Tanning lotions are basically lotions that either help get you a tan, help maintain your tan, or helps intensify your tan. They still fulfill the basic goal of helping you moisturize and protect your skin.

There are different types of tanning lotions, depending on what they do for your skin and your tan. They are:

Accelerators / Intensifiers

Ideally, one should never try tanning without using tanning lotions. Especially in the case of beginners, they should always use intensifiers or accelerators to help speed up the process, and it helps cut down the time you expose yourself to the sun or the tanning bed. 

Hot Action Lotions

Also called Tingle Lotions, this variety of tanning lotion helps achieve deeper tanning as hot action lotions contain components that increase micro-circulation in the skin, meaning it increases blood flow and helps bring oxygen to your skin, which improves tanning. Additionally, they also have a warming and mild-tingling sensation. However, beginners should exercise caution and moderation as these can cause reactions for people with sensitive skin.

Bronzers

Now bronzers offer instant gratification amongst all the varieties of tanning lotions. Bronzers contain a dye that helps you achieve a tan color immediately after applying it. But with bronzers you have to be extra careful to apply it evenly on your skin as it tends to cause streaks if unevenly applied.

Cooling lotions

Lastly, cooling lotions differ from the others in that you apply it after sunbathing or a session at the tanning bed. As the name implies, the lotion helps provide a cooling and soothing effect by helping draw out the heat from your skin after tanning. While many people argue this does not directly benefit tanning, some say that the coldness of the lotion helps draw warm blood to the skin, which helps facilitate better tanning results.