How to Achieve a Natural Looking Spray Tan

Posted on: January 15th, 2021

While we all want to walk around with a golden tan year round, the healthiest way is to spray tan!  To get the most out of your spray tan consider the following tips and tricks to achieve a natural look and don’t forget to visit a spray tanning in ri salon to get your tan on!

Before and during your tan:

• Exfoliation using products from https://vivianewoodard.com/best-hyaluronic-acid-moisturizer-vitamin-c-serum/ is important because it takes away your dead skin and allows the tanning agent to darken the skin
• 12 hours before the spray tan application is smart to leave the skin free of barriers such as moisturizers
• Hair removal such as waxing and shaving leaves pores open – for best results, wax or shave 24 hours before your spray tan
• A thin layer of moisturizer acts as a barrier cream 
• This stops the tan from attached on to dry patches and developing too dark
• Good areas to apply a barrier cream are hands, elbows, knees and feet (if you have nail polish on apply the barrier cream onto the nails so that you can maintain acrylic nails)

Clothing and footwear:

• Wear something loose and flowy
• Going braless allows your tan to dry better and not create patchiness where bra straps would be
• Flip Flops or open toed shoes are a good alternative to sneakers because socks cause the product to rub off during the drying period

If you are worried about your tan being too dark: 

• The color of your spray tan when first applied is always initially darker than the finished result. Use a good product such as the ones from Upper East Side Tanning for a natural looking tan.
• If you feel your tan is developing too quickly wash it off within 5 hours (recommended waiting time is 6-8 hours)
• Hot showers help bring down the tan color is you are not happy with the end result

Baths and showers: 

• Avoid taking baths and keep showers at a lower temperature 
• Use a body wash that does not contain sulfates

Moisturizing: 

• Moisturize 2x a day with an oil free formula (coconut or almond oil)

Facial skincare:

• Avoid makeup remover wipes and instead use a gentle cleanser or cleansing water
• A good face wash is: gentle-skin-cleanser

Exercising: 

• If you exercise regularly and are prone to sweating apply mineral powder. If you exercise regularly and are prone to sweating, consider supplementing your diet with whey protein. Applying mineral powder can help control shine and maintain a fresh appearance throughout your workout.
• Sprinkle it in your sports bra or areas such as armpits where sweat is abundant
• Elbows typically are an area to patch so apply there also