Between tanning mists, sprays, and foams, you’d think we have enough options for getting a faux bronze. All of these are safer alternatives to the controversial tanning nasal sprays, tanning beds, and lounging underneath the sun, but they’re also quite temporary, lasting only a week or two before you start looking patchy. Now, TikTok users seem to have found a new solution to the “problem” of a short-lived glow: tanning supplements.
There have been pills specifically marketed as “tanning pills'' for a while. Most of those contain canthaxanthin, a color additive that is not FDA-approved for this purpose — but that’s not what we’re talking about. During some of my recent late night TikTok scrolls, I’ve seen videos pushing lycopene and astaxanthin supplements as a way to achieve a “natural” glow, similar to the tint you’d get from tanning pills. Although these ingredients show potential to have some health benefits unrelated to deeping your skin tone, you’d have to take these supplements more than recommended, and frequently, to maintain the pigment. In the words of Kim Possible: So what’s the sitch?
What are lycopene and astaxanthin supplements?
All of this hubbub stems from an unlikely culprit: carrots. Back in July, TikToker Isabelle Lux went viral for claiming eating three carrots a day gave her skin a bronze-y look. The hashtag “carrot tan” now has over one billion views on the app. There is some science to this: Carrots — as well as squash, tomatoes, and other foods of red, orange, and yellow hues — contain carotenoids. When consumed in moderation, carotenoids can provide multiple health benefits because of their antioxidant properties, including reducing inflammation and protecting against several diseases. And, yes, if you eat enough of them, there is a risk of you turning a bit… orange.
Lycopene and astaxanthin are two types of carotenoids that you can buy in supplement form, both commonly marketed as having a range of benefits that include everything from better skin to improved heart health. But when over consumed or taken together, these ingredients can also leave the skin with a slight or dramatic tint. “[These supplements] work by accumulating in the fat below the skin, fat pads, and where fat is more abundant, just to give you a bronze color,” explains board-certified dermatologist Corey L. Hartman, MD. Though, you’re not guaranteed to get the same glow you might see after a summer in the sun. “It can range from bronze to orangey to purplish, depending upon the actual ingredient and how it interacts with the person's own skin tone.”
For instance, lycopene has a natural red pigment, which gives your favorite red fruits and vegetables, like beets and watermelon, their hue. The beta-carotene in carrots is red-orange, a shade canthaxanthin can emulate, which is why it’s more commonly used in pills specifically marketed for tanning purposes.
According to board-certified dermatologist Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, consumers will first notice these pigments in the palms, soles, and other thick layers of skin. “When you start to see that, that's an indication that there are high levels [of the ingredient] in the body.”
Is it safe to take lycopene or astaxanthin supplements for tanning?
While no tanning pills are approved by the FDA, lycopene and astaxanthin aren’t even marketed (and therefore are likely not being tested) for skin darkening — and they definitely aren’t providing any protection against the sun. ”They really do make your skin darker, but not in a protective way like having melanin,” says Dr. Hartman. “If you have the pigment naturally, then you are [more] protected from skin cancer. This is giving you the fake version, and it's making you more likely to develop melanoma.”
Melanin on its own “confers a natural sun protection factor of 8 to 13,” he follows. Darker skin tones have a natural protection of 13.4, about four times more than lighter skin tones. “This is why darker skinned patients do not develop skin cancer at the same rates of lighter skinned patients,” Hartman explains. Regardless, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends everyone wear an SPF 30 or higher — something these pills certainly aren’t providing.
On top of that, endocrinologist Sarah Fishman, MD, remarks that lycopene, in particular, has additional health risks if taken incorrectly. “It can lead to diarrhea and nausea, some stomach pain, cramps, and can interfere with certain other medications,” she says. “It can [also] interfere with anticoagulants, so if somebody's taking blood thinners, then they can have a higher risk of bleeding too much.”
Once you stop taking lycopene and astaxanthin, the pigments should disappear. “But if they've done damage to the liver, then that can have its own impact on the skin,” says Dr. Fishman. “That's not necessarily a reflection of the supplement, but a reflection of the damage that's happened elsewhere in their body.”
The verdict on these tanning pills
Dietary supplements, which includes vitamins and minerals, are technically regulated by the FDA, but not until they’re already on the market. The majority of companies do not need to notify the FDA before they start selling supplements, and the FDA is simply not in the business of approving dietary supplements for any reason. And supplements definitely aren’t approved for treating and preventing disease — if a product makes those types of claims, it becomes a drug and is subjected to different approval standards.
“That's why every single one of them [supplements] have this FDA disclaimer that it has not been evaluated,” says cosmetic chemist Ginger King. “It is like, ‘take [at] your own risk.’” And each consumer will have a different experience, since you have to take your individual diet, lifestyle, and overall health into account.
When it comes to lycopene and astaxanthin supplements, there isn’t much data on their risks and benefits, even when taken at the “recommended” dose. “We don't really know how safe they are, and more research is needed to really determine that,” says Dr. Murphy-Rose. Instead of digesting the unknown, our experts say the best way to achieve a tan, without the risk of exposing yourself to UV rays, is to stick with temporary tanning solutions like foams and lotions. They also suggest avoiding spray tans because of their risk of affecting your lung health if you inhale.
“People tend to discount [the] skin because ‘it's just skin’,” says Dr. Hartman “But it's still part of a living organism; it is an organ. And it still interacts with these systemic processes that you can start altering and causing more problems.”
More on TikTok trends:
I Tried the Color Analysis That's All Over TikTok
TikTok’s Cherry Cola Trend Is Putting Us In a Vampy Mood
Can a TikTok Filter Really Tell You Your Ideal Eyebrow Shape?
Now, enjoy Jennfier Aniston's journey into the app:
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