Spray Tan Disaster? Avoid These Common Mistakes
With the proper prep and aftercare, experts say a professional spray tan can last between 10 days and two weeks. At-home formulas will usually last for a slightly shorter time, think one week to 10 days.
The more you aggressively exfoliate your skin and the more you sweat, the faster your expensive tan is likely to fade. Swimming in chlorinated pools can also cause the color to fade rapidly.
Exfoliate your skin ahead of time
The absolute best way to prepare your skin for a spray tan is to start exfoliating a few days before. Ideally, make your last heavy exfoliation eight hours before the actual spray tan appointment.
Exfoliating too soon before your spray tan can heavily lower your skin’s pH level. This could easily result in a much lighter, less pigmented tan than you wanted.
Schedule your waxing and shaving around your tan
If you’re getting waxed, make sure to do so at least 24 full hours before your spray tan. When you wax, your pores are slightly open, so applying a spray tan so shortly after can lead to darkened, spotty pores.
Shaving, however, is generally fine. Most people can safely shave the morning of or the day after their spray tans without encountering any problems.
Avoid body-care products before your spray tan
The day of your spray tan, absolutely stay away from applying any thick body lotions, perfumes, and heavy oils. These can severely discolor the spray tan and make it harder for it to grip onto your skin, which could result in a patchy mess.
You should also remove your deodorant with a cleansing wipe prior to your spray tan application. The aluminum can easily turn your spray tan a funky green color.
Get a professional spray tan
Traditional professional spray tans generally last a little longer, and the spray tan technician can control the exact depth of color much better. Along with massively improving the longevity of your tan and helping you find a better color match, going to a pro means you won’t have to worry.
You won’t accidentally miss a hard-to-reach spot by your back or shoulders.
Make your first shower a lukewarm one
After you get a spray tan, it’s highly important to wait the appropriate amount of time before your first shower, which is typically about eight hours. It’s also important to make sure the temperature of the water doesn’t get too hot.
Lukewarm water is absolutely best for your first shower post-spray tan. After you step out of the shower, gently pat your skin dry with a towel.
Never rub, or else you may immediately remove some of the fresh color.
Moisturize daily
It’s important to intensely moisturize your skin as you normally would to help prolong your spray tan. After you shower, gently apply a rich body lotion of your choice.
Use a gentle exfoliator
Even if you get an expensive professional spray tan, the color will eventually start to fade. Help it fade evenly and completely avoid patchy areas by gently exfoliating your skin every few days using a fine body polish.
Make sure the exfoliating granules in your scrub aren’t too chunky or harsh, or else you may irritate your skin and lift extra color instantly.
Avoid using acne treatments
Acne treatments often contain highly harsh ingredients that help clear up blemishes but also strip your skin. This can cause your spray tan to lose its color incredibly quickly.
Leave products that contain benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid entirely out of your skincare routine to help extend the life of your spray tan.
Use oil-free skincare products
Along with acne treatments, heavy skincare products that contain oil can also break down the color of your spray tan early. This is true no matter if it’s done professionally or with self-tanner products at home.
We suggest sticking strictly with oil-free cleansers and moisturizing lotions until your spray tan fully fades.
Apply a gradual body self-tanner
Keep your spray tan looking incredibly fresh by applying a gradual self-tanning body moisturizer three to four days after you get it done. Applying a light gradual tan moisturizer will instantly add depth and a gorgeous glow back to your fading spray tan.
It will also help seamlessly even out any patches that happen to fade faster than others.
Apply a face self-tanner
The tan on your hands and face will always fade the quickest, since these are the areas you wash and cleanse the absolute most. We suggest investing in a high-quality facial tanning spray to mist on both.
Facial tanners are specifically formulated lighter than body self-tanners, so they are also the ideal product to safely tan your hands with.
Avoid sweating and swimming
Any type of moisture can easily cause your spray tan to fade, especially an intense, dripping sweat session. This is exactly why it’s important to avoid going to the gym the day immediately following your spray tan.
Stay out of the rain right after your spray tan
In addition to swimming and gym sessions, stepping out into the rain right after getting a spray tan can leave you with massive streaks. This uneven application will be incredibly difficult to fix later.
Always stay on the offense by checking the weather forecast before your appointment and keeping an umbrella within arm’s reach.
Minimize skin contact for the first few hours
Right after getting a spray tan, it’s important to be mindful of your body position while the application is still highly fresh. Skin-on-skin contact can easily cause the color to rub right off, simply from touching or sitting with your bare legs crossed.
Try to avoid physical interaction as much as entirely possible in the first few hours until the spray tan has completely set.
Wear loose clothing
When thinking about what to wear for a spray tan appointment, we highly suggest sticking with loose, dark clothing. Tight gym clothes can easily rub off your tan, the exact same way a sweaty workout can.
Any item of clothing that heavily leaves indentation marks could easily lead to darker marks left on the skin permanently.
How Long Does It Take for a Spray Tan to Dry?
Every formula will heavily vary, but you should wait at least 10 full minutes before putting your clothes back on after a spray tan appointment. Wait until your skin absolutely no longer feels tacky.
If it’s still slightly sticky to the touch, try to wait a little longer.
How Long After a Spray Tan Can You Shower?
An incredibly important part of what to do after a spray tan is determining exactly when to shower. The answer heavily depends on which spray tan solution you decide to use.
If you’re getting a professional spray tan, always ask your technician exactly when they recommend you take your first shower. You will generally have to wait about eight hours before showering, and twelve full hours before swimming or hitting the gym.
If your skin looks a little too orange for your liking immediately after you get a spray tan, don’t panic! Your first shower will safely remove the excess tanning solution and leave you with your beautiful final shade.