After the spray tan
9. Try not to get wet for 1–2 hours after a spray tan. So if it is raining the day of your appointment, make sure you bring a large enough umbrella to cover you.
10. Try to avoid activities that will cause excessive perspiring for 12 hours after a spray tan, even if you are able to wash your tan off after a couple of hours. This includes avoiding activities that naturally exfoliate the skin — such as baths and chlorinated pool swimming. If you are going on vacation and will be swimming in a chlorinated pool, use a tan extender like Jergen’s Natural Glow to prolong your tan. That said, plan your exercise routine around your spray tan appointment to either exercise and shower before your appointment or wait until your tan has finished processing before exercising.
11. Your tan professional will tell you when you can shower depending on the level of color depth and your skin requirements, but when you do shower, avoid using soap and shower only with warm (not hot) water to wash off the excess tan color and use good exfoliation mitts. You may notice the water coloring, but don’t freak out; it’s probably just the bronzer washing off, not your actual tan. Also, it may seem that the color has disappeared, but the color will continue to develop and process over a period of 12 hours.
12. After a shower, try to gently pat your skin dry and avoid vigorous rubbing when towel drying.
13. Avoid spraying perfume or applying moisturizer to your face or body until after you have washed the spray tan off. Once you’ve washed it off, keep your skin as moisturized as possible to increase the longevity of the tan and help you to avoid the tan wearing off in patches due to dry skin. Daily use of a tan extender will extend the longevity of your tan.
More: How to Exfoliate Your Skin & Achieve a Radiant Glow
More spray tan tips
14. Don’t tint eyebrows the same day you tan — it can interfere with the spray.
15. Avoid excessive hand washing prior to washing spray tan bronzer off. Baby wipes or Wet Ones are a good solution to keep your hands clean.
16. A spray tan does not contain SPF! You still need to use a product with SPF on a daily basis to avoid sunburn and skin damage.
17. After your tan, try to use shower gels rather than harsh soap bars. Avoid using scrubs for at least 7-10 days.
18. If you are having a spray tan for a special occasion, it is best to be sprayed one to two days before the event to ensure you’re happy with your color. Also, if you’re planning on having a pedicure and/or manicure, get your mani/pedi before the spray tan.
19. Your face will always be the first area to fade, simply because you wash it more frequently and use of makeup.
20. To prolong your spray tan, try not to use band-aids, pore strips or face masks, as they may remove tan as you rip or wash them off.
21. If you’re going on a vacation to a tropical destination, remember that bug spray can remove or fade your tan if it’s applied directly to your skin. Consider spraying your clothing or a “cloud” of spray that you can walk through instead of applying it directly to the skin.
More: 8 Outside-the-Box Body Care Tips for Your Healthiest Skin Ever
Happy tanning!
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