When people ask how to get tan faster, what they are usually looking for is a way to see a warm, bronzed tone sooner, without constantly fighting streaks, stains, or obvious damage to their skin. From a dermatology perspective, there are two important truths to hold at the same time: first, any tan created by ultraviolet (UV) exposure is a sign of DNA damage, not an indicator of skin health; and second, there are now several ways to achieve a tanned or glowy appearance that rely much less on UV and much more on topical chemistry, internal nutrition, and routine.
In this guide, we will walk through what really controls how fast you tan, why speeding up UV driven tanning comes with real risks, and how to get the visual effect of a deeper tone more quickly using approaches that are better aligned with long term skin health. Along the way, you will see how KINGS, as a drinkable tanning ritual, fits into an evidence informed strategy rather than trying to replace sunscreen or encourage sunburn.
First: what actually makes you tan
Your natural tan is driven by melanin. When your skin is exposed to UV radiation from the sun or artificial sources, melanocytes in the epidermis respond by producing more melanin and distributing it into surrounding skin cells. This extra pigment helps absorb and scatter some UV radiation, which is why a tan can provide a small amount of photoprotection. At the same time, the signal to produce more melanin is triggered by DNA damage and oxidative stress within the skin, which is why major health organizations now describe a UV induced tan as a visible marker of injury rather than a beauty ideal.1,3-5
The faster you try to force that process with UV, the more damage you accept. High intensity sun exposure, long sessions outdoors without protection, and indoor tanning beds all increase the risk of both melanoma and non melanoma skin cancers, especially when used at younger ages or in fair skin types that burn easily. Large meta analyses and public health reviews consistently find higher rates of melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma in people who use sunbeds or intentionally tan, and the World Health Organization classifies UV emitting tanning devices as carcinogenic to humans.3-5 In other words, there is no medically safe way to accelerate a UV driven tan. The goal should instead be to make your skin look more bronzed and even while keeping UV exposure as low and controlled as possible.
Safer ways to look more tan, more quickly
If we redefine "getting tan faster" as "reaching a deeper looking, more even tone with minimal UV," three main strategies stand out: topical sunless tanning, rigorous sun protection when you are outdoors, and supporting a naturally warmer tone from within through targeted nutrition and formulations like KINGS.
1. Use topical self tanners to change surface color
The fastest and most widely studied way to look tan without UV is topical self tanning. Most modern self tanners rely on dihydroxyacetone (DHA), a simple three carbon sugar that reacts with amino acids and proteins in the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of your skin. This non enzymatic Maillard reaction produces brown melanoidin pigments that resemble melanin in color but remain confined to the dead surface layer, which is why they fade as that layer naturally sheds.1,2 Reviews of DHA based products describe this as a comparatively safer route to a tanned appearance than UV exposure when used as directed.1,2
To get the most natural result in the shortest time, it is worth treating self tanning like skin care rather than like paint. Gentle exfoliation the day before application, careful moisturizing of dry areas such as elbows and knees, and choosing a shade that is only one or two steps deeper than your current tone can all help your first application look more like a real tan and less like a cosmetic overlay. Because the DHA reaction happens at the surface, good technique and patience during the first few hours after application are still critical for avoiding streaks and patches.1,2
2. Protect your skin whenever you are in the sun
It may sound counterintuitive in an article about tanning, but consistent sun protection is actually one of the most effective ways to avoid blotchy, uneven color that looks older rather than healthier. Dermatology societies recommend a broad spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30, applied generously and reapplied every two hours, alongside hats, clothing, and shade.6 SPF 30 used correctly blocks about 97 percent of UVB rays, and broad spectrum labeling indicates coverage of UVA, which drives much of the deeper photoaging and some skin cancers.6
If you are outdoors frequently, this level of protection helps prevent the cycle of burning, peeling, and hyperpigmentation that makes skin look mottled instead of evenly bronzed. It also means that any subtle, slow melanin build you get from incidental exposure is more likely to be uniform. The World Health Organization specifically advises against the use of sunbeds and artificial tanning devices for cosmetic tanning and notes that they should never be used as a way to achieve vitamin D sufficiency.4,5 In practice, that means your "fast tan" plan should not involve indoor tanning at all.
3. Support a natural looking glow from within
Beyond what sits on the surface, a growing body of research explores how certain nutrients accumulate in the skin and influence its color and response to light. Carotenoids such as beta carotene, lycopene, lutein, and astaxanthin are plant derived pigments that act as antioxidants and can be measured in the skin after dietary intake or supplementation.7,8 Controlled trials have shown that higher carotenoid intake can make skin appear slightly more golden or peach toned, independent of UV exposure, and that many people subjectively rate these carotenoid driven tones as healthier and more attractive than UV tans.9,10
From a physiology standpoint, carotenoids help quench reactive oxygen species generated by UV and visible light, and several studies suggest that consistent oral intake can provide modest protection against UV induced redness and support aspects of barrier function over time.7,8,10 These effects develop gradually, typically over several weeks of consistent intake, which mirrors the gradual shifts that users often notice with products designed to harness similar internal mechanisms.
This is where KINGS fits in. Rather than trying to force rapid melanin production with UV, KINGS is formulated as a daily drinkable tanning ritual that works with your existing biology. You mix the drops with water, your digestive system absorbs the active ingredients, and those compounds are carried through the bloodstream to your skin, where they can contribute to a warmer, more even tone from within. The conceptual foundation is similar to the "beauty from within" carotenoid studies, where ingestible formulations were shown to improve skin tone, texture, and perceived radiance by supporting internal antioxidant capacity and barrier health.7,8,10
It is important to be clear that KINGS itself has not been evaluated as a drug or medical photoprotective agent and should not be viewed as a replacement for sunscreen, clothing, or shade. Instead, it sits alongside those measures, offering a way to build a more bronzed, harmonized tone slowly and consistently so that your skin looks closer to the tan you want even before you reach for topical products or spend any meaningful time outdoors.
How to structure a routine that works faster and smarter
If your goal is to look noticeably more tan within a couple of weeks while still aligning with what dermatologists consider sensible, a layered, conservative strategy tends to work best. In practical terms, that might look like starting KINGS as a daily supplement so that internal tone support becomes automatic, optimizing your daily sunscreen and sun protection habits to prevent burns and blotchy pigmentation, and then using a well formulated self tanner to give you an immediate visible jump in color when you want it. Over the following days and weeks, your KINGS routine helps keep your baseline tone slightly warmer and more even, while your sun habits protect that investment instead of undoing it with inflammation or peeling.
Because all of these mechanisms are gradual and cumulative, consistency is more powerful than intensity. A moderate self tanner applied properly looks better than an overly dark formula rushed onto dry skin. A realistic commitment to KINGS as part of your hydration routine yields more natural results than sporadic use around a holiday. And regular use of SPF 30 or higher is more protective than occasional use of very high SPF applied too thinly.6-8 Taken together, these habits help you reach and maintain a tan like appearance faster than trying to chase a deep UV tan from a standing start every summer.
The bottom line
There is no safe way to force your skin to tan faster purely through more UV exposure. The same UV that darkens your skin also accelerates wrinkles, uneven pigmentation, and skin cancer risk over time.3-5 However, there are smarter ways to achieve a bronzed, "just got back from vacation" look while keeping those risks in check. Topical DHA based self tanners can change surface color within hours. Thoughtful sun protection prevents the burns and blotchiness that slow you down. Nutrient based strategies, including carotenoid rich diets and drinkable tanning rituals like KINGS, can support a warmer, more even tone from within when used consistently.1-2,7-10
If you want to get tan faster in a way that respects your long term skin health, think less in terms of chasing the strongest sun and more in terms of building a routine: daily KINGS as an internal input, daily broad spectrum SPF 30 or higher when you are outside, and carefully applied self tanner for faster visible payoff. Over time, that combination helps your skin look naturally more bronzed with far less reliance on the very thing that ages it the most: unprotected UV.