Everything you need to know about getting a glowing tan: pre and post care guide
If you’ve ever visited us at Skin Things, Glenelg, you may have walked out glowing with a gorgeous tan. A spray tan is one of our beauty therapists' favourite services, giving our clients an instant confidence boost.
Going for a sunless natural tan, instead of baking in the sun, drenched in baby oil for hours, is a much healthier alternative. As much as we love and need our daily dose of vitamin D, keeping a regular tanning schedule will give you that burst of colour. However, there is plenty to do pre and post-appointment to achieve that flawless glow. How you prep your skin and take care of your tan after your appointment is the difference between your tan lasting three days or lasting a week.
Of course, when you have an appointment with us at Skin Things, Glenelg, your dedicated beauty therapist will run through all of the care, but we thought we’d put everything in writing so you can rest easy knowing where all of the information is.
Before your tanning appointment at Skin Things
Here at Skin Things, what you do before your appointment is crucial. How you prep your skin gives our team the best chance at giving you a flawless tan. We’ve listed below the must-dos before heading into your appointment.
Ensure all of your hair removal (shaving, waxing, etc.) is done at least 24 hours before your appointment. This allows the tan to sit evenly on your skin.
If you shave as your preferred hair removal method, avoid using a shaver with a hydrating strip on it, these can leave a film on the skin, stopping the tan from penetrating effectively, particularly for the legs.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. We cannot stress enough how much hydrating the week leading up to your tan will impact the end result. When you moisturise, ideally use a fragrance-free moisturiser, paying close attention to knees, ankles, wrists and elbows (our Nourished Skin: Pure Body Lotion, is perfect for this.) The more hydrated you are, the better your tan will develop and last.
Arrive at your appointment showered with no deodorant or moisturisers on. Moisturisers and deodorant leave a thin layer on top of your skin, which then results in an uneven finish, and the tan can’t be absorbed properly.
Wear loose-fitting and dark clothing. After your tan, you’ll be left with a ‘colour guide’. This is essentially the bronzer of your tan. While it does wash out of clothes, we don’t want any of your beautiful light-coloured clothing to be tainted, i.e., don’t wear a nude bra. In addition to this, wearing loose-fitting clothing is essential, as when your clothes come into contact with your tan, this causes the tan to rub off and leave you with lines and streaks.
Consider why you're having a tan and what events you have coming up. Our wonderful beauty therapists will chat all things colour with you during your consultation. However, it’s always recommended that you come up with an idea of how dark you’re looking to go and know when events are in relation to your tan appointment. This is especially important for brides and bridal parties. If you want to get a tan as a group, chat with us about booking in advance.
After your tanning appointment at Skin Things
You’ve walked out of Skin Things at Glenelg, and now it’s time to take care of your tan. This is crucial to get the most out of your tan. We’ve listed below everything that you can do to get that glow longevity.
After you’ve finished up your tan, your dedicated therapist will advise how long to leave your tan on. This will dictate how dark you want to go. It’s so incredibly important not to leave your tan on for too long. This can cause it to overdevelop; when it does this, it clings to drier patches of your skin, changing the colour slightly. A great hack for this is to set a timer on your phone for how long you need to leave your tan on.
When you have your first shower after your tan, don’t use any products. Products like body wash, shampoo, conditioner and soap can interact with the tan, changing its composition. Don’t scrub or exfoliate your skin. Simply rinse until the water runs clear, and gently pat your skin dry with a towel.
Another important note when showering is don’t have the water too hot. The hotter the water, the steamier the shower becomes. As a result of this, your skin will dry out, and your tan won’t last anywhere near as long.
Once you’ve washed your tan off, wait to moisturise your skin for 12 hours. Our tans (Ecotan and Sunescape) have moisturisers built in. Your tan will continue to develop over the next 12 hours. Moisturising your skin too early will interfere with the continuous development of the tan.
When you’ve reached 12 hours after your tan, moisture daily, depending on your preference, either use your favourite Nourished Skin body lotions or a gradual tan extender to get the most out of your tan. Also, be sure to use SPF during the day. Your tan will give you a glow, but unfortunately no sun protection.
You also want to wait at least 12 hours before you head to the gym. Excessively sweating will ruin your tan, leaving you with streaks.
What next?
Here at Skin Things, we’re obsessed with a fresh tan. It’s the key to giving our clients confidence and showing off their glowing skin. If you’re a serial tanner, have a look at our tanned-up membership. This is a great, cost-effective option for those who want to be tanned all year round. However, if you’re looking for a once-off tan, book an appointment with us. Our team is here to help you feel supported and be your place for all things self-care. Join our community by signing up for our mailing list, where you’ll receive exclusive access to new products, blogs and new services.