SUMMER TANNING TIPS
WORRIED ABOUT SPRAY TANNING DURING THE SWELTERING SUMMER MONTHS? WE’VE GOT A FEW RECOMMENDATIONS!
‘Tis the season!
As an 11-year industry professional, I now have enough experience to know what to expect when June rolls around. The days get longer…the temps rise…the humidity goes through the roof…and so does the number of clients who experience issues related to tan development.
During the majority of months, only about 1% of our clients experience subpar results due to how the tan has developed after they leave our studios. But this time of year…that number goes up to about 5%. It’s still a very low percentage…but you won’t care how low it is if you are one of those 5%!
Heat and humidity can wreak havoc on tans. Water is the mortal enemy of the active ingredient in all sunless tans, DHA. So when there’s enough moisture in the air and in your skin…and you add in the element of sweat…you need to up your game when it comes to preparing for you spray tan session.
Now is the time to take prep seriously if you want your tan to stand a chance against the elements…so here are my top tips to get great results during the summer.
Tip 1: Wear long, loose fitting and light weight pants to your appointment.
I get it. You want to wear shorts because it’s hot, but sitting in a hot car in shorts will inevitably lead to sweating on the backs of your legs. Sweat will lead to that solution moving around and now your perfectly sprayed tan will be far from perfect. Yes, we will powder the backs of your legs to HELP with this issue…but it won’t prevent it entirely. Wear long pants that can be tucked in the crease behind your knee and can help pull that moisture away from your legs.
Same goes for a loose t-shirt that can be tucked under the boobs! ANY skin to skin contact combined with sweat is a recipe for disaster!
Tip 2: Crank up the AC.
Your car should be an ice box on the way to and from your appointment. On the way to so that hopefully your car will remain relatively cool during your short appointment time. On the way home because you need to prevent the sweat as mentioned above. If you don’t want to ruin your results…get uncomfortably cold. Your tan will thank you!
P.S. This goes for your house, too, if you are sleeping in your solution. Turn the AC WAY down and wear long pants and long sleeves to try to save you results from any night sweat.
Tip 3: ARRIVE EARLY!
If your appointment is at 5:00…please don’t roll in at 5:00 (or after). Arrive five to 10 minutes early, if at all possible, to give your core body temp time to come down. When your body temperature is elevated…the chemical reaction of the DHA with your skin will change. In addition, even light perspiration (sometimes even unnoticeable) will dilute the solution being sprayed onto your skin and lead to lighter outcomes. We hear time and again that tans develop lighter during the super hot months…this is why. Give yourself plenty of time! (Oh, you’re also more likely to pass out during your tan if you’re overheated. Yes, it happens a handful of times every summer. You don’t want it to be you.)
Tip 4: Choose the Rapid.
If it works with your schedule…always choose the rapid solution. We no longer charge an upcharge for this premium option and it really is the way to go in the summer. The less time you leave the solution on…the less chance of heat, humidity and sweat ruining your result. If you experience the aforementioned phenomenon of a lighter than usual result…leave the solution on 30 minutes longer than your standard rinse time during the summer months.
Tip 5: Understand that this is a chemical reaction happening with your skin and every once in awhile things will go wrong.
We do about 300 tans per week. I like to think we’re really good at what we do. And believe it or not…we won’t intentionally ruin your result.
We take the blame for a lot of scenarios that are in no way our fault. Fact is…all we can do is spray the solution on your skin and from there…it’s up to you. Yes…we want to know if something goes awry during the development so we can do anything in our power to help fix it, but please show a little grace to your artist and understand that splotchy, uneven or undeveloped tans are 99% of the time…not their fault.
Our artists are highly educated and trained. They do this day in and day out…many of them for years now. Do they make mistakes? Of course. They are human, after all. But the majority of times you wake up with an uneven tan….it has nothing to do with them and everything to do with how your body is reacting with the tanning solution, how you prepared for your session or what happened when you left our studio. The hardest part of our profession is our lack of control over everything that happens leading up to and after those 20 minutes you’re with us. If your results are subpar…please always reach out and let us know. We will do what we can to make it right. But a little grace and understanding from you will go a long way.
If you have any questions or need any advice prior to your session this summer, always feel free to reach out to me at shonna@recreatingrays.com or text one of our studios. We want you to have amazing results and we will do anything we can to make that happen. If you do your part, you’ll be beautifully glowing even during these sweltering summer months.
