How does spray tan stain our skin?

Chemistry For Your Life · Oct 17, 2024 · 48m

#196

New College-Style Sweatshirt! And Spooky Chemistry Shirts Are Back!

Melissa and Jam explore the fascinating chemistry behind self tanners. They take listeners on a journey from the discovery of the key sugar in self tanners in the 1960s by Dr. Eva Wittgenstein to the present-day scientific understanding. The episode delves into the Maillard reactions, typically known for browning food, explaining in simple terms how similar reactions color the skin when self tanners are used. Additionally, the hosts discuss the molecular structure of carbohydrates, the generation of free radicals, and…