Professional Spray Tanning

There are two types of spray tanning methods. You may either have it applied by a spray tanning specialist or beauty therapist using an airbrushing gun or opt for the more DIY approach in an automated spray tan booth. If you have it applied by the tanning specialist or beauty therapist it is more expensive but the result is a much more even tan. Spray tanning is perfect for a weekend away or a special occasion and gives you an instant full body tan.

A DHA based product (dihydroxyacetone is the active ingredient) is used and it is not a dye but a chemical reaction between the product and the amino acids in your first layer of skin. It is widely considered to be nontoxic and non-carcinogenic. It is recommended that you apply a small amount of spray to your skin as a test patch for 48 hours to ensure that you do not react to the product. It is not recommended if you suffer from eczema or dermatitis.

There is more than one shade of tanning product so you have the freedom to choose a light, medium or dark solution depending on your skin tone. A darker tan is ideal for that wonderful winter escape holiday in the sun!

Before you obtain a spray tan it is recommended to exfoliate well, shave your legs and have clean, un-moisturised skin. Make sure you wear loose fitting clothing as this will enable your tan to dry more evenly. You do NOT want to wear good or light coloured clothing.

The most important after care task is to make sure you wipe the palms of your hands, between your fingers and also the soles of your feet and between your toes free of the product (as they places are not naturally tanned) and also moisturize these areas. The product will take 1 to 6 hours to fully absorb and it is recommended to avoid getting water on your skin until the next morning (sleep on old sheets!). It’s also very important to moisturise daily to maintain the tan to ensure it remains even.

A spray tan will usually last 3-10 days depending on your activities i.e. swimming will reduce the life expectancy of your spray tan. You can obtain a spray tan from approximately £15 to £40.