Can you get a tan in the shade?

tan in the shade

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You blush quickly in the sun, but you don't want to give up a light summer tan? The motto is to get a tan in the shade. Find out how it works here!

The perfect summer tan. Who doesn't wish for it? But not everyone likes to roast for hours in the blazing sun. For fair-skinned people, the dream of an attractive tan often ends in sunburn.

This is not only unsightly and painful. Too much sun ages the skin faster and can lead to skin cancer. So the question arises: Can you also get a tan in the shade?

We say: tan in the shade - it's possible!

Become brown tips

Why you can tan in the shade

In short: by indirectly incident light. Shadows are created where light rays meet an obstacle. At this point, they cannot continue their way to you in a direct manner.

They are deflected away from the obstacle - in this case, away from you. Light rays hitting obstacles in your environment are deflected in the same way, obliquely or horizontally to the ground.

Some of them fall as indirect light into the shady area where you "sunbathe". That's why you can get a tan in the shade.

Of course, this can be explained in more detail. Light consists of many light rays of different wavelengths. When light rays hit an obstacle, such as a drop of water or a house wall, they are refracted. The different light rays are scattered to different degrees. The short-wave blue light, for example, is scattered much more strongly than the long-wave red light. UV radiation is scattered particularly strongly.

Can you get a tan in the shade

UV radiation, that is UV-B rays, UV-A rays and UV-C rays. UV-B rays cause tanning, UV-A rays cause skin aging. UV-C rays are ultra-short wavelengths. They are absorbed even before they reach the clouds.

The UV-A rays and UV-B rays, however, continue their journey to the ground. In the process, they are refracted, for example by clouds or dust particles in the air, or reflected by water. They are deflected.

As a result, UV rays hit us not only vertically from above, but from all sides, including obliquely and horizontally. In the case of UV radiation, more than half of all rays hit us indirectly, i.e. through deflection.

That's why you can get a tan even in the shade. By eliminating the direct radiation, only the amount of radiation is reduced.

This way it takes longer than in full sun. But you're doing your body a favor. The sun's rays are stressful for the body and can cause dangerous damage.

The best sunscreens are those that absorb quickly and are not greasy. Especially when you are on the mountain, walking in the city or do not want to smear all your clothes with sunscreen.

All this I can learn from the Suntribe sunscreen* claim. I recently started using it myself because it is organic, free from additives such as preservatives, alcohol or perfume and is made without synthetics.

This benefits everyone who has sensitive skin and who has no desire for chemicals on and in the body. With the Suntribe discount code* "wegowild" you can save 10% on the order.

Mineral Organic Sunscreen
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And you're also doing nature a favor. Because conventional sunscreen produces a lot of plastic. But Suntribe packs the cream in sugar tubes.

The sun protection factor is 30. Only a cream with a sun protection factor can prevent his skin from getting damaged while lying in the sun. At the beginning of the season, it's best to use a sunscreen with a high sun protection factor.

The more your skin has become accustomed to the sun, the lower the sun protection factor can be.

If you want to get a tan in the shade: don't forget sunscreen

Brown in the shade - it's gentle. But it is not completely harmless.

The tan we find so attractive is actually a protective mechanism of the skin. The pigment places itself protectively in front of the cell nucleus to avert damage to the DNA.

This reaction of the skin gives it its own sun protection factor of maximum 3 to 4. This is very little and alone not enough for good protection.

In the shade, fewer rays hit us than in the blazing sun. But they are the same rays. It is impossible to say exactly how much radiation we get in the shade. Therefore, you should always pay attention to sun protection.

A parasol on an open surface in blazing sun blocks around 60 percent of UV radiation. The remaining 40 percent hits the body from the sides, where the umbrella does not provide shade. Directly on the water, it is even more because of the highly reflective effect of the water.

Since you can't know how much radiation will reach you in the shade, you need to protect yourself from the sun even in the shade. A white T-shirt, for example, only has a sun protection factor of 10 to 15.

This shows how important it is to have extra protection from sunscreen even in the shade. The sun protection factor should be appropriate for your skin type. This way you can safely get a tan in the shade. Slowly, but surely.

How to get the perfect tan in the shade

So even if it takes a little longer, you can still get the perfect tan in the shade. Better even than in the blazing sun. Because the blazing sun doesn't just put a strain on your body. Some parts of the body often get more sun than others. This leads to an uneven tan, if not to sunburn.

In the shade, however, you can use a few tricks to ensure that the indirect light tans you evenly without burning you.

Prefer open seats!

If you want to tan in the shade, find as open a space as possible.

A cloudy day in the park or on the beach will make you tan more evenly than if you "sunbathe" in the shade of a house wall. This is because the rays that come through can reach you from all sides.

get brown skin in the shade

Move!

Exercise is not only healthy. It also ensures an even tan. Because this way, every part of the body is safely exposed to UV rays.

Go to the water!

Water reflects the rays of light. Thus, even on a cloudy day, more rays reach you.

Caution: Even on a bright sunny day, the light is reflected by the water. You'll quickly get sunburned, even if you protect yourself from direct sunlight with an umbrella.

Give your skin enough liquid!

Sufficient drinking is important even in the shade. This also helps the skin to stay supple.

Moisturizer and after-sun lotion moisturize your skin from the outside. They ensure a beautiful, even complexion, whose tan is shown to its best advantage. In this way, you prevent the skin from peeling and the tan is soon gone again.

Our conclusion

Tanning in the shade is possible! And more evenly than in the blazing sun. In addition, sunbathing in the shade not only protects the body, but also does not age the skin as quickly. Then your summer tan is shown off to its best advantage.

Good luck!

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