Extend The Life of Your Airbrush Tan

We don’t get many complaints about airbrush tanning. It’s safe, it’s affordable, and it looks fantastic. The only disappointment we hear from customers is that they wish it could last longer. While we can’t make it last forever, we DO have some tips to extend the life of your tan. It all starts the day before your appointment…

EXFOLIATE! Tanning beds and the sun itself produce UV Rays which penetrate deep into your skins to create a tan. This can cause damage deep within your skin ranging from sunburns to skin cancer. Spray tans, however, only work on the top, outermost layer of your skin. This makes them much safer, but it also means that the tan won’t last as long. We are always losing skin. The top layer of skin dies and falls off or gets rubbed away by clothes, showers, etc. To make sure you’re not applying your tanning solution to a layer of dead skin that is just about the fall off, you should exfoliate the day before your tanning session so that the fresh skin underneath is the skin that gets tanned. There are tons of exfoliating scrubs, sponges, and gloves on the market that can help you with this task. You can even make your own natural sugar scrub if you’re so inclined! There are tons of great recipes out there. Whatever you choose to use, make sure you do it the day before your appointment!

SHAVE FIRST. This goes along with the exfoliating… Make sure you shave (or wax) the day before your appointment. When you remove hair, you often remove a bit of skin as well. If you wait until after your airbrush tan, you’ll be removing a layer of the newly tanned skin with your hair, and that will reduce the time you get to spend with that glow. Plus, if you have hair on your body, the tanning solution will get on the hair and it can block the solution from getting to your skin and working it’s magic.

SKIP THE LOTION BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT. On the day of your appointment, don’t put on any creams, sprays, perfumes, or lotions. A layer of lotion on your skin can block the tanning solution from absorbing into your skin.

WEAR LOOSE CLOTHING.  Skinny jeans are great, but don’t wear them to your airbrush tanning appointment. The tanning solution dries pretty quickly, but it’s still a good idea to avoid tight-fitting clothes that will rub against your skin and potentially rub your solution off before it has a chance to fully penetrate and give you the best possible tan.

STAY DRY! It’s not just tight clothes that can potentially disrupt your tan. Water can also wash off the solution before it’s finished fully penetrating and bonding to your skin. It takes about 6-8 hours for the solution to completely settle in and do it’s job. Until then, avoid showers, baths, saunas, and heavy work-outs – sweating opens pores and washes away the solution just as much as a shower can.

NOW IT’S TIME TO MOISTURIZE. Once your tan has settled in (after that initial 6-8 hours) then be sure you keep it moist to lock that skin in. You know how your skin gets flakey when it’s dry? Those flakes are dead skin shedding off. Your hydrated skin will stay healthier longer. Once your skin is nice and tan, we want to keep it! Keeping your skin moisturized will ensure that you keep that tan as long as possible. We recommend moisturizing at least twice a day. If you can find a moisturizer that has SPF sun protection built-in, even better! It will help protect your skin from those damaging UV Rays we mentioned earlier!

AVOID CHLORINE. After an airbrush tan, it’s best to limit your time in chlorinated pools. Chlorine dries your skin out and sometimes can even have a bleaching effect. So it’s best to avoid chlorine altogether if possible, but if not – be sure to shower it off as soon as you can when you get out of the pool and keep that moisturizer flowing!

Following these tips can ensure that your tan lasts as long as possible!

How Does an Airbrush Tan Work?

You’re probably aware of what an airbrush tan is, but have you ever wondered how it works? What’s making that color on your skin? Most people think it’s some sort of dye, but it’s not!

 The solution that you’re being sprayed with contains DHA. DHA isn’t a dye, paint, or stain. It’s actually a non-toxic, organic compound that creates a chemical reaction with the amino acids in the stratum corneum, which is the outermost layer of your skin’s epidermis. This reaction is similar to the maillard reaction which occurs in food. This reaction does not involve the underlying skin pigmentation, nor does it require exposure to ultraviolet light to initiate the change in color. When you tan outdoors in the sun or use tanning beds, the color change occurs in the deepest layer of the epidermis, the basal layer. This reaction is caused by UV rays, and it can cause serious skin damage, including cancer. DHA is approved by the FDA, and does not carry these serious risks.

When the dead skin on the surface of your body begins to wear away, the color wears off with it. An airbrush tan usually lasts for approximately 7-10 days. Because the tan occurs in that top layer of skin, it’s important to exfoliate before your airbrush session. You want to be sure you’ve gotten rid of all the dead skin on the surface that were just about ready to wear off, so that the solution won’t be wasted on cells that flake off almost immediately! You’ll also want to avoid water for the first 8 hours after your session so that you don’t wash off the solution before the DHA can fully settle in. While you have your tan, you’ll want to keep your skin moisturized so that it doesn’t dry out and flake off prematurely.

What’s the Difference Between a Spray Tan and an Airbrush Tan?

We keep talking about getting an “airbrush” tan and you’re probably wondering why we don’t just call it a “spray” tan. It’s not because we’re trying to sound fancy!  Not all spray tans are alike… Let’s take a look at some of the methods out there that we lump into the “spray tan” category!

♦ Spray Tan Booths

Spray tan booths are pretty much exactly what they sound like. It’s a large booth that you stand in, and the tanning solution sprays out of nozzles and onto your skin. There’s no one there spraying you, so you might feel more comfortable, but it also means that no one is making sure everything is even or avoiding areas you might not want doused with spray, such as underarms or the palms of your hands. If you accidentally turn your arm the wrong way or clench your legs together in the booth, the spray might not hit you evenly, leaving you with an unnatural looking tan.  Booths can also make people feel slightly claustrophobic, so if you get uneasy in tight spaces, this might not be the method for you.

 ♦ Self-Tanners

You’ve all seen these, and let’s be honest – most of us have tried at least one variety. They’re spray cans or lotions found everywhere from high end salons to Walgreens, and they promise perfect golden skin in the privacy of your own home – for way less money! But how well do they work? I’ll be honest, you MIGHT be able to find one that you’ll swear by. But chances are, it will take a lot of time, money, and misery before you do. There are so many different formulas out there, and everyone’s skin is different, so it’s hard to tell which lotions, potions, and sprays will look natural on you. It’s also hard to apply sprays and lotions evenly on yourself. You might THINK you’ve gotten every inch, but the next day you look in the mirror and there’s that big patch of white skin, or even worse, thick streaks or blotches of dark color! Many at-home products will not only color your skin, but leave stains on your clothes, sheets, and furniture as well! As the saying goes, you usually get what you pay for. You’ll get much better results letting a professional handle it. Which leads us to….

♦ Airbrush Tanning

Airbrush tanning is the preferred method for many people, including Hollywood’s biggest celebrities. With an airbrush tan, you’re working with a professional technician who knows how to pick the perfect formula to make each person’s unique skin tone look naturally colored.  They will then spray you by hand to ensure that the solution is applied evenly to all areas you want to tan, and eliminate excess spray from getting into areas you DON’T want – like knees, elbows, and underarms! They can touch up specific areas to even out skin tone or eliminate tan lines, and even do things like give definition to thighs and abs. Airbrush tanning won’t leave streaks or stains like most at-home products, and it only requires one application. An airbrush tanning session is a truly personalized experience. You can even have an airbrush artist come to your house! They will bring all the equipment necessary to give you a great tan in the privacy and convenience of your own home!

For an affordable airbrush tan in Denver, Shine salon is the place to go!  We can also come to you and we offer special group packages for spa nights, bachelorette parties, weddings, pre-prom, etc. Give us a call to make an appointment and see why airbrush tanning is the best kind of spray tan you can get!  (303)-722-4040