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Read this page before your next Spray Tan

🌟 Spray Tan Prep & Aftercare Tips from Tanning by Andi 🌟

1. Prime Your Skin for Application

A flawless, long-lasting tan starts with good skin prep!

  • Begin exfoliating 2–3 days before your appointment to remove dead skin cells.

  • If you wax, do so at least 24 hours before your spray tan to prevent darkened pores.

  • For optimal skin pH, shower and exfoliate about 10 hours prior to your tan.

  • Avoid heavy lotions, oils, deodorant, and makeup right before your appointment—they can leave residue and cause uneven spots or white marks.

2. What to Wear? Keep It Loose!

Tight clothing can mess up your fresh tan—so comfort is key!

  • Choose loose, dark-colored clothing for after your appointment. A soft T-shirt dress works great!

  • Skip the bra if you can, or go braless for a few hours to avoid lines.

  • Wear loose-fitting sandals or flip-flops. If you notice marks on your feet, gently exfoliate them once you’re home to even out the color.

3. Maximize Your Glow

Want your spray tan to last? Follow these golden rules:

  • Avoid sweating right after your tan—it can interfere with the setting process.

  • When showering, use cool or lukewarm water and skip long, hot showers.

  • Steer clear of body washes or lotions with deep moisturizers, oils, or heavy residue.

  • Since the tan fades faster on your hands and face, use a gentle at-home self-tanner to maintain an even glow.

✨ With the right prep and care, your sun-free glow can last beautifully! If you ever have questions, I'm just a message away. 💛

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4. Immediate After Care

 

• It is recommended that you do not shower 2-4 hours if you use our express formula.  Showering before the recomended time frame may lighten up your color and impact the results of the spray tan.

 

• No sweating, swimming, getting wet or exercising until your first shower after your spray tan. Doing so may cause streaks. 

 

• DO NOT wash your face before your first shower. 

 

• Putting makeup on after your spray tan is okay, however you CANNOT wash your face until your initial shower.

 

• There is a bronzer in the solution, which means that you will have some color immediately after you are sprayed.  The color will continue to darken as the solution develops.  Your color will lighten after you shower off the bronzer.  You will see color coming off in your first shower. This is normal.  Your spray tan is not washing off, it is just bronzer.

 

• Shower before working out or sweating.  Working out with the bronzer on may cause your tan to streak.  We recommend rinsing the bronzer off, then working out and then taking a full shower - just so you do not have to take two full showers back-to-back.

 

• Go easy around water the day you get sprayed – this includes everything from doing dishes to brushing your teeth. While you can still do these things, it is recommended that you use caution when you are near water to ensure you do not mess up your spray tan.

 

• We do NOT RECOMMEND wearing vinyl/rubber gloves to do housework the day you are sprayed.  We recommend waiting until after your first shower to wear those types of gloves.

 

•​ If you have small children, it is recommended that you bathe them prior to your spray tan or have someone else bathe them that day.

 

• If you are wearing your spray tan to bed, we recommend wearing long sleeves and long pants or covering your hands with socks while you sleep.  This will prevent the spray tan from transferring to your hands while you're sleeping and making them extra dark!  This step is extremely important.

 

• If you are tanning later in the day/night and you can put on the clothes that you are wearing to bed, this is useful! 

 

• If you take your bra off when you get sprayed, we recommend leaving it off for as long as you can after your spray tan.  Sports bras are NOT recommended to wear after your tan.  If you have to put a bra on, we recommend wearing a strapless bra or tucking the bra straps in.

 

 

 

Long Term After Care

 

• Pat dry after your shower.  Vigorous rubbing will exfoliate your skin and your tan will not last as long.

 

• DO NOT exfoliate with loufas, body scrubs, body washes or soaps with exfoliating beads until your tan starts to fade away.  

 

• DO NOT use scented body washes - such as Victoria's Secret and Bath and Body Works.  Non-scented/fragrance-free body washes and soaps are RECOMMENDED.  SCENTED BODY WASHES AND SOAPS ARE NOT RECOMMENDED.  Aveeno lotions are also NOT RECOMMENDED!

 

• Limit the shaving of your legs, as this is also a form of exfoliating.  You can still shave your legs, however we do not recommend doing it daily.  We DO NOT RECOMMEND using hair removal creams, such as Nair.  This will remove your spray tan!

 

• The tan is not going to just disappear, you are going to notice it fading.  You can start exfoliating when you notice it is starting to fade and/or in preparation for your next tan.

 

• Face washes containing salicylic acid and/or benzoyl peroxide are NOT RECOMMENDED because they can eat away at your spray tan.  Your face will fade faster as you wash it more frequently.  We recommend using gentle cleansers - exfoliating face washes + Clarisonics are NOT RECOMMENDED!

 

• Acne spot treatments are also NOT RECOMMENDED during the week your spray tan is on. 

 

​• Moisturizing helps extend the life of your tan and it helps your tan to fade more evenly.  We recommend using a hydrating, non-scented/fragrance-free lotion!  SCENTED LOTIONS - I.E. VICTORIA'S SECRET & BATH AND BODY WORKS - ARE NOT RECOMMENDED!  Aveeno lotions are also NOT RECOMMENDED!  Cocoa butter lotion is okay to use, even though it does have a scent.

 

• Spray tans typically last 7-10 days, however they can last longer or shorter than this.  The more you moisturize, the longer the tan can last.  You can use any moisturizer, but moisturizers containing self-tanners are not recommended because they can have adverse effects.  Any hydrating, non-scented/fragrance-free + alcohol-free moisturizer is recommend!

 

• It is recommended to moisturize at least once a day, however twice a day is encouraged.  You can start moisturizing after your first shower rinse  NON-SCENTED/FRAGRANCE-FREE moisturizer is RECOMMENDED!

 

• Always wear sunscreen when out in the sun.  We also recommend mixing non-scented moisturizer with your sunscreen and putting both on at the same time each time you would normally apply your sunscreen - especially after prolonged exposure to the sun, being in the ocean or being in the pool.  This will help extend the life of your spray tan.

 

• Wait at least one day before going in the ocean or a pool after your tan.  Chlorine may make your tan fade faster, however it is not going to remove the tan immediately.            

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