Ever wondered how to make a spray tan last longer? There is no worse thing in the world than going back home, all sparkly and bronzed, only to find the tan peeling off after barely two days! Clumps of it would streak your palms and stain your clothes, and patches of untanned skin would appear in an impossibly short time – it’s like you only had a tan in the salon!
Luckily, there is a way how to make a spray tan last longer! Here are some tips and tricks:
1. Before you put on the tan
A lot of people may think all they have to do is show up for an appointment at a tanning salon – especially beginners! If you want the spray tan to last longer, you need to do some preparation.
Shave any hairs you want from your body (if you shave after you get a spray tan, it will cause it to flake off and disappear.) Exfoliate your skin thoroughly so that the tan can run smooth, and you can end up with a beautiful, even bronze tone. It’s best to exfoliate every day for about three days before your appointment, in order to have the smoothest skin possible – this way, when you get the tan on, it’s much less likely to streak or disappear quickly!
2. On the day
Do not put any product on your skin! This can seem harsh, but any oils, lotions and even deodorants and perfumes can harm the way the spray tan sets on your skin. If you have a lotion on your skin minutes prior to the spray tan session, it might even make the shade you picked lighter. Imagine coming all that way to get a wrong shade!
3. Stay Loose
Okay, no one wants to ruins nice clothes and the cutest underwear only for a spray tan. But there is another reason why you should come in your loosest sweats to the salon. Any tight fitting clothing can scrape the tan off when you’ve just had it sprayed on. Don’t let a bra ruin the bronze on your back!
4. Don’t Get Wet
Don’t hop in the shower the minute you come back from the salon. Wait for the color to settle – some say six hours is the bare minimum that you need to wait before bathing, but juuuust to make sure, wait for eight hours.
This goes for sweating too! Skip your yoga, spin, aerobics, kick boxing, or anything that might cause you to break a sweat. Freely put baby powder in all the places where you might sweat.
5. Keep it Up
Yes, continue to moisturize your skin. But, to avoid wiping off your tan, use a light oil-free formula and try to moisturize in the shower or right after.
Yes, you can shave, but that’s a risk. If you press too hard on your skin, you’ll shave both the hairs and the spray tan. Same goes for exfoliating – use a gentle formula, and don’t scrub too hard. A light exfoliating session every couple of days is okay.
For more tips on spray tanning, including how to get rid of that pesky spray tan smell and more tricks about preparing your skin before you get tanned, check out the rest of the blog!
In case you’re ready to test these tips on how to make a spray tan longer, try out one of the many Artesian Tan products – from a delicate bronze to a deep tan, you can pick any shade of color you want!