Dihydroxyacetone (DHA)
Also known as: dha, self-tanner-active
The single FDA-approved sunless tanning active — a sugar molecule that reacts with skin's amino acids to create a temporary brown color. The science behind every Bondi Sands and Loving Tan bottle.
What It Does
Deep Dive
Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) is a small, three-carbon sugar (a triose) that reacts with the amino acids in the outermost stratum corneum via the Maillard reaction — the same browning reaction that browns toast and roasts coffee. The result is a temporary pigmentation called melanoidin, which lasts 5–7 days as the skin naturally exfoliates. Discovered as a tanning agent in the 1950s, it remains the only FDA-approved sunless tanning active. Modern formulations layer DHA with erythrulose (a slower-developing browning sugar) for a more even, longer-lasting result. Key facts: DHA does NOT provide UV protection — you still need sunscreen. It's most effective on freshly exfoliated skin (the dead cells are uneven; even pigmentation requires smooth substrate). Australian beauty has built a billion-dollar industry on DHA (Bondi Sands, Eco Tan, Naked Sundays, Sand & Sky); Brazilian beauty also embraces it. The active is safe topically but should not be inhaled (a concern for spray tans).
Sources
- [1]DHA tanning review — View source