7 Sunbed Tanning Mistakes That Stop You Getting Darker and How to Fix Them in 2026

You are putting in the time, using the sunbed and expecting your colour to keep getting deeper — but instead your tan looks patchy, fades quickly or seems to have stopped getting darker altogether.

The problem is not always that you need a stronger sunbed cream or another session. In many cases, the issue is your routine: dry skin, the wrong product category, inconsistent application, over-exfoliation or trying to solve hard-to-tan areas in exactly the same way as the rest of your body.

This guide covers the 7 most common sunbed tanning mistakes that can hold back a darker, more even-looking tan — and shows you how to choose the right Onyx tanning product depending on the problem you are actually trying to solve.

If you want to compare the main Onyx formulas first, start with our Best Tanning Bed Lotion to Get Dark Fast guide.

Important: sunbeds expose the skin to UV radiation. Sunbed cream does not make UV exposure risk-free and should not be treated as sunscreen unless a product specifically carries an SPF claim. Follow the exposure guidance for the equipment and salon you use rather than extending sessions simply to chase a darker result.

Quick Answer: Why Is Your Tan Not Getting Darker?

Your Problem	Likely Mistake	What to Change	Onyx Option
Tan looks dry or fades unevenly	Not enough skincare and moisturising	Use a more skincare-focused tanning routine	Magnifique
You are new to sunbed creams	Starting with a formula that is more complicated than you need	Start with a straightforward accelerator	Dark Tanning Accelerator
You want a visibly deeper cosmetic bronze	Using an accelerator when you really want bronzer	Choose a bronzing formula	Black Caviar
Your results seem to have plateaued	Repeating the same routine without reassessing your goal	Review your routine before moving to a stronger category	Magma for experienced tingle users
Your legs stay lighter	Treating hard-to-tan legs exactly like the rest of your body	Use a targeted leg formula	X-Legs
Your face stays lighter	Using the same body routine everywhere	Use a dedicated facial product	Anti-Ageing Face

Mistake #1: Tanning With Dry, Poorly Conditioned Skin

One of the easiest ways to make a tan look less even is to ignore the condition of your skin.

When skin looks very dry, flaky or rough, cosmetic bronzing colour may also appear less smooth. Dry-looking areas can make your overall tan appear patchier even when part of the problem is simply the condition of the skin's surface.

This is why a good tanning routine should not focus on colour alone.

How to Fix It

Keep your skin moisturised consistently rather than thinking about hydration only immediately before a sunbed session. Choose a tanning formula that matches your colour goal while also including moisturising and conditioning ingredients.

If dry-looking skin is one of your main concerns, a product such as Onyx Magnifique can make more sense than choosing a formula purely because it sounds stronger.

Magnifique combines a bronzing system with accelerator positioning and a skincare-focused formula. Its bronzing blend includes DHA, erythrulose and caramel, while the cream also contains moisturising and conditioning ingredients.

That makes it a useful option for tanners who want deeper-looking cosmetic colour without ignoring skin feel.

For a wider skincare approach, read our guide to combining a dark tan with skincare.

Mistake #2: Exfoliating Too Much — or at the Wrong Time

Exfoliation can be useful when your goal is smoother-looking skin, but more is not automatically better.

Aggressive scrubbing, frequent exfoliation or combining several exfoliating products can leave the skin feeling irritated or excessively dry. On the other hand, completely ignoring rough, flaky areas can also make cosmetic bronzing colour look less even.

How to Fix It

Keep exfoliation gentle and make it part of your broader skincare routine rather than aggressively scrubbing your skin immediately before every tanning session.

Pay particular attention to naturally drier or rougher areas such as:

• knees;
• elbows;
• ankles;
• feet;
• areas where self-tanning or developing bronzing colour tends to collect unevenly.

If you use retinoids, exfoliating acids or other active skincare ingredients on your face, treat facial skin separately rather than assuming exactly the same routine should apply to your face and body.

Mistake #3: Using the Wrong Type of Sunbed Cream

This is probably the biggest product mistake.

“Sunbed cream” is not one single category. Accelerators, bronzers and tingle creams can serve very different users and different tanning goals.

If you choose a product without understanding what category it belongs to, you may end up disappointed even when the product itself is doing exactly what it was designed to do.

Accelerator

An accelerator is a straightforward starting point if you want to keep your routine relatively simple and do not want to rely primarily on a dark cosmetic bronzer.

For beginners, Onyx Dark Tanning Accelerator is a logical place to start. It is a bronzer-free white cream with tyrosine and skincare-focused ingredients, making the product category easier to understand than a strong coloured bronzer.

If you are new to sunbed products, read our Best Tanning Creams for Beginners guide.

Bronzer

If your priority is additional visible cosmetic colour, a bronzing formula may be a better match.

Onyx Black Caviar is designed for tanners looking for a deeper bronzing-focused result. Its formula includes DHA and erythrulose as developing bronzing ingredients alongside moisturising oils and conditioning ingredients.

Bronzer + Accelerator

If you want both approaches within one formula, Onyx Magnifique combines accelerator positioning with a triple bronzing system.

This makes it a useful option for someone who wants more cosmetic colour than a bronzer-free accelerator provides while still keeping skincare and moisturising ingredients in the routine.

For a deeper comparison between the two main categories, read our Accelerator vs Bronzer guide.

Tingle

Tingle sunbed creams are a more specialised category designed to create a pronounced warming, tingling or reddening sensation on the skin.

They are not automatically “better” simply because they feel stronger, and a stronger sensation does not guarantee a darker result.

If you are considering tingle, read our complete Tingle Tanning Lotion guide before choosing one.

Mistake #4: Trying to Fix Slow Results by Tanning Longer or More Often

When your colour is not developing as quickly as expected, it can be tempting to assume that the answer must be a longer sunbed session or more frequent UV exposure.

That is not a good way to troubleshoot a tanning routine.

Excess UV exposure increases the risk of skin damage, premature skin ageing and skin cancer. Irritation, excessive dryness and peeling can also make your skin and tan look less even.

How to Fix It

Follow the exposure schedule and session guidance provided for the equipment and tanning salon you use. Instead of automatically increasing UV time, look at the other parts of your routine:

• Are you using the right type of sunbed cream?
• Does your skin look very dry?
• Are you expecting an accelerator to create the same visible cosmetic effect as a dark bronzer?
• Is one particular body area creating the problem?
• Has your routine become inconsistent?

If your goal is faster visible cosmetic colour, moving from a bronzer-free accelerator to a suitable bronzing formula may address that goal more directly than simply increasing UV exposure.

Mistake #5: Treating a Tanning Plateau as “I Just Need a Stronger Cream”

Many experienced sunbed users describe reaching a point where their tanning results no longer seem to change as noticeably as they did at the beginning.

This is often described as a tanning plateau.

The mistake is assuming that every plateau requires the strongest possible cream.

Before changing formulas, ask yourself what has actually stopped working.

Perhaps your natural-looking colour is developing but you want more visible cosmetic bronzing. Perhaps your skin looks dry and the tan appears dull. Maybe your legs remain noticeably lighter. Or perhaps the product category you currently use simply no longer matches the look you want.

How to Fix It

If you are already an experienced indoor tanner and specifically want to explore the tingle category, Onyx Magma is a strong hot-tingle option designed for experienced users.

But Magma should not be treated as the automatic answer to every tanning plateau.

Tingle products can create pronounced warmth, tingling and temporary redness. Individual responses vary, and a stronger sensation should not be interpreted as proof that the product will automatically create a darker tan.

If you have never used tingle before, do not jump directly to an extreme formula simply because your current routine feels “stuck”.

Mistake #6: Using the Same Product Everywhere

Your face, legs and torso do not always behave in exactly the same way during a tanning routine.

Using one body cream everywhere may be convenient, but it is not necessarily the best way to solve a specific problem.

If Your Legs Stay Lighter

Hard-to-tan legs are a common frustration. Instead of applying more and more body bronzer everywhere, consider treating your legs as a separate tanning concern.

Onyx X-Legs Sunbed Cream is specifically positioned for the leg area and combines an ultra-dark bronzing formula with a targeted application approach.

Best use case: your upper body develops the colour you want, but your legs consistently appear noticeably lighter.

If uneven tanning is a recurring problem for you, also read our guide to why some body parts tan faster than others.

If Your Face Stays Lighter

Your face is cleansed, exfoliated and exposed to skincare products much more frequently than most of your body. It may also need a lighter, more controlled application.

Instead of automatically applying a very dark body bronzer to your face, consider a dedicated facial formula such as Onyx Anti-Ageing Face Sunbed Cream.

The facial formula contains DHA, erythrulose and tyrosine alongside skincare-focused ingredients, but it should not be treated as UV protection.

You can compare face sunbed cream with the sunless alternative in our Best Sunbed Cream for Face in 2026 guide.

Mistake #7: Ignoring What Happens Between Sunbed Sessions

Your tanning routine does not end when you leave the sunbed.

If you allow your skin to become very dry, exfoliate aggressively or constantly change products without giving developing bronzers enough time to show their final colour, your tan can look much less consistent.

How to Fix It

Keep the routine simple:

• moisturise regularly;
• avoid unnecessary aggressive exfoliation;
• give DHA and erythrulose bronzers time to develop;
• do not judge the final colour immediately after application;
• use targeted products only where they solve a real problem;
• keep your routine consistent enough to understand what is actually working.

If your face fades faster than the rest of your body and you want to refresh facial colour without adding more UV exposure, Onyx Facial Self Tanning Drops can be mixed with moisturiser, serum or cream so you can manage facial colour separately.

Unlike a sunbed cream, the drops are a sunless tanning option. They use DHA and erythrulose to create developing cosmetic colour without requiring a sunbed session.

Which Onyx Sunbed Cream Should You Choose?

If you are still unsure, start with the problem you actually want the product to solve.

If You Want...	Start With...
A straightforward beginner-friendly accelerator	Dark Tanning Accelerator
Deeper cosmetic bronzing colour	Black Caviar
Bronzer + accelerator + skincare	Magnifique
An advanced hot-tingle formula	Magma
A targeted product for hard-to-tan legs	X-Legs
A dedicated facial sunbed cream	Anti-Ageing Face
Sunless facial colour between sessions	Facial Self Tanning Drops

If you want to compare the main Onyx formulas in more detail before buying, visit our complete guide to the best tanning lotions for getting dark fast.

FAQ: Sunbed Tanning Mistakes and Getting Darker

Why am I not getting darker on a sunbed?

There can be several reasons. Your expectations may not match the type of cream you are using, your skin may look very dry, one area may be harder to tan than others, or your current product category may no longer match the result you want. Increasing UV exposure is not automatically the answer.

Why does my tan fade so quickly?

Dry or flaky skin can make a tan appear less smooth and can make cosmetic bronzing colour look as though it is fading unevenly. Frequent exfoliation can also remove developing or self-tanning colour from the outermost layer of the skin more quickly. Keep your skincare routine consistent and avoid unnecessary over-exfoliation.

Do I really need sunbed cream?

A dedicated sunbed cream can provide moisturising, bronzing or accelerator-focused benefits depending on the formula. It is different from a standard body moisturiser, but it does not make UV exposure safe and should not be treated as sunscreen unless it specifically carries an SPF claim.

Should I exfoliate before using sunbed cream?

Gentle exfoliation may help create a smoother-looking surface, particularly if you have rough or flaky areas. Avoid aggressive scrubbing or excessive exfoliation immediately before tanning, especially if your skin already feels sensitive or dry.

Can using a sunbed too often make my tan look worse?

Excess UV exposure can lead to irritation, dryness, peeling and skin damage. Those effects can make both your skin and your tan look less even. Follow the recommended exposure schedule rather than adding or extending sessions simply because you want colour faster.

What is better for getting darker: an accelerator or a bronzer?

They serve different purposes. A bronzer-free accelerator suits users who want a straightforward tanning formula without added cosmetic bronzing colour. A bronzer adds visible cosmetic colour, often through developing ingredients such as DHA and erythrulose. If a deeper visible bronze is your specific goal, a bronzer may better match what you are actually looking for.

What should I do when my tan stops getting darker?

First identify the actual problem. Look at the condition of your skin, your current cream category, the consistency of your routine and whether only certain areas remain lighter. Experienced users may consider exploring a different category such as tingle, but stronger sensation is not automatically the solution to a tanning plateau.

Why won't my legs tan as dark as the rest of my body?

Many tanners find that their legs remain visibly lighter than their upper body. Instead of increasing product strength everywhere, you can treat the legs as a separate concern and use a targeted product such as X-Legs.

Why is my face lighter than my body after a sunbed session?

Your face is cleansed, exfoliated and treated with skincare products more frequently than most areas of the body. A dedicated face sunbed cream or a sunless facial tanning product can help you manage facial colour separately.

Should beginners use tingle sunbed cream?

Tingle is a specialised category that can produce pronounced warmth, tingling and temporary redness. Complete beginners do not need to start with tingle to create a tanning routine. A straightforward bronzer-free accelerator is usually an easier category to understand first.

Can I change sunbed creams if my results stop changing?

Yes, but change according to your goal rather than simply choosing the strongest formula available. You might move towards a bronzer if you want more cosmetic colour, use a dedicated leg product if your legs are the problem, or use a facial formula if your face stays noticeably lighter.

What is the best sunbed cream if I have dry skin?

Look for a formula that combines your preferred tanning category with moisturising and conditioning ingredients. If you want bronzing plus a skincare-focused formula, Magnifique is one option. If you prefer a simpler bronzer-free route, Dark Tanning Accelerator provides that category instead.

Can I use self-tanning drops between sunbed sessions?

Yes. Self-tanning drops can be useful when you want to maintain or adjust facial colour separately from your sunbed routine. Onyx Facial Self Tanning Drops can be mixed with moisturiser, serum or cream and do not require UV exposure for their cosmetic colour to develop.

Can using the wrong tanning cream make my tan look patchy?

It can contribute to an uneven-looking result, particularly with developing bronzers if they are applied inconsistently or collect on dry areas. The product category, application method and condition of your skin all matter, so use a formula that matches both your experience level and your colour goal.

Is the strongest sunbed cream always the best?

No. A stronger or more intense product is not automatically the right product. A beginner may get a more manageable routine from a bronzer-free accelerator, while someone looking for visible cosmetic depth may prefer a bronzer. Tingle formulas should be chosen for their specific experience rather than simply because they feel stronger.

Final Thoughts: Fix the Routine Before You Chase a Stronger Product

If your tan is not getting darker, fades unevenly or leaves certain areas noticeably lighter than others, the answer is not automatically more UV exposure or the strongest sunbed cream you can find.

Start by identifying the actual problem.

• Dry-looking skin? Improve moisturising and consider a more skincare-focused formula.
• New to sunbed cream? Start with a straightforward bronzer-free accelerator.
• Want more visible bronze? Choose a bronzer.
• Want bronzer + accelerator? Look at a combined formula such as Magnifique.
• Experienced user considering tingle? Learn how the category works before moving to Magma.
• Legs staying lighter? Use a targeted leg product such as X-Legs.
• Face staying lighter? Treat facial tanning as its own routine.

The best tanning routine is not the one with the most products — it is the one where every product has a clear job.

Compare the Best Onyx Tanning Lotions →