You may be asking yourself, “Can’t I just use a sunless tanner at home and get the same results as a professional spray tan”?

Here is the main difference between getting a professional spray tan and using a tanning lotion at home; consistency!

It is very hard for anyone to spread a lotion on themselves evenly. You could also miss places completely. Having a friend put the lotion on might keep you from missing as many places, but you will likely not have your entire body coated evenly.

Think of someone finger painting your body. There will be places with a thin layer of paint and mounds of it in other places. This will affect the final outcome of your at home tan.

When you have a professional spray tan, your Tanning Artist will have you stand in certain positions, so she can spray every inch of your body. She will have a start point and go in a pattern that leaves no spot unsprayed and also doesn’t over spray any section. This will leave you with an even tan.

Your Tanning Artist will also be able to use your skin type and natural coloring to choose the perfect color of “Tan”. With a lotion self tanner, it is very easy to pick the wrong color and your tan will look unnatural.

To put this in a more visual way, think about cars you have seen that have awesome paint jobs; nice even color. Now think of a car you have seen where they used a roller to paint it or even cans of spray paint from the hardware store; creases, bubbles, dark spots and light spots.

Now ask yourself, which “paint job” do you want on your beautiful body?

Who is ready for Miss America Pageant on Sunday September 13th?

Spray tanning and its many facets is a wonderful way to give your skin a healthy glow while avoiding the harmful UV radiation in tanning beds. How you look onstage is the end result of months of training and preparation for your pageant. Unfortunately, the harsh lights of the stage “wash out” everyone’s skin tone, and highlight flaws, scars, and imperfections. Getting a spray tan as part of your pageant prep will not only even out your skin tone, but will also make your skin look tan and healthy when you are in the spotlight. To achieve a glow that will withstand harsh stage lighting, make sure you go with a professional spray tan!

Over the past year, I have really gotten into the pageant world! Superior Spray Tanning was a sponsor of the Miss Frederick pageant and tanned most of the contestants. From there, we sponsored many title holders around Maryland including Miss Frederick and Miss Frederick Teen, Miss Appalachia, Miss Mason Dixon and Miss Carroll County Teen. I was also asked to be a judge for Miss Baltimore Teen pageant. I enjoyed interviewing the different girls and experiencing a pageant from a different angle.  I am so glad that the pageant world had moved away from the dangerous tanning bed and onto the safer way to tan for competitions……airbrush spray tanning.

A few spray tanning tips for the perfect pageant spray tan!

Local Pageants

If you are doing a local pageant, definitely get your spray tan a day or two before the pageant. Make sure you wax/shave beforehand and that you get your tan AFTER your manicure, pedicure, massage, or any other spa treatment that might possibly exfoliate the skin.

State Pageants

State pageants are usually a week in length and usually the spray tan you get pre-pageant is not going to last the entire time. Most of the girls get spray tanned before they “check-in” to the pageant, then again the evening before swimsuit/physical fitness and one last one before the final night.

Yes, the solution is important and so is a skilled spray or air brush technician. However, Exfoliation is crucial!

The main ingredient in all spray tan solutions is DHA.  (Dihydroxyacetone)   The ingredient has been approved by the FDA since the 1970s and comes in a variety of cosmetic products.

DHA derived from raw sugar cane and reacts with the amino acids (proteins) in the outer layer of the skin to produce a bronze color.

Since DHA reacts with dead skin cells, patches of dry skin may result in uneven or patchy coloring.

The day before getting a spray tan, exfoliate your body with a loofah or scrub and moisturize well.   The best analogy I can give you, I obtained through research on Spray Tanning.

Have you ever painted a wall in your room or house?  What are the first steps? PREPERATION! Very important for the ultimate results with spray tanning also.

The tedious and time consuming scraping, patching, sanding and primer are the worst part of the job, but the most important for a good-looking and long-lasting finish.

Poor surface preparation will result in uneven texture on walls, and make your room look worse than before you even started. Spray tanning is much the same!  Prep your skin in the same manner, with an extra focus on elbows, knees, feet and ankles. Then moisturize and stay hydrated with lots of water.

Treat your skin like a fresh canvas and exfoliate and moisturize on a regular basis. This is very healthy for your skin and will result in a flawless, longer lasting spray tan.

If you have questions or inquiries don’t hesitate to contact us. We will be glad to help you and put your mind at ease with any aspect of Spray or Air Brush Tanning.