Most people use the words sunscreen and suntan lotion to describe the same thing. Although these products may share same characteristics, there are some differences that need to be taken seriously into account, especially when it comes to spending quality time in the sun or trying to get a natural tan look artificially.
We will talk about them separately getting to the common terms they share and then see the discrepancies between them.
First, let see what does suntan lotion means: usually, it refers to any specific kind of lotion that should be worn while spending a day in the sun. The main feature of the suntan lotion is to minimize the chances of any sunburn to occur while still letting the sun rays do their job which is to darken the skin. However, the accent here is put on controlling the skin’s exposure to the damaging UV rays rather than actually trying to protect the skin by filtering them out. Therefore, sun tanning lotions will not emphasize on reducing the possibility of the sunburn to occur or any damaging effect it may stir on your skin cells.
On the other, when we talk about sunscreen, we are talking exactly about this protective effect: trying to reduce any damage done on the skin, both on the surface or on the deeper layers. Usually, any decent sunscreen will contain compounds like titanium oxide and/or zinc which will help minimizing the chances of any serious sunburn to occur. If you are not used to spend too much time in the sun, you should look for a sunscreen item rather than on a suntan lotion.
Moreover, on the market, we can find another product, which is called sunblock which takes the effects of the sunscreen on a higher level by enhancing the concentration of titanium oxide and zinc within. This way you will get the most aggressive sun protective lotion you would desire. I would advise the usage of this product by those who get easily sunburns or are not used to spend too much time in the sun.
Over the years, the industry has evolved and the producers began working on hybrid items which combine the features of all these 3 products looking for the best combination possible. What you need to understand is what exactly you are looking for and then choose between these three.
A particular case is represented by the indoor tanning lotions which, as the name goes, should only be used for indoor tanning purposes. Here is also tricky because you have a lot of options to choose from and it all depends on the artificial way you would like to acquire the “natural tan” on your skin. Moreover, it is important to understand that these indoor tanning items will not offer any sunscreen protection whatsoever and you should avoid using them in the sun. They are designed to be applied on indoor basis, either at home or in an indoor tanning salon. Pending on this, you would again have to choose between indoor tanning salon products and self tanning products. Indeed a lot of choices to be made.
Just as a hint, I would recommend the usage of the suntan lotions for those who are not really keen on spending too much time in the sun but already have a deep tan. The sunscreen should be used by those who prefer an afternoon on the beach rather than a hour in a indoor tanning salon while the sunblock lotions should be used by those that have high sensitive skin and get burnt quite fast.
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