Before Your Tan
Achieving a great spray tan is all in the preparation of your skin. If your skin is adequately prepared, the tan will go on beautifully and look great. However if your skin has not been correctly prepped, you risk having a dodgy tan that will be a waste of time and money.
The key factors to remember are hydration, exfoliation & hair removal.
Hydration
- Keep your skin well hydrated by moisturising up to 3 days prior to your tan. This will prevent your skin from drying out once your tan has been applied and avoid “cracking” of the tan.
Exfoliation
- Exfoliate your whole body using an exfoliating glove or a Riffi Mitt, paying special attention to dry areas such as knees, ankles, hands and elbows. This will maximise the duration of your tan as the skin cells will take longer to naturally shed. It will also ensure even fading and avoid “patching” of the tan. If you are using an exfoliating product such as a scrub, make sure that it doesn’t contain oils as this will create a barrier which the tanning solution can’t penetrate.
Hair Removal
- Take care of any hair removal (waxing, shaving, depilatory creams) the night before your tan. Depending on the sensitivity of your skin, hair removal too close to the application of a tan can result in a rash if the skin has not had enough time to recover.
As well as following the three golden rules above, there are also some definite no-no’s which should be avoided at all costs prior to getting your tan:
Do Not’s
- Do not apply any products to your skin before the tan – including moisturiser, makeup, perfume and deodorant. The use of any products on your skin will affect the outcome of your tan as the tanning liquid will not adhere to these areas on your skin, potentially leaving white, untanned patches instead.
- Do not wear any jewellery for the tan application – it will leave untanned skin beneath it.
- Do not wear tight clothing which clings or rubs against your skin as this will result in white, untanned patches or wearing away of the tan resulting in a lighter than normal colour.
- Do not eat sardines the night before your tan as they can affect the pH balance of your skin which can affect your skin’s ability to absorb the tanning solution.
Other things to think about
- Some individuals may experience staining of their fingernails and toenails. A way to avoid this from happening is to wear nail polish – clear or coloured – when the tan is applied so that your nails are shielded.
- Have a thorough shower before your application. It is a good idea to wash your hair (as well as a full body exfoliation) as most shampoo and conditioners contain SLS (Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulphate) which is known to prematurely strip your tan.
- Ideally you should go to the salon (or private tanner) wearing thongs & a cotton sarong (worn as a dress) tied loosely around your neck as you can easily slip these off and on. Alternatively if you do not own or want to wear these, it is strongly advisable to wear loose fitting clothing and shoes.
- Make sure long hair is tied up above your neck with shorter pieces pinned back from the face so that it does not get in between the spray gun and your skin.
It is a good idea to bring a spare cotton sarong to your tanning appointment to put on the car seat on the way home to prevent tan from staining the car upholstery and most importantly to prevent your tan from rubbing off (the cotton sarong is less likely to absorb or rub off your tanning residue than fabric upholstery or leather).
Jump to:
Before your tan
During the tanning application
Caring for your tan afterwards
Tan removal