Pregnancy comes with a million questions - especially around what's safe for you and your baby. One question we hear all the time: Can I still use fake tan while pregnant? The short answer? Yes - with a few smart precautions and ingredient awareness.
As a professional tanning artist and founder of Island Vibes Tan, I safely continued to fake tan every week throughout both of my pregnancies. It was already part of my weekly routine for over 15 years, so continuing to fake tan during pregnancy felt like holding on to a piece of my "norm." It helped me feel like me - glowy, fresh, and confident - especially during a time when so much else was changing. Such a little self-care ritual also made a big difference to my mindset when I was feeling pretty ordinary most days.
Remember to keep in mind, that pregnancy hormones can change how your skin reacts to fake tan. Hormones can interrupt the DHA process, meaning your tan might develop darker, lighter, or even with a slightly different undertone than you're used to - sometimes pulling more orange tones or unevenly fading. It's totally normal and varies from person to person.
That's why I always say: patch test during pregnancy, even if you've been tanning for years. And as always, I listened closely to my medical team to ensure everything I was using on my body was safe.
Most obstetricians and dermatologists agree: topical self-tanning products are generally considered safe during pregnancy, especially when they contain natural variants of ingredients like DHA (dihydroxyacetone) rather than synthetic variations. DHA is the active tanning ingredient in all tanning formulas - it reacts with the outer layer of the skin to create a bronzed effect, without being absorbed into the bloodstream.
The important thing is to choose a product made with 100% natural DHA, like Island Vibes Tan, which is derived from natural brown sugar cane - not synthetic chemicals. This ensures your tan is gentle, pregnancy-safe, and it's also free from nasties like parabens, sulfates, and toxic ingredients.
The only time I didn't tan during my pregnancies was during the IVF embryo transfer phase. Why? During this incredibly delicate time, fertility specialists advise against using any scented products on your body - including perfume, deodorant, and yes, even moisturisers - so I opted out of my natural tanning solution too for that period. The skin is your largest organ, and while DHA doesn't penetrate beyond the top layer, embryos are especially sensitive to scents and as the embryo has to come out of the lab to enter your body, I wasn't taking any chances.
So, for the week of my embryo transfers, I kept my skin completely bare - no tan, no scent, no products where possible. But once my embryo is safely inside me I usually waited a few days to a week, and I went straight back to my weekly glow routine, feeling confident and back to my normal self.
Yes - fake tanning is safe during pregnancy, especially when using a high quality product like Island Vibes Tan, which is formulated with 100% natural DHA and skin-loving ingredients. Always check with your healthcare provider first, especially if you're in early pregnancy or undergoing fertility treatments.
