What is baby oil?

Yeah, we’ve all got a bottle tucked away somewhere. It’s that utility product we don’t need particularly, but can’t bear to be without. What we don’t know (if we’re really honest) is what it actually is. Baby oil is made primarily of an odourless product called mineral oil. It comes with a splash of fragrance which gives us that new baby smell (OMG wow!). When applied to your skin, it sits on the surface rather than soaking in, and is known to soften and help your skin retain moisture.

Why is baby oil used for tanning?

People use baby oil because it makes them tan faster, and hey, we’re all after that healthy glow, but there's a problem. The problem, and it’s a pretty significant one, is it offers absolutely no protection whatsoever – mafi.

Is it safe to use baby oil for tanning?

You’re probably starting to realise the answer to that question – the clue was in the title, but in case you’re late to the party, the answer is a hard and fast no, and you’d be hard pushed to find a dermatologist that disagrees; to them, tanning is the devil.

“Sure, baby oil can make you tan more quickly because it absorbs the sun better,” says UAE dermatologist Dalya Sabbagh, “However, it’s not worth the risk of damaging the skin and potentially developing skin cancer.”

Because we know knowledge is power, we want to pass on the risks loudly and clearly so that at least then you can make an informed decision.

• Skin damage and pigment changes: UV exposure, which increases when you slather on the baby oil, will also stimulate melanocytes or pigment-producing cells. This can cause unevenness in pigment, sun spots, darkening of moles, and exacerbation of existing pigment concerns like melasma.
• Increased risk of skin cancer: Baby oil attracts UV rays and allows them to penetrate more deeply, increasing your risk of cell damage and skin cancer. People using baby oil may burn faster without them even realising, with more sun ray absorption and deeper penetration of the more carcinogenic UVA rays, your risk of skin cancer may increase as well.
• Premature ageing: Unless you’re trying to fast-track the ageing process, you’re going to want to put down the baby oil. Increased UV exposure through tanning (baby oil or not) causes collagen breakdown, increased wrinkling, sun spots, and thinning of the skin. Sounds fun, said no one ever.
• A higher chance of getting sunburn: Baby oil can increase your risk of a burn. It’s important to realise a sunburn brings other problems in addition to pain, itchiness, and discomfort. A bad sunburn that covers a large portion of your body can require treatment from your doctor, and if the burn blisters, it can lead to scarring and an increased risk of skin cancer. And that’s not all — sunburn can also cause dehydration. Again, not worth it, right?

Can you wear baby oil over sunscreen?

In a nutshell no. “You’re kidding yourself thinking that mixing the baby oil with sunscreen will be more protective than baby oil alone,” Massick says. “Don’t mix your sunscreen with other oils, and don’t consider the baby oil as sun protective in any way.”

Layering baby oil with sunscreen can also be dangerous in that the layer of SPF may give you a false sense of safety, Farber says. It’s important to understand that baby oil is a distinctly different product than sunscreen. While broad-spectrum sunscreen protects the skin against harmful UVA and UVB rays that cause skin damage, skin cancer, sunburn and more, baby oil doesn’t bring you any sun protection at all.

The takeaway

Let’s be honest, there’s no such thing as a safe tan — even if you're wearing SPF — but swapping your sunscreen for baby oil will have you looking like a cheap leather bag faster than you can say “same same, but different”. While baby oil does cause the skin to tan faster, using baby oil for tanning significantly increases your chances of premature skin ageing and, more importantly, life-threatening skin cancers.

There is absolutely no instance where anyone (of any skin tone) should use baby oil for tanning.