How to prep, how to glow.
A custom spray tan is only as good as the prep and aftercare behind it. Here's everything I share with my clients — read it before your appointment, and keep it handy for after.
Pre-tan care
Do these in the 1–2 days leading up to your appointment. The cleaner your skin arrives, the more even and long-lasting your tan will be.
- 01 Shave and exfoliate 24–48 hours before your appointment. If you use a scrub, keep it simple and natural — skip sugar scrubs and anything with oils, which leave a residue that blocks the tan. If you wax, do it at least 24 hours out.
- 02 If you're prepping for an event, your tan should be your last beauty appointment.
- 03 Don't shower right before. Try for at least 6 hours between your last shower and the tan.
- 04 Moisturize daily leading up — the better hydrated your skin, the better the tan. (Just no moisturizer the day of.)
- 05 Arrive with completely bare skin. No deodorant, lotion, perfume, makeup, body spray, or oils. The less the better.
- 06 No active sunburn, and no previous spray tan or self-tanner for at least 2 weeks before.
- 07 If you use retinol, pause it a few days before — it can affect the tan on your face and neck.
- 08 Wear dark, loose clothing to put on after your tan.
No Dove soap leading up to your tan. The conditioning agents leave a film that interferes with how the solution develops on your skin.
Post-tan care
Your tan keeps developing for 24 hours after I leave. How you treat your skin in the first day decides how long your color lasts and how evenly it fades.
- 01 First rinse — water only. No soap, no scrubbing. Rinse until the water running off you is clear, then pat dry. You'll look a little lighter — that's normal. The tan is still developing.
- 02 Stay completely dry before that first rinse. That includes hand-washing, brushing teeth, going to the bathroom — be careful with every drop.
- 03 Wait 12 hours after the first rinse before your first soap shower. Take short, lukewarm showers and pat dry — never rub.
- 04 Wait at least 12 hours post-rinse before working out again.
- 05 While the tan is still developing, avoid excessive sweating, saunas, and hot tubs.
- 06 Moisturize like it's your job. The more you moisturize, the longer your tan lasts. Stick to clean, sulfate-free lotions.
- 07 Don't scrub, exfoliate, or loofah until you're ready for the tan to come off.
Skip Dove and any bar soap or anything with sulfates or oils. They'll strip your tan in days instead of a week-plus.
Soaps + lotions I recommend
Keep it simple and natural — clean, sulfate-free body washes and gentle moisturizers, nothing heavy or oil-based. These are my go-tos.
Let's get you on the schedule.
Questions about prep, the menu, or which tan is right for you? Just reach out — I answer every message myself.