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Sunless Tanning Tip: Preparing for Your Sunless Tan
Before you get a spray tan, make sure you are ready for your session-
AT LEAST 24 HOURS BEFORE YOUR SUNLESS TAN:
Exfoliate. Exfoliate. Exfoliate.
We cannot overstress the importance of pre-session exfoliation. 24 hours prior to your session, clear away any dry, dead skin cells with a ph balancing scrub. This is important to ensure even color and long lasting results.
Protect your skin’s PH levels
Avoid using bar soaps, high ph shower products, or in shower moisturizers. These products can interfere with the DHA bronzing reaction in the skin.
Hair removal
Avoid shaving, waxing, or use of depilatory creams for at least 24 hours prior to your session.
THE DAY OF YOUR SUNLESS TAN:
Don’t create sunless barriers
Skip the lotion and makeup. While moisturizing your skin in the days following your tanning session can make it last longer, applying moisturizers and lotions can interfere with the bronzing spray absorbing into your skin. If you do wear makeup the day of your tan, remove it before spray tanning to get the most even tan on your face. Also, use deodorant sparingly. Believe it or not, it could interact with the spray and turn your armpits a not-so-fab shade of green.
Remove any make up prior to the sunless treatment
Arrive prepared
Wear lose-fitting, dark clothing to your session (preferably cotton). Also, be sure to remove all jewelry and leave it off until your tan is set. This will prevent your clothes and jewelry from rubbing against your skin and smudging your tan or your clothing being stained by the tanning spray.
As professionals who’ve been in the airbrush industry for years, we’re familiar with the most common first-time client “freak outs” and how to resolve them.
First-time clients usually experience these concerns on their way home from their appointment, a few hours after they get home, or the next day.
Whether you’re an airbrush technician wondering how to help your first-time clients–or a first-time client looking for answers to these common concerns, this blog post is for you!
Freak out #1 – “My tan looks very dark”
Don’t worry. Your tan will be darker before your first shower ( 8-10 hours after your appointment ) because the airbrush solution contains a cosmetic bronzer that rinses off during your first shower. On a similar note… If you see your tan going down the drain, don’t worry, that’s the cosmetic bronzer, NOT your airbrush tan. The cosmetic bronzer is just a teaser until your real tan develops underneath. After you’ve rinsed the cosmetic bronzer off you’ll have a natural, glowing tan. Gorgeous!
Freak out #2 – “My tan got messed up after I sat down, is my tan ruined?”
Not at all. While your tan is developing ( this could take 8-10 hours ) it’s perfectly normal to see smudging, smearing or creases some where on your skin. it’s actually pretty hard to avoid that because you’re bound to sit down and move around during this time. But don’t worry. After your first shower ( again, 8-10 hours after your appointment ) those marks will disappear and everything will be perfect!
Freak out #3 – “My tan is fading. Is that normal?”
Airbrush tans don’t last forever ( unfortunately! ). They last 7-10 days and fade away evenly. Everyone’s skin holds a tan differently, so your tan may fade at a different pace than your friends. That being said, there are certain activities that can accelerate the fading process, such as swimming, rubbing your skin with a towel after a shower rather than patting dry, shaving and forgetting to moisturize your skin… Remember to moisturize! We recommend using Evolv Daily Glo Moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated and to extend the life of your airbrush tan. The Daily Glo Moisturizer is a tea tree oil enriched, DHA-enhanced, and cell stimulating moisturizer. It’s amazing! If your tan has faded and you’re ready for another tan, use Evolv Body Scrub to exfoliate, renew and prepare your skin for another flawless airbrush tan.
Freak out #4 – “Will the airbrush tan wash out of my clothes and sheets?”
The cosmetic bronzer washes out of most materials. Avoid light nylon and other light synthetic materials. If you choose to wear a bathing suit or undergarments while getting your airbrush, make sure they’re dark colors. Most salons provide disposable thongs as well. Regardless, make sure you bring dark, loose clothing to wear after your appointment. If you’re worried about your bed sheets, wear loose pajamas or put dark sheets on your bed until after you’ve taken your first shower.
Freak out #5 – “Its freezing cold!!!”… Not if you’re getting an Evolv Heated Airbrush Tan!
Evolv provides the ONLY HEATED Airbrush Tanning System in the World, so our clients never experience this freak out. Let’s face it, no one wants to freeze while they’re getting an airbrush tan. Not only is it uncomfortable, the results aren’t as good as a heated airbrush tan either, because goosebumps = uneven surface = uneven tan. In other words… cold airbrush = uneven airbrush. An Evolv heated airbrush tan is so warm and pleasurable you almost don’t want it to end. We take the chill out of airbrush tanning.