Make Sure Your Skin is PREPPED!!!

This is a HUGE rule for spray tanning. SKIN PREP!! If your skin is not properly prepped, your spray tan can come out looking blotchy, smudge, or fade unevenly. Even though we spray the skin with solution, it’s the clients responsibility before and after their session to take care of their skin. Once you leave the session, it’s all on you. If you follow these simple rules below, you can guarantee your spray tan will turn out flawless!

PRIOR TO SESSION

• MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE! Apply generously to knees, elbows, feet and hands since these areas tend to absorb more color. Use moisturizer daily, morning and evening for a week before your appointment to ensure a smooth, even absorption of color.
• EXFOLIATE. EXFOLIATE. EXFOLIATE! We cannot over-stress the importance of pre-session exfoliation. 24-hours prior to your appointment, clear away any dry, dead skin cells with a pH balancing scrub. For extreme areas use a deep exfoliate, no less than 24-hours prior to your session..
• Apply a warm towel to the skin right before the session to help keep the skin moisturized and absorb the color.
• Protect Your Skins’ pH Levels. Avoid using bar soaps, high pH shower products, or in shower moisturizers. These products can neutralize the DHA bronzing reaction within the skin.
• Hair Removal. Any depilatory creams, waxing or shaving should be completed 24-hours prior to your session.
• Ladies: Have Pedicure and Manicure done prior to getting spray tanned. (if you get yours after your spray tan, your feet and hands will lose the color! We don’t want that now, do we?)

DAY OF SESSION

• DO NOT shower with body washes or soaps that contain moisturizers the day of your appointment. – These act as barriers to the sunless tan.
• Avoid applying anything to the skin that may act as a barrier between the sunless solution and the skin. Do not apply lotions, creams, or perfumes prior to session. Sometimes we forget that we put perfume on the skin in the morning. When perfume or a body spray is left on the skin, it causes little white dots. The whites dots show, because the spray is not able to absorb into the skin.
• Use deodorant sparingly or if possible do not wear any before your application. Some deodorants may have a reaction to the solution and leave a color on the skin. (and that color is green….ewww! – I’ll admit it, my have turned green before, NOT PRETTY!)
• Remove any make-up prior to the sunless application
• What to Wear. During your spray tan, you can wear whatever you feel comfortable in. Most people wear an old bathing suit bottom and a top (strapless). You can also wear underwear or a bra or go topless or totally nude. After the spray tan you will want to wear loose fitting dark colored clothing. Tight clothing can rub or smear bronzers, especially around the knees, elbows, chest and waist. Do not wear socks as you can get a sock line.

AFTER SESSION CARE

• You should refrain from showering as long as possible (up to 24-hours). I know what you are probably thinking, how can I go 24 hours without a shower, it’s possible and you don’t have to hide in your house that whole time! As with all DHA products, sunless color begins showing development approximately 4 hours after application and continues to darken for up to 24 hours. If you must shower during the 4-24 hours following the application, use a WARM WATER RINSE ONLY. The use of soap can inhibit the full development of DHA color. Important: Cosmetic instant bronzers will wash away during the first shower.
• AVOID any contact with rain or any other form of water until after your initial shower/bath. Water contact stops the tanning process immediately. If the skin is touched by water before the tan has fully developed, the tan could look patchy.
• When showering after 24-hours, use only a mild pH balancing shower gel. Refrain from using scrubs or high pH soaps as these will strip away your sunless color. Also refrain from using loofah’s, wash cloths, or anything that will strip away your color during your first shower. I recommend using your hands and wash your body lightly. When drying your skin after your shower, lightly pat dry your skin. Do not rub the towel on your skin as this may cause some of the solution to come off.
• Do not shave or wax at least 48-24 hours after your session. Use a brand new razor blade to reduce sloughing off dead skin cells which is where the tan is attached to on your body.
• Avoid chlorinated pools, spas, saunas and excessive heat, as this will dramatically accelerate the fading process. Chlorine is a form of bleach, which promotes the accelerated process of removing the tan. You may also want to avoid going into the ocean right after a sunless tan. The ocean contains salt, salt is a natural exfoliate, which exfoliates away the top layer of your skin where the sunless tan is.

So there you have it, the before, during and after care instructions to ensure your spray tan turns out PERFECT!! I make sure all my clients understand these rules. It’s not for my good – its for you!! I want you to have the best spray tan and feel confident in your skin. Just like this girl ;-). But I promise I won’t leave you with 2 different colors on your face. :-D.

Have questions on the skin prep? Email me at tan@bronzebeautyst.com

Keep warm Friends!!

-Sarah