A young woman in her early twenties is talking us through her outfit choice. She’s opted for baggy clothes, she says, because she’s off to a salon appointment, which also explains her tied-back hair and makeup-free skin. So far, it’s pretty standard social media stuff, a variation on every other “get ready with me” highlights reel. Until, that is, the woman sprays something called an “accelerator” up her nose, and films herself posing under the blue-tinged UV lights of a sunbed before closing the lid.
Welcome to tanning TikTok, where Gen Z are proudly documenting their sunbed habit. On this particular corner of the app, you’ll find countless videos following a very similar format, inviting the viewer to “come for a sunbed with me”; others promise tips and tricks for maximising your tan. These clips disconcertingly meld the influencer tropes – the front-facing camera, the peppy voiceover, the minutiae of a beauty routine – with a habit that could be doing them serious damage. A seriously dangerous practice is being placed under the nebulous umbrella of self-care.
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