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We all want to look our best, right? Duh! Which is why we put ourselves through so much to accomplish just that! One thing we like to do is maintain a nice skin tone by whatever means necessary! Using a tanning bed is one of the ways we go about getting our bronze on, and although you may be tempted to try to look sexy while getting your tan, this is best to be saved as the end result.
Those goggles everyone wears in tanning beds. Those. Ugly. Things. Those oh-so-ugly-but-totally-necessary things! Tanning bed eyewear is not something to be taken lightly, and any avid tanner would tell you this. They may make you look a bit funny (okay, a lot funny!) but since nobody sees you while you’re inside the tanning bed, does it really matter how they make you look? Nope. And there are darn good reasons why we look funny to look our best!
You’re not laying out on a sunny, sandy beach. You’re literally tucked away, hidden in a bed! Do you wear makeup when you go to sleep, just in case someone might see you? Nahhh, because it doesn’t matter. So, protect those peepers!
Tanning Goggles are Important, Here’s Why!
It might not matter how they make you “look,” per se, but not wearing them can destroy the way you see things, literally.
While in a tanning bed, you are being swarmed with UV rays which is what you want in order to get a tan, but these same rays can be even more damaging to your eyes, and any decent tanning salon will make sure you are protecting your eyes with tanning bed goggles.
These ug– I mean, awesome pieces of eyewear will keep your eyes safe without giving you the raccoon eye tan from sunglasses. It sounds like a good thing to me! So yeah, they really are awesome!
Do You Need to Wear Tanning Goggles? Yes!
Why wear those funny little things that make you look like a chameleon when all you can do is simply close your eyes, right? WRONG! You may be able to get away with doing this at the beach, but the truth is, your eyelids are not a good line of defense against the UV rays and you really should wear eyewear intended to block them!
Consider what a tanning bed does to your skin, then picture it happening to your eyes. Without the proper protection, the whites of your eyes can become yellowed and the UV rays can gradually cause severe damage to your eyes.
So yes, you should absolutely wear tanning goggles and any decent tanning salon will make sure you have a pair with you before they let you tan.
Tanning Goggles that Fit Make all the Difference!
As with purchasing any product, you need to shop around and do your homework to find your match. There are a few different ways that you can go about finding the right ones for you. The absolute best way to find the right goggles for your face is to try them on, just as you would a pair of jeans! I don’t know about you, but I could never buy a pair of jeans without trying them on for a perfect fit. Everyone comes in different shapes and sizes, and this notion is not limited to our thighs and booty!
To find a pair that fits you and your needs, I would typically advise the following:
Order a few pairs.
My favorite way to find the best goggles is to order a few pairs on Amazon, keep the one(s) I like (sometimes it’s hard to choose!) and then return the ones I don’t like. It only takes a day or two to get to you, there’s a huge selection (with many of the best ones listed later on this page) and Amazon makes it so easy to return literally anything without having to leave your house.
Visit a salon.
Many salons provide a pair of goggles for relatively cheap and others provide disposables. Some have a variety to choose from, and this is where you would go to try them out! Don’t be afraid to call around and ask.
Ask a professional.
Whether that professional is the one working behind the counter or tanning inside the bed, ask the tanning gurus which ones are their favorites; they’ll also be able to give you some insight on which brands to go with and which to avoid.
Read reviews.
Most importantly, don’t skip over experiences online! Reviews are pretty honest, so if you find a product that has 20 bad reviews and three good ones, it’s safe to assume that the product is not a good one. It doesn’t hurt to read reviews across multiple websites.
What’s Important to Look For in Tanning Goggles?
It may seem pretty basic; after all, you’re just looking for something to protect your eyes for a few minutes at a time, right? You can make those few minutes more or less enjoyable by the goggles you choose, alone. It’s super annoying to wear anything that isn’t right for your body, and there’s no exception here. Bronze Booty to the rescue again!
Here are just a few additional things to consider before shopping:
The Price
In other words, do not buy the cheapest pair you can find, or you might just find out the hard way as to why they were such a bargain! You don’t shop around for the cheapest doctors, dentists, or choose the car with the cheapest seat belts, so why seek out the cheapest protection for something as important as your eyes? Well, there are perks to having the cheap goggles, too, but more on this later!
Color Selection
Although neon green might be your favorite color, and they look totally rad on you, keep in mind that neon colors may glow in the presence of a tanning bed, and this might be a bit annoying to you. If not, go for it and enjoy the glow!
Size and Shape
When it comes to tanning bed goggles, is bigger better? This depends. The bigger goggles may be more comfortable and seem to fit better, but you might get bigger tan lines. It’s nothing that a little concealer can’t cover up, right? Don’t forget to pay attention to the width of the nose bridge if you are concerned about tan lines across the bridge of your nose.
Overall Comfort
When is comfort not a thing to be considered? You’ll want to look for a pliable material that easily conforms to your face shape. Also, any band that goes around the head, you’ll want to make sure it’s just a good overall fit. Comfort is the number one complaint about “bad” tanning bed goggles.
Durability
Okay, so you won’t be doing any rock climbing while in the tanning bed, but it doesn’t mean you won’t throw them into a bag of tanning products and bang the bag around in your travels. You want tanning bed eyewear that will last, not have the lenses popping out on you! Durability is the second biggest complaint about tanning eyewear.
With all of the above considered, it’s time to shop! We’ve handpicked these tanning bed goggles with all of you in mind!
Super Sunnies Classic Indoor Tanning Goggles
Color: Assorted 2-pack.
What’s awesome about these? These classic plastic tanning goggles come in a set of 2, so you can keep a backup pair in your car or purse for those random visits to the tanning salon.
They may seem on the smaller side but they cover your eyes just enough to protect them but not so much that they give you that dreaded raccoon-eye appearance! With the elastic band around the back like most other goggles, they should fit your level of comfort!
If you’re anything like me, you’ll end up losing your tanning bed goggles as easily as your hair ties. That’s why I love they offer packs with multiple goggles! They are definitely on the cheaper side, so losing a pair won’t hurt as bad. And you won’t miss a tan because you’ll likely have a backup in your glove box, in your trunk, your purse, in your gym bag, under the couch, in the bathroom, and maybe even a pair you let a friend use who can return the favor!
EVO FLEX by Super Sunnies Flexible Tanning Goggles
Color: Black, Blue, Pink, or Purple.
What’s awesome about these? These goggles have a very flexible and high-rise nose bridge, which is very important for avoiding a tan line across the top of your nose! (and it’s totally important!) Not only does it help to escape the nose bridge tan-line, but it is totally more comfortable! You won’t be stuck wondering if the UV rays are hitting all of the important places, so you can relax a bit more while you tan.
The eyecups are out of this world! The green tint provides max protection by not only drowning out the vast majority of UV rays while still allowing you to see, but it also cancels out the lights from red light treatment (green cancels out red, even when dying hair, it’s pretty cool)!
The eyecups are very slim, so you can essentially say ‘goodbye’ to the raccoon eyes, and ‘hello’ to a flawless tan! With a variety of colors and supporting a US company, you really can’t go wrong!
Sun Globes Tanning Bed Eyewear
Color: Random.
What’s awesome about these? For those who hate the feeling of goggles wrapped up in the hair behind your head, for those who don’t want a nose bridge, and for those who literally want bare-minimum coverage, these are for you!
If you’re not a fan of the elastic string that keeps most tanning goggles snug to your head, you may prefer opting for Sun Globes tanning eyewear. I have used many different pairs of tanning goggles, including these. I liked how light they felt on my face, as if I wasn’t wearing anything on my face.
You simply lay down in the tanning bed and place them on top of your eyes. There are a few things to note should you be interested in grabbing a set of these. You can’t do too much moving around, as they’ll fall off easily. They’re also not a great choice if you like using stand-up tanning beds.
Wink-Ease Disposable Eye Protection
Color: Gold.
What’s awesome about these? These are the easiest eye protection to store in your bag, or even just your wallet, and you never have to worry about losing a pair!
Conveniently disposable with a one-time sticky application, Wink-Ease usually fits most any person I’ve ever known to try them! With the reflective outer layer, you can rest assured in your tanning bed that your eyes are being well-protected!
What’s even cooler is that just one box of these will get you through up to 250 tanning sessions! Though it might take a couple of pairs for you to find the right technique for applying these, once you find your sweet spot, all systems are a go!
Anditt UV Eye Protection Tanning Goggles
Color Black.
What’s awesome about these? These tanning goggles come with a handy case to keep them safe while getting tossed around in your bag!
There’s a lot to like about these simple tanning goggles, probably why they have so many fans! They have an adjustable elastic band so you have the perfect custom fit for your face. Remember what we said about finding the right fit, these make sure your eyes feel comfortable and covered!
People also love the little case that comes with these goggles, because it keeps their goggles safe and easy to find in their bag. Many tanning goggles don’t even include a carrying case, so the added case is a nice benefit to this pair!
Skincareguys Eyepatch Laser Light Protection Safety Goggles
Color: Black.
What’s awesome about these? Although these are designed for use under lasers, many people swear by these in the tanning beds and choose them over other products that were made specifically for tanning!
These goggles come as a set of two, but both of them are different. Once blocks out 99.99% of visible light (essentially a total blackout) while the other pair allows some visible light through, a modest 80%.
Just because they are made for use under lasers, it doesn’t mean they aren’t built well enough to use in a tanning bed, though! You can see from the illustrations alone in the listing that the nose of the bridge is quite high, so you shouldn’t run into any funky tan-lines. Reviews even rave about them being the “best goggles for tanning!” You be the judge!
Soft Podz Pink Pods Tanning Bed Goggles
Color: Pink and Purple.
What’s awesome about these? First off, as a person who is prone to losing like literally everything, there might not be a better single pair of goggles for someone like me. “Why,” you ask? Because these come with a nifty little keychain! So as long as you get yourself into the habit of immediately clipping these to your keys post-tanning sesh, you should never have the problem of losing them!
Being on a keychain, these fold up totally compact into a little pod, which in itself is convenient if you don’t like bulky things or if you prefer something that is easy to store. Hence the name “Podz.”
Okay, so for the quality of the actual goggles themselves, they feature a flexible, transparent, comfort fit bridge so not only should they be comfy for you, but no bridge lines! Other than that, the colors are funky and fun for a more modern look.
Hopefully, you found a pair that caught your eye! Once you make a decision on your tanning eyewear, it will be a decision that you won’t regret (unless they’re ill-fitting, of course!) so make sure you do all of your homework and try on before you buy if you can. Happy tanning!