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Skin Preparation

One of the most asked questions in any salon is: “How long does the spray last?”.  As with any type of coating, preparation is the most important. If you painted over rust, paint would not stick too long and would quickly flake off. It goes for spray tan too, if you spray over flaky unhealthy skin, it will wear off blotchy and uneven and will wear very fast.

Your skin replaces itself every 28 days on average. That is natural exfoliation. You should be moisturizing everyday, keeping your skin healthy; this will slow this process down. Another part of healthy skin is drinking enough water and eating right. Hydration and proper nutrition really help the health of your skin.

  1. Moisturize your skin daily. By doing this you will minimize dryness and promote longevity of your sunless tan. Use a good salon grade lotion which are much more concentrated and healthier for the skin as compared to a mass-market brand. We even have tinted moisturizers with a hint of self-tanner in it.
  2. Exfoliate using the appropriate products. This is recommended a few times per month depending on the type and the aggressiveness of the product you are using. You definitely want perform this the day before you spray. This will remove loose, dead, dry skin cells, which prevent and even application and minimize the risk of fading fast.
    Remember that exfoliating with these products abrades the skin and leaves open scratch marks which can allow solution into the scratches and cause irritation, this is why we want the customer to exfoliate the day before so the skin a chance to heal and close up.
  3. Clean your skin with a nice body wash right before you spray. A good body wash is not as drying as most other soap products. The right soap can help balance PH levels in the skin temporarily before spraying. Make sure your skin is free of all residues.
  4. Shave the day before.
  5. Remove deodorant, make-up and perfumes. We have seen solution turn green when applied over deodorant. Don’t worry it the green won’t last. All of these items can interfere with your tan.
  6. Remove all jewelry.
  7. Wear old dark loose fitting clothing. It’s up to you what you want to wear in while you are sprayed. You can wear a swimsuit or not if you don’t want tan lines. Even though the solution will wash out of most fabrics, caution is suggested.
  8. Apply barrier cream to protect certain areas. Fingernails and toenails should be kept from staining. Any mucous membrane areas should be protected. Hard dry spots (i.e.- elbows, ankles and knuckles) should have a coat of barrier cream to keep them from becoming too dark.
  9. Apply lip balm to protect lips.
  10. Nose plugs, and other safety items available can be used to protect mucous membrane areas.
  11. Hair cap can be applied to keep hair out of the way.

Maintenance of the Skin

Results of your tan will vary mostly due to the condition of your skin. Maintaining healthy moist skin will help retain your sunless tan longer minimize the risk of quick fading or patchiness.

  1. Moisturize at least once per day. Preferably after you bathe. Use a high quality moisturizer to maximize the results.
  2. Keep exfoliating throughout the month. If you are using a heavy salt glow exfoliate, use it less often. If you are using a mild body wash with exfoliate in it you may use it daily or at least twice a week. This will ensure that your skin stays healthy by removing dead skin cells. Remember, fresh and healthy skin is good for your tan.
  3. Hydration and nutrition is of the utmost importance. So drink plenty of water and eat the right foods.

History

The discovery of DHA and it’s ability to temporarily color the skin came in the 1920’s. Sunless tanning was first introduced over the counter back in the 1960’s. The technology, however, was not very advanced. The application left you with streaks blotches and left your skin orange. That perception is still there and hanging on. It wasn't before 1973 when the Food and Drug Administration added DHA to its list of approved cosmetic ingredients. Today, the technology is far more advanced. There are cleaner, better forms of DHA (dihydroxyacetone), which give you a much better longer lasting natural color.

Application methods for sunless have really become more advanced in the late 1990’s. Airbrush systems were being used and along came the automatic spray booths. This gave the industry a means to apply a much stronger higher-grade liquid product more evenly and faster than applying a lotion by hand.

Newer types of airbrush systems are giving us an even more advanced application. Now automotive technology is taking us even further in the evolution of application. HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) technology is giving us the best application using the least amount of solution in less time. What does this all mean? We can now use a stronger concentration of DHA (the expense of waste prohibits this in a booth application) and saturate the skin with more solution and more evenly.