Becoming a mom means that your health and your skin needs to go through a much more careful screening process. The good news is that getting a spray tan while pregnant is not only perfectly safe, but it can also be a great mood lifter and a chance to unwind from stress and anxiety. It is no secret that adjusting to a new, curvier body can be a tough task. Getting that perfect golden skin tone can be just what you need to help you feel sexy and feminine.

What You Should Know Before Getting a Spray Tan While Pregnant

1. DHA, the most common coloring agent in today’s fake tanning formulas, typically stays in the top layer of your skin. Because the top layer of the skin is composed of dead skin cells, any cells that are affected by DHA naturally fall off and get replaced by new cells within a relatively short period of time.
2. The main concern when it comes to getting a spray tan while pregnant is inhaling DHA and other chemicals by accident. To prevent inhaling, make sure you are in an open, well ventilated area.  In between tanning sessions, use natural bronze powders to cover or blend in spots that are fading.
3. Because your hormone levels can fluctuate dramatically throughout your pregnancy, do a skin test before getting a spray tan or using any self-tanning lotions. In addition to checking for skin irritation, make sure that you are not bothered by the product’s scent. Some pregnant women find the smell of self-tanning formulas to be too overwhelming to use on a regular basis. If you are sensitive to strong smells, look for organic formulas without artificial preservatives or added fragrance.

Remember that while fake tanning during pregnancy is generally harmless, it is always a good idea to check in with your physician before you make any changes to your skin care routine. Your doctor knows you best, so getting his or her approval can help put your mind at ease about getting a spray tan while pregnant. If you are still nervous after seeing your doctor, wait until you are in your second trimester before you use any fake tanners.

Do spray tans have age limits? I mean, I understand that spray tanning toddlers for beauty pageants is a little ridiculous. But is there an age that is TOO OLD to spray tan?

Everyone (no matter what age you are) wants that natural looking tan without stepping into the sun? Well, sunless spray tanning can help you do just that. But with mature skin you might have to take a bit more care while spray tanning for the best results. We all know, when you are on the other side of 50, it takes a little extra effort to look that much more beautiful. When done correctly, sunless spray tanning can make even mature skin look younger – it can help cover up skin imperfections, hide under-eye dark circles and give your skin a healthy younger glow. However, major part of getting it right when it comes to spray tanning mature skin is exfoliating thoroughly. Why, you ask. Thorough exfoliation can make a huge difference when spray tanning mature skin. Read on to find out why.

Why is Exfoliation Necessary for Spray Tanning Mature Skin

The main active ingredient used in sunless spray tanning solutions is dihydroxyacetone or DHA. It reacts with the cells in the outermost layer of the skin to produce a tanning effect. Exfoliating helps the skin absorb the tanning solution better, thus producing a natural looking tan. However, mature skin requires an extra dose of exfoliation. This is primarily because, mature skin is different in texture – there are generally more dry bits on mature skin as compared to younger skin. Usually, these dry bits occur on the legs and the arms. These bits can be felt as scales or dry spots and may sometimes even appear as big freckles.

If you have mature skin and you don’t exfoliate before your spray tanning session, you might end up with dark tan spots all over your skin. This is because the dry scaly bits along with your knees and elbows absorb a lot more of the tanning solution as compared to the rest of the skin. These dark tan spots become more prominent as the tan starts to fade, and the dry bits remain intense brown. Exfoliating thoroughly helps to remove these dry bits, thus ensuring a better and more even tan. One effective way of exfoliating mature skin thoroughly before a spray tanning session is to use a Baiden Mitten. These mittens are specifically designed to help exfoliate the skin better. Another thing you should keep in mind when spray tanning mature skin is to opt for a lighter shade. Darker shades can make you look older.

No matter how old you get, you are never too old to spray tan! Ask my grandmother (pictured above). She is 82 and still gets regular spray tans!

Wedding season is fast approaching and at Superior Spray Tanning we’re busy gearing up for the influx of brides and bridesmaids who grace our tent this time of year. Want to spray tan for your wedding without looking like a carrot walking down the aisle? Well you’ve come to the right place.

Many of our brides have never tried spray tanning, and their number one fear is obviously looking orange–followed closely by fear #2. Will the spray tan run off on my white dress? When applied properly and with these pre and post spray tanning tips you can prevent the orange and achieve that sun-kissed look you crave without the harmful effects of the sun.

I have sprayed many of brides for their big day. In fact, bridal sprays are our specialty. Our solution evens out the skin tone and adds the perfect touch of color — just enough to take a bride out of her winter slump and into the gorgeous glow that she needs. Not to mention that her photos will look incredible!

Here are  a few spray tanning tips and trade secrets exclusively for our brides- to- be.

1. Shave.

The day before your spray tan session yields the best results.

2. Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate.

Exfoliate 12-24 hours prior with a sea-salt scrub (or other body exfoliating scrub). This removes loose, dead skin cells, which prevent the application of color. Exfoliating will improve and extend your tanning results.

3. Skip the oils, gels, lotions and perfumes.

Prior to tanning, your skin should be clean and dry with no product residue.  All makeup should also be removed before your spray tan session and don’t forget to take off your jewelry! You definitely don’t want a white necklace line with your strapless dress!

4. Tan in dark undergarments.

Bring dark, loose fitting clothing to wear after your tan (no skinny jeans or stretch pants). At bedtime, wear an over-sized T- shirt (I steal my hubby’s) and loose pants

5. Avoid bathing + workouts for 24 hours.

Avoid hitting the shower, pool, or other source of water for 8-12 hours (18-24 hours preferred). I also recommend using shower gel or body wash instead of bar soap (and do not exfoliate or use a shower puff – hands only).

Also, avoid any products that contain alcohol, alpha hydroxy acid, retin-a, beta hydroxy and any other peeling agents. You should moisturize twice daily with a basic product– nothing with perfumes or mineral oil

6. Trial Run

I always suggest a practice session about a month prior to an event. This way, we can perfect the look we are going for before the big day. Do you want to go darker? Would you rather a lighter sun- kissed effect?  Either way, you be glowing all the way to the honeymoon suite!

** Ask about our special discounts and incentives for bridal parties of six or more

You’ve been busy working hard indoors most of the spring. Looking in the mirror you’re pale, your skin could use a little color before that getaway vacation. Weekend getaways are a lot fun and have the time of your life. So don’t spend your entire vacation time sun tanning, before you go you should consider toning your skin before you leave. This way, you can use the time you would spend lying around on the beach having more fun or worrying about dangerous UV rays!

Lots of people really want to get a beautiful tan without having to worry about getting skin cancer or painful sunburns. Today you can find a variety of products and methods which claim to give you a good-looking tan without worry. The best method is, Airbrush Tanning or Spray Tanning with Superior Spray Tanning. You will get the most amazing healthy looking tan without any harmful effects that you have ever had in your life.

Some of our clients get really scared when we ask them if they want to tan their face, so lets take a minute to talk about it.

There are clients that are skeptical when we ask then if they want to tan their face, but there is no reason to worry, either way you will look sun-kissed and natural. About 90% of our clients opt for their face to be sprayed.

I’ll tell you what I tell every client that asks me what I think: When my face is tan I love it; I feel like I look younger, my skin tone is more even, my teeth look whiter, and I feel like I don’t have to wear as much make-up. However if you do decide to tan your face, you should know that you face will fade quicker then the rest of your body, but not to worry it will fade naturally and the color difference can be corrected with just a little bit of makeup.

Here is an opinion from a professional make-up artist Amie Decker, owner of Amie Decker Beauty…..

Yes! I really do not have many pet peeves when it comes to makeup, but my biggest pet peeve by far is what I like to call the “floating head.” You all know what I am talking about, when the color of someone’s face clearly does not match the rest of their body. This look may occur when gals go a little crazy with the face bronzer and fail to blend it into their neck and chest. However, I find the biggest offence is the pale head floating on a tan body.

Which leads me to answer the question, “should I tan my face?”Answer: YES!!! A customized organic spray tan is much different than a machine conducted mystic tan. A trained spray tan artist has the ability to adjust the solution so that your face does not look orange or too dark, but instead nice and even with the rest of your skin. When brides choose not to tan their face, I end up having to apply much more foundation than I normally would just to ensure their face matches the rest of their body. I find that most women prefer natural looking skin to heavy face makeup but when face and body are vastly different the heavy foundation cannot be avoided. As a makeup artist, I much prefer for women to get a nice even spray tan on their face and body instead of relying on makeup to even everything out.

I recommend exfoliating and cleansing your face before the organic spray tan to avoid clogged pores caused by makeup worn earlier in the day. I also recommend applying a lip balm as a barrier so you can avoid tan lips. 

Amie Decker

If you decide not to tan you face, that is okay to. We will blend up form your chest into your neck to create a nice fade. You can choose to wear darker makeup or not, either way you will still look natural. A number of people don’t tan there face when they tan naturally and for good reason, the sun causes wrinkles and dark pigmentation, remember thats why you are getting a spray tan to stay away form the harsh sun.

The choice is yours!

There are several urban legends regarding spray tanning. Trust me, I’ve been in the business for some time now and no matter how hard I try to educate my clients and the general twenty- something single girl population, the questions (the SAME questions) force me to repeat myself on a daily basis.

Now that the warm weather has arrived, everyone is planning an escape to the beach. Everyone has also learned that spray tanning is the way to seamlessly slip into the bikini hiding flaws and cellulite that would otherwise force their way through pale scaly skin. Totally not beach worthy.

So why do I have clients calling about tanning beds? Aren’t we over this by now?

Myth #1. I must have a real base tan before spray tanning.

WRONG! I admit that I spent some of my 20’s hanging out in a UV bed. I have the freckles on my nose to show for it. However, not anymore! Why lay there every week for hours on end if you can spray for 5 minutes, come out perfectly and evenly tanned and stay that way for a week?

Using tanning beds before you spray tan is wrong on all accounts. First of all, this obviously defeats the purpose of going UV- free. Also, when we tan in the sun or in a bed, we significantly dry out the top layer of the skin. A sun tan is basically a full body scab which leads to flaking, peeling, and a dehydrated epidermal layer. If you then spray tan over that layer, the solution will not adhere well and you will experience a flaky fade off. Isn’t that what you want to avoid?

TRUTH: Always spray tan on pasty hydrated skin and use a light exfoliate or scrubby glove before you come in for your session. I promise, you will look flawless and radiant for your vacation. Don’t forget to pack your sunblock!

The number of skin cancer cases due to tanning is higher than the number of lung cancer cases due to smoking.

In the US alone, 419,254 cases of skin cancer can be attributed to indoor tanning. Out of this number, 6,199 are melanoma cases.

Just one indoor tanning session per year in high school or college boosts the risk of developing potentially deadly melanoma by 20 percent, and each additional session during the same year raises this risk almost another two percent.

The risk soars to 73 percent after six or more sessions.