Let's be real — a healthy tan can make us all feel just a little more alive. And after the gruelling grey winter we've just been through here in the UK, we could all use a little summery vitality.
Personally, having a little tan instantly puts me in a good mood and magics up a beautiful glow for my face. The trouble is, in winter and spring, my skin is snow-white. I don't really have any natural tan in my skin. Naturally, I set out on a mission to find a solution that didn't involve buying countless tanning products or undergoing damaging tanning treatments. So, when I came across the carrot juice hack I was skeptical but too intrigued not to try it.
The carrot juice experiment
I decided to get clued up on the best method for natural tanning, even in the colder months. As a beauty editor, I know that the sun and UV rays are damaging to the skin, so using a sunbed would never be an option for me.
And fake tan products are not only expensive, they often contain a lot of chemicals, which I would prefer to avoid using in the long run.
There must be something that makes you tan naturally, right? That's when I remember a school friend telling me that she always ate carrots to get a quick tan. That sounded pretty interesting to me, so I thought I would give it a try.
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A natural tan with carrots? Is that even possible?
Before I start my experiment, I want to consult a dermatologist on whether this idea makes sense. Dr. Christian Merkel confirms that "yes, carrots can change the colour of the skin." However, he also warns that "the shade is usually not as brown as the tan you get from the sun, but more orange."
According to Dr. Merkel, this is due to the beta-carotene in carrots and also the vitamin A, which not only has skin-protecting properties, but also provides a tint.
Here's how my test went
I stock up on lots of carrot juice. Eating carrots would also work, according to Dr. Merkel, but you would have to eat a ton of them to see any results. "It's best to drink about 300ml a day to achieve a tan after about four weeks," Dr. Merkel advises.
It's also important to note that "vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin – so the effect will only work if it is absorbed in combination with oil," he adds. That's why I drink my carrot juice daily with a drop of oil – or combine it with a meal high in natural fats.
I drink the carrot juice daily and find it's pretty easy to incorporate into my daily routine. If I have time, I juice fresh carrots with my juicer to give my body plenty of additional vitamins (I already know this from making my own juices).
When I'm time-poor, I get fresh juice at a stand or fall back on ready-made carrot juice from the health food shop or supermarket. If the pure vegetable taste gets too much for me, I combine it with other juices, such as freshly-squeezed orange juice.
The results
After about three weeks, I can already see a difference – and a delicate tint in my skin. As Dr. Merkel warned, the palms of my hands and the soles of my feet are also tinted. These would normally remain white if I were getting a tan in the sun.
As predicted, the tint is also more orange than the olive hue I had hoped. But since I have a red undertone in my skin anyway, it's not too noticeable.
According to Dr Merkel, a tan isn't medically measurable so you have to rely on what you can see with the naked eye. So I take pictures showing the full splendour of my untanned winter skin and one that shows the colour of my skin after four weeks of drinking carrot juice.
My verdict
Obviously a proper tan can't be achieved with just carrot juice, but I still look healthier thanks to the light tint it gave my skin. Since carrot juice is so easy to integrate into everyday life, I will probably continue to drink it as it gives me a daily dose of vitamins.
I also think it's great that the beta-carotene protects my skin, especially now that I'll be spending more time in the summer sun. When the sun's first rays hit my skin, I'll soon find out whether I actually tan faster. I'm already curious to see how a natural tan will look in combination with the gold-orange colour of my skin.
For all those who want to try tanning with carrot juice, there is definitely some effort involved as you have to be consistent. The result is also different depending on individual skin tone. This means that if you want to get a tan quickly and achieve a reliable result, you will probably still have to resort to sitting in the sun or self-tanning products.
This article was originally featured on GLAMOUR Germany.