Blog · Holiday prep
How to Build a Base Tan Before Your Holiday
A proper base tan before you fly means you spend day one of your holiday on the sunbed, not in the shade nursing pink shoulders. Here's the week-by-week plan we give our hire customers — built around what actually works, not what marketing says.
Quick answer
Start 4 weeks before you fly. Do 8–10 short sessions, building gradually from 3 minutes up to 10. Stop 4–5 days before you fly so your skin can settle. Hire a sunbed at home — easier to stay consistent than booking salon slots.
Why a base tan matters
The first 2–3 days of any holiday are usually wasted because pale skin can't take sun. You either hide in the shade or burn and peel by day four. A base tan flips that — you arrive already 2–3 shades darker, so your skin tans further in the sun instead of starting from zero.
It's also gentler. Building gradually under controlled UV is far kinder to your skin than getting hammered by Mediterranean sun on day one with no preparation.
The 4-week base tan plan
Week 4 (4 weeks before holiday)
Wake the skin up gradually
Sessions: 2 sessions
Length: 3–5 minutes
- Exfoliate before your first session
- Apply accelerator 15–20 mins before
- Leave 48 hours between sessions
Week 3
Build base colour
Sessions: 3 sessions
Length: 5–7 minutes
- Moisturise daily — dry skin sheds the tan
- Drink water, especially on session days
- Stop if skin pinks up — that's burning, not tanning
Week 2
Deepen colour
Sessions: 3 sessions
Length: 7–10 minutes
- Switch to a bronzer accelerator for visible colour
- Keep UV goggles on — non-negotiable
- Avoid hot showers immediately after
Week 1 (the week you fly)
Let the tan settle, skin rehydrate
Sessions: 1 short session early in the week, then stop
Length: 5–7 minutes max
- Final session 4–5 days before you fly
- Moisturise twice a day until departure
- Pack real SPF — a base tan is not a substitute
Skin type matters — adjust accordingly
The plan above suits most UK skin (types II–III on the Fitzpatrick scale — pale to olive). If you're very fair, freckled, or burn easily, halve the session lengths and double the rest days. If you tan deeply already, you can push the upper end of each week's range.
If you're very fair or have a history of skin reactions, talk to a GP first — sunbeds aren't suitable for everyone. We won't hire to under-18s or anyone with a medical reason to avoid UV.
Mistakes that wreck your base tan
- – Starting too late. Cramming 6 sessions into one week burns, doesn't tan.
- – No accelerator or moisturiser. Dry skin sheds your tan within days.
- – Skipping goggles. Eye damage from sunbeds is permanent — always wear them.
- – Tanning the day you fly. You'll arrive pink, peel by day three, and lose the whole tan.
- – Hot showers and harsh soaps. Both strip melanin before it has time to develop.
Why hire a sunbed at home instead of going to a salon?
Building a base tan needs consistency — 2–3 sessions a week for a month. That's 8–10 trips to a salon, paying per minute, hoping a bed is free. Most people quit by week two.
A home hire flips the maths. £175 for 4 weeks of unlimited use means you tan whenever it suits — before work, after the school run, late evening. You finish the plan, you get the tan, you arrive on holiday ready.
Holiday booked? Hire a sunbed and start your base tan.
£10 deposit · Free delivery & collection · Salon-strength results at home
Frequently asked questions
How long before my holiday should I start?
Ideally 4 weeks before you fly. That gives you 8–10 short sessions to build a base gradually — which tans more evenly and lasts longer than cramming sessions in the final week. Two weeks is the absolute minimum; one week will just burn you.
Will a base tan actually stop me burning on holiday?
It reduces the risk, not eliminates it. A base tan is roughly equivalent to SPF 3–4 — useful, but you still need real sun cream abroad. The bigger benefit is that you tan deeper and faster in the sun once you arrive, instead of going pink for the first three days.
How many sunbed sessions do I need?
For most skin types, 8–10 short sessions over 3–4 weeks. Start with 3–5 minutes and build up gradually. Doing fewer, longer sessions is worse than more, shorter ones — both for results and for safety.
Should I stop using the sunbed the week I fly?
Yes. Take a 3–5 day break before you fly. This lets any redness settle, your skin rehydrate, and your tan develop fully. Tanning the day before you fly often means you arrive pink and peel within days.
What's the safest way to do this?
Always wear UV goggles, build up gradually, never combine sessions in the same day, and use a proper accelerator + after-tan moisturiser. If your skin goes red, skip the next session — redness means damage, not progress.
Related guides
- → Best tan accelerators UK 2026
- → How long should your sunbed session be?
- → Home sunbed prep checklist (PDF)
- → Sunbed safety: the honest guide
Last updated: June 2026. General guidance only — not medical advice. If you have skin concerns, speak to a GP or dermatologist before using a sunbed.