Get That Glow: At Home &Spray Tanning Tips for Your Best {Fake} Tan

For the sake of your skin (and your future self), if you’re going to tan, make it sunless with these sunless tanning tips and products. Fake tans have come a long way over the past decade. There’s absolutely no reason to compromise your future skin anymore by laying out in the sun all of the time or even worse – going to a tanning bed. This is one area I wish I had listened to my elders when I was younger, but it’s fine – you live and you learn. I’m a slave to sunscreen, floppy hats, and minimizing my exposure to sun these days. If I really want some color I will opt to sunless tanning – a good spray tan will make you instantly look five pounds lighter!

No time to make it into a salon or don’t have the budget for an at-home tan?
Quality sunless tanning products are also not to be underestimated.

Sunless Tanning Products

To begin my sunless tan tips, there are some really good products you can use at home (I love St. Tropez mousse, Isle of Paradise drops, and Tan Luxe tan solution) – but the easiest of all is a good spray tan. Recently I got an at home spray tan with Vita Liberata and now I’m obsessed. One of my favorite blogs, The Skinny Confidential, got into my head years ago and I’ve never forgotten her words – “If you can’t tone it, tan it.” A spray tan does wonders for your skin’s overall appearance and also makes it look like you’ve been putting extra time in the gym, even if you haven’t.

Here are all the sunless tan tips you need to get the best spray tan possible.

The Spray Tan Tips You Need

For fool-proof, streak-free sunless tans, it might be appropriate to enlist a professional. In Los Angeles, I love Heather Tans and Vita Liberata (they come directly to your home!!). You still have to put in a little effort to ensure you get the best spray tan possible, but it’s very minimal. The entire process is easy and quick -which is why I love it so much!! Here’s what you need to do –

Pre Spray Tanning Tips

+ The night before, exfoliate and shave. Now is the time to use a dry brush! You want to avoid doing this after you get your spray tan, otherwise you will essentially be sloughing off your tan. Ideally, you would do this the day of your tan, but the night before is fine as well. Before the spray tan, you want the smoothest possible base to ensure your tan goes on evenly. Afterwards, be sure to moisturize!!

+ Immediately before the tan, make sure to use barrier cream!! Your technician should have to give you, but you will want to put some on your feet and hands so they don’t turn out orange.

+ Make sure your skin is clean before getting a spray tan. Avoid lotion and makeup! You want a clean surface for the product to stick to.

+ Leave your jewelry at home! You don’t want to be wearing any when you get your spray tan.

+ If you’re leaving the house to get a spray tan, wear dark and loose-fitting clothing (you’ll appreciate this afterward when you are especially conscious of rubbing your new tan on anything white or light colored!). For shoes, wear flip flops or rubber slides.

The Spray Tan Process

+ Ask for some light contouring – a really good spray tan will accent and hide the appropriate areas!

+ Every spray tan formula is different. Be sure to ask your technician how long to keep the formula on before showering. For at least the next 4-8 hours, avoid sweating and showering. Some formulas continue to darken over 8+ hours, so how dark you want your spray tan to become will also impact how long to keep the initial formula on.

+ Wear what you feel comfortable in. Everyone is different! Your technician will typically tell you how to stand and adjust to make sure every part of your body is covered evenly.

After Spray Tan Tips

+ Wear loose fitting clothing after spray tanning. The formula should dry quickly but you do want to avoid it rubbing off. Tight or white clothes are a major no no. This is the time to whip out old t shirts and sweatpants.

+ If you’re going to bed, I would recommend laying down sheets you don’t mind getting dirty or sleeping on a towel. For this reason, I recommend getting spray tans at night – that way you can change into loose clothes, sleep, and wake up and rinse.

+ Don’t shower or workout for the next 24 hours. You don’t want your tan to streak or wash off early. Also avoid applying makeup if possible. Again, you] want to prolong your tan as long as possible.

+ Apply moisturizer on your entire body every day. You don’t want dry skin flaking off as this will make your tan look splotchy and uneven. This will keep your tan looking even and fresh as long as possible. Using a light at home tanning formula can also help prolong your color and cover up any streaks if they come up.

More Sunless Tanning Tips

+ To prolong your spray tan, moisturize and avoid over-exfoliating or washing off your tan. A good spray tan will fade evenly over the next week or two.

Are you a fan of spray tans? What has your experience been like? xx

dress: reformation | bag: box of style | sunglasses: raen | shoes: similar

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