People in the world love a good sun-kissed, J. Lo, just-back-from-a-cruise type glow just much as the next person—but we certainly don’t like the accompanying sun damage that achieving this glow entails. Enter the beauty of a good self-tanner. Whether it’s out of a bottle or an in-salon spray, you can pretty much be certain that the formula contains dihydroxyacetone. The name is certainly a mouthful, which is exactly why dihydroxyacetone most commonly goes by DHA.
DHA is somewhat of a unicorn in the beauty ingredient world in that, one, it’s only found in one category of products, and two, it’s really the only ingredient that can do what it does. Read on to learn exactly how that faux tan comes to be.
DIHYDROXYACETONE
TYPE OF INGREDIENT: A sugar
MAIN BENEFITS: Causes a chemical reaction in the skin that creates a darkening of the cells for a tanned look.1
WHO SHOULD USE IT: Anyone who wants the look of a tan without the sun damage. DHA is generally well-tolerated by most, though it can sometimes cause contact dermatitis, says Farber.
HOW OFTEN CAN YOU USE IT: The darkening effect of DHA develops within 24 hours and lasts up to a week, on average.
WORKS WELL WITH: Many hydrating ingredients, which are often combined with DHA in self-tanning products, particularly moisturizers and serums, says Farber.
DON’T USE WITH: Alpha hydroxy acids speed up the breakdown of DHA; while they’re a good way to remove your tan once you’re ready, don’t use them when applying self-tanner.
What Is Dihydroxyacetone?
“Dihydroxyacetone, or DHA as it’s more commonly referred to, is a colorless sugar compound that’s used in most self-tanners,” says Mitchell. It can be synthetically derived or derived from simple sugars found in sugar beets or sugar cane. Fun fact alert: It’s the only ingredient approved by the FDA as a self-tanner, adds Lam-Phaure. When it comes to beauty products, you’ll only find it in self-tanners, though it’s also sometimes used during the wine-making process, notes Mitchell.
How Dihydroxyacetone Works
As mentioned, DHA’s primary (read: only) function is to create a temporary darkening of the skin. How does it do this? Time to get nice and nerdy for a second, because it all hinges on the Maillard reaction. If the term sounds familiar, it’s likely because you probably heard it in high school chemistry class, or while watching the Food Network. Yes, the Food Network. “The Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction that’s also known as non-enzymatic browning—it’s why red meat browns when cooking,” explains Lam-Phaure.
We know, it’s a little bit strange to compare a sizzling steak to self-tanner, but hear us out. As it pertains to the skin, the Maillard reaction occurs when the DHA interacts with amino acids in the proteins of the skin cells, causing the production of melanoids, or brown pigments, Lam-Phaure explains.1 This, in turn, creates a tanned appearance.
It bears mentioning that this reaction only occurs in the epidermis, the very top layer of the skin, which is why self-tanner isn’t permanent.1 Once those tanned cells slough off, the darkened appearance disappears. (It’s also why exfoliation is the key to removing DHA; more on that in a moment.)
FAQ
Is DHA Safe for Skin?
Dihydroxyacetone, or DHA, is approved in self-tanning products by both the FDA and the EU’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety.3 In 2010, the latter organization stated that in concentrations up to 10 percent, DHA poses no risk to consumer health.4 Do note that the FDA stresses the importance of not letting DHA near your lips, eyes, or any other areas covered by mucous membranes.5
Is DHA Harmful?
Though the FDA has approved the topical application of DHA in self-tanners and bronzers, the ingredient is not approved for ingestion—and it could be easy to ingest DHA if your eyes and mouth aren’t properly covered in a spray tanning booth.5 So if you decide to get sprayed by a pro, make sure you’re receiving adequate protection.
Post time: May-20-2022