How to Prepare for a Spray Tan
Knowing how to prepare for a spray tan is essential for achieving a silky, streak-free glow that lasts.
Is your spray tan appointment coming up? From exfoliating your skin to painting your nails, understanding how to prep for a spray tan ensures you get a gorgeous, flawless tan. It also helps you avoid spray tan disasters like orange hands, blotchy parts, and streaky spots.
Here’s how to prepare for your spray tan so you can walk into your appointment with confidence and leave with a head-swirling sunkissed glow.
How to Prepare for a Spray Tan
As with any self tan, it’s imperative to prep your skin to ensure you get an even-looking golden glow. Here are our must-know spray tan prep tips below.
1. Exfoliate
The first—and most important step—in prepping your skin for a spray tan is exfoliation. Do it 24 hours before your spray tan.
Exfoliation helps remove the buildup of dead skin cells which smooths your skin, providing an even base for your spray tan. By buffing away those dull, dead cells, skin also appears visibly brighter, making your tan extra glowy.
For your body, use either a body scrub, exfoliating mitt, or loofah to gently exfoliate. For your face, use either a gentle face scrub, cleaner, or toner with a chemical exfoliant like glycolic acid, lactic acid, or salicylic acid.
We recommend Truly’s 24K Gold Black Soap Cleanser. It’s designed both for your face and body. A sugary base blended with salicylic acid, gold, and charcoal to deliver silky smooth, glowing skin from head to toe.
2. Shave
Shaving is another crucial step when it comes to how to prepare for a spray tan session. Shave the day before your spray tan to ensure a smooth, even surface for seamless application.
In addition to smoothing your skin, shaving is another form of exfoliation. By the time you’ve exfoliated and shaved, your skin will be soft as silk and ready for an even spray tan.
Try Truly’s Glazed Donut Shave Set for the luxurious, silky smooth shave of your dreams. It features everything you need to prep for a spray tan: an exfoliating cleanser, whipped shave butter, after shave oil, and cream plus a five blade pink razor.
3. Paint Your Nails
Painting your nails before a spray tan is an effective hack for keeping your nails stain-free. Before your appointment, apply a coat of clear (or colored) nail polish. This creates a barrier between your nails and the spray tan solution, preventing unwanted discoloration.
4. Moisturize
Dry skin can lead to blotchiness after a spray tan, as it tends to absorb more product in certain areas, creating uneven spots. To avoid this, apply a hydrating body lotion the night before or 2-3 hours before your spray tan appointment. This helps hydrate your skin without creating a barrier that might block the tanning product.
Pay extra attention to dry areas, like elbows, knees, ankles, and hands. These spots often soak up more tan, which can result in darker patches and an uneven tan.
After your spray tan, keep moisturizing daily to extend your glow and prevent patchiness as your tan fades. You’ll love Truly’s Unicorn Fruit Whipped Body Butter which deeply hydrates and plumps the skin with shea butter and matcha, leaving your skin soft, glowing, and smelling like cotton candy.
5. Skip Deodorant and Makeup
Before your spray tan, skip deodorant, fragrances, or any makeup products. These can interfere with the absorption of the tanning solution and might even cause patchy or greenish discoloration.
Deodorant, in particular, can leave a residue that creates uneven spots, while makeup can create a barrier that prevents the tan from fully developing on your skin.
6. Wear Dark, Loose Fitting Clothing
Choose loose, dark clothing for your spray tan appointment to avoid any rubbing or smudging of the tanning product. Tight clothing or fabrics like denim can leave lines and disrupt the drying process, so opt for loose clothing like flowy dresses, oversized shirts, or joggers made from breathable fabrics.
As for shoes, skip socks and boots. Flip-flops or slides are ideal to prevent streaking on your feet and they allow your skin to breathe as your tan develops.
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Aftercare Spray Tan Tips
To get the most out of your spray tan, aftercare is crucial. After your first shower, avoid using hot water and harsh soaps. Stick to a gentle body wash with no exfoliants. Here are some more post-tan tips to extend the life of your tan:
• Moisturize daily to prevent dry skin from causing your tan to fade unevenly.
• Avoid scrubbing or exfoliating your skin.
• Use sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher when outdoors to protect your tan from fading prematurely and to keep your skin safe from UV rays.
• If you’re using a self tanner or a cosmetic bronzer, remember that these products sit on top of the skin and can wear off more quickly than a spray tan, so use them sparingly.
• Avoid long showers, swimming, and excessive sweating. These can cause your tan to fade more quickly.
Spray Tan Prep FAQs
If it’s your first time getting a spray tan, you might still have some questions. We’re here to answer them.
How Do You Prepare Your Body for a Spray Tan?
To ensure your spray tan goes on smoothly and lasts longer, start by exfoliating your skin 24 hours before your appointment to remove dead skin cells, which can cause an uneven tan. Focus on areas like elbows, knees, and ankles that tend to absorb more product. Also, avoid wearing any deodorants or greasy skincare products on the day of your tan, as these can create barriers that prevent the tan from adhering properly.
Can I Shave 2 Hours Before Spray Tan?
Shaving two hours before your spray tan is not recommended. It is best to shave at least 24 hours beforehand. Shaving opens up your pores, and the tan can settle into those pores, leaving dark spots. Shaving closer to your appointment can also irritate your skin, making it more sensitive to the tanning solution.
Should I Moisturize Before Spray Tan?
While moisturizing is essential for maintaining healthy skin, it's best to skip moisturizing right before your spray tan. Lotion or oil can create a barrier that prevents the tan from fully absorbing. Make sure you moisturize at 2-3 hours before your session to ensure the product is properly absorbed before your spray tan.
Can I Shower Before Spray Tan?
Yes, you can shower before your spray tan. Make sure to dry your skin thoroughly and moisturize a few hours before heading to your appointment.
So now you know how to prepare for a spray tan. And trust us, your spray tan will look way better and last so much longer with these spray tan prep tips. Remember to exfoliate, hydrate, and skip products that can interfere with your tan. With these simple steps, you’ll have a gorgeous, glowing tan that lasts for days.
Feature photo by Kaboompics.com
