Does Drinking Carrot Juice Actually Give You A Natural Tan?
Sip enough carrot juice daily, and your skin might take on a soft golden hue — no sun required. The reason lies in beta-carotene, the orange pigment that gives carrots their color. When you consume large amounts, that pigment accumulates in the skin's outer layer, a harmless condition called carotenemia. Dermatologists explain that it can cause a yellow-orange tint, especially on the palms and soles, after several weeks of consistent intake.
The change isn't a tan, however, it's pigment, not melanin, and it fades once you cut back on carotenoid-rich foods. The shade you'll turn depends on your natural skin tone and how much you eat, so results vary from a faint warmth to a full-on tangerine tint. For a visible glow, dermatologists say you'd need steady intake for weeks: Think a small glass of carrot juice every day, not a single smoothie. Just keep it moderate, because while a natural sun-kissed glow-up is great, bright orange palms are harder to explain, and too much Vitamin A intake can be toxic.
Beyond the orange glow, what carrot juice really does (and doesn't do)
A beta-carotene glow may look cosmetic, but its real perks happen below the surface. A 2022 study in Frontiers in Nutrition shows that carotenoids, the antioxidants in orange and leafy green vegetables, help protect skin cells from oxidative stress, the same type of damage linked to UV exposure and premature aging, and may contribute to improved skin elasticity and overall appearance.
For most people, those benefits come from consistency, not excess. If you're looking to increase your intake, there are a few ways you can go about it without going overboard. Think carrots in your meals a few times a week: Blended into smoothies, whisked into soups, or simmered into carrot jam or spread. Keeping them in rotation supports long-term skin health without turning your palms neon. If you prefer dessert to juicing, peeled carrot cake offers a gentler route to glow, while square-cut carrot sticks make for crisp, snack-ready doses of beta-carotene. The takeaway: Carrots can brighten your complexion — just not like the sun can.