Garnier Ambre Solaire Intense Bronze Oil

Garnier Ambre Solaire Intense Bronze Oil in brown and orange bottle

Tanning oils were popular because they increased the intensity of the sun’s rays and made it possible to tan more quickly. In the 1930s, sunbathing had become a popular pastime for pleasure seekers. Some have credited Coco Chanel with starting a trend for tanning, after she got accidentally sunburnt in 1923 on a cruise to Cannes. In 1935, L’Oréal launched ‘Ambre Solaire’ with its iconic brown, indented bottle and posters depicting tanned bodies of women. Ambre Solaire tapped into an aspirational ideal, based on the earlier medical notions, that a tanned body was a healthy one. Its associations with the French Riviera and affluent beach holidays presented the product as part of a luxury lifestyle. However, since the 1970s, there has been an increased awareness of the risks of sun exposure and the importance of protecting the skin with sun cream.