Fake tanning: a brief history

It's hard to imagine that fake tanning was once ever not as popular as it is now. Europe currently amounts to 40.1% of total global fake tan sales, with the global fake tanning market is expected to grow to $1.8BN by 2026.

So, when did it all begin?

The world's first fake tanning oil is believed to have been created in 1928, by fashion designer Jean Patou, followed by the world's first UV-filtered tanning oil in 1935.

In the 1950s, medical researcher Eva Wittgenstein noticed that a medicinal product containing dihydroxyacetone could tan outer layers of the epidermis in a harmless way. 

Jumping forward 40 years, the first spray tan was invented - just in time for the millenium. Mystic Tans launched the first, shortly followed by Jimmy Coco, who created the spray tannings "golden moment", which ultimately paved the way for the celebrity obsession that comes with runway and red carpet tans.

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Fast forward to 2021, and fake tanning continues to be a growing fashion, with more and more people turning to fake tans as an alternative to sun beds, which can be linked to skin damage.

According to Melanoma UK, exposure to tanning beds before the age of 30 increases a person’s risk of developing melanoma (the deadliest known form of cancer) by 75%.

Achieve the tan you want and deserve, without the risk. Go Faux. When you know, you glow.

View our range of Ultimate Fake Tans here.