Until recently, we had no idea that tanning could be achieved not only in summer. Today, you can purchase a solarium subscription at any time of the year and flaunt an even, fresh tan even in the frosty winter. But today technology has gone further: a home solarium will allow you to do this without leaving your home. The main thing is to be able to choose it correctly.

Everyone knows that solariums can be horizontal and vertical. But in fact, the gradation is even wider:

  • Mini solarium. This is the simplest and cheapest model, consisting of several short lamps and a mirror. This home solarium is intended for the face, shoulders and décolleté; more than that is not enough.
  • Folding. This model is the pinnacle of compactness. It weighs only about 40 kilograms and is easily assembled into a compact suitcase, which can easily be placed in a corner or closet. True, to get a full tan, you will have to change your position in front of the lamps several times.


  • Unilateral. Most often, a home solarium looks like this: one surface with lamps, in front of which you need to turn.


  • Double-sided. In such solariums you can treat the entire surface of the body in one session. There are two types: horizontal and vertical.


  • Sedentary. A rare type in which the effect is selective on the upper or lower part of the body.

  • Solarium-shower. The model is extremely expensive and quite rare, it looks like a combined shower and solarium. Thanks to this, you can simultaneously bask under the warm streams and maintain a tan.

Each of these solariums is suitable for home use, and which one to choose is a matter of available space, personal preference and the thickness of your wallet.

What should you consider when choosing?

Each solarium has a number of parameters that must be taken into account when choosing:

  • Firm. Of course, a Philips home solarium is preferable to a product from an unknown company, but you should stick to the golden mean. The same goes for cost.
  • Number of lamps. Models for home can be equipped with a different number of lamps, up to 30 pieces. The more of them, the more intense the tan will be, but the higher the electrical power required. So for models with 30 lamps, a three-phase socket and very reliable wiring may well be required. But for the home, the speed of tanning is not particularly important; at home, no one will limit the time of stay and force you to pay for every minute.
  • UVB to UVA ratio. UVB is more intense, but also aggressive radiation, so the less it is, the better. The maximum figure should not be more than 2.5-3%, but it is better if it is less.
  • Lamp pressure indicator. Lamps in home solariums come in high and low pressure. The former are cheaper, but also more aggressive. In some models they are combined: gentle low pressure for delicate areas, high pressure for the rest.
  • Availability of additional functions. A solarium for home use may have additional pleasant little things: a timer, programming capabilities, aromatherapy, music speakers, an ergonomic bed shape, and so on. Whether they are needed or not is up to you to decide.

Modern experts in the field of cosmetology and dermatology are of the same opinion about the high importance of sunlight for maintaining a healthy appearance of the skin. Due to climatic conditions that cause the sun to rarely appear even in summer, people in certain regions are increasingly resorting to the use of home solariums. But can artificial UV light, which imitates natural rays, really be considered a worthy alternative in terms of its positive effects on the skin of the face and body? And also what characteristics should a “sun for the home” have so that it can be chosen based on objective advantages among the extensive range of products presented in its segment? The article below contains detailed answers to these and other questions regarding the use of a mini-solarium at home.

Before moving on to a direct examination of the classification of home solariums, it is important to note that the vast majority of models of the equipment in question are quite compact and low-power devices compared to large-sized professional turbo devices. Moreover, due to the simplified design, manufacturers do not provide a built-in air conditioning system and the presence of a wide range of automatic programs in home gadgets. But despite the lack of some additional functions, the beauty and health equipment in question can improve the condition of the skin, replenish the lack of vitamin D in the body, increase the level of the joy hormone - endorphin in the blood, without forcing the user to leave home and spend a large amount of money, which he would spend when purchasing or regularly visiting a traditional turbo solarium.

Based on knowledge gained from the most common life practices, most people are only aware of the existence of a horizontal or vertical type of “home sun”. However, it's not that simple. Modern manufacturers, trying to please their consumers and “be one step ahead” of their wishes related to the purchased tanning device, today offer to buy home solariums of the following types:

  • folding;
  • unilateral;
  • bilateral.

The folding device for UV “irradiation” is a structure weighing up to 40 kg, capable of being transformed after use into a compact “suitcase”, convenient for storage at home. When unfolded, although it takes up a lot of space, it is still not capable of “treating” the skin of the entire body in one cycle. To acquire an even shade of tan, the user will have to spend a long time under the lamps, periodically changing position and controlling the uniformity of the UV light distributed on the skin.

One-sided home solariums occupy a leading position in the ranking of the most popular tanning devices at home. Their demand is due to their reasonable price, efficiency in direct operation and compactness. Externally, the design of this device is a plastic case, one side of which is equipped with several dozen medium-power ultraviolet lamps. As in the first case, if it is necessary to give a dark shade to the skin throughout the body, the user is recommended to periodically change position while under the artificial sun.

Double-sided solariums include the usual subtypes of well-known devices used in beauty salons: horizontal (you need to lie down in them) and vertical (you need to stand in them). The main disadvantage of this class of equipment for beauty and health is considered to be the large space they require for installation or embedding. The rooms of most average apartments are simply not capable of accommodating a turbo solarium structure properly in compliance with recommended safety regulations. However, by installing such a solarium, for example, in a private house or cottage, the user, especially with skin predisposed to tanning, will have the opportunity to obtain a uniform dark shade in just 1-2 sessions of average duration. This becomes possible due to the presence of a large number of UV lamps located along the entire perimeter of the internal surface of the device.

How to choose

So, given the diverse range of home solariums on the modern beauty and health equipment market, we suggest you familiarize yourself with the selection criteria that are fundamental when deciding to purchase a specific device model.

First of all, the buyer should pay attention to the name of the manufacturer. Of course, ideally it should be a product from a well-known brand that has been producing the products in question for several years (for example, Hapro). In addition to the reputation of the manufacturer, it is advisable to analyze the availability of service centers in your city that can provide warranty service if the need arises. Otherwise, you will have to send the purchased product to a nearby service point, which may also require not only time, but also additional financial investments.

An equally important indicator when buying a home “sun” is the number of built-in UV lamps. It is necessary to understand that a solarium with 100 lamps gives the same result as a device with 25 light elements, but it is achieved in a shorter time with significantly higher energy consumption. Based on the above fact, we can make an unambiguous conclusion about the advisability of buying a solarium for home with no more than 30 lamps. This indicator will be sufficient for effective “treatment” of the skin with moderate electricity consumption.

The UVB/UVA ratio of the radiation spectrum can be considered perhaps the most significant criterion for choosing a home automated “sun”. This indicator illustrates the level of “harmful” radiation that can harm the general condition of the user’s body. Particular attention should be paid to the numerical value of the average ultraviolet (UVB) in the ratio. Its indicator should not exceed 3%.

Separately, it is worth assessing the pressure indicator of UV lamps pre-installed in a home solarium. The choice in this case must be made based on the characteristics of your body. Thus, for those with sensitive skin prone to redness and irritation, it is advisable to give preference to a device with low-pressure lamps that are unable to cause much damage to the upper layer of the dermis. Dark-skinned people, on the contrary, should choose home “sun” with increased pressure of light elements, which in the future will help to get a uniform, intense tan in the shortest possible time.

The additional functions built-in by manufacturers for a solarium used at home are undoubtedly as important as when choosing any other equipment or electronics. So, the ideal option would be to purchase a tanning device with an LED display and the ability to install an automatic program along with manual programming. Also useful are the options for automatic shutdown when the mechanism heats up, air conditioning or “pumping” of air, as well as the ability to connect a smartphone or other gadget via a USB port.

So, knowing the main characteristics desirable for a purchased home solarium, we can identify the top models of the segment under consideration, which are currently the most popular among their analogues.

Best models

  • Type: single sided
  • Power consumption: 1420 W
  • Total number of lamps: 10
  • Light element power: 100 W (6 lamps) and 80 W (4 lamps)
  • Facial lamp power: 400W
  • Additional functions: timer with 30 minute limiter
  • compact transformable design
  • possibility to sunbathe lying, standing, sitting
  • presence of a timer

  • it takes a long time for the skin to become darker
  • the need to purchase replacement lamps “to order”
  • price

  • Type: single-sided for face and décolleté
  • Power consumption: 1160 W
  • Total number of lamps: 4
  • Light element power: 15 W
  • Additional functions: timer with 60-minute limit, option to “memorize” the number of tanning sessions, designed for 2 users
  • compactness and light weight of the solarium design
  • possibility of adjusting the angle of inclination of the functional side of the solarium
  • presence of a timer
  • appearance
  • inability to tan all over the body
  • it takes a long time (from 7 sessions of average duration) for the pigment to appear on the skin

The latest technologies allow you to get a beautiful tan at any time of the year, without leaving your home. To do this, just choose and buy a home solarium. How not to make a mistake with your choice and not harm your body with sunbathing? We'll talk about this and more further.

Is it worth buying?

To answer this question, you can focus on the beneficial effects of solarium on the general condition of the body. Numerous studies prove that short-term sunbathing has the following positive effects:

  • help reduce the appearance of acne and other inflammations on the skin;
  • eliminate the unsightly, greenish, overly pale complexion of the face with thin skin;
  • increase the production of endorphins - hormones of joy, relieving prolonged depression and stress, the blues in the autumn-winter period;
  • normalize hormonal levels;
  • provide warming of the body during viral and colds;
  • increase immunity;
  • cause sufficient production of vitamin D;
  • provide the opportunity to get sunbathing at any time of the year;
  • Regular sessions allow you to completely or partially avoid foundation and powder.

When using a home solarium, the main thing is not to overdo it.

Which one to choose?

The domestic market offers a huge selection of imported models, as well as decent domestically produced options. You should not buy a device based solely on the popularity of the brand or cost.

The first thing you need to pay attention to is the area of ​​intended irradiation.

There are two types of solariums suitable for home use:

  • For face only. The area of ​​irradiation is the face, neck, décolleté. Most often they are a small plastic frame into which 4 to 6 low-power ultraviolet lamps (up to 30 W) are inserted. The device is installed on any horizontal surface, turned on and directed at the face.
  • Full body models. They allow you to tan not only your face and neck, but also your back, arms, and legs. The most popular are solariums that fold several times. When disassembled, they look like a T-shaped lamp on a tripod. When folded, they take up very little space.

Of course, you can buy a professional horizontal or vertical installation.

Main selection criteria

When choosing a home solarium, you need to pay attention to the following characteristics that are most significant for the user:

  • Dimensions. First of all, it is necessary to proceed from the availability of free space in the house to accommodate the device. Closed solariums, due to their impressive overall dimensions, cannot fit in every home, much less in a small apartment.
  • Power. Determines the efficiency and speed of the device. The higher it is, the faster you can get a beautiful tan using the machine. It is the power of the solarium that has the primary impact on the price. More powerful devices are quite expensive. But, if you have sensitive skin, you should choose a solarium with a lower index.
  • Areas to be affected. The above-mentioned models are for the face, neck and décolleté or for the whole body. It all depends on the purpose of the radiation and the desired effect. In some cases, a small compact device for the face and neck can be used for the entire body, irradiating different areas in turn.
  • Lamps. Tanning beds are used with high or low pressure. For home use, you should choose models with low pressure to avoid burns. Although they are an order of magnitude more expensive than high tanning devices, you should not expect intense tanning from such devices, even if we are talking about powerful devices. For more durable and bright pigmentation, you should go to professional beauty salons and medical centers where powerful high-power units are installed.

It's also worth keeping in mind that tanning bed lamps work on a different principle than typical incandescent lamps. Over time they fizzle out. The average duration of their work is from 500 to 800 hours.

  • Radiation. A very important parameter. Radiation in solariums is determined by the ratio of the UVB/UVA radiation spectrum. Pay attention to the UVB (average ultraviolet) parameter - its numerical value in the ratio should not be more than 3%.
  • Presence of a timer. An important function that allows you to turn on the device and set its operating time. The user does not have to closely monitor the procedure time, which will reduce the risk of burns to a minimum.
  • Additional features. They influence the price towards its increase. Consider whether you need all the additional options offered. Often, manufacturers can offer the following: automatic shutdown when overheating, the ability to program tanning modes, and the presence of a display. For closed options - air pumping, the presence of a couch, music.
  • Availability of a warranty card. It is extremely important for timely maintenance of the device during the warranty period.
  • Availability of service centers. An important selection criterion. Not all manufacturing companies have service centers in every city. And you will have to use their services, at least to replace lamps.

Before buying a home solarium, you should carefully study the main characteristics, as well as reviews for each model. You should not save on such equipment. Experts recommend purchasing units in highly specialized stores.

Additional acquisitions

Purchasing a solarium and its use implies the need to use other additional means of protecting sensitive areas of the body and care products for irradiated skin. Therefore, additional money should be allocated for their purchase. These include:

  • Special protective goggles for the eyes and a hair cap, which are worn during sunbathing.
  • Using special tanning creams in a solarium (ordinary beach creams will not work).
  • Cotton linen. Any other composition of underwear fabric cannot be used for this type of tanning.
  • To cover the chest, special protective caps are needed.
  • Before the procedure, you need to cleanse the skin with peeling or scrub. Thanks to this, the tan will lie in an even, even layer.
  • Be sure to use a moisturizer to treat irradiated skin areas.

Possible harm

When choosing a solarium for home use, it is important to remember that the use of artificial irradiators is fraught with negative consequences for the body, namely:

  • there is a high risk of heavy pigmentation;
  • increased risk of developing skin cancer and other cancer diseases;
  • severe dehydration of the skin and its premature aging.

For some diseases, the use of a solarium is prohibited. Therefore, before purchasing and starting procedures, you should consult a doctor.

How to use without causing harm?

  • Place the device on a flat surface in a convenient place at the same level with the irradiated area of ​​the body.
  • Do you wear contact lenses? Don't forget to take them off.
  • Avoid exposure to sensitive or irritated skin.
  • The time of each session should not exceed 15-20 minutes.
  • You should not sunbathe under a solarium or natural sunlight on the same day.

Popular models

. Designed for the face, featuring an attractive design and bright colors. Has 4 working lamps with a total power of 75 W. The device has a wide tanning area that allows you to completely cover the entire face, neck and décolleté. The device is equipped with a convenient carrying handle, as well as a built-in timer. The solarium comes with 2 pairs of eye protection glasses. The unit has 2 vertical tilt positions for maximum comfortable use and uniform tanning.

The average cost is about 40 US dollars.

. A device with small overall dimensions, consisting of 4 working lamps for irradiation with a power of 75 W. The device has a built-in working timer. The solarium has low power and, accordingly, an affordable price. Used to irradiate the face and neck. Provides an even tan.

The average price is 55-56 US dollars.

A device with a pronounced therapeutic effect, recommended for use in adults and children. Solarium helps cope with allergic reactions, infectious and inflammatory diseases.

Consists of 2 work lamps with a total power of 30 W. Along with the therapeutic effect, a mini-solarium makes it possible to acquire an attractive golden tan.

The average cost is $85.

Efbe-Schott 834. Solarium consisting of 4 lamps with a total power of 75 W. The device has a built-in timer, as well as a special memory counter and an auto-shut-off function. The set includes 2 pairs of safety glasses. The irradiator allows you to get a luxurious golden year-round tan and improve the condition of your skin.

Mini-solariums for personal use are now becoming in demand among more and more people. For some, this is a way to fight seasonal depression, for others to take care of themselves and treat acne, for others, take time for yourself and sit (or lie down) quietly for 15-20 minutes. In any case, everyone who has such a device at home finds something of their own in it.

Harm and benefit

The benefits of a home mini-solarium are enormous:

  • sunbathing can be done at any time of the year, and even without leaving home;
  • you can limit yourself only to the area of ​​the face, neck and décolleté, since the abundance of clothing in autumn and winter still hides the presence of a tan on other parts of the body;
  • an effective way to treat inflammation on the face that arises from lack of sunlight; it helps well with acne;
  • intense bright light helps improve mood and eliminate winter blues;
  • the product perfectly helps eliminate the unpleasant greenish tint of the face, which appears when the skin is too light and lacks a blush;
  • By conducting regular sessions using a mini-solarium, you can significantly reduce the consumption of foundation and powder, since your complexion will be beyond praise and there will be no need to mask it;
  • solarium light increases immunity and helps strengthen the body’s ability to resist seasonal colds;
  • the dose of ultraviolet radiation that can be received in one session causes the production of a sufficient amount of vitamin D.

Harm that may result from use:

  • during pregnancy, after peelings, if you have sensitive skin, heavy pigmentation may appear;
  • the risk of developing skin cancer and other cancers remains;
  • a fairly obvious boundary between tanned and light skin may form on the lateral surfaces of the skin;
  • the skin becomes dehydrated after using a mini-solarium, which can lead to faster fading and the appearance of wrinkles;
  • a session using a home solarium will be much longer in time, and the result will be less pronounced compared to a procedure in a regular solarium for the whole body;
  • Unlike the procedure performed in a salon, you may not be able to calmly spend the required amount of time in front of a mini-solarium at home if your family demands attention.

Which device is better to choose?

Photo: home solarium Alisun Suncar 100

Nowadays, both imported and domestic models of mini-solariums are presented on the Russian market. It is hardly worth choosing a suitable model based only on the name of the manufacturer, since mini-solariums, although they are quite simple devices, can differ from each other in the presence of certain functions. So, what criteria should be taken into account to make it convenient to use the chosen model in the future?

  • Area of ​​intended irradiation.

There are mini-solariums for the face only, for the face, neck and décolleté, as well as models that allow you to tan your face, décolleté and arms. These models differ mainly in the number of lamps: the larger the area, the more lamps.


Photo: mini-solariums
  • Number of operating hours before scheduled lamp replacement.

The longer the resource of the device itself and the lamps used, the better. It is only at first that it seems that the parameter is not important. What difference does it make whether the lamp life is 360 or 1000 hours?


Photo: solarium lamps

But here you need to take into account that procedures using home devices take longer and give less effect compared to industrial tanning beds. Therefore, each procedure will last 20-40 minutes.

It is quite easy to replace the lamps yourself or in a workshop, but a dump kit costs money. And not everyone wants to deal with purchasing lamps and replacing them so often.
  • Availability of warranty and post-warranty service.

You can, of course, contact non-core workshops, but the result of such repairs may be unsatisfactory.

  • Additional features.

The presence of a display, automatic shut-off function, and timer can affect the cost, but at the same time they make the operating process much more comfortable.

How to use

  • Preparation.

The device is installed in such a way that the light from it is directed towards the face and décolleté area. It is better to take procedures while sitting, as standing for 20 minutes can be tiring. Hair must be hidden under a cap or scarf.

Jewelry must be removed, as ultraviolet radiation may not have the best effect on it. We thoroughly clean the skin of the face, neck and décolleté of cosmetics.

It is advisable to use a special face cream and protective lipstick with UV filters.

  • The actual procedure.

We sit comfortably in front of the device, set the timer for the required number of minutes, put on special glasses and turn on the mini-solarium.

If there is no timer in the device itself, you can use the alarm clock on your watch or phone so as not to open your eyes again during the procedure and check the time.

During the procedure, you need to relax and unwind as much as possible.

Video: Mini solarium

  • Completion of the procedure.

After the session, you need to rest for another 10-15 minutes and apply an intense moisturizer to the skin.