POST TAN CARE
TAN PREP
Below are pre and post tan instructions to give you the best Sun Hunny tan possible! Half of your desired results is how well you prep and how well you take care of your skin! Feel free to text me if you have any questions!
Avoid skin to skin contact and rubbing until your rinse time (your rinse time will be given to you at your appointment). Wear long, dark, loose-fitting clothing and slides until it is time to rinse. No jewelry until after you have rinsed.
Avoid water, sweating, makeup, lotion, and any other products until you rinse. After you rinse, wait about 8 hours before using any products on your skin. Products to avoid while your spray tan is on includes retinol, anti-aging products, petroleum jelly, oils, Dove products, and Olay products.
When it is your rinse time, rinse until the water runs clear using lukewarm water and no soap. If needed, you can use a small amount of spray tan safe soap on your armpits and private areas during this initial rinse.’
If you see streaks after you rinse, get back in the shower and gently guide the leftover bronzer off with your hand. Don’t panic! This just means you didn’t fully get all of the guide color (aka initial bronzer) off when you were rinsing.
Pat dry, no rubbing. Rubbing is a form of exfoliating the skin and we don’t want to exfoliate until we are ready for our next spray tan.
When showering, use gel based products. No Dove or Olay products! These brands can strip your tan leaving your tan uneven and lighter than desired. My favorite spray tan safe body wash is the brand Raw Sugar. Go to the “recommended products” page for a list of spray tan safe products!
Moisturize and drink lots of water!! This is the best way to prolong your tan because when your skin is dehydrated, it is quicker to shed those dead skin cells which is what your tan is adhering to.
Limit shaving as much as possible. Wait 24 hours after you rinse to shave. When shaving, use a new razor with no (or a small) moisture strip.
Avoid prolonged time in water including showers, hot tubs, pools, the ocean, etc. Your showers should be lukewarm and short.
Do not exfoliate until you are ready for your next spray tan. Don’t forget to book your next appointment!
Book all of your other beauty appointments at least 2 days before your tan. These appointments include nails, wax, hair treatments, facials, etc. We want your skin to be free of all product and give some time for your skin to repair itself as a clean slate for your spray tan to adhere to. DHA (the part of your spray tan solution that makes you tan) needs to be able to react with the amino acids on the outer layer of your skin.
Shave and exfoliate 8-24 hours prior to your appointment. Exfoliating thoroughly will give you the most even and long-lasting results. I find that the best method to exfoliate is using a mitt on dry skin. You can use a sugar scrub, but make sure you don’t use this within 24 hours of your appointment because these scrubs can be oily and we don’t want anything creating a barrier between your skin and the spray tan. Also, make sure you aren’t showering within 8 hours of your appointment. Showering within this time window can lead to splotchy results.
Stop using retinol and anti-aging products a week before your tan. These products speed up cell-turnover and can lead to your tan fading quicker than desired.
Avoid Dove and Olay products up to 24 hours before your appointment. These products are known to strip spray tans and can also leave an unwanted residue on the skin making it hard for your spray tan to have anything to stick to.
Come to your appointment with your skin free of all product. This includes lotion, deodorant, perfume, oils, makeup, etc. We want your skin to be free of any barriers between the spray tan and the outermost layer of your skin.
Wear or bring long, dark, loose-fitting clothing and slides to your appointment to wear after the spray tan application. The goal of this is to avoid rubbing and skin to skin contact while your tan is developing. No jewelry until after you have rinsed.
During your tan application, feel free to wear whatever you are most comfortable in. I have complimentary, disposable thongs and disposable pasties ($2 for a pair) available for you to wear during your appointment but you are welcome to wear an old bathing suit, underwear, your birthday suit, whatever you are most comfortable with. Girls under 18 years old must wear a bathing suit top and bottoms.