How to ensure an even spray tan
We’ve all heard the horror stories of patchy and streaky spray tans, dark on knees and elbows, noticeably uneven on wrists and ankles. Is it inevitable? Is it something you just have to live with if you want a fake tan? Absolutely not! There are things you can do to ensure you get an even looking tan that really, does not look like a fake tan at all, but a natural sun-kissed glow. Here’s my top tips:
Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate!
In order to explain why it’s important to exfoliate, it’s important to understand how a spray tan works. The Dihydroxyacetone, or DHA is the ingredient in the spray tan that creates a browning affect on your skin. It works by interacting with the amino acids in the outer most layer of the skin to darken their appearance and give you a natural looking tan. This is why it does not wash off when you shower. This means it is important to remove the dead skin cells in the outer most layer to ensure the spray tan is affecting a fresh, even layer of skin. Not only will this help ensure you have a smooth, even looking finish, but it will also help to elongate the life of your tan, and how evenly it fades.
What’s the best way to exfoliate? There are any number of exfoliating scrubs, body washes and luffas on the market. I personally prefer to use a wash cloth because I find exfoliators can sometimes be scratchy on the skin, causing uneven removal of dead skin cells and even little scratches that tan will adhere to differently.
If you really want the most from your spray tan, I recommend exfoliating every two days in the week leading up to your spray tan. This will help remove the layers of dead skin cells and ensure you have a fresh, smooth layer of new skin when it comes time to spray tan. Always remember, the last time you exfoliate should be at least 24 hours before your tan.
Hydrate
This one may not seem so obvious. As important as it is to exfoliate the outside of your skin, it is also important to make sure your skin is hydrated so that it stays moist, and you minimize the uneven skin loss so that your spray tan fades naturally. One way to do this is to moisturize, but that only helps from the outside. The best way is to hydrate your skin from the inside by drinking plenty of water. This will help you achieve an even, natural tan that lasts longer and fades evenly.
Time your hair removal
Similarly to exfoliating, hair removal will remove layers of dead skin cells. If done too close to the time of your spray tan, this could cause the spray tan to adhere to those areas differently, often looking darker, making your spray tan look uneven and obvious in the areas you want it the least. To avoid this, make sure you shave or wax at least 24 hours before you get your spray tan.
You may be worried that your legs will be hairy again if you have to shave so much sooner than your spray tan but don’t stress, if you have been regularly exfoliating as mentioned above, you will be able to shave your legs without impacting your tan in the first few days!
Avoid any adhesives
This is a tip you can only be aware of if you’ve experienced it before, and I unfortunately have! I once had a blood draw a few days prior to my tan and they used a little, round, very sticky bandage. Needless to say, even though I removed it well before getting my tan (a few days), I was left with a little round patch that was much darker than the rest of my tan. So, if you have kids that like to stick stickers on you, or you are in a situation where you may need an adhesive bandage, try to avoid it if at all possible. If not, consider alternatives such as a compression bandage.
Remove all oils, makeup, moisturizers, perfume and deodorants
As discussed above in the exfoliating section, spray tans work by interacting with the outermost layer of your skin. If there are any products on your skin, this can cause a barrier and impact how the spray tan develops on your skin which may cause it to look streaky or uneven.
Avoid showering right before your appointment
We all love a nice, warm shower. And knowing you cannot have any oils, makeup, moisturizer, perfume or deodorant on, you might be thinking it’s a good idea to jump in a quick shower before getting your spray tan. The problem with a warm or hot shower is that it opens the pores in your skin and if they do not have time close before your spray tan, it could cause the spray tan to sit in your pores leading to darker spots. So avoiding showers in the few hours leading up to your spray tan is best. If you need to remove oils, makeup, moisturizers, perfume or deodorants right before your appointment it’s best to use an oil free makeup remover, followed by a warm face washer.
Remove jewelry
This should go without saying, but if you have jewelry on, it will act as a barrier between the skin and the spray tan being applied, and will cause areas of patchiness. Additionally, if you have jewelry on while your spray tan is developing, it may rub on different areas of the skin, impacting how the spray tan develops. Your spray tan artist should be looking for this and reminding you to remove any jewelry before you get started.
Barrier creams
Some people like to use barrier creams, others do not. It really depends on your skin, skin type and whether you have any personal areas of concern. For example, if you know you have particularly dry areas of skin, such as knees, elbows and ankles, or you are nervous about hands and feet, you may feel more comfortable using a barrier cream on these areas to ensure the spray tan does not adhere as much to these spots, and the spray tan does not look as dark. If you suffer from eczema, psoriasis or something similar, it may be a good idea to use barrier cream on any active areas to ensure the spray tan does not stick to these areas and cause them to be darker than other parts of your body.
If you don’t have any of these concerns, and you’ve paid particular attention to dryer areas such as knees and elbows when exfoliating, you may not feel the need to use a barrier cream at all. A professional spray tan artist will always be mindful of your skin when applying your spray tan to avoid overspray in dry prone areas to ensure an even and natural looking tan all over.
Use a professional
You’ve taken all the necessary steps and now you are officially ready for you spray tan, great! Having spent years applying my own fake tan at home I can assure you, a professional using a spray tan gun will ALWAYS do a better job. A spray gun allows you to adjust the amount of tan being applied to different parts of the body and they are reviewing and assessing your skin in real time. A spray gun also allows your spray tan artist to naturally transition the tan from darker to lighter, for example on the arms to the hands, or legs to feet, so you don’t need to worry about the often critiqued and obvious signs of a spray tan on wrists, hands, ankles and feet. And more importantly, isn’t it just way more fun when someone else is doing it for you!
There are endless horror stories of spray tans gone wrong, but that doesn’t have to be you! At aussie glows we are meticulous about our tans. Our goal is for you to look as though you’ve been on a vacation in the sun with a sun-kissed glow so natural that no one would guess you’ve had a spray tan. We’re here to help you every step of the way, in the lead up to your tan, during the session and after tan maintenance so if you have any questions, please reach out.
