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!
