Could fair Irish skin tones be a thing of the past, with these edible gummy bears which claim to accelerate the tanning process?

It's no secret that Irish women are the biggest consumers of fake tanning products in Europe. In fact, this article estimates that 40% of Irish women indulge in a DIY bronze session on the regular. 

Despite being traditionally on the paler end of the spectrum, many Irish women aspire to achieve a healthy looking glow, whether it comes from a bottle, a sunbed, or real life rays.

Read More: Top ten fake tanning tips from the Irish

Read More: Fake tan cancer risk for young Irish dancers says Irish community leaders

Everytime I put on tan my dad mocks me saying I look like Hughie Maughan. I never knew what he looked like until tonight when I searched him up... genuinely speechless pic.twitter.com/4x9MHE14op

— Laoise Whyte (@laoisewhyte2002) February 16, 2018

There are multiple brands on the market offering tanning products (many of them majorly successful Irish-owned companies) but now the Irish franchises of Superdrug Pharmacy are selling what it deems the world's first edible tanning product.

The patent-pending product, created by UTan a company based in the United Kingdom, has been "developed by healthcare experts using tried and tested ingredients...to accelerate and enhance the perfect bronze tone to pale skins, with and without the sun."

We’re so excited to finally launch these🙊Developed by healthcare professionals: #TanGummies Available now via bio on Introductory offer in-store & online @superdrugloves. Vegan friendly. Gluten Free. Juicy raspberry flavoured gummy bears🐻 Under 9 calories per 🐻 Packed with natural, tried & tested traditional tanning ingredients. Mixed carotenoids; plant extracts; vitamins; minerals & supplements to enhance the tanning process with and without sun 🙀☀️Pale skins will see a bronze hue develop ALL YEAR ROUND. ➕amazing tan acceleration benefits with any sun/uv exposure. #TanningRevolution #Superdrug #PatentPending #UTanAndTone For more info read description via bio link & refer to our story for full nutritional info. With any sun exposure an SPF is recommended. Tan Gummies are delicious but do not exceed the stated recommended dosage. ☀️ How do they work? ☀️ They contain a mixed blend of carotenoids (organic pigments that protect plants from sun damage & give them colour). When taken in a high enough doses (purely vegetable based) this can result in storing in the skin, for a healthy looking golden hue to pale skins all year round. Also designed to accelerate & enhance a Sun/UV exposure tan with added tried & tested traditional tanning ingredients, found in most tanning supplements on the market today. As Tan Gummies are held in the buccal cavity for a considerable time, results are enhanced better than ever before, due to direct absorption through the cheek walls.

A post shared by UTan and Tone™ (@utanandtone) on

The gummies, all GMO free, gluten free, and vegan, apparently allow "potent actives" to be held in the mouth cavities which will result in "direct absorption" of the sun through the membranes in the cheek walls.

"Tan Gummies" as they are called contain a blend of essential plant nutrients, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and more approved ingredients which have been long associated with healthy, glowing, tanned skin.

Vitamin E and C, selenium, zinc, and riboflavin can also be found in their makeup.

Will you be trying them? Tweet us and let us know!