A good tan and good sun care aren’t mutually exclusive. You can absolutely build real colour in the sun – you just need to do it on the skin’s terms, not against them.

Here’s how.

Understand What a Tan Actually Is

When UV rays hit the skin, the body produces melanin as a protective response – that’s what creates the colour. The tan is your skin defending itself. Which means a burn isn’t a tan gone wrong – it’s what happens when UV exposure outpaces your skin’s ability to keep up.

The goal is to stay inside that window. Build colour gradually, never push past the point of burning.

Start Lower, Go Longer

If you’re starting the season pale, begin with a higher SPF and build up your sun exposure gradually over several days. Malibu’s tanning range includes formulas across a range of protection factors, so you can make the most of the sun while still giving your skin what it needs.

Going straight for the tanning oil on day one of a holiday and lying out for four hours is a reliable way to burn, peel, and come home paler than you left.

The Best Time to Tan

UV intensity peaks between 11am and 3pm. That’s when you’re most likely to burn quickly. Morning and late afternoon sun – before 11 and after 3 – gives you gentler, more tanning-friendly conditions. The colour builds slower, but it stays longer.

Prep Your Skin

Exfoliating before sun exposure gives you an even base – old, dry skin tans patchily and fades faster. Hydrated skin tans more evenly and holds colour better, so moisturise the evening before a big sun day.

Use the Right Product

Tanning oils maximise sun contact and help build colour faster. Bronzing butters are richer and more nourishing – great for longer sessions. Tan accelerators work with your skin’s natural response to speed up melanin production. Malibu’s bronzing range covers all three – choose based on how long you’re planning to be out and how much colour you’re working with.

Reapply. Always.

No formula lasts all day without reapplication. Reapply every two hours, more often after swimming or sweating. Even if you’ve been using a low SPF, you still need to top it up – degraded product means less protection and patchier results.

After the Sun

Tanning takes it out of your skin. After sun lotion isn’t just for burns – it replenishes moisture and helps the colour develop evenly. Apply it generously as part of your end-of-day routine and your tan will last noticeably longer.