Have you ever wondered why you get tan lines, what are the causes of them, and why they crash your beach day? The truth is tan lines appear on your skin when you spend too much time or are exposed to strong UV rays.
Since your bikini is covering your bottom and top, those are areas in which UV rays don't hit. However, you’re exposed on your shoulders, arms, legs, and torso. The area of your skin that has been exposed becomes darker and produces more melanin.
So, if you really want to avoid tan lines, never go into the sun for more than 10 to 15 minutes without sunscreen.
The good thing about tan lines, however, is that they're not permanent, they're actually pretty simple to remove, and they don't last for a very long time unless you get extremely burnt.
Tan lines can be removed with several home remedies that can be found around your house.
Below are some remedies on how to get rid of tan lines without leaving your home. Removing your tan lines is important to do within an hour of when you were exposed to UV radiation.
Cucumbers
Starting with cucumbers, this fruit has a lot of vitamin C in it and is able to increase the number of dead skin cells that are being created on your skin. All you have to do is place the cucumbers on your tan lines, and your sunburn will slowly fade.
Lemon Peels and Lemon Juice
The reaction that occurs with cucumbers and your skin also occurs with lemon peels or lemon juice because they're rich in vitamin C too. With lemon juice and peels, your skin is able to shed at a faster rate and the melanin pigment that has been created from the UV is able to soften.
Baking Soda
Another common household item that is incredibly successful in removing your tan lines almost immediately is baking soda. What you want to do is mix warm water with a cup of baking soda to create a pasty mixture so that you can easily apply it to your skin. Once you've made the paste, place it on the areas of your skin where you formed a tan line.
Using baking soda on your harsh tan lines will actually create a less intense line and help remove the melanin on your skin.
Potatoes
Two other very surprising household objects that actually help get rid of tan lines are potatoes, milk, and black tea. Potatoes? How can they possibly help your tan lines go away? The truth is, potatoes are also extremely concentrated with vitamin C which will help remove your tan lines, make your skin fair, and continue to ease the melanin on your skin.
You're going to want to place a few sliced potatoes on the problem areas of your skin that have been exposed to the sun too harshly and you will see results.
Black Tea
Black tea is an interesting and kind of surprising household object that you wouldn't think would help get rid of dark lines. However black tea isn't vitamin c-rich but is good at helping you shed dead skin cells due to its antioxidants.
All you have to do is mix black tea with water and bathe in this mixture of antioxidants. The antioxidants in the black tea will help to equalize the tan lines on your skin. Bathing in a black tea and water mixture is one of the most cost-efficient ways to get rid of your tan lines.
Milk
Last but not least, a home remedy that is slightly surprising is milk cream. Milk cream is great at nourishing your skin and helping moisturize it. It’s also extremely effective and helpful in equaling out your tan line and making both sides a more natural tone that’s true to your skin color.
With all these home remedies you want to make sure that you apply them to the tanner side of the tan line so that it helps even out where you're not tan.
What's interesting and great about the milk cream option is that it moisturizes your skin as well as heals your tan lines. When you mix milk cream with turmeric powder it makes a paste that you can apply to your tan lines easily. With this mixture, you'll actually get the result of creating an extremely soft area that definitely would have dried out because of the UV radiation.
Which Home Remedy Works Best?
From these home remedies, the lemon, cucumbers, and potatoes are the best and work the fastest at drying out your skin and shedding it of dead skin cells. The milk cream and turmeric are the best for moisturizing your skin, black tea is great in repairing the melanin pigment on your skin, and baking soda is a great way to equalize your tan on both sides of your tan line.
Wherever you're experiencing a harsh tan line — whether it's on your chest from your top, it’s on your stomach from your bathing suit bottom, or even on your feet from your sandals — you can apply any of these household objects anywhere on your body.
If you have to physically place your feet in a lemon juice bath, or apply pastes on your hips, all of these are cost-efficient and simple ways to treat your tan lines immediately.
More Home Remedies
Other household products that are actually very helpful in shedding dead skin cells and also enhancing the pigment of your skin are coconut oil and coffee powder. These two ingredients are rich in minerals and they definitely help your skin heal from the sun. If you apply them to your feet and let them soak for about 10 minutes you can see results almost right away. There will be a fading that will occur and your feet will get extremely soft and experience hydration.
What Else Can You Do?
If you find that your tan lines aren't going away it's possible that you've actually experienced pretty bad sunburn, and if this occurs you definitely need to remain out of the sun and start applying sunscreen with higher SPF. If you're looking for more tips on how to get rid of your tan lines without actually applying any homemade pastes, you can go into a sauna weekly, roll around in the sand for exfoliation, or use body scrubs throughout the summer. Body scrubs don't hurt and they actually really improve the softness of your skin as well as get rid of your tan lines. Going into a sauna is really great for exfoliation, and it’s an excuse to go to the spa!
Look at the Weather
To completely avoid tan lines, always use the right sunscreen and don't stay out in the sun for too long. Also, check the UV index before you head out for a beach day or out on a pool deck. There are some days where you're more prone to getting tan lines than others, so just stay aware and alert of the weather and you'll be completely fit to head out in the sun. If you're worried about too much heat exposure in the hot summer months, try to only go out every other day or a couple of times a week! Spending every day in the hot sun is not healthy for anyone's skin.
Swimsuits and Tan Lines
It's wedding and vacation season! Perfect, right? Strapless bridesmaid dresses, fashion-forward swimsuits, lots of pictures, and a gorgeous, natural tan. The only downside: inevitably awkward tan lines. If your cutout maillot or lace-up halter leaves you with strange stripes in all the wrong places, try these tricks! They’ll help you even out your tan so you can confidently post your next Instagram pic with #NoFilter.
Fixing Existing Tan Lines
There’s nothing better than donning a uniquely cut, trendy swimsuit on your holiday in the sun. Sadly, the tan lines these suits leave behind aren’t quite as visually appealing. Luckily, you have a few options if you want them gone!
Fade Them Fast
The darker your tan, the starker your tan lines. Once your tan begins to fade, your tan lines will start disappearing right along with it. If your pesky tan lines are driving you nuts, you can speed up this fading process with a few little tricks.
Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate! Is there anything a great exfoliation can’t fix? Grab your favorite body scrub — or whip up your own if you’re resourceful — and give your body a rubdown! Use a sponge, a loofah, or your hand to rub the body scrub in circular motions from your neck to your feet. You can exfoliate your face too, of course, but go with a gentler facial scrub for that part.
This process will slough off dead skin cells and help lighten your skin from top to bottom. If you go this route, please use sunscreen or avoid the sun right after! Freshly exfoliated skin is more vulnerable to sunburns and sun damage, so proceed with caution.
Apply aloe vera gel. This cooling gel isn't just for sunburns! Turns out, it can actually help with tan lines as well. Plus, it feels really good on exfoliated skin. Win, win! The aloe vera moisturizes your skin and its healing properties help restore your skin's normal color quickly, thus reducing your tan lines.
Camouflage Them Carefully
But what if you don’t want to fade your tan, just reduce your tan lines? Glad you asked! You can hide your existing tan lines with a little bit of magic … i.e. makeup.
Grab your favorite bronzer. Ideally, you’ll use both a liquid bronzer as well as a powder bronzer for setting it. Dot the liquid bronzer along your tan lines, rubbing it into the palest parts of your skin so that it begins to match your tanned area. You may need some help reaching tan lines on your back! Once you’re satisfied with the liquid bronzer, use a makeup brush to gently sweep the powder bronzer over it. Finally, spritz your work with some setting spray to ensure your handiwork stays put from morning to night!
Let your bronzer and setting spray sit for a couple of minutes before getting dressed. The only thing less attractive than a tan line is a bronzer stain on your bridesmaid dress. Blegh.
Avoiding Future Tan Lines
The best way to deal with unsightly tan lines is to avoid them in the first place – who would’ve thought? Luckily, there are plenty of ways to prevent tan lines.
- Swap out swimsuit styles daily. Yes, this means you’ll have to wear a different cute suit every day of your vacation. Think you're up to the task? ;) By wearing different styles and cuts, you’ll expose different skin daily and prevent glaring tan lines.
- Wear sunscreen! A tan might look nice but at the end of the day, it’s still damage caused by the sun. Protect your skin by applying and reapplying sunscreen whenever you’re outside. If you’re consistent and careful, your skin won’t burn or tan (at least, not much) and your tan lines will be much less obvious.
- Opt for strapless swimsuits. The most obvious tan lines are typically ones around your neck, so why not ditch the straps altogether? A bandeau suit, like the Island Goddess Convertible Bandeau, is a flawless solution when you want to avoid tan lines. Wear the straps when you need them and take them off when you don’t! It’s perfect for stunning on the beach and in a strapless dress, sans tan lines.
Don’t let a crisscross of tan lines distract from your look. Fix awkward ones with these simple tricks and prevent new ones with a sleek La Blanca bandeau bikini top or one piece. Shop all La Blanca styles today to discover swimsuits that will make you look and feel your absolute best.
Links:
How to remove a tan at home: Best methods and what to avoid