NW GLW · Tacoma, WA

Spray Tan Preparation & Aftercare

A little prep. A little care. A beautiful GLW.

Here’s how to prepare for your custom spray tan and care for it afterward. First time? I’ll guide you through everything, including your custom color and personal rinse time.

Before your appointment

Pre-Tan Preparation

Your checklist for a fresh, even starting point.

Plan ahead

  • Complete waxing or sugaring 24–48 hours before your appointment.
  • Schedule manicures and pedicures before your tan.
  • Do not tan over sunburned or peeling skin. Reschedule your appointment until your skin has healed.

Your prep shower: ideally 24 hours before

  • Shower, exfoliate, and shave ideally 24 hours before your appointment. Use non-oily products and rinse away all shaving cream or gel completely.
  • Fully remove previous self-tanner so we can start with an even base.
  • No moisturizer after your prep shower. Leave your skin free of lotion and body oils until your tan.

Shaving & gentle products

  • Shave the day before, rather than just before your tan, to give freshly shaved skin time to settle. Cosmetic bronzer can collect around freshly shaved hair follicles and make them look more noticeable.
  • Avoid razors with large moisturizing strips or bars. These can leave a coating on your skin.
  • Choose a gentle shaving cream or gel that rinses clean. You don’t need to switch to body wash for shaving. Rinse thoroughly so no shaving product remains on your skin.
  • Amy’s gentle cleansing picks include Honest baby wash and shampoo and CeraVe gentle wash. Choose a non-exfoliating formula suited to your face or body, and rinse it away completely.

Appointment day

  • Arrive with clean, completely dry skin. Skip lotion, body oils, perfume, makeup, and deodorant.
  • A prep shower 24 hours before is preferred. If you must shower on appointment day, finish at least four hours before your tan. Four hours is the absolute minimum. Do not apply moisturizer afterward.
  • Wear loose, dark long pants, a loose long-sleeved shirt, and flip-flops. Think Adam Sandler attire!
  • Skip shorts, leggings, snug bras, socks, and anything that could rub or leave pressure lines.
  • Leave jewelry at home. Disposable undergarments are available if you’d like them.

After your appointment

Spray Tan Aftercare

A little love to keep your glow going.

Before your first rinse

  • Avoid water, sweating, and activities that could rub or disturb your developing tan.
  • Keep clothing loose. Wait to apply lotion, makeup, or setting spray until after your first rinse and the aftercare timing I give you.
  • Plan workouts and water activities for another time.

Your first rinse

  1. Use lukewarm water. Color washing away is normal; that’s the cosmetic bronzer.
  2. Use your hands in gentle cupping motions to help rinse away the bronzer.
  3. Skip soap, loofahs, washcloths, and scrubbing. If you see bronzer streaks, keep gently rinsing until the water runs clear.
  4. Pat dry, then moisturize as instructed.

Your color will continue developing after your rinse. Give your glow time to settle in!

Make it last

After 24 hours from your appointment, you can use soap and return to your normal shower and skincare routine. Yes, you can wash your body and hair! The soap-free instruction is for your first rinse while your tan is still developing. You don’t need to keep avoiding soap once those 24 hours are up.

Ready to get back to life? Go for it. These simple habits help your glow last longer as you enjoy your usual routine:

  • Moisturize daily.
  • Keep showers gentle. Avoid prolonged hot showers and soaking.
  • Pat dry instead of rubbing.
  • Avoid exfoliating or scrubbing until you’re ready to remove your fading tan.
  • Continue using sunscreen. A spray tan does not provide sun protection.

Makeup & facial skincare

  • Once your tan has developed according to my instructions, remove makeup gently with a mild, non-exfoliating cleanser or makeup remover. Use your fingertips and avoid scrubbing with wipes, cleansing brushes, or rough cloths.
  • Exfoliating acids, scrubs, and retinoids may fade facial color faster. Don’t change prescribed skincare just to preserve a tan. Your face may also fade sooner with regular cleansing.
  • Wait until your tan has developed before using setting spray. For ongoing care, choose a gentle, non-drying formula. Strong-hold formulas high in drying alcohol may dry your skin. Aerosol packaging alone does not determine whether a product is suitable for your tan.

Taking your glow on vacation

  • Wait until your tan has fully developed according to my instructions before swimming. Your first rinse does not necessarily mean development is complete.
  • Pools, salt water, hot tubs, and long soaks can make your tan fade faster. Rinse with fresh water after swimming, pat dry, and moisturize.
  • Pack a gentle body wash, moisturizer, and sunscreen. Keep using and reapplying sunscreen as directed on its label. Protecting your skin comes first.

Your tan may last approximately 7–14 days, depending on your skin, preparation, lifestyle, and aftercare.

A little science. A lot of GLW.

What’s happening with your glow?

You’ve got the tan. Now let’s talk about what it’s doing. Because your glow has a little chemistry homework before it’s ready to party.

Your skin + a little chemistry = your glow.

The color-developing ingredient in your tan is DHA, short for dihydroxyacetone. It’s a type of sugar that reacts with amino acids in your skin’s outermost layer, creating brown pigments. The science name is the Maillard reaction. Around here, we call it the glow getting to work.

This gives your skin a tanned appearance without UV exposure. It isn’t a sun tan, and it doesn’t give you sun protection. Sunscreen still gets an invite.

Fresh from the studio

The first look is a sneak peek.

That instant color you see includes a cosmetic bronzer. Think of it as the opening act. Your developing tan is the headliner, and it needs a little more time.

Looking extra bronzed before your rinse? That first look isn’t necessarily your finished shade.

While your color develops

Let your glow do its thing.

DHA is getting to know your skin’s surface and building color. This happens over hours, so two people can develop a little differently.

Keep things dry, skip the sweaty workout, and stay in your loose, comfy outfit until your first rinse. Follow the personal rinse time I give you. An earlier rinse time does not mean your color is finished developing.

Your first rinse

Bronzer down the drain. Panic canceled.

Seeing brown water? That’s the cosmetic bronzer rinsing away. You’re not watching your whole tan disappear.

Use lukewarm water and your hands, skip soap and scrubbing, then pat dry. Your skin may look lighter right afterward. Your developed color can keep deepening after this rinse. Give the glow a little breathing room.

24 hours after your appointment

Okay, glow get back to life.

Yes to soap. Yes to shampoo. Yes to your normal routine. Once it’s been 24 hours since your tan was applied, you can return to your usual shower and skincare routine. You don’t need to keep doing water-only rinses.

Gentle cleansing won’t simply wash off the color that has developed in your outer skin layer. Moisturize daily, pat dry, and go enjoy yourself.

Count those 24 hours from your appointment, not your first rinse. Your shade may still settle a little depending on your skin and the formula. That doesn’t mean you need to keep avoiding soap.

A little patience. A little care. Then go live your GLW.
Amy

Curious about the science?

Your glow, beautifully cared for.

Prep ahead, follow your personal rinse time, and keep your skincare gentle. A little consistency helps your glow look its best from the first rinse to the final fade.

BOOK YOUR NEXT GLOW