Amongst many other things, it seems like a tan shortage may be on the horizon this holiday season.
A shortage in fake tanning products seems likely as a result of supply issues of key ingredient ethoxydiglycol.
In recent weeks, the price of this ingredient has jumped from €12 per kilo to €103, according to one UK online pharmacy.
Hussain Abdeh, Clinical Director and Superintendent Pharmacist at Medicine Direct, said: "Ethoxydiglycol is almost single handily responsible for how cosmetics are applied to the skin.
"Without it, many cosmetic products as we know them would be unusable."
Two other essential ingredients, DHA (dihydroxyacetone) and erythrulose, are also growing in price, further escalating doubts about supply this Christmas.
Brands like St Tropez, Bondi Sands and St Moriz are likely to be hit by the shortage.
However, those in the industry say that they saw this coming.
Marissa Carter, founder and CEO of Cocoa Brown Tan, told Newstalk that she ordered stock back in January in a bid to avoid disruptions like this.
"It’s impossible for people in the industry to get their hands on the ingredients because there’s a huge shortage globally.
"Every manufacturer is having the same problem, whether it’s the rising cost or waiting times.
"We need to make sure we have at least seven months stock. It’s been really difficult to manage the supply chain.
"One of the reasons for the shortage is because tan has become really popular in China and that’s where our raw ingredients come from. As their market grows so does the demand for the ingredients."
Carter also said that Irish people are the “highest wearers” of fake tan in the world. “There is no other country that wears as much fake tan as Irish people,” she told Andrea Gilligan on Lunchtime Live.
She reassured fans of the brand that they can avoid a ‘white’ Christmas this year. "Women have been going out and stocking up. We’ve plenty of Cocoa Brown in stock and you will have a bronze Christmas," she said.
Carter even joked: “If there is a fake tan shortage, I’d have to leave Instagram.”
The shortage could also affect makeup, hair dye and skin supplies as well as tanning products.
