If you’d like an all-over tan, but you’re wary of your own sunless tanner application skills, then a spray-on tan just might be the solution you’ve been looking for. Chemically, it is basically the same as self-tanning lotion – its active ingredient is DHA, just like its rub-on counterparts. The real difference lies in the way it’s applied: sprayed on, as its name suggests (and the fact that it’s applied in a salon rather than at home). There are two different application methods for spray-on tans. The first takes place in a booth or small room, where the sunless tanner is “misted” onto the body in fine droplets. Your hands, feet, fingernails, or any other body part that you don’t wish to tan is treated with a blocking lotion. With this method, you may prefer to tan completely nude, because the room is private; if you do wear something, it might get stained. The second method of spray-on application is done by a trained aesthetician, with a device that looks very similar to an airbrush. Since someone else is present during this application, many people prefer to wear something, so just follow the same clothing guidelines that you would with sunless tanning lotions.
To prepare for a spray-on tan, you should exfoliate – just like with a “do-it-yourself” tan. Some spray-ons are tinted, so that you look bronzed immediately after having it done. When you shower for the first time after tanning (wait the recommended four hours first), the bronze tint will wash off, but the DHA that creates the longer-lasting tan will still remain in the skin.
After tanning, moisturize your skin well. The intensity of spray-on tans can be deepened by repeating the application two or three days after your initial tan; otherwise, the tan will generally last about four or five days. You’ll still need to use a sunscreen when you go outside, because these types of tan don’t offer any UV protection.