Have you ever tried to tan through your clothing? It’s not easy, but it can be done. Some people wear tight clothes that are difficult to remove before they take a shower.
Others use lotion or sunscreen to protect their skin from the sun while wearing clothes.
There are also some solutions that help with this problem by making clothing easier to remove after tanning.
Remember that cotton is not a very good material for protecting your skin from harsh sunlight.
You might be able to avoid sunburn if you’re covered up while walking on the beach, but even fully clothed this fabric won’t do much at all!
How Can You Tan Through Clothing?
A sunburn is not something that you want to get, but it’s possible through your clothing.
You may be wondering why and how this happens with certain items offering more protection than others? Well there are a few different factors at play here!
Your clothes has UPF protection, however there are 3 factors to consider depending on the cloth’s material used, color and weave.
- Material – Not all fabric is created equally.
- To start, you should know that natural fibers like silk and cotton are terrible at protecting your skin from the sun because they allow most UV rays to pass right through them.
- Synthetic materials such as nylon, however, contain a chemical called DWR, or durable water repellent which can help prevent pores from absorbing UV rays.
- Color – The color of your clothing can make a big difference in the level of protection that it offers to your skin.
- For example, dark colors tend to absorb more UV radiation than lighter ones, and white reflects the most light.
- That’s why you should always try wearing darker clothes with a higher UPF rating during long periods outside.
- Weave – The tighter the weave, the more difficult it will be for UV rays to pass through.
- You can expect a loose weave to have little or no sun protection at all.
- That’s why it is important to select tighter clothing with higher UPF ratings if you’re planning on being outside for long periods of time without applying sunscreen first.
What Fabrics to Use When Tanning Through Clothing
We all want to look our best when we step out of the tanning booth, but it can be hard to decide what fabric is best for your skin.
This blog post will cover how different fabrics react with UV exposure and help you decide on the perfect clothing choices.
The best fabrics are light and thin like linen or silk because they reflect more of UV rays than heavier ones so less heat will build up inside clothing over time – making us sweatier in summertime when we want as little cloth between us and nature’s elements possible.
The material should also be breathable so we don’t suffocate in our own clothes.
Let’s talk about specific clothing you can use then:
Matte Fabrics
Wool, polyester, nylon are some of the synthetic fabrics on this list.
They can all be used to tan through clothing because these materials are highly reflective of UV light. Matte fabrics can absorb the sun less, and thus it is safe.
Most Spandex is also matte fabric which will keep you cooler when it’s on or off your body.
It’s a great choice for summer-weight garments.
Satin Fabric
This fabric is a bit shimmery and looks luxurious, but don’t let that fool you! Satin doesn’t reflect much UV light because it’s a very thin material.
You might find it in certain types of clothing, like dresses or skirts worn over leggings. To maximize your tanning potential with satin, wear it without any under-layers.
Synthetic Fabric
You can probably guess which fabrics are on this list: polyester, nylon and spandex.
These materials reflect a lot of UV rays off of the skin so wearing these types of clothing is fine when tanning for this summer through clothing.
Texture Frabric
Fabrics that are textured or have single light spots on surfaces help you tan through clothing better because they allow less UV rays to penetrate the fabric, again for another reason of keeping you cool.
It’s best to combine one shiny surface with another matte layer so you can get the benefits of both.
Tips and Tricks for Tanning Through Clothing
Before tanning through your clothes, make sure you’re clean and free of oils and lotions to maximize the amount of heat absorbed by fewer layers .
- Remove any under-layers like a skirt or dress before you get in the booth (unless it’s plain matte material) because you won’t get the full tanning benefits that way.
- When outside of an actual tanning booth, make sure to keep your clothes loose and breathable .
- Don’t wear tight clothing because it will block UV light completely.
- If you like matte fabrics like wool because they are so fashionable right now, think about what else you could wear instead.
- You might get a better tan if you put on a pair of linen pants and leave the wool at home.
- Some people like to use sunscreen and lotion when they go outside.
- If you’re one of them, make sure that whatever chemicals or products you’re using doesn’t interact with your clothing .
- It should ideally be “water-resistant” and “sweat-resistant.”
- The size of the garment doesn’t matter, but if you’re using a large sheet to cover yourself up when tanning through clothing, ensure that it covers all parts of your body.
- You want complete coverage when in direct sunlight.
- If you find shaving or waxing too time-consuming, you can try using mitts or gloves to avoid those pesky hairs.
- You might also consider shaving your entire body before tanning through clothing if it’s a concern for you.
- If you’re on the go and don’t have anything at hand, wearing a headband is an easy way of applying sunscreen without getting it on your clothes and can help you avoid sunburns too.
Some people like the idea of tanning through clothing but don’t want to look like a “walking advertisement” for certain companies, even though most brands that make clothes these days won’t mind as long as you aren’t making money from advertising their company (for example with a t-shirt from the brand).
In most modern clothing catalogs, they have a list of materials used in their products so you could look for ones that are matte or textured.
Even if it takes more time to do research, looking at these lists can still help you avoid tanning through clothing made with synthetic fabrics completely.
Another option is to buy clothing from thrift stores so you won’t have to worry about the design as much.
For those who buy new clothes frequently, some brands will provide a list of fabrics used on their product pages online or from catalogs so you could avoid certain types of clothing if it’s necessary.
The last resort is to remove your clothing and apply sunscreen instead.
Sunscreen Alternatives for Tanning Through Clothing
If you’re worried about skin cancer or just have very sensitive skin, applying sunscreen before tanning may be the best option for you since it doesn’t use UV rays to darken your skin.
You can still get a great tan if you want one but will find that there are alternatives to using sunscreen for tanning.
Here are some of the most popular techniques:
Cocoa Butter
Using cocoa butter is by far the best way to get tanned without UV rays or chemicals getting involved.
You can use it on your face, body, and even hair to make yourself look like you’ve been sunbathing without actually being worried about skin cancer or getting a sunburn.
There’s a reason why it’s so popular for tanning through clothing: the cocoa butter melts at a different temperature than your skin so you won’t have to worry about being uncomfortable while wearing it.
It also acts as an anti-inflammatory and moisturizer, so it helps improve any dry patches on your skin too.
Tea Tree Oil
If you’re struggling with acne, redness, dry patches, or psoriasis , the best way to get rid of them is by using tea tree oil.
The reason why it’s so effective in treating all these problems is that it has antibacterial properties that act as a disinfectant.
It’s not as concentrated as other oils but is still effective in treating problems like acne, redness, and dry patches that could lead to premature aging.
You can add it to your lotion or foundation if you want a better solution for when you’re going out in public.
It’s also great for applying to the scalp because it will improve any hair problems, so if you have dandruff or psoriasis , it will help treat the problem naturally.
If you want a natural sunscreen alternative that doesn’t use chemicals or UV rays to darken your skin, cocoa butter and tea tree oil are great choices for tanning through clothing.
They’re both available from health food stores, online retailers, and even some local pharmacies so you could buy them easily.
Cocoa butter melts at a different temperature than your skin while tea tree oil has antibacterial properties that work as an effective sunscreen alternative when applied to the skin.
What Can You do to Protect Yourself?
- Wearing clothing is an easy way to protect yourself from the sun.
- That being said, not all clothes are created equally.
- Remember that darker colors absorb more sunlight, so it is best to wear lighter colors instead.
- However, if you’re wearing dark colors just try to choose a tighter weave material, like denim, rather than looser weave material.
- Another thing to consider is whether you’ll be tanning indoors or outdoors.
- If you’re going to be outside, you should wear more clothes that are tightly woven and dark in color (like black).
- On the other hand, if you’re going to be indoors at a tanning bed then you can wear lighter colors and looser weaves.
- The last thing to consider is the amount of clothes they’re wearing.
- They might be comfortable with a certain amount of clothes on, but it may not be enough for you and that could expose areas that weren’t protected properly like your back or arms.
- It is best to ask them if they feel comfortable with the amount of clothes they have on before exposing them to the sun.
Protecting yourself from the sun is as simple as wearing dark colors and tightly woven clothes…
Remember that darker colors absorb more sunlight, so it’s best to wear lighter ones instead.
If you’re going to be outside, make sure to wear more clothes that are tightly woven and dark in color (like black).
On the other hand, if you’re going to be indoors then you can wear lighter colors and looser weaves.
Don’t forget that if you’re ever in doubt about what clothes are safe for tanning, just ask a staff member at your local salon!
They’ll know exactly which fabrics are safe to wear while tanning through clothing.
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