The best tanning lotion recommendations aren’t one-size-fits-all. The product that helps a first timer build a beautiful base tan is a completely different formula from the one that helps an experienced tanner push their color to its darkest. And neither of those is the right pick for someone whose skin craves deep hydration above everything else.
That’s exactly why we put this list together. We love and stand behind every indoor tanning lotion we carry, but these five stand out because each one is the right answer for a specific type of tanner. You’re sure to find one that sounds like you!
Why Does the Right Indoor Tanning Lotion Make Such a Difference?
A lot of people skip lotion altogether, or grab something off a drugstore shelf without thinking twice. Both choices lead to the same result: less color, faster fading, and skin that feels worse after sessions instead of better.
Professional indoor tanning lotions are formulated specifically for use with tanning bed equipment. They’re designed to work with the UV light your skin is receiving, not against it. They help your skin tan more efficiently, hold color longer, and stay soft and healthy through repeated sessions. The right tan products make your time in the equipment count for more.
What you put on your skin before a session is just as important as which tanning bed you choose. Once you start using the right product for your skin type and goals, you’ll notice the difference almost immediately.
No. 1: Best for Beginners Who Want to Build Real Color Over Time
Beginners should lean toward MRI Idolize, from the Iconic Collection. If you’re new to indoor tanning and want to see consistent, real progress without jumping straight to heavy bronzers, Idolize is where to start.
Idolize is an accelerator formula, which means it works by supporting your skin’s natural tanning process rather than adding cosmetic color on top. The result is a color that builds gradually and looks genuinely natural against your skin tone. It also includes ingredients that improve skin texture and work to smooth and hydrate as you tan, so you’re not just building color, you’re improving the condition of your skin at the same time.
First-timers love this product because it’s approachable and forgiving, and it still delivers results you can see. The sparkling champagne fragrance makes the experience feel like a treat, too!
No. 2: Best for Experienced Tanners Who Want Their Darkest Results Yet
Are you an experienced tanner? MRI iBlack AI from the iCollection is better suited for you. When your goal is deep, rich, precision-calibrated color that keeps developing after your session ends, iBlack AI is the answer.
This advanced formula uses smart-adjusting bronzing technology designed to adapt to your individual skin tone, which helps prevent the unnatural orange tones that lower-quality bronzers can produce. The color develops intelligently and continues to intensify over time, meaning you walk out looking great and wake up looking even better.
iBlack AI is also formulated with skin health in mind. Beyond the bronzing technology, it supports skin softness and rejuvenation so your skin doesn’t pay a price for chasing serious color. If you’ve been tanning for a while and want a product that matches your ambition, this one delivers.
No. 3: Best for Dry Skin or Anyone Who Wants Serious Hydration Alongside Their Tan
Suffering from dry skin and want a buttery soft tan you can enjoy all summer long? MRI iCoco from the iCollection is one of the best tanning lotion recommendations you could get. Dry skin and tanning are a frustrating combination. Dry skin doesn’t hold color evenly, fades quickly, and can look patchy or dull, no matter how consistent your sessions are. iCoco was formulated to solve exactly that problem.
iCoco is a DHA free natural bronzer, which means it develops color using natural bronzing agents rather than self-tanning compounds. That makes it especially kind to dry or sensitive skin types. The formula is built around deep hydration, using ingredients like coconut water, coconut oil, and cactus water to drench the skin in moisture and essential nutrients throughout your session.
The result is a just-from-the-beach bronze that looks rich and natural, on skin that feels soft afterward. If you’ve struggled to maintain even color because of dryness, this is the tanning lotion recommendation that changes the experience for you. The creamy coconut fragrance adds a genuinely tropical feel to every session.
No. 4: Best for Tanners Using High-Performance Equipment
If you are looking for a lotion that can withstand high-performance equipment, you want to check out MRI Encore from the Iconic Collection. High-performance tanning beds, like the Diamond-level units in our lineup, deliver powerful UV output in shorter sessions. To get the most out of that kind of equipment, your lotion needs to keep up.
Encore is built for serious tanners using serious equipment. It combines extremely dark bronzers for immediate color with melanin stimulators that create deeper, longer-lasting results over time. Like Idolize, Encore also uses a CC crème formula that blurs imperfections and leaves skin looking smoother and more even, which is especially noticeable after sessions in high-output units.
The formula detoxifies, hydrates, and firms while delivering color that outlasts anything you’ve tried before. If you’re investing in premium equipment sessions, Encore is the product that makes every minute of that time count. The midnight mimosa fragrance is a bonus that makes each session feel elevated.
No. 5: Best for Anyone Who Does Both UV Tanning and Spray Tanning
Are you someone who enjoys a good tanning bed, but also loves a spray tan? MRI Mineral Sun Pure from the Mineral Sun Collection will likely meet your needs head-on. Some of our clients love combining a UV tanning session with a spray tan in the Mystic Tan Unity booth on the same visit. It’s a popular way to maximize color in a single stop. The challenge is that most products are designed for one or the other, not both.
Mineral Sun Pure is specifically formulated for this exact situation. It works as both a UV tanning accelerator and a spray tan prep product, meaning you apply one formula and you’re ready for both services. The pH-stabilizing technology helps optimize your skin for spray tan absorption, so the solution develops more evenly and lasts longer. At the same time, melanin stimulators help you get richer, deeper color from your UV session without the need for a second product.
If you like simplifying your routine without sacrificing results, Pure is the tanning lotion recommendation that makes both services work better together.
Want the Best Tanning Lotion Recommendations for Your Skin and Your Needs?
Every skin type is different, and every tanner comes in with a different goal. These five products above cover a wide range of needs, but the best way to know which one is genuinely right for you is to ask someone who knows the products well and knows what you need for your skin.
At SolShine Tanning & Wellness in Malvern, PA, we recommend and sell MRI Intelligent tanning products because they are science-backed, professionally formulated, and designed to work with the equipment we use. Our team takes the time to learn your goals, your skin history, and your tanning habits before making a recommendation, because a good tanning lotion recommendation shouldn’t be a guess. Members also enjoy discounts on MRI products that vary based on membership type, making it even easier to stay stocked on the products that work best for you. Stop in or get in touch with us today to talk about your lotion needs!
