Let’s talk about sunless tanning!
Whether you’re getting a spray tan or self-tanning at home, it’s so important to know how to prep and maintain your glowing tan! I recently got a spray tan for my sorority formal, and I fully believe the prep and maintenance are KEY to a long-lasting tan!
I’ve gotten a lot of spray tans, but I’m definitely more of a pro when it comes to self-tanning at home. I usually save the air-brush spray tans for special occasions. With my tanning experience over the years, I have a few useful tips to share with y’all when it comes to prepping and maintaining your tan!
How to prep for sunless tanning:
- Exfoliate
- Shave
- Moisturize
These 3 steps are VERY important to ensure your tan goes on smooth, looks good, and lasts as long as possible. I always try to do these steps about 12-24 hours before applying my tan. If you exfoliate, shave, and moisturize, your skin will be in perfect shape for tan application. But, there’s more to it than just prep!
How to maintain your tan:
- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!!
- Avoid harsh exfoliation or scrubbing
- Try to limit excessive sweating & water exposure
Maintaining a tan isn’t always talked about, but it definitely helps a tan last longer and look better. The most important step is to keep your skin hydrated at all times. Once your skin becomes dry, the tan is more likely to come off early and blotchy. I make sure to apply lotion morning and night to my skin when I have a tan. In my March Favorites blog, I featured the Ouai body lotion I use daily!
Second, don’t scrub your skin every day in the shower or use harsh exfoliants. This will cause the tan to rub off too soon. Exfoliation is important when you want the tan to come off, not when you are trying to maintain it.
Third, especially for spray-tans, try to limit excessive sweating or showering when unnecessary. Easier said than done, but doing so will help to ensure your tan lasts as long as possible!
Favorite self-tanners
Tanologist Tanning water– Easy to apply and gives the best color in just a few hours!
Norvell– You didn’t hear it from me, but a ton of spray tan places actually use the Norvell formula for their sprays! The place I go to in Nashville uses them for the airbrush tans. Norvell develops into a color that has no orange undertones!
Loving Tan– I use the dark 2-hour express tan when I want a tan to look good in a pinch! I have been using this tried and true product for years.
Tan Luxe Face Drops– I use the Tan Luxe tanning drops religiously! I get the medium-dark shade. It gives my face an instant glow and lasts for days!
Thank you for reading and have fun sunless tanning!
<3 LA
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