preparation and aftercare
Get the most from your spray tan!
Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water and moisturizing skin daily.
If you have especially dry or oily skin, you may want to exfoliate a couple of times in the days leading up to your spray tan.
Schedule all necessary beauty appointments such as manis, pedis, facials, or waxing 24 hours before your spray tan appointment.
Shower, shave and exfoliate the day before your appointment. Exfoliation is the most critical step for an even and long-lasting sunless tan. Start by taking a regular shower, shaving, and washing your hair. Then, use a damp exfoliating mitt to scrub your entire body. Do not apply any products to the mitt. The point is to remove all oils, lotions and dead skin. Pay extra attention to dry areas like the ankles, tops of your hands & feet, knees, elbows, neck, underarms and the back of your arms. Do a warm water rinse the day of your appointment to remove any sweat or body product residues at least 4 hours prior to your appointment. We do not recommend washing your hair or body with any products prior to your session as there is always a chance they could leave a barrier on your skin. Avoid Dove, Dial, Ivory or any "moisturizing" soaps or body washes the day of your sunless session.
We have wipes available for you to remove deodorant and makeup before your appointment. You do not have to go all day without deodorant!
We know life can get hectic and sometimes you have no choice but to prep the day of your tan. You can still get decent results, but try to do it as far away from your appointment time as possible (4-6 hours is best). Follow the prep instructions above and make sure you get all of the residue off of your skin. If you need a last minute tan and have no time to prep, add the exfoliating and color boosting towelette to your service.
Remove all pre-existing sunless tanner before your appointment. We have exfoliating mitts and tan remover available for pick up if needed.
Waxing needs to be done the day before your appointment. No waxing the day of or after your tan. Retinol and all products with acids (AHA/BHA) should be stopped a week prior to your tan. If your face is peeling, we may recommend skipping your face.
DURING YOUR TAN
Please wear or don't wear whatever you are comfortable with! We have clients that wear underwear only, top and bottom or go fully nude. We are comfortable with whatever you are comfortable with. Men are required to wear underwear or shorts.
Bring loose, dark clothing and loose shoes to wear home. Flip flops are best. No leggings, sports bras, tight jeans, or dresses, etc. After your tan, you want to avoid skin to skin contact. You need the layer of fabric between your skin because the second your skin is touching it is creating moisture which can cause the tan to transfer.
AFTER YOUR TAN
The type of solution you are tanned with will determine how long you will have to wait before getting wet/rinsing your tan off. It varies from 1 to 8 hours. Your tan needs time to set and during that time you will not be able to get wet. That means no shower or exercise. IT IS HOT IN TOMBALL! You do not want to sweat off the solution or cause streaking so please do not plan to participate in outdoor events before your rinse time. This is especially important for brides. You can workout or swim in the water 24 hours after your tan.
During your spray tan appointment we will give you a set time to rinse your bronzer off. This rinse is with water only, 2-3 minutes of using your hands to go all over your body to get it off. For this first rinse and every shower for the life of your tan you will only pat dry (no rubbing) and apply lotion afterwards. Your first full shower will be the next day. The first full shower you can use body wash and your hands - but no loofahs or washcloths during the life of the tan. You may shave 24 hours after the tan but please be aware, the more you shave the quicker your legs will fade. DO NOT USE DOVE, OIL OF OLAY, or any exfoliating body wash. Bar soaps have been known to fade a tan quickly unless they are made from goat milk. We carry several spray tan safe lotions and body washes that you can purchase in the salon if needed. Skip any skin firming or anti aging lotions. They are generally alcohol based and known to fade a tan. You can workout 24 hours post tan. If you workout prior to your tan being completely developed it may fade faster. NO retinol or any AHA/BHA products. Anything with an acid in it will take the tan off. Do not use makeup wipes to remove your makeup.
If you are planning to swim in the pool or hot tub, be sure to get in and out roughly every 20-30 minutes and then repeat. The longer you soak in water, the more your tan will fade. Our tans will fade each time but will not strip off immediately.
Applying a waterproof lotion sunscreen during pool or hot tub time will help protect your tan from fading. Do not use aerosol sunscreen. They are known to strip the tan. Spray tans will not protect you from the sun. Wear sunscreen!
Avoid waxing or exfoliating of any type after your tan. Once your tan starts to fade you may exfoliate and scrub to remove what remains on your skin.
