, smooth tan that got deeper when exposed to the sun, as the ad claimed, but also gave them an embarrassing orange complexion. This ended up producing the first ever express tanning lotion.
Now, like most products, sunless tanning technology has re-emerged as a response to the demands of a growing consumer market. During the 1980s, when rumors circulated that excessive exposure to the sun’s UV rays and too many sessions under indoor tanning beds and lamps could cause skin cancer, the rose alternative was in demand. Naturally, people were afraid of getting cancer and so they tended to look for alternatives to tanning. This was the time when beauty companies came out with better and more effective tanners. Many companies have taken advantage of this high demand and the production of sunless tanners has increased. With the increase in supply, the prices also decreased, making the product more accessible to the public because it is affordable for everyone.
It has been said that the topical tanning products we enjoy today such as lotions, creams, sprays, and bronzers primarily use technology that was invented during the 1980s. Today companies have perfected the technology and combined it with various components and components that provide people more value for their money. A good example of this is the anti-aging tanning lotion. What’s more, practices, such as exfoliation and moisturizing, have been discovered that can ensure a smooth, even complexion. In short, your fake tan can now look completely natural. What’s more is that it can be achieved cheaper, unlike more expensive sessions at indoor tanning salons.