The Tan Commandments

I found this perfect image while looking through the many posts on Pinterest about spray tanning. I thought this would be a great blog post and explain a little further, why I love this so  much.

1. Thou shalt not sunbathe: I will admit it, I laid in that sun and tanning beds non stop from the time I was little up until a couple of years ago. I look through pictures of myself from college and even high school and wonder why my friends never told me I looked RIDICULOUS so tan, in the dead of winter…lol. If you are in the sun, PUT ON SUNSCREEN!!! I would recommend 100 SPF, but that’s just me. Ok, maybe not that much – but protect that skin as much as you can!

2. Thou shalt only use self-tanner or get a spray tan to achieve a natural glow: More and more I hear how quick you see color after getting a spray tan. You can spend months in a tanning bed and you still can’t get the color you desire (well depending on your skin type). After one session with a spray tan, you can get as dark as you want and it only takes 5 minutes! Plus it’s safer than sitting in the sun or a tanning bed. Spray Tanning solutions have come a long way and and do not turn you orange or cause streaking like they used too.

3. Thou shalt exfoliate properly before self-tanning: Bronze Beauty Spray Tanning recommends that you exfoliate your skin 24 hours prior to your appointment. This will help clear away any dry, dead skin cells. You want to make sure your skin is not super dry before your appointment because as soon as your skin starts shedding, so does the spray tan. This is especially important to do during the winter, when our skin tends to dry out even more. Even if you aren’t getting a spray tan, it’s good to keep the skin exfoliated and hydrated. BBST sells a great body scrub that helps exfoliate the skin. It has a unique dermal barrier that locks moisture within the top layer of skin. It is also Sulfate and Soap Fee so it gently cleanses without stripping the skin’s amino acids, which work directly with the active sunless ingredient, DHA.

4. Thou shalt use a mitt when applying self-tanner: Nothing is worse than applying a self tanner and trying to wash your hands after thinking you will get all the solution off your palms. Believe me, I’ve had some brown palms and it’s not pretty! That’s one area on your body you do not want tan!

5. Thou shalt coat thy hands, feet, elbows, and knees with lotion prior to self-tanning: BBST does this with all our clients before we apply the solution. Your hands, feet, elbows and knees tend to be the driest part on the body. If your skin is super dry, the solution will stick to that area more and make it darker than the rest of the body.

6. Thou shalt wait for the self-tanner to dry completely and stay away from water for the next four to eight hours: After your sunless application, BBST takes our hose from our spray machine and drys off the skin as much as we can. This is part of the appointment we don’t want to miss. Before putting on clothes, you want to make sure your spray tan is as dry as possible or you could have it rub off onto the clothes and create a mark on the skin. What’s nice about the solution we use, is that it drys very fast and usually after a minute of us drying you off, you are good to put your clothes back on and go. One thing BBST does differently in this statement, is the part about staying away from water for 4-8 hours. We like to have our clients wait 24 hours before taking a full shower with body wash. If you can’t wait the 24 hours to shower, that’s fine. Before the 24 hours, you must do a WARM WATER RINSE. That means no soap, body wash, loofah or wash cloth. Simply stand under the water and rinse off the cosmetic bronzer. We do tell our clients if they need to use body wash for certain areas of the body, you can do so by apply a small amount to the palms of your hands and dabbing the skin. But not the whole body!! If you are still on the fence about waiting 24 hours, then try our rapid solution. This allows you to shower within 4-6 hours.

7. Thou shalt sleep in loose, dark clothing: After your spray tan, you MUST put on dark loose fitting clothing. I understand sometimes you want to be stylish or have to go out after your spray tan, but putting on those tight jeans, or tight shirts will ruin your spray tan! The clothes will rub against the skin and pretty much rub off the tan. Since BBST comes to your home, you don’t have to worry about going out in public with your loose fitting clothes. Most of the time, clients get their tans at night so all they have to do is go to bed and wake up with a beautiful looking tan.

8. Though shalt pat, not rub, thy skin dry after a shower: This statement pretty much explains itself. Rubbing the skin with a towel after a shower, can rub the tan right off. BE GENTLE WITH YOUR SKIN AFTER A SPRAY TAN!!!

9. Thou shalt not use products containing oil on thy skin when thou has a faux glow: Products with oil can strip away the tan and it won’t last as long. Make sure the lotions you use after your spray tan do not contain oil. BBST offers a great after tan lotion that has a gradual bronzer in it so it helps the spray tan last even longer than the typical 5-7 days. It’s called Pro-Long – ask for it at your next appointment!

10. Thou shalt not exfoliate after self-tanning: As mentioned above, exfoliating the skin before your spray tan appointment helps clear away the dead skin. If you do this after your spray tan, guess what, you are clearing away your spray tan.

I hope you enjoyed the Tan Commandments. Feel free to ask any questions with regards to skin prep and after care instructions for your spray tan! Make sure to review our skin prep and after care instructions on our website – www.bronzebeautyst.com.

Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!

-Sarah <3