Spray tans are a great way to enhance your look by providing additional color, vibrance, and life to your skin tone. It’s one of the easiest, quickest, and simplest ways to improve your look. And best of all it’s a safe alternative to being in the sun for extended periods of time. One of the most common questions asked is how long does a spray tan last.
Typically, a spray tan will last anywhere from 5 to 10 days depending on the shade of the tan and your skin tone. Lighter shades will last anywhere from 3-6 days, whereas much darker shades will last at least 10 days. This is because of the length of time it takes for the tan to fade. A darker shade has more color and will get progressively lighter over time, whereas a lighter tan doesn’t have as much color so when it starts to fade, it disappears faster.
Should You Get a Spray Tan
Choosing to get a spray tan is completely up to you. If you’re looking to improve your look with a little color or have your friends wondering if you spent time at the beach, then it can be a great option. If you aren’t that interested in sitting out in the sun or going to a professional salon, you have a new option to get that color.
These days there are home options that you can rub on your body to get that more vibrant look. Just make sure to apply it slowly because the color can quickly add up and it’s hard to remove once it has been applied.
This is one of the biggest issues when it comes to at home tanning solutions. Compared to a professional salon, you may not have much experience in tanning. As a result, it’s a good idea to read up on your options and make sure you aren’t applying too much.
A good rule of thumb is that you can always add more tanner, but you can’t remove it. Keep that in mind if you go with an at home tanning solution.
What To Do Before Beforehand
Preparing for your spray tan is a great way to make sure you’re happy with the result and can prolong your new look. The most important thing to do is take a shower and make sure your entire body is clean.
Having a “clean slate” so to speak will help the tanner settle in evenly and keep a consistent look on your body. Dirt and grime, even if it’s not visible, can affect how the tanner sets in. And no one wants an uneven look when it comes to their skin.
You should also make sure to drink lots of water and eat healthy. While this may not seem important for tanning, it’s important for healthy skin. And having healthy skin is the best way to get that great tan you’re looking for.
How to Maintain Your Spray Tan
The best way to prolong the life of your tan is to let it settle into your skin. What that means is you want to give the tan time to fully apply. Generally this means waiting at least 24 hours to shower, apply moisturizer, or lotion to your body. All of those can disrupt the process of the tan settling into your skin, especially the lotion and moisturizer.
Once you start applying lotion, it can affect the tanning process and cause issues, such as lightening of the tanner or causing the two to interact and prevent a clean tan.
Also, something else you should avoid is caffeine and alcohol. Similar to lotion, those drinks can affect the tanning process, however they affect the tanning process from inside your body, compared to lotion affecting the outside. That isn’t something most people think about, but it can certainly cause unwanted affects. As a result, it’s best to avoid both of those drinks for at least 24 hours as well.
How Often Should You Get a Tan
You should avoid getting spray tans too often because you are ultimately changing the chemical makeup of your skin. Too many spray tans can negatively affect your skin and your health is the most important factor in your life.
At the very least you shouldn’t get a spray tan more than once per month. However, this is different for everyone because everyone is different. There’s no set rule to avoid health issues, but once a month is generally a good rule of thumb. If you start to notice any issues with your skin, you should cut back the spray tanning and visit a doctor to ensure the tans aren’t damaging your health.
In addition to limiting your spray tans and continuous monitoring of your skin, you should also make sure you have regular appointments with your dermatologist. In fact, it’s best that you ask this question to your dermatologist since everyone is different and they can provide you with the best health information.
Spray tans can also be a great way to maintain your color in the winter, which we’ve written about in the past, specifically how to stay healthy in winter.
Conclusion
Getting a spray tan is a great way to enhance your look and provide your skin tone with more color. If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to update your look, a spray tan is a great way to do that. But there is a lot to know and hopefully this article was helpful in providing that information.
You should always do your research and ask your doctor these same questions since they will have the best information specific to you. Knowing whether you should get a spray tan, what to do beforehand, how often to get a spray tan, and how to maintain it are very important questions to answer.
With that said, hopefully this article pointed you in the right direction and either confirmed your beliefs or provided you new information. Since this is a health issue, the most important thing to do is ask your doctor. They will have the most up-to-date and expert advice and as a result, we recommend creating an appointment with your dermatologist before getting a spray tan.
