Why does Fake Tan smell

I’m often asked, “Why does my skin smell so bad after a fake tan?” Or, “Why does the tanning product stink?” From the user’s perspective, tans are mostly associated with positive feelings of confidence, but unfortunately, the skins odor (after application) can sometimes prevent users from re-applying their fake tan.

So, why do most self-tanning products have an unpleasant odour? The reason for the odour is that the main active ingredient within the tanning product (Dihydroxyacetone- DHA) reacts with the amino acids and proteins on the skin. This reaction is known as the Maillard effect. Due to the DHA, the odors can be masks by adding fragrances to the fake tanning products but unfortunately, the odors can not be avoided.

With all of our fake tanning products, we have tried to counteract the unpleasant odour by including our own special blend of fragrances – pina-colada (and who doesn’t like pina-colada?) – to create an enjoyable experience for the user and enhance the positive emotional state as referred to by Dr. Patrice Bellon.

It’s true that fragrances or odour cause an emotion. According to Dr. Patrice Bellon, emotions are not measurable but they can be evaluated and they have a character specific to each individual. Emotions are a reaction that our body employs when we encounter a phycological, cognitive and/or behavioral stimuli. Each of these aspects are not the emotions themselves, but an indicator of them. When emotions occur, our body remembers our responses to all kinds of stimuli. While we can have fond memories when we smell a particular scent or fragrance, the reverse is also true regarding unpleasant odour.

Some cosmetic companies already in the market are directing significant resources to the research of the beneficial properties of scents to our sense of wellbeing with the aim of reducing unpleasant odors from their products.