Spray Tan Facts From a Pro: Know Before You Glow
Spring is here and summer is just around the corner. That means people are shedding those winter layers in exchange for some sun-kissed radiance and glow. But baking and exposing yourself to harmful UV radiation in the sun or tanning beds is so passé–not to mention potentially cancer-causing. These days, the smart and safe way to get some color is either with a sunless tanner or a professional spray tan, AKA an airbrush tan.
I caught up with Heaven Luna, the owner and lead esthetician at Luna Beauty and Wellness in Camarillo, CA, to learn about spray tanning. With a decade of experience, including extensive training and certifications, Heaven is as qualified as they come when it comes to sunless tanning.
Let’s learn a bit more about her and ask some common questions people have about tans.
Jump To
- Meet Heaven Luna, Licensed Esthetician & Certified Master Spray Tan Tech
- How Does a Spray Tan Work?
- Why Should Someone Get a Spray Tan?
- How Long Does a Spray Tan Last?
- How Long Does a Spray Tan Take?
- How To Prepare for a Spray Tan
- What To Wear to a Spray Tan
- How Long After a Spray Tan Can You Shower?
- Can You Shave After a Spray Tan?
- What Are the Do’s and Don’ts After a Spray Tan?
- How Can I Extend the Life of My Spray Tan?
- How To Get Spray Tan off Hands
- How To Remove Spray Tan From the Rest of Your Body
- Are Spray Tans Safe?
- Any Additional Advice or Info?
Meet Heaven Luna, Licensed Esthetician & Certified Master Spray Tan Tech
Heaven is a licensed esthetician, certified massage therapist, certified makeup artist, and master certified spray tan technician. She’s been an esthetician since 2018, and has been specializing in tans since 2014.
Her extensive training covers all aspects of spray tanning, from everyday custom tans to competition bodybuilder tans, and even advanced contouring techniques. Heaven is certified to work with multiple professional spray tan solution brands, including Perfect Glow and Evolution Sunless.
Having experience with a wide range of products allows her to fully customize the perfect sun-kissed glow for each client’s skin tone.
“Spray tans aren’t one size fits all. I keep several solutions on hand so I am able to choose and even custom mix the perfect color for all my clients no matter what their skin tone or desired shade is. Being fair myself, I don’t bring in any solutions that I can’t go dark with. If it pulls orange on me or looks unnatural I will not use it on clients.”
Master Certification and Competition Tanning
I found this portion of Heaven’s training interesting, and asked her to tell me more:
“I’m Master Certified, meaning I’ve been trained in regular spray tans, competition tanning, and Full-Body Contour Tanning.
Competition tanning is super dark for bodybuilders’ muscles to be highlighted under harsh stage lighting.
Contour tanning utilizes a fine airbrush and enhances the body’s natural curves and muscle tone for a more sleek toned look.”
What Heaven Loves About Her Job
When I asked Heaven what she loves most about spray tanning, her answer was simple yet powerful: “It’s so much fun to watch someone instantly feel more confident in their own skin.”
She further elaborated, “It is also so much safer than baking in a tanning bed or spending hours in direct sunlight, so it makes me happy that I can help people look and feel good about themselves without compromising the future of their skin or health.”
How Does a Spray Tan Work?
A spray tan works thanks to Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) and a chemical reaction known as the “Maillard reaction.”
The color of a spray tan comes from the chemical Dihydroxyacetone (DHA). DHA interacts with dead skin cells’ amino acids, turning them brown. This color change occurs via the Maillard reaction, which is the same type of reaction that happens when you bake or roast foods. When this reaction takes place it creates melanoidins, which are responsible for the appearance of a tan.
Why Should Someone Get a Spray Tan?
Heaven says you should get a spray tan if you want a healthy glow, to camouflage skin imperfections, or to even out funky tan lines. “It’s quick and easy—your future self will thank you.”
How Long Does a Spray Tan Last?
A spray tan can last 7-10 days with proper prep and aftercare.
How Long Does a Spray Tan Take?
A spray tan takes 5-10 minutes to complete. It’s a quick and easy service.
How To Prepare for a Spray Tan
To prepare for a spray tan, exfoliate dead skin cells thoroughly and shave 24 hours before your appointment. All waxing and nail appointments should be done before your appointment as well.
Arrive at your appointment in loose, dark clothing, and ensure you come with clean skin. Clean skin means no lotions, makeup, or deodorant. These products can create a barrier between the tanning solution and your skin, resulting in an uneven tan.
If you’re getting spray tanned for an event, Heaven advises scheduling your appointment two days before. For example, if you are attending a wedding on Saturday, Thursday would be the ideal time to get your tan.
What To Wear to a Spray Tan
It’s best to wear loose clothing that is dark, and flip flops to your spray tan appointment.
Heaven states most of her clients get tanned nude but adds that if you prefer to have tan lines, you should wear a dark, old bikini or underwear. Don’t wear any new or light-colored garments because they will get stained.
Heaven also advises to keep in mind the cut of the clothing you’re getting tanned in and what you plan to wear for an event. For example, if you are getting tanned for a wedding and your dress is strapless, don’t wear a bikini or bra top with thick straps.
How Long After a Spray Tan Can You Shower?
How long after a spray tan you can shower depends on the type of solution used. If you are sprayed with a regular solution, then 8-10 hours is ideal. For an 8-10-hour solution, most people sleep in it and shower in the morning.
A rapid rinse solution allows you to rinse earlier. Depending on how dark you’d like to be, you can rinse in 3-6 hours.
Can You Shave After a Spray Tan?
Yes, you can shave after a spray tan. But Heaven recommends limiting shaving and all other forms of exfoliation as much as possible.
Any exfoliation will fade your tan faster, which is one reason she recommends shaving the night before your appointment. Once you have a tan and need to shave again, her tip is to avoid using shaving cream. Shaving cream will break down your tan faster than shaving alone.
What Are the Do’s and Don’ts After a Spray Tan?
- Do not get wet until it is time to rinse
- Avoid activities that induce sweating until the tan has fully developed
- Keep showers brief and lukewarm
- Avoid prolonged hot tub immersion
- Hold off on exfoliating or waxing until the tan begins to fade
How Can I Extend the Life of My Spray Tan?
Use spray tan-safe products, stay moisturized and hydrated, and avoid exfoliation to get the most life out of your tan.
Heaven also recommends:
- Applying lotion morning and night for the duration of the tan
- Limiting hot showers & chlorine exposure
If you’re planning on being in a pool or water for an extended period of time, using water resistant sunscreen.
Heaven keeps spray tan-safe products in stock, including body wash, lotion, and a tan extender. A tan extender is a moisturizer with a small amount of DHA (the chemical that makes you tan) added to it. When you use a tan extender, you add a bit of DHA back onto your skin. The result is a couple more days of color and a more even fade.
How To Get Spray Tan off Hands
To get spray tan off hands, gently scrub them and use a spray tan remover. Between scrubbing and the remover, you can get most–if not all of it–off.
Prevention Is Easier Than Correction
To prevent solution from getting on hands, Heaven always uses a barrier cream on her clients’ nails and palms. She also wipes down their hands afterward to remove any solution that may have gotten onto them.
If you are planning on sleeping in your tan before you rinse, she recommends you wear a long-sleeved shirt. This will help prevent your hands from touching your body and absorbing the excess solution while you sleep.
Finally, she adds, “The hands can be tricky, but on the plus side if you wash your hands a lot they will fade and be less noticeable sooner than it takes the tan on rest of your body to fade.”
How To Remove Spray Tan From the Rest of Your Body
When the glow starts to go, you want to exfoliate it off. Heaven recommends using exfoliating gloves and/or a gentle body scrub. She keeps a tan remover spray in stock that can help get rid of stubborn spots.
Just Say “NO” to Windex and Clorox Wipes
According to Heaven, “I’ve seen people online say to use Windex or Clorox wipes; please do not use these on your skin. They won’t take off the tan any better than a spray tan remover, and they can have serious negative effects on your delicate skin.”
Are Spray Tans Safe?
Overall, yes, spray tans are safe. The ingredient in spray tans that is responsible for darkening the skin, DHA, is approved for “external application to the human body.”
However, some points about spray tans and safety come directly from the Food & Drug Administration (FDA).
“DHA [the ingredient that gives a tanned appearance] is listed in the regulations as a color additive for use in imparting color to the human body. However, its use in cosmetics–including sunless “tanning” products–is restricted to external application (21 CFR 73.2150). According to the CFR, “externally applied” cosmetics are those “applied only to external parts of the body and not to the lips or any body surface covered by mucous membrane” (21 CFR 70.3v). The industry has not provided safety data to FDA in order for the agency to consider approving it for use on these exposure routes, including “misting” from tanning booths.”
Does this mean spray tans are unsafe? No. It means DHA is currently only approved by the FDA for external use. When you get a spray tan, the solution can get into areas of the body the FDA has not approved DHA to touch (mucous membranes), and that is the issue.
The FDA’s Recommendations
If you’re thinking about getting a spray tan, consider the following info from the FDA website:
“FDA advises asking the following questions when considering commercial facilities where DHA is applied by spraying or misting:
- Are consumers protected from exposure in the entire area of the eyes, in addition to the eyes themselves?
- Are consumers protected from exposure on the lips and all parts of the body covered by mucous membrane?
- Are consumers protected from internal exposure caused by inhaling or ingesting the product?
If the answer to any of these questions is ‘no,’ the consumer is not protected from the unapproved use of this color additive. Consumers should request measures to protect their eyes and mucous membranes and prevent inhalation.”
When you have a spray tan done by Heaven, she offers nose filters, eye covers, lip protection, and undergarments upon request. There is no additional charge for these items, except for the undergarments. In addition to these preventative measures, her tanning booth has an extraction fan.
The extraction fan helps to filter out overspray from the tan, removing some of it from the air. She also adds, “The solution is not considered harmful in the minimal amounts that may be inhaled in a normal spray tan session.”
Any Additional Advice or Info?
“Spray tans have come such a long way in the last few years! I encourage everyone to give them a try, even if they didn’t love them in the past.”
Are you ready to ditch your cosmetic bronzer for something a bit more effective? Even if you are tan naturally, a spray tan will give you a beautiful, even glow you will love. Skip the tanning salon and contact Heaven for a spray tan today.
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Photos of Heaven taken by Debbie Walton Photography
Adriana Perez-Nakamura
Adriana Perez-Nakamura has been a CA-licensed esthetician since 2010. She owned a skincare studio in Ventura, CA for 9 years where she performed various treatments like facials, waxing, eyelash extensions, and spray tanning. Now, Adriana is a marketer within the beauty industry focusing on education and copywriting with a special interest in SEO writing.
