Tips on what to do before your spray tan and how to maintain it longer:
-Prior to your spray tan, completely and thoroughly exfoliate your entire body but be careful not to over exfoliate, as you may dry out your skin too much. If your skin is overly dry during the application, it can drastically affect the results and may causing cracks/freckles in your tan.
-Prior to your spray tan do not wear make-up, deodorant, oil based moisturizer or any other product that could hinder your skin's ability to absorb the spray tan solution.
-Wear loose fitting, dark clothing for your spray tanning session and continue to wear these clothes for up to 4-6 hours after your spray tanning session (until your shower). Avoid bras, tight under garments, socks and tight shoes. These will wear off the spray tan in those areas and leave a tan line.
-The spray tan solution can stain some garments and could stain the seats of your vehicle, your clothing or your furniture. Avoid rubbing. Keep this in mind when determining what to wear. Use caution until you shower.
-24 hours before your spray tan you should shave any areas of your body that you normally shave. Shaving is an exfoliating process by itself. Be careful not to use an oily shaving product. If you wait to shave after your spray tan, you will speed up the skin replacement process. You are encouraged to use moisturizing shaving products after your tan, but not prior to your tan.
-Do not shower for a minimum of 4 hours, but it is suggested to leave it on up to 6-8 hours, after your spray tanning session. During this "processing time" you can not do physical activities that may require your skin to become wet. This includes, swimming, bathing, showering, gardening, sauna sessions, massages and other activities that require the use of liquids or cause your body to sweat. You are free to resume these activities after your tan has fully processed and your first shower.
-Your first shower should be a light, shower, you are simply rinsing the excess spray tanning solution off of the surface of your skin. Do not exfoliate during this shower. You have previously exfoliated in your shower prior to your spray tanning session. Your first shower is a light rinse with warm water only. You may also see the immediate bronzer rinse off, but don't worry, that was just a temporary color and won't affect the developed tan.
-Avoid bar soaps, as these have higher pH levels. This will cause your skin to dry and cause your skin replacement cycle to speed up more rapidly. This could cause pre-mature fading of any tan including a natural tan. Higher pH products can also cause drying of the skin resulting in a cracked or freckled looking tan.
-Moisturizing after showers using a high quality moisturizer containing minimal fragrances. Lowering the pH of your skin after water exposure is very important to the health of your skin and assists in pro-longing the life of any tan, including a natural tan. By using the right moisturizers, this ensures a nice even fade of your tan as your skin cells slough away and also prevents cracking/freckling of the tan.
-Use tan extending moisturizers ,like our Ultimate Tan Refreshment, that have trace amounts of DHA but with moderation (every other day after showering or 1-2 times a week). Careful not to use moisturizers with a high level pH or too much DHA. This could make your tan orange.
-Keep your body hydrated by drinking lots of fresh water daily. This will promote healthy, hydrated skin. Healthy skin equals healthy tan.
-Avoid pro-longed periods in water and the pool. Believe it or not water dries out your skin, especially chlorinated water!
-Try to evenly exfoliate your body when you shower and don't over do the exfoliation. You want your tan to last. Common areas of spray tan build up usually occur around the feet, ankles, behind the knees, heels, neck, behind under arms, or any area that has a crease. This could cause an un-natural appearance in future spray tanning sessions.
-If you would like another spray tan, and absolutely can't wait before getting another, SCRUB! Exfoiliate, exfoliate, exfoliate. Remove as much of your old spray tan as possible, before receiving your next one, but if you over exfoiliate be sure to moisturize with an oil free moisturizer to prevent cracks/freckles as the tan wears down.
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Spray Tanning FAQ's
Don't want to expose your skin to the sun's damaging rays, but don't want to miss out on that sun-kissed bronze glow?
Consider striking a compromise with sunless tanning. Start by understanding how sunless tanning products work — and the importance of applying them correctly and carefully. Sunless tanning products can give your skin a tanned look without exposing it to harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.
How do spray tans work?
DHA (dihydroxyacetone) solution is sprayed directly onto your skin. Then DHA reacts with protein (keratin) in the stratum corneum (the outermost surface of the skin), when these two oxodize together they create a brown color. Varying percents of DHA levels are present in different spray tan solutions. This method of tanning does not last as long as truely tanned skin, because it only reaches the upper layer of the skin. This area sloughs off much more rapidly.
Most sunless tanning products don't contain sunscreen. If you spend time outdoors, sunscreen remains essential.
What is DHA, is it new?
DHA(Dihydroxyacetone) is derived from plant sources such as sugar, beets and sugar cane, by the fermentation of glycerin.
No, it's not new on the market; DHA has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for over 34 years! However, the science behind this product has made leaps and bounds in the last 8 years! They have discovered, by adding a small amount of erythrulose (a natural based keto-sugar) and lowering the concentration of DHA, that it almost entirely eliminates the unwanted "orange" appearance. With the proper choice of DHA concentration per skin type, and proper care of your skin, you're sure to fool anyone into believing that you have a real tan these days.
How long will my spray tan last?
Your spray tan will be it's darkest the first day and fade away each day as the skin is sloughed during the normal process of the skin replacement cycle. It will remain visible for 5-7 or more days with care, and may last up to 14 days with extreme care. Of course, during the fading process, the rich, dark appreance will continually decrease with each shower/bath, as your skin sloughs away. Everyone's skin relacement cycle is different, due to genetics, skin care and health. Keep in mind, some of our clients swear that their tan lasts up to 3-4 weeks but this is not always the case.
What about sunless tanning pills?
Sunless tanning pills, which typically contain the color additive canthaxanthin, are unsafe. When taken in large amounts, canthaxanthin can turn your skin orange and cause hives. Sunless tanning pills can also cause liver damage and lead to the formation of crystals in the retina of the eye (canthaxanthin retinopathy).
Is sunless tanning safe?
Topical sunless tanning products are generally considered safe alternatives to sunbathing, as long as they're used as directed.
Keep in mind that spray-on tanning or mist-on tanning from a salon or spa is typically applied to all parts of your body, including your face, to ensure an even color. This creates a potential for the product to get into and around your eyes, near your nostrils or onto your lips — so close your eyes and hold your breath while the tanner is applied.
Are tanning beds safer than natural sunlight?
Tanning beds don't offer a safe alternative to natural sunlight. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation damages your skin, whether the exposure comes from tanning beds or natural sunlight. This damage increases the risk of skin cancer and premature skin aging. In fact, most tanning beds emit mainly UVA rays — which may increase the risk of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.
If you want the bronze glow of a tan without exposure to damaging UV radiation, consider using a sunless tanning product. Avoid tanning beds, and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen whenever you're outdoors.