Tried & Tested: Carrot Sun Tan Accelerator review

If you religiously slap on the SPF, a tan accelerator product can be your best friend when it comes to getting a safe tan in the sun.

As we've all become much more conscious about protecting our skin against the harmful rays of the sun, a whole array of tan accelerators have popped up on the market to provide a helping hand to those who still want to get a tan. The role of the tan accelerator is to stimulate your skin's natural melanin production to give you a faster and deeper looking tan, but without the damage (obviously be sensible and don't sit in the sun for 8 hours!) because you're applying it over your sunscreen product so your skin is still protected (the majority of tan accelerators don't contain sunscreen). I've been testing out this tan accelerator from Carrot Sun which is one of the popular ones available in the UK.

How does it work and what's in it?

Carrot Sun uses natural tan accelerating agents such as L-tyrosine and Carrot Oil to help stimulate your melanin production. Carrot Oil is particularly useful because it's also packed full of carotene antioxidants, vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids which have moisturising and cell regenerative properties. To up the hydration factor, there are Almond and Wheat Germ Oils, however I feel they're somewhat outshined by the Petrolatum and Parafinium Oils which are disappointingly the first two ingredients in this formula. There's also a touch of Henna in this to act as a bronzing agent to give your tan a more golden colour. 

Who can use this?

All skin types can use this including skin that's difficult to tan, but as with all beauty products, it's advisable to do a patch test first if yours is sensitive. Works with all skin tones.

What's the texture and scent like?

Texture-wise, this is like a thick, non-sticky, moisturising gel that has a light red/purple tint to it, so be careful when using it with light coloured clothes as it can stain! It smells really lovely - fresh and fruity.

How do I apply it?

Apply it over your regular SPF 30+ sunscreen and re-apply it as often as you re-apply your sunscreen throughout the day. As mentioned above, this doesn't contain a sunscreen so you MUST apply your own first before using this to ensure that your skin is protected. 

Results?

I was sceptical, but it does work! My skin does tan quite easily though, however I was most impressed by how dark my tan looked at the end of the day as I don't usually tan so deeply. My skin felt moisturised and smelt good too. The overall clincher was definitely the longevity though - this helped my tan to stick around for a lot longer than it usually does as it tends to fade very quickly on its own. Due to using the Carrot Sun, my tan remained for at least a fortnight longer which is really impressive! 

Carrot Sun Tan Accelerator in Carrot* (350ml, £14.99, link) is also available in different flavours/scents.

Have you tried a tan accelerator this Summer?

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