At Luna Bronze, skin cancer awareness is personal. It is cemented at the core of our story and why we care so deeply about sunless tanning in the first place.

We were built on a simple belief: you should not have to choose between glowing skin and looking after it. 

For a long time, tanning culture told us that a tan had to come from the sun. Hours outside, chasing colour, using tanning oils, tanning beds and tanning accelerators without thinking too much about the long-term impact. However, after our founder, Maddy’s wake up call, we realised that there is a better way.

To us, the future of tanning is moonlit, not sunkissed. It is effortless, modern, and made to fit into real life. It is the kind of glow that leaves the sun out of the equation. That belief became deeply personal after Maddy’s experience with Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) skin cancer in her mid 20’s changed the way she thought about tanning forever. What followed was not just a shift in habit, but the beginning of Luna Bronze: a tan created to offer a healthier, more considered alternative to UV tanning.

Why skin cancer awareness matters

Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer, and for many people, the risk can feel easy to brush off until it hits closer to home.

That is why awareness matters. It helps us pay more attention to the habits we have normalised, the everyday moments of sun exposure we barely register, and the ways we can better protect our skin over time.

Your skin remembers the years spent tanning in the sun, the sunburns, the tanning beds, the long afternoons outdoors without enough protection, and the little bits of UV exposure that add up over time. It is about being informed, looking after your skin, and knowing you can still love a glow while approaching it differently. That is exactly where sunless tanning comes in.

A new POV on tanning

There was a time when tanning meant one thing: being in the sun.

You spent the day outside, (or 20 minutes  in a tanning bed) and hoped for the best.You may have burned first, and wore the result like a badge of honour. In some circles, bronzed skin is still linked to health, holidays, confidence, or beauty. But that story needs a rethink.

A glow should not come at the expense of your skin. It should feel considered, easy, and far more modern than the old tanning habits many of us grew up with.

That is why we care so much about sunless tanning. Not as a compromise, but as a better option. One that lets you enjoy the look of bronzed skin without putting your skin through what it does not need.

We believe a glow should come from nourishing formulas, thoughtful routines, and products that feel as good on the skin as they look. 

What to look out for

One of the most important things you can do is get familiar with your skin. Skin cancer does not always show up in a big, obvious way. Sometimes it is subtle. Sometimes it looks like a small spot you barely notice. Sometimes it is a mole that changes, a sore that does not heal, or something that simply looks a bit different from the rest.

A few things worth paying attention to include:

• a new spot or mark on your skin

• a mole that changes in size, shape, or colour

• a patch that becomes scaly, crusty, itchy, or starts to bleed (this was Maddy’s key indicator)

• a sore that does not heal properly

• anything that looks unusual for your skin

If something does not seem right, book a skin check. It is always worth getting it looked at.  

When most people think about sun damage, they think about the obvious moments: a beach day, a holiday, or getting badly burned in summer. But often, it is the in-between moments that catch us out.

The walk to the car. Sitting outside for coffee. Running errands. Hanging washing. Driving with the sun on one side of your body. Being outdoors for short periods and assuming it does not really count.

These little moments can feel minor, but over time they are part of the bigger picture. That is why protecting your skin works best when it is part of your everyday routine rather than something reserved for big outdoor days only. It is the small habits that usually make the biggest difference.

How to protect your skin and still have a glow

We are big believers in practical skin safety. Not perfection. Just thoughtful habits that help you look after your skin while still feeling like yourself.

A few of the biggest ones are simple:

• Wear SPF daily / Not only on sunny days. Not only at the beach. Daily means daily.

• Reapply when needed / If you are spending extended time outdoors, sweating, swimming, or simply out in the elements, reapplying matters.

• Add physical protection / Hats, sunglasses, shade, and protective clothing all play a part.

• Keep an eye on your skin / Stay aware of new spots, changes, or anything that looks unusual for you.

• Book regular skin checks / Especially if you have concerns or a history of skin damage.

And if glow is part of your routine, sunless tanning is a beautiful way to keep it there.

If you would like to keep reading, you can explore Maddy’s story here.