How Often Should You Spray Tan? How Long Does It Last?

June 30, 2024 by Mani Pandey

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It’s a dream of many to have a gorgeous tan. While some love basking under the sun to get a natural tan, some prefer spray tan to avoid sun rays. Even though spray tan is a good alternative to suntan because it doesn’t expose the skin to harmful UV rays, it should be used a limited number of times to upkeep the skin’s health. Those who use spray tan often think about how to keep up a gorgeous glow throughout the year and how often you should spray tan. Let’s discuss this and how long spray tans last in different shades.

Article Contains

Frequency Of Spray Tan
How Does Spray Tan Work?
How Long Do Spray Tans Last In Different Shades?
What To Do To Let Spray Tan Last Longer?
Prepare The Skin

Frequency Of Spray Tan

Spray tanning 2-3 times a month or after every 9-12 days is suitable for most skin types. It helps to develop a good tan and maintain it longer. Besides, if you prepare your skin properly and follow aftercare instructions, the tan stays beautifully for more days and makes the skin look even and radiant between successive appointments.

How Does Spray Tan Work?

Spray tan is a sunless tanning solution. It consists of different chemicals and ingredients, among which DHA- dihydroxyacetone is the key ingredient that develops tan. As DHA comes in contact with skin, it reaches the outer layer, reacts, and makes skin cells darker. However, it takes some time to develop the desired tan.

How Long Do Spray Tans Last In Different Shades?

Spray tan falls on the skin as a fine mist. Since the droplets are too small, they create an even and smooth tan. The shade of spray tan determines how long it will last. Some products have a higher concentration of DHA that leads to darker tones, and others need to be applied twice to attain a darker shade. The DHA and shade obtained to play a role in telling how long the spray tan stays apparent.

Even though most spray tans claim to last 8-10 days, this is not true for all shades.

Lighter shades- if you use a mild spray tan, it won’t develop a dark tone. It is seen that lighter shades last up to 5 days. So, the chances of them lasting long are not true.
Medium shades- If you have a strong spray tanner or have applied a stronger product, the skin will develop a shade darker than a light shade. Once the color develops stronger, it will take more time to fade. Such medium shades last for eight days at most.
Dark shades- Spray tan that leaves a dark, rich color and takes a long time to fade compared to light and medium shades. It can last for ten days easily.

Remember, the higher the concentration of DHA in the solution, the darker will be the result of spray tan. At the same time, the darker shade will stay longer as it will take more days to fade completely.

What To Do To Let Spray Tan Last Longer?

If you know how to maximize your tan, you will not need to spray tan often. The result of tanning can be extended by preparing the skin in advance and following certain aftercare instructions.

Prepare The Skin

Right preparation takes longer. If the skin is unprepared, it will not hold the spray tan for more days and will fade quickly. At the same time, it may also result in uneven, patchy, and streaky tan.

To prepare the skin, you need to

Exfoliate a day before your spray tan session using a body scrub, dry brush, or loofah. It will remove dead skin cells from the skin and reveal the fresh skin that will absorb spray tan better.
Avoid using chemicals and oil-based exfoliants and lotions at least 24 hours before the spray tan session. Such products can irritate the skin and may create a barrier between the skin and spray tan that will eventually develop a patchy and uneven tan.
Avoid waxing a day before spray, as waxing opens the pores and leaves them larger than normal. It means some areas absorb more product than others, making them darker and patchy.
Wear loose-fitting clothes and shoes to avoid rubbing them against the skin and causing streaks.
Avoid the application of makeup, perfumes, and every other product that contains essential oils and chemicals.

Final Words

Tanning of all kinds is not safe for the skin. Dermatologists are against skin tanning as it comes with many side effects. While suntan and tanning in tanning beds expose skin to harmful UV rays, increasing the chances of sun damage and skin cancer, spray tans are no exception. Even though, in the case of the spray tan, there is no sun exposure, DHA, the active ingredient, may cause premature skin aging. People who often spray tan complain of getting fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation. Therefore, it should also be avoided. Since no tan is safe and healthy for the skin, you can practice occasional tanning. It will ensure that skin stays healthy, which is far better than premature aged and sunburned skin.

Image Credit: freepik

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