preparation and aftercare
Prepare and maintain your tan like a pro!
After years of experience and thousands of spray tans, we’ve learned one thing for sure: prep matters.
Your skin plays a huge role in how your tan develops. It’s the largest organ of the body and is influenced by everything from weather and diet to medications, hormones, and the products you use daily. While we can’t control all of that, we can control how your skin shows up for your appointment.
Proper prep allows our luxury solutions to apply evenly, process correctly, and fade beautifully. Think of it as starting with a clean, healthy canvas. The better the canvas, the better the result.
Follow the steps below and we’ll take it from there.
24-48 Hours Before Your Spray Tan
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Get all other beauty treatments done: facials, waxing, nails, etc.
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Exfoliate your entire body using a mitt. Pay special attention to elbows, knees, ankles, neck, and underarms.
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Remove body hair (shaving or waxing).
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Avoid oils or oil-based products-they leave a barrier on your skin.
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Hydrate by drinking water. Moist skin = longer-lasting color.
Prep Option 1: The Day Before Your Appointment (Preferred)
1. Start with a shower
Shave first, then wash hair and body as usual.
2. Exfoliate thoroughly
Using a damp exfoliating mitt, gently scrub your entire body from head to toe.
• No soap or product while exfoliating
• Loofahs and sugar scrubs don’t exfoliate deeply enough
• An exfoliating mitt creates the smoothest base for even color
3. Pay extra attention to dry areas
Ankles, knees, elbows, underarms, back of arms, neck, tops of hands and feet.
These areas absorb more color, so a good scrub here makes all the difference.
4. Moisturize
5. The day of your appointment
Take a quick rinse shower to remove any lotion or residue.
• Shower at least 4 hours prior
• No body wash, bar soap, or oil-based products.
Prep Option 2: The Day of Your Appointment
Prepping the day of is acceptable; however, clients who prep the night before often experience deeper color payoff and longer-lasting results.
1. Timing matters
Shower and prep at least 4 hours before your appointment.
Please do not prep right before coming in!
2. Start with a shower
Shave first, then wash hair and body as usual.
3. Exfoliate thoroughly
Using a damp exfoliating mitt, exfoliate your entire body.
• No soap or product
• Avoid loofahs and sugar scrubs
4. Skip the lotion
Do not apply lotion, oils, or creams after showering.
Arrive with clean, dry, product-free skin.
For Your Appointment
Please arrive with completely clean, product-free skin:
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No lotion
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No deodorant
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No makeup
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No perfume
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No sunscreen
These products can interfere with how the solution adheres to your skin.
Think of it as starting with a blank canvas.
Coming straight from work and have to wear a small amount of makeup and deodorant? Totally fine, just let us know when you arrive and we’ll provide wipes.
Existing Sunless Tan
Please remove all previous spray tan before your appointment.
Applying a new tan over an old one is like painting over chipped nail polish, it rarely ends well.
If you need help removing an old tan, we carry exfoliating mitts and tan remover and are happy to help.
Product & Skin Considerations
There is a small percentage of clients whose skin may not react favorably to spray tanning due to:
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Severely dry skin
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Recent sunburn
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Retinol or resurfacing products
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Accutane
Please discontinue these products at least 7 days prior to your session.
If needed, we can avoid spraying treated areas.
Cetaphil, Cerave, Vanicream & La Roche Posay are easy brands we recommend. A full list of recommended products can be found under our FAQ tab.
What to Wear After Your Appointment
• Loose, dark clothing is essential
• Long pants and a baggy top work best
• Choose loose sandals or slippers
Avoid jeans, leggings, dresses, bras, or tennis shoes immediately after your spray. Tight clothing and skin-to-skin contact can cause uneven development.
If it’s raining, wear protective clothing and park as close to the door as possible. Fresh tans and raindrops are not friends.
What to Wear
Ladies:
Wear dark-colored undergarments or swimsuits, or tan topless if you’re wearing a strapless/backless outfit. Pasties available upon request.
If you're under 18, you are required to wear undergarments.
Men:
You must wear dark-colored undergarments. No exceptions. If tan lines are a concern, a C string typically works best and can be purchased online (Amazon carries several options).
Before your session begins, we’ll discuss your desired color and depth so you feel comfortable and confident with your choice. You’ll then be guided through a series of simple standing positions while your technician applies your custom airbrush tan.
The entire process takes less than 30 minutes.
First time? You’re in good hands. We’ll walk you through every step and make sure you feel comfortable throughout the entire session.
After Your Appointment
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Avoid water, sweating, and skin-to-skin contact until your first rinse
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Wear loose, dark clothing
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Do not apply lotion, perfume, deodorant, or makeup before rinsing
Your First Rinse
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Rinse at the time recommended by your artist, timing determines your color
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Use only your hands and warm water only (no soap). Don't forget your ears.
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Rinse until the bronzer washes away
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Pat dry, don’t rub
Your tan may look lighter after rinsing. This is normal. Color continues to develop over the next 12–24 hours.
To Help Your Tan Last
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Moisturize daily with a gentle, non-exfoliating lotion
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Avoid long, hot showers- quick, lukewarm showers are best
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Pat skin dry instead of rubbing
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Wear loose clothing when possible
- Stay hydrated
What to Avoid
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Swimming, hot tubs, and long soaks
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Exfoliating products, loofahs, or ingredients that “renew” or resurface skin
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Heavy sweating for the first 24 hours
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Perfume applied directly to skin
Spray tans do not offer sun protection. Always apply SPF.
If swimming, try to limit water exposure to 10–15 minutes at a time. Use waterproof SPF and apply a tan extender after to keep your color strong through your trip.
Spray Tan Tip: The color you see immediately after application is cosmetic bronzer, like makeup. Your true results are visible after rinsing and full development.
If you tan every 2–3 weeks, proper removal and prep are what keep your results looking smooth, even, and natural. Consistent skin care between appointments is the difference between a good tan and a flawless one.
Removing Your Previous Tan
Your previous tan should be mostly faded before your next appointment.
• Moisturize daily (this is the most important step for an even fade)
• 2-3 days before your appointment, take a warm shower or bath and allow your skin to soak for several minutes
• Use a gentle exfoliating mitt to buff away remaining color
• Pay extra attention to ankles, knees, elbows, wrists, and underarms
• Shave 12–24 hours before your appointment
Your skin should feel smooth and balanced, with no dry or rough patches.
Light staining is okay. Dry buildup is not.
Avoid harsh scrubs or aggressive resurfacing products. Over-exfoliating can irritate the skin and affect how your new tan develops.
Between Appointments
• Moisturize daily with a gentle, non-exfoliating lotion
• If you want your tan to last as long as possible, you may use a tan extender on days 3, 5, and 7
• If you tan weekly, skip the extender and allow your color to fade naturally
Hydrated skin fades more evenly and holds color better, which means every appointment looks smoother and more seamless.
To maintain the most even fade and seamless color, we recommend booking every 10 days. Not sure what timing is right for you? I’m happy to customize a plan based on your lifestyle.