{"id":34444,"date":"2025-09-04T10:37:24","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T08:37:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazine.luxus-plus.com\/?p=34444"},"modified":"2026-03-08T14:43:27","modified_gmt":"2026-03-08T13:43:27","slug":"the-little-story-of-tanning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.luxus-plus.com\/en\/the-little-story-of-tanning\/","title":{"rendered":"The little story of… tanning"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the sun casts its last rays of summer and some people still show off their golden skin back at the office, here’s a brief history of sunbathing. Far from being a trivial activity, basking in the sun at your vacation spot is as much a social act as it is a status symbol. The practice, which has become socially acceptable in the West, has gone from having peasant connotations to becoming the golden myth of modernity.<\/p>\n

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” <\/b>Tanning is a cultural invention of the 20th century,” recalls historian Pascal Ory in his seminal essay (L\u2019invention du bronzage<\/i>)<\/b>. Long associated with hard labor and social inferiority, tanning became a symbol of freedom, modernity, and leisure in the 20th century. From the sun gods of Egypt to the beaches of Saint-Tropez, from powdered aristocrats to Hollywood stars, the evolution of tanned skin illustrates a major cultural shift. Behind the apparent summer frivolity, it reveals social, political, and aesthetic issues, shedding light on our relationship with the body, power, and desire.<\/p>\n

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The sun, between divinity and danger in Antiquity<\/b><\/h3>\n

In ancient civilizations, the sun was not only a source of light, but first and foremost a deity. In Egypt, Ra\u2014the Sun God<\/b>\u2014embodied vital power, and the pharaohs, depicted with golden skin, associated this luminous complexion with prosperity. This tan was not a deliberate choice, but a religious symbol.<\/p>\n

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Columns of Karnak Temple, Egypt \u00a9 Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Among the Greeks and Romans, the ideal remained paradoxical: gods such as Apollo were golden and radiant, but the elites valued fair skin, protected from the sun by veils or ointments. Historian Jean-Claude Bologne<\/b> points out that, for Roman patricians, \u201ca pale complexion signified idleness and availability for cultivated leisure, as opposed to the tan of slaves and soldiers<\/b>.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The Middle Ages and Renaissance: aristocratic whiteness<\/b><\/h3>\n

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During the Middle Ages and Renaissance in Europe, whiteness became a sign of nobility and distinction. Women used powders, makeup, and parasols to protect themselves from the sun’s rays. Christine de Pizan, considered the first feminist intellectual of modern Europe, wrote in the 14th century that \u201ca white complexion is a mirror of purity and eminence.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The month of June in the book of hours Les Tr\u00e8s Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, begun in 1411 by the Limbourg brothers, Mus\u00e9e Cond\u00e9 in Chantilly (France)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Tanned skin remained associated with the labor of workers, such as farmers and sailors. In Italian courts, Sandro Botticelli and Bronzino<\/strong> painted princely mistresses with diaphanous complexions, the ultimate symbol of feminine beauty.<\/p>\n

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The Arnolfini couple by the early Flemish painter Jan van Eyck, 1434<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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This skin tone hierarchy was not unique to the West: in China, Japan, and India, whiteness remained synonymous with refinement. Centuries later, this logic still persists, with millions of lightening creams sold worldwide.<\/p>\n

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The hygienist turning point: the sun as a remedy<\/b><\/h3>\n

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It was at the beginning of the 20th century that everything changed in the West. Hygienist medicine discovered the therapeutic virtues of the sun<\/strong>, which was presented as a remedy for tuberculosis, anemia, and rickets<\/strong>. Sanatoriums opened in the Alps and on the coasts to offer patients clean air and light.<\/p>\n

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Poster \u201cAn hour from Bordeaux, Arcachon\u201d extolling the virtues of the winter town, 1800-1900<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Urban planning took inspiration from this: Le Corbusier and Jeanneret incorporated light and large bay windows into their buildings. Schools and garden cities were designed to \u201craise healthy children\u201d exposed to the sun.<\/p>\n

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The 1920s: the cultural invention of tanning<\/b><\/h3>\n

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From 1920 onwards, tanning became popular as a modern activity. The term appeared in the magazine Marie Claire<\/i>, the predecessor of Elle<\/i>. Henri de Montherlant<\/b>, in Les Olympiques<\/i> (1924), wrote that \u201cthe tan on the knees stops abruptly, showing that they have never worn trousers<\/b>.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Chald\u00e9e oil launched in 1927, the first tanning oil in the world<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Two legends mark this period: Jean Patou, creator of Huile de Chald\u00e9e (1927), the world’s first tanning oil, with tennis champion Suzanne Lenglen as its muse; and Gabrielle Chanel<\/b>, who returned to Paris from a cruise on the French Riviera with a golden tan immortalized by the newspapers of the time. Suddenly, tanning became glamorous, a sign of elegance and freedom. \u201cTanning became synonymous with health, dynamism, and freedom<\/b>,\u201d observes Pascal Ory<\/b>.<\/p>\n

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Ren\u00e9e by Jacques Henri Lartigue, Biarritz, 1930<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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This new standard was accompanied by other female revolutions: short haircuts, shorter skirts, and the right to vote. The female body was revealed and emancipated.<\/p>\n

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Paid vacations in France: democratization of the sun and explosion of the sunscreen market<\/b><\/h3>\n

Tanning is not just an aesthetic phenomenon: it has become a social and political marker. In the 1930s, totalitarian regimes exploited the image of the sun-kissed body: Nazi Germany promoted the blond, tanned athlete as a symbol of Aryan vigor, while Fascist Italy associated golden skin with Mediterranean energy.<\/p>\n

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Propaganda poster from the Mussolini era encouraging Italy’s self-sufficiency<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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In 1936 in France, the advent of paid vacations (the same year, Jean Patou\u2014him again\u2014launched a perfume called \u201cVacances,\u201d which attests to the scale of the seaside tourism movement), the widespread popularity of sea bathing, and the rise of youth hostels transformed the sun into an ally of a new leisure society. Sun worship became democratized, a sign of social equality and a symbol of freedom, modernity, and outdoor vacations, relegating the ideal of pale skin, once prized by the elites, to the past. From then on, workers and bourgeoisie rubbed shoulders on the beaches, \u201cwhere everyone, white or tanned, mingled in the same sunny revelry,<\/strong>\u201d as Albert Londres<\/b>, a young French journalist at the beginning of the 20th century, ironically put it.<\/p>\n

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Eug\u00e8ne Schueller portrait, founder of \u00a9 L’Or\u00e9al<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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The sunscreen market exploded with brands such as L’Or\u00e9al<\/strong> (in 1935, Eug\u00e8ne Schueller, founder of L’Or\u00e9al<\/strong>, launched his first sun oils for the face and body, followed in 1936 by the launch of his Ambre Solaire range), Lancaster<\/b> and Piz Buin<\/b>, developing increasingly innovative products: water-resistant, enriched with vitamins, more sensorial. Advertising and press articles linked health and beauty: Marie Claire<\/i><\/b> defended tanning as a hygienic and aesthetic ideal and declared that the summer of 1939 would be marked by the two-piece swimsuit<\/b>.<\/p>\n

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\u00a9 Lancaster advertising in 1995<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Different cultures, different perceptions<\/b><\/h3>\n

In Asia<\/b>, fair skin remains an aesthetic ideal deeply rooted in Confucian and Buddhist traditions, where whiteness is synonymous with nobility, purity, and refinement. This heritage continues today: from childhood onwards, sun protection is an essential part of beauty routines in China, Japan, and Korea, in the form of high SPF creams, wide-brimmed hats, parasols, veils, and sun-protective clothing. Pale skin thus remains the dominant standard. As Japanese writer Jun’ichir\u014d Tanizaki expressed in In Praise of Shadows (1933): \u201cThe paleness of the skin reveals the delicacy of the body and the elegance of the spirit.<\/b>\u201d<\/p>\n

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In India<\/b>, fair skin remains associated with social and marital success. The market for skin-lightening creams is worth billions.<\/p>\n

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In countries in the Middle East and North Africa<\/b>, the relationship with the sun is more ambivalent: a daily presence, it is respected, feared, and circumvented through traditional practices such as veils, henna, and protective oils. It is rarely associated with an aesthetic quest for a tan, but rather integrated into the rhythms of life.<\/p>\n

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In Africa and Polynesia<\/b>, dark or tanned skin is part of a natural and valued identity, without the Western hierarchical opposition between tan and nobility. Tanning as a voluntary practice therefore appears to be a foreign curiosity, imported by tourism.<\/p>\n

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From the golden age to excesses<\/b><\/h3>\n

From the 1950s to the 1970s, tanning was at its peak. Hollywood amplified the trend: the caramel complexions of Ava Gardner, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and Grace Kelly embodied the Californian dream. Advertising in the 1950s glorified sunscreen and deck chairs, to the point where tanning became almost a cultural duty.<\/p>\n

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Coppertone advertisement, 1960<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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A few years later, Brigitte Bardot<\/b> and Jane Fonda<\/b> on the beach in Saint-Tropez, and Jane Birkin<\/b> in the 1970s, made tanning a sensual and liberating ideal.<\/p>\n

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Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in the 60’s<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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But in the mid-1970s, the economic crisis and the first medical warnings changed the situation. Tanning, once considered healthy, was now associated with risks<\/b> such as skin aging, melanoma, and pigmentation spots. Knowledge progressed and protective measures became widespread.<\/p>\n

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SPF, UVA, UVB: three letters that changed our relationship with the sun<\/b><\/h3>\n

The desire to protect ourselves from the sun is nothing new. Even in ancient times, people used clay, rice<\/b>, and vegetable oils<\/b> to soothe and filter the sun’s rays. But it was in the 20th century that everything changed.<\/p>\n

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Franz Greiter, considered the inventor of SPF<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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In 1938, Swiss chemist Franz Greiter<\/b> developed Gletscher Cr\u00e8me<\/b> after getting sunburned in the mountains and introduced the concept of SPF, which stands for Sun Protection Factor<\/b>. The cream is considered one of the first modern sunscreens, and Franz Greiter is regarded as the inventor of SPF.<\/p>\n

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Sun Cream SPF 50 by \u00a9 Garancia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Note that the number next to the SPF indicates the level of protection against UVB <\/b>rays (medium-wavelength ultraviolet rays), which cause sunburn and certain forms of cancer. An SPF of 30, for example, means that protected skin will take 30 times longer to burn than unprotected skin. However, the difference between the indices is not linear. An SPF of 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays, an SPF of 30 blocks 97%, and an SPF of 50 blocks approximately 98%.<\/p>\n

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In 1978, the FDA recognized SPF as a standard. Since then, standards have been harmonized internationally and SPF has become ubiquitous: day creams, foundations, makeup, lip balms, hair sprays, and UV-protective clothing, particularly in Asia and Australia, where UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) fabrics are an increasingly popular physical barrier.<\/p>\n

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In recent years, the issue of UVA<\/b> (ultraviolet rays with the highest wavelengths), which penetrate deeper and accelerate skin aging and certain cancers, has gained prominence. So-called \u201cbroad spectrum\u201d protections or those bearing a UVA logo now offer complete defense.<\/p>\n

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Sun protection with SPF is also available for hair \u00a9 Ren\u00e9 Furterer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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While sunscreens protect the skin, some are controversial. Ingredients such as oxybenzone<\/b> and octinoxate<\/b> are accused of disrupting the endocrine system and harming marine life. Hawaii has banned them to protect its coral reefs. In response, brands are innovating: reef-friendly<\/b> formulas, mineral<\/b> filters such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, clean textures that don’t leave white marks.<\/p>\n

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But misconceptions persist: a high SPF does not mean<\/b> you don’t need to reapply. Sunscreen does not prevent<\/b> tanning, but allows for slower and more lasting tanning. UV rays are present all year round<\/b>, even on cloudy days.<\/p>\n

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Tanning in an era of contradictions<\/b><\/h3>\n

The 1980s <\/b>saw the emergence of UV cabins<\/b>, symbolizing excessive artificial tanning, while the ultimate in sunbathing was to be bare-breasted, and the topless<\/b> fashion became the embodiment of the years of money and ostentation. At the same time, prevention campaigns reminded people that \u201ctanning is burning,\u201d such as the \u201cSlip, Slop, Slap\u201d campaign in Australia, which proved effective in the fight against skin cancer by focusing on simple, visual, and repeated education to reinforce good habits.<\/p>\n

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\u00a9 Piz Buin advertising in 1980<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Today, Instagram and celebrities (such as Paris Hilton<\/b> and Kim Kardashian<\/b>, for example) are reigniting debates on cultural appropriation and aesthetic standards. Conversely, some celebrities such as Emma Watson, Cate Blanchett<\/b>, and Pamela Anderson<\/b> are championing natural skin, rejecting the sun worship trend.<\/p>\n

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Tanning, a mirror of society<\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201cThe skin becomes a social text that we read and interpret<\/b>,\u201d says Pascal Ory<\/b>. Sometimes a peasant stigma, sometimes a seaside privilege, tanning tells the story of a changing society: from fascist propaganda in the 1930s to the Instagram imagination, it has become a marker of freedom, pleasure, and success. But it remains ambivalent, torn between aesthetic worship and medical vigilance. Today, the fragmented culture of tanning embodies this \u201cat the same time<\/b>\u201d mentality: exposing oneself and protecting oneself<\/b>, accepting the coexistence of tanned and pale skin, while pursuing a quest for sunshine that is both collective and intimate: one that consists of protecting oneself, taking care of one’s skin with pleasure, and continuing to love the sun… without ever getting burned<\/b>.<\/p>\n

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Read also <\/b>> <\/span>The little story of\u2026 Mono\u00ef<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Featured photo <\/b>: Unsplash<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As the sun casts its last rays of summer and some people still show off their golden skin back at the office, here’s a brief history of sunbathing. Far from being a trivial activity, basking in the sun at your vacation spot is as much a social act as it is a status symbol. The practice, which has become socially acceptable in the West, has gone from having peasant connotations to becoming the golden myth of modernity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":555,"featured_media":34566,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"From ancient times to paid vacations, discover the cultural and political history of tanning, between myths, fashion, freedom, and social norms.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"both","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":301,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[648],"tags":[64],"class_list":["post-34444","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-little-stories","tag-history"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.luxus-plus.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34444","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.luxus-plus.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.luxus-plus.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.luxus-plus.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/555"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.luxus-plus.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34444"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.luxus-plus.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34444\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.luxus-plus.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34566"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.luxus-plus.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34444"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.luxus-plus.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34444"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.luxus-plus.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34444"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}