Posh Purpose Tips for a Perfect Spray Tan

Being melanin challenged, I've been spray tanning pretty much every summer since grad school.  I like a good golden glow, but achieving this without looking like an oompa loompa can be challenging if you aren't careful.  I've had many an orange palm or funky looking foot.  BUUUUUT, I think I've finally figured out a few tips that will help anyone looking for a sunless tan.  I usually use the Versa Spa tanning booths, I find they give the best color and the most even coverage.  Regardless, these tips should help you get a even glow no matter where you go!

Posh Purpose Spray Tan Tips

1. Shower, shave, and exfoliate before you go (this is pretty much standard advice you can find in any beauty magazine).

2. Moisturize your face.  For some reason, faces, hands, and feet suck up the tanning solution and wind up looking really off.  If you moisturize your face before you go your face won't absorb quite as much of the solution.

3. Make and take a post-tanning kit.  My salon keeps these supplies available for clients, but if yours doesn't take the following (1) pack of baby wipes, (2) cotton balls, and (3) Q-tips.

4. Ask for an extra towel before heading into the booth.  Lay it down on the floor, this will keep the bottoms of your feet from getting too tan.

5. After you put on the hair cap, put lotion on any dry spots you have on your elbows and knees (the tanning salon has barrier cream that is really thick).  Also put a good coat on your hands, palms, and feet.  Do an extra heavy layer over each nail.

6. Once you've gotten sprayed, hop out and take the towel on the floor with you (most systems have an autowash, so don't leave it behind to get wet).

7. Immediately pat down your face with a towel.  Grab a baby wipe and wipe off your palms as quickly as possible.  Grab your towel and wipe the lotion off the back of your hands and feet.

8.  Grab another baby wipe and wipe it over each nail.

9. Take your shower cap off and grab a cotton ball.  Run it around your hairline to blend in. 

10. Take care of your hands by taking another cotton ball and running it over each knuckle and down by your wrist.  Do the same with the tops of your toes, your ankles, and the sides of your feet.

11. Take a Q-tip and run it around the outside of your ears.  The solution tends to collect in your ears which gets icky.

12.  Run one last baby wipe across your palms and then finish with a bit more lotion applied just to the back of your hands.

13. To preserve your tan skip the lotion and expensive tan preservers that the salon will try to sell you.  Instead, pick up a jar of organic cold pressed coconut oil.  Briana and I have been trying it out and will report more soon, but since I started using coconut oil as a moisturizer my tan has lasted a lot longer AND I'm not getting that weird crackle in the tan color that appears after a couple weeks of tanning.

This sounds like a lengthy process, but I'm usually in and out of the salon in 15-20 mins from start to finish for steps 4-12.  I find that blending really helps and the baby wipes are essential!  Hopefully, these tips will help you get golden glow for the summer!