How to Maintain a Spray Tan

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: June 13, 2022

Spray tans are becoming very popular as they give you the look of a nice, deep tan without the need to sit in the sun for a long period of time. They're also quick and easy, usually taking only 10-20 minutes to apply. Spray tans usually only last about 10 days because of how fast the dead layers of your skin are shed, so you'll have to get your tan re-applied every 2 weeks or so in order to maintain it all summer long. Use these steps before and after you get the tan applied to keep it looking awesome for as long as possible.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Ensuring a Long-Lasting Spray Tan

1
Exfoliate your skin every day for the three days before your spray tan is applied. Imagine your skin is like a wall in your home and a spray tan is like a can of paint. Sure, you can apply the paint directly to the wall without any preparation, but it might not look very good. Instead, taking the time to prepare the wall for paint (e.g. filling holes, sanding rough spots, using primer, etc.) will ensure the new layer of paint you apply will look its best. You want to do the exact same type of preparation to your skin before applying a spray tan in order to help it look great and last as long as possible.^{[1]
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- Use a body scrub and washcloth to exfoliate your skin in the shower every day for at least 3 days before your spray tan is applied.
- Complete any waxing you need at least 24 hours before your spray tan is applied.
2
Arrive at your spray tan appointment with clean skin. Ideally, you should shower and exfoliate about 8 hours before your spray tan appointment. If needed, you can apply a light body moisturizer after your shower, but don't use anything heavy or thick the day of your appointment.^{[2]
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- By showering and exfoliating 8 hours before your appointment, you're allowing your skin to reach the best pH level for taking a spray tan.
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3
Be careful what clothes and shoes you wear to your spray tan appointment. The clothes and shoes you put on immediately following your appointment can cause all sorts of problems with your tan if you're not careful. You'll want to avoid anything with straps (including a bra) so as not to create lines in your tan.^{[3]
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- Light cotton clothing that is loose fitting and without straps is your best option for wearing home from your appointment.
- Sandals are also the best footwear option, but be careful that the straps on your sandals don't cause lines in the tan on your feet.
- If you do get strap lines on your feet, you can exfoliate the skin on your feet until the various coloured areas blend together.
4
Avoid deodorant, foundation, and lotion. The day of your spray tan appointment you may want to avoid using products such as deodorant, foundation, and thick or heavy lotions. If you have no choice but to wear these items that day, make sure the technician at the spray tan clinic provides you with wipes to remove them before the spray tan is applied.^{[4]
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- These products form a layer on top of your skin that the spray tan product won't be able to penetrate. That means when you wash these products off, the skin where they use to be will be lighter than the surrounding skin.
- Wearing eye makeup to your appointment should be okay, and won't need to be removed before the spray tan is applied.
5
Wear the paper underwear you're given for a few hours after your appointment. Yes, the paper underwear isn't fun, but wearing them is worth the effort if you want your tan to look great. Putting on regular underwear may cause lines to form where the elastics touch your skin. The purpose of a spray tan is not to have any lines, so this completely defeats the purpose!^{[5]
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6
Ask the technician what you need to do immediately after the tan is applied. Not every spray tan product is the same. Some require more time than others to set. It's important to ask the technician who applied the spray tan what specific instructions you need to follow for the specific tan you had applied.^{[6]
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- Once you know what your instructions are, make sure you following them precisely. If you need to time something, set a reminder alarm on your phone so you don't forget.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Keeping Your Spray Tan Looking Great

1
Shower properly after your spray tan is applied. Depending on the spray tan product you had applied, you may need to shower within a few hours of your appointment, or you may need to wait until the next day. Either way, your first shower after your spray tan is applied should be lukewarm, not hot. You'll also want to use really light and natural products on your skin to help prolong the tan as long as possible.^{[7]
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- Use the most basic type of soap you have to wash your skin during this first shower.
- Avoid any soap products that have a lot of added items (like moisturizers) as they'll leave residue on your skin.
- Moisturize after your shower with a light water-based moisturizer. As with the soap, don't use a moisturizer with added oils or other products.
2
Use baby powder to help reduce sweat immediately after you get a spray tan applied. The last thing you want to do is spend money on a good spray tan and then get really sweaty immediately after and watch the tan disappear. One good way to help control sweat after you've had a spray tan applied is to use baby powder. The baby powder will not only help reduce the sweat, it'll help keep the spray tan product in place.^{[8]
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- Ideally you should apply the baby powder to your cleavage, underarms, knees, and the back of your legs to reduce immediate fading due to sweat.
3
Shower in cool or cold water when possible. The cooler the water in your shower, the better. Your spray tan will not only last longer with cooler water, it'll prevent your spray tan from being uneven.
- It is also a good idea to have short showers rather than baths while you have a spray tan.
- When drying off after a shower, use a blotting motion with your towel rather than a rubbing motion.
4
Exfoliate specific parts of your skin every couple of days. Some parts of your body will naturally shed skin faster than other parts, specifically areas that rub against skin or clothing. As these areas shed skin faster, your spray tan will also fade faster. Exfoliate these areas gently every couple of days in order to balance the colour out and make the tan look more even.^{[9]
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- Use only gentle products and tools to exfoliate your skin. A washcloth or a gentle body scrub will both work well.
5
Moisturize your skin with a produce that won't fade your tan. Unfortunately not all moisturizers will help keep your tan glowing. You do need to make sure to use the right type of moisturizer in order to prolong your spray tan as long as possible. Good options are cocoa butter, aloe vera body butter, or coconut oil. You'll want to avoid products that contain citrus extracts.^{[10]
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- At the very least you should moisturize your whole body after you shower or bathe every day.
- You can also moisturize your skin before you go to bed.
6
Continue to use sunscreen when outside. Even though you have a spray tan on your skin, you still need to protect your skin from the sun's harmful UV rays. This means you still need to apply sunscreen to every piece of exposed skin while you're outside, including your face. In order to protect your spray tan, however, use water-based sunscreen lotions rather than oil-based.
7
Wait to shave or get a wax until just before your next tanning session. The act of rubbing against your skin with a shaver, or pulling at your skin with a wax, will make your spray tan fade faster. Since most spray tans only last up to 10 days, try to avoid shaving or waxing until the last couple of days in the 10 day period. But make sure to shave or get a wax at least 24 hours before a new spray tan session.^{[11]
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8
Detox your spray tan at least once a month. When you have a spray tan, you want to avoid putting newer and newer layers of the tan product on top of older layers. Not only can this make your tan look very uneven, it isn't good for your skin. Instead, you should do a complete spray tan detox at least once a month to remove as much of the previous layer of product as possible before getting a new tan applied.^{[12]
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- Mix baby oil with a small amount of lemon juice and apply the mixture to your whole body.
- Sit with the mixture on your skin for about 10 minutes and then have a shower.
- While in the shower, use a body scrub to remove the mixture and the outer layers of dead skin cells.
- This mixture helps make your skin more pliable, which in turn will help you remove more of the outer layer and the old tan.
9
Apply a self tanner in-between spray tans. Because different parts of your tan are going to fade faster than others, it's beneficial to use a self tanning product at home in-between spray tan applications. One place this will be particularly important is your face, as the tan on your face is likely to fade approximately 3 days after you get the tan applied. Another good spot to use a self tanner is on your legs.^{[13]
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- If you suffer from acne on your face, you'll want to make sure the self tanning product you buy is non-comedogenic. This type of product won't clog your pores and cause more acne.
- You'll likely want to use a lighter coloured product in-between spray tans, so you don't cause the tan to look uneven.
10
Avoid chlorinated water if possible. Summer is a typical time for lots of swimming. Unfortunately the chlorine in a pool will cause your spray tan to fade faster. Ideally, try to avoid chlorinated pools as much as possible, especially within the first week or so after you've had your spray tan applied.
- If you're near the end of a spray tan period (and going to get a new one in a few days), swimming in chlorinated water will actually help you remove more dead skin and old tan before your new tan is applied.

Community Q&A

Question

How should I prepare my manicured nails before a spray tan?

Community Answer

If you're trying to prepare your nails so they don't get damaged, you should rub some cuticle oil around the edges of your nails. There isn't much else you can do to protect them though (aside from covering them).

Warnings

After you've had your spray tan applied, you'll not only have to put clothes back on, but you might need to sleep before you can shower. The product that's applied to your skin can rub off on the inside of your clothes or on your sheets. While many spray tan clinics say this shouldn't stain your clothes or sheets, you might want to consider wearing older clothes or using an old sheet just to be safe.

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