Learn about why you should become a ‘skintellectual’ and clue up on the active ingredients in fake tan first before purchasing or using it based on brand alone.

We’ve come a long way since the aerosol spray tan cans and chemical laden tanning agents.

As beauty consumers and as a collective culture, when we look at the beauty aisle, we’ve now evolved into conscious consumerism, going beyond basic brand recognition or price as a motivator to purchase.

There is an awakening occurring towards ‘clean beauty’ and safeguarding away from toxins and chemical compounds (often laden and unregulated in fake tan) that we now know can cause harm.

In the latest Vogue Business edition, the shift in conscious consumerism has not gone unnoted, they pose the notion that ‘ingredients before brands’ is the current dejour when it comes to investing in skincare.

It makes sense too. Look towards the wellness revolution and the rise in superfoods encouraging us to eat plant-based ingredients direct from mother earth. From chia seeds to kale, the whole way we shifted towards eating became about having a much healthier understanding of what we were consuming and how it was derived or sourced.

The rise of organic food such as fruit vegetables is entirely an ode to minimising pesticide exposure, so it's only natural that we’ve turned towards ‘natural’ and low-tox (if not no toxins), when it comes to the ingredients in our beauty products and skin care too, right?

There’s even a word for it now… Vogue has dubbed the rise of clean beauty skincare lovers who take ingredients seriously, ‘skintellectuals’ and we’re so for it.

As an organic, natural, plant-based tan company, at Three Warriors we believe knowledge is power and our ethos is built on transparency, you will never not know what fake tan ingredients we use.

Just as people want to know what farm their organic produce comes from, we want to empower our tanning community to know where their tan ingredients are sourced, grown and originating from.

To learn more about the potent superfoods and plant based ingredients in our tanning products so that you too can become a  ‘skintellectual’ and buy knowingly rather than off brand rep read more below.

The Ingredients In Fake Tan To Go For

The list below is our natural and plant-based preference when it comes to fake tan ingredients

• Organic oils - rose oil, avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil all naturally nourish and hydrate skin.

• Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) - this is a natural tanning agent derived from sugar and reacts with dead skin cells to cause a temporary change of colour.
   
  
• Soothing plant extracts - aloe vera and chamomile extract - lock in moisture and soothes skin for acting as an anti-inflammatory, stress reliever to give you a calm, softened complexion.

Fruit extracts and oils - For natural, safe scents used as ingredients in fake tan, look out for listings such as lime oil or vanilla fruit extract (as seen in Three Warriors tan).

The Ingredients In Fake Tan To Avoid

The list below is our general steer clear advice when it comes to ingredients in fake tan, with some individual ingredients considered to be carcinogenic and in many ways harmful to health.

• Toxic oils - Mineral oil…it’s a derivative of petroleum and considered carcinogenic. Fumes on face, no thank you.
  

• Parabens - parabens are common in skin care products and have a direct link to hormone dysfunction which may lead to the development of breast cancer and reproductive issues.
  

• Fragrance - if it says perfume, parfum or fragrance it is a no. A natural scent will have its source listed, such as our scent, derived from apricot oil.

• Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate - a nasty tanning agent that works as a preservative, and contains formaldehyde - linked to respiratory issues, widespread skin irritation and cancer.
   
• Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) - an absolute no when it comes to fake tan ingredients - SLES are associated with harm to eyes, skin and lungs with long-term use.
  
  
• Phenoxyethanol - a preservative also associated with adverse skin reactions including rashes, eczema, hives, dermatitis and even anaphylaxis.

In essence if you’re looking to up your ‘skin-tellectual’ game, feel good about your glow and what you feed your skin, the short of it is always read the label and know the good from bad fake tan ingredients.

Being in the know allows you to be a skin saviour -  to practise a strong self care game, conscious consumerism and embody an understanding of why clean beauty matters. Trust us, once you go plant-based active ingredients in fake tan you never go back.

To learn more about fake tan ingredients see our ‘Say no to toxins’ blog here to continue your ‘skintellectual’ journey or for more on the natural ingredients fake tan can have by seeing our product page here. Back to Blog