Why is keeping skin moisturized essential to great tanning results?
Simply stated: Skin that is moisturized better absorbs UV light and therefore will tan faster. Moisturization is also key in aiding the skin to perform at its optimal efficiency and thus will allow the development of faster, darker color. Skin that is dry and dehydrated will look dull and ashy and will not be able to perform at its best. In more scientific detail: Skin loses water to the atmosphere by diffusion through the epidermis and the sweat glands. Constant cell renewal, the intercellular lipids and the NMF (natural moisturizing factor) keep moisture loss in balance. Moisture loss from the skin is referred to as TEWL or Tran epidermal water loss. It is necessary for the skin to maintain between 10 and 20% water in the stratum corneum to avoid dry skin conditions. Dry skin is rough, feels abnormally tight and may show signs of fine lines and wrinkles. Because the skin is rough, it will not be able to reflect light from its surface uniformly giving the skin a dull appearance. This
