Here’s Why Tanning Yourself With Coca-Cola Isn’t The Smartest Idea

If you’re one of the people doing this, I highly recommend that you stop. Now.

Apparently, one of the newer trends in the world of self-tanning is to lather yourself up with a whole bunch of Coca-Cola. Why? The caramel coloring agents inside of the soda apparently help give people using it the bronzed skin tone they desire, according to Allure.

While that may sound like a smart idea on paper to some, it turns out that dousing yourself in a bunch of soda has some unforeseen consequences, like making yourself more exposed to sunburns. According to Dr. Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital, the acids found inside of Coke may wash away layers of dead cells on your skin, allowing more ultraviolet light from the sun to penetrate your skin and make you more susceptible to sunburns. Youch.

Instead of resorting to this bizarre method to tan, stick to self-tanners and make sure to load up on sunscreen to protect your skin. Leave the soda for us to drink, please.