The Best Spray Tan Routine for Miami Gals
Spray tans are a great way to get a sun-kissed look without having to worry about the risks associated with tanning in the sun. If you live in Miami, then you'll be happy to know that spray tans can provide an excellent alternative for achieving beautiful, glowing skin without sacrificing your safety or skincare routine.
A tan always makes us feel 10 pounds lighter. There’s something about a warm bronze glow that makes you look more toned, giving you a boost of confidence, right?! But who’s seriously willing to rock a golden glow at the expense of wrinkles or skin cancer? Definitely not us. That’s why we love a good fake tan. Spray tan or DIY foam fake tan situation, sign us up.
Getting the best spray tan in the studio or at home is easy - all you need are to follow a few simple steps.
In-Studio Spray Tan Guide
RESEARCH. Ask friends for recommendations, do a Google search, DM your favorite influencer. Don’t buy a Groupon for the cheapest available. You want your tan done by an experienced professional with good reviews - especially if you’re getting a tan for a special event.
EXFOLIATE, SHAVE + DRY BRUSH. You want to this at least 3 hours before your appointment so your skin has time to thoroughly dry. Show up with clean skin (that means no lotion or makeup). Now, this seems rather obvious but let’s go over it just in case. Shave everything you need to shave BEFORE you spray tan. We like to shave the night before we get my spray tan but have been
WEAR DARK + LOOSE CLOTHES. Always go into the tanning salon prepared. We like to wear a lightweight black maxi. We wear a dress just like this when we’re running errands & spraying because it’s really ideal to just throw on.
You don’t want to wear a tight sports bra with leggings & tennis shoes. Why? Because after the tan when you put on super tight clothes, it makes marks. Nasty marks. Trust us on this because it’s happened to us once and it never will again. Wear something light weight.
GO PEE. Do this right before you go in the spray tan booth and make sure to dry off completely. You don’t want to go right after you get sprayed because you risk ruining your gorgeous new glow. We have a friend who actually peed during her spray tan and was stuck with marks down her leg resembling dribbles for a week.
BE CONSERVATIVE. Especially on your face. We always ask for a single spray on my face if we are doing a double spray on my body. We’d rather deepen the color on our face with makeup than risk looking too dark/orange.
DRY OUT. You want to be as dry as much as possible before you put your clothes on. We always ask for extra drying time. There is nothing worse than a splotchy, blotchy, obviously fake tan. If you’re not feeling 100% dry throw, some baby powder on your “wet” spots. This will prevent any streaking or creasing.
NO CONTACT. Avoid any skin to skin contact until you shower. Don’t cross your legs until after you rinse your tan off hours later.
If you can’t get into the spray tan studio, you always have the option to DIY self-tan at home. It is a more affordable option and there are tons of great products on the market now.
At Home Spray Tan Guide
EXFOLIATE & SHAVE: helps the last as long as possible & leaves skin nice & smooth
COVER YOUR BASES: we coat our hands & feet with a layer of lotion to keep the tan from getting too dark & staining unnaturally in these areas.
WASH YOUR HANDS: immediately after you finish applying - even if you can’t see anything! Nothing worse than having tie-dye hands on the beach.
GRAB A FRIEND (OR A MITT): We will take turns spraying each other down in the shower. We love the foam/mitt combo. We think it looks the most natural and is pretty easy to use solo.
START WITH A BASE TAN: pro-tip we love to mix a few squirts of foam into my body lotion for a subtle, even glow a couple times a week.
At Home & In Studio Spray Tan Maintenance Guide
AVOID SWIMMING after your spray tan. Stay out of the water: pool, ocean, hot tub, bath tub. We typically wait until the last day or two of my vacation before we go in the water to maximize the life of our tan.
AVOID OIL based products like sunscreen, tanning oil, oil based lotions or facial oils. Oil causes the spray tan formula to sliding off of your skin, leaving you looking streaky.
AVOID ANTI-AGING products. They speed up cell reproduction and promote exfoliation means you spray tan will start coming off faster than expected.
