How to Make Your Spray Tan Last Longer

Quick Answer

Want your spray tan to last longer?

The biggest things you can do are prepare your skin properly beforehand, follow your exact rapid-rinse time, moisturize consistently afterward and avoid unnecessarily exfoliating your colour away.

Most of spray-tan longevity isn't complicated.

It's just surprisingly easy to accidentally sabotage.

Let's prevent that.

1. Exfoliate the Day Before

Your tan develops on the outermost layer of your skin.

If that layer is already dry and flaky, your tan doesn't have the greatest canvas to work with.

Gently exfoliate your body before your appointment, ideally the day before.

Pay particular attention to:

Knees.

Elbows.

Ankles.

Feet.

And other areas where skin tends to be drier.

We want smooth.

We do not want you to arrive looking freshly sanded.

2. Complete Hair Removal Beforehand

Shaving and body sugaring both remove surface skin cells.

Do them before your spray tan rather than afterward.

If you're getting professionally sugared, book that first and your spray tan second.

This is particularly important for legs, underarms and Brazilian/bikini areas if they're being tanned.

3. Don't Shower Immediately Before Your Appointment

This one surprises people.

I prefer that you don't shower immediately before your spray tan.

Ideally, shower the day before when you exfoliate and complete your hair removal.

A hot shower right before your appointment can leave the skin warm and damp, and products such as body wash, conditioner, shaving products and moisturizing cleansers may leave residue behind.

That can interfere with how evenly the tanning solution develops.

If you absolutely need to shower the same day, keep it lukewarm, avoid oily or heavily moisturizing products and give your skin plenty of time to completely dry and cool down before your appointment.

4. Arrive Product-Free

Skip the body oil.

Skip heavy lotion.

Skip deodorant immediately beforehand.

Skip perfume and other unnecessary body products.

We want your tanning solution meeting your skin, not fighting its way through six layers of Bath & Body Works.

Clean, dry and boring wins.

5. Follow Your Rapid Rinse Time

At Wyld Sol, I only offer rapid-rinse spray tans.

I'll give you a specific rinse time based on your skin, solution and desired colour.

Follow it.

Leaving your tan on dramatically longer doesn't automatically give you a better result.

And don't panic when your first rinse removes the cosmetic bronzer and you temporarily look lighter.

Your actual tan continues developing afterward.

Let it cook.

Figuratively.

Please do not actually cook yourself.

6. Moisturize Consistently

If I could convince every spray-tan client to do one thing after their tan, this would be very high on the list.

Moisturize.

Hydrated skin generally fades more evenly than dry, flaky skin.

And consistency matters more than panic-moisturizing when your shins suddenly look like pastry.

Make it part of your routine while you're maintaining your colour.

7. Keep Your Showers Reasonable

You can shower.

You should shower.

Everyone around you supports this decision.

But very long, scorching-hot showers aren't particularly friendly to a spray tan.

Keep the temperature and length reasonable when you're trying to preserve your colour.

8. Pat Yourself Dry

After your shower, gently pat your skin dry rather than aggressively rubbing yourself with your towel.

Remember, your tan lives in the surface layers of your skin.

Constant friction encourages those cells to leave the party sooner.

9. Put the Exfoliating Mitt Away

Before your spray tan?

Love her.

While you're trying to maintain your spray tan?

She's on vacation.

Avoid scrubs, exfoliating mitts and aggressive exfoliation until you're ready to remove the remaining tan.

Then we can bring everything back out and prepare a fresh canvas.

10. Know That Swimming Will Affect Your Tan

Pool?

Ocean?

Hot tub?

Absolutely enjoy yourself.

But prolonged water exposure, chlorine and hot tubs can speed up fading.

This matters especially if you're getting sprayed before vacation.

I'm never going to tell you to spend your tropical vacation standing beside the pool protecting your spray tan.

Get in the damn pool.

Just understand that your tan may not last quite as long.

11. Be Gentle With Your Face

Your face commonly fades faster than your body.

You're washing it more often and potentially using cleansers, active skincare ingredients, makeup removers and exfoliating products.

If preserving facial colour is important to you, pay attention to what you're putting on your skin during the week after your tan.

12. Don't Try to Make Your Tan Last Forever

This is important.

At some point, your tan needs to go.

Trying to preserve the last remaining 11% of your spray tan for another week isn't doing anybody any favours.

When it has reached the end of its life, exfoliate the remaining colour away and start with a fresh canvas before your next appointment.

A fresh tan over properly prepared skin will look considerably better than layering colour over old, uneven tan.

From Whitney's Treatment Room

The best spray-tan aftercare isn't complicated.

You don't need seventeen special products and a ritual performed under a full moon.

Prepare properly.

Follow your rinse time.

Keep your skin hydrated.

Be gentle with it.

That's most of the battle.

And if your tan fades a little faster because you spent your vacation swimming in the ocean?

Good.

You went on vacation to enjoy yourself.

Not to become your spray tan's full-time caregiver.

FAQ

How long should a spray tan last?

Many professional spray tans look their best for several days, with remaining colour potentially lasting around a week or longer depending on your skin and aftercare.

Does moisturizing make a spray tan last longer?

Keeping your skin hydrated can help your colour fade more evenly and reduce the dry, patchy appearance that can occur as skin sheds.

Do hot showers fade a spray tan?

Long, very hot showers can contribute to faster fading. Keep showers reasonable and avoid unnecessary scrubbing.

Does shaving remove spray tan?

Shaving can speed up fading because it provides some physical exfoliation. Whenever possible, complete hair removal before tanning.

Does swimming ruin a spray tan?

Not instantly, but prolonged swimming, chlorine, hot tubs and frequent water exposure can shorten its lifespan.

Should I exfoliate while I have a spray tan?

Not while you're trying to preserve it. Save intentional exfoliation for when you're ready to remove the remaining tan and prepare for your next one.

Want Your Glow to Stick Around?

A great spray tan isn't only about what happens inside the treatment room.

Preparation + professional application + good aftercare work together.

At Wyld Sol Body Sugaring & Spray Tanning in Calgary, I'll walk you through your preparation, customize your colour, give you your exact rapid-rinse time and tell you how to care for it afterward.

No spray-tan PhD required.

Just show up. I'll handle the colour.