Did you know you can prolong your full body spray tan with proper care and maintenance? Well, with a professional spray tan and some tips, you can actually prolong your spray tan. We have seen this with our clients over the years. So today, we share the tips that we have seen work with our clients. We are full-body tanning experts at BR Sun Spa, and we have been around long enough. So, here are some of the tips you can use to make sure your spray tan lasts longer.
Start With Exfoliation
Take some time to exfoliate the day before your tan. Exfoliating is an important thing to ensure that your spray tan lasts as long as possible. Use an exfoliator mitt and an exfoliating cream or cleanser to eliminate dead skin cells. Dead skin cells lock tanning agents and cause streaks. You also want to have a shave or wax a day before your appointment. Think of your skin like a wall in your home and the spray tan as a can of paint. Yes, you can apply the paint directly to the wall without preparation, but it will not look very good. However, you can take time to prepare the wall by filling holes, sanding rough spots, and using a primer. This will ensure the new layer of paint you will be applying will look its best. This is how exfoliating your skin before your spray appointment works.
Moisturize
Moisturizing your skin with an oil-free product is an easy way to extend your spray tan and keep it locked in. Moisturize the day before your appointment, paying extra attention to areas where your skin is the driest, such as elbows and feet. This not only helps your skin heal after the exfoliation but also helps in ensuring your tan sticks by prolonging natural exfoliation. Natural exfoliation happens when your body sheds dead skin cells every seven days. Although this is your body’s natural way of maintaining smooth and healthy skin, it can take a toll on your freshly applied spray tan, which sits on the top layer of your skin. So, when you make it a habit to moisturize after your spray tan. This helps you delay the fading and helps your tan last as long as possible.
Wear Loose Clothing
Be careful of the clothes and shoes you put on after your appointment because they can cause all sorts of problems. You want to avoid anything with straps, such as a bra, so as not to create lines in your tan. Wearing loose-fitting light cotton clothing without straps is the best option to wear for your spray tan appointment. Sandals are the best footwear option, but be careful that the straps on your sandals don’t cause lines in the tan of your feet. If you get strap lines on your feet, exfoliate the skin on your feet until the colored areas blend.
Avoid Long Showers
Long showers and hot baths will dry out your skin and risk your tan fading. Depending on the spray tan product you use, you may need to shower within a few hours of your appointment. Or you may have to wait until the next day. Either way, you want to ensure that your showers are lukewarm and not hot. You also want to use light and natural products on your skin to prolong your tan. You can use these tips:
- Use the most basic soap type to wash your skin during the first shower.
- Avoid soaps that have a lot of added items because they will leave a residue on your skin.
- Moisturize with a light water-based moisturizer after taking your shower. Don’t use a moisturizer with added oils or other products.
Use Gradual Tan
Has your spray tan color started to fade? Use a high-quality gradual tan product to gradually replace the color your skin loses in between tanning appointments. These gradual tan products help elongate your tan because they top up your color gradually every day, keeping your skin moisturized and hydrated each day, giving you a perfect tan. Use gentle tanning agents and hydrating agents to infuse the skin with subtle color while delivering instant hydration. Apply gradual tanning lotion to freshly cleaned skin every day to maintain a deep tan. A gradual tanner develops throughout the day, and you don’t have to wash it off like a regular tan.
Avoid Chlorinated Water
Summer is the typical time for lots of swimming. It is also the best time to get your spray tan. Unfortunately, the chlorine in pool water will cause your spray tan to fade faster. So, you want to avoid chlorinated pools as much as possible, especially during the first week or so after your appointment. However, if you are at the end of a spray tan period or about to get one in a few days, swimming in chlorinated water will help you remove more dead skin and old tan before your new tan is applied.
Don’t Sweat it
Sweating can make your spray tan fade faster. So, you want to avoid sweating, particularly during the first eight hours after application. Why? Moisture is the biggest threat to spray tanning. You want to avoid saunas, the gym, and swimming pools, as explained above. To stay dry, apply baby powder to your skin. Pay close attention to sweaty areas and areas where your skin rubs together, such as the inner thighs, the backs of your knees, and your joints. Stay hydrated and out of the heat and direct sunshine. The cooler you stay, the longer your tan will likely last.
These are some of the tips to prolong your spray tan, as discussed by tanning experts. Do you want a spray tan appointment and don’t know where to start? Book a spray tan appointment with us, and let our experts deliver quality service for you. BR Sun Spa is a professional full-body spray tanning boutique highly dedicated to professionalism and excellent customer service. We offer custom or sunless tanning with the most advanced tanning equipment on the market. Talk to our experts today about all things spray tanning.