It’s the dead of winter now, but spring break is just around the corner. If you get started on your tan now you’ll have a gorgeous color by the time you hit the beach. For those who don’t live near the equator, there are only a few options to give your pasty white thighs a beautiful golden glow, two of those being to hit the tanning salon for a spray tan or a tanning bed. Let’s take a look at both of those options and their benefits to help you decide how you’re going to achieve that sunkissed look.
VersaSpa PRO Spray Tan
A sunless spray tan has many benefits over traditional tanning booths. They are fast and efficient, offering instant results. The formulas used in the VersaSpa Pro Spray Tan System are gentle on your skin leaving it soft and smooth, especially if you opt for the anti-aging moisture treatment. The 3 spray nozzles and a fine mist of this sunless tanning system ensure even coverage with no streaking for a flawless tan. The color is customized so that you get a completely natural look that is never orange and achieve exactly the depth of color that you want without exposure to damaging UV rays.
The one downside to a spray tan is that they are temporary. How long a spray tan will last depends on the formula used, the rate at which your skin renews itself, and how you prepare for your tanning service and care for your tan afterward. The average “lifespan” of a VersaSpa spray tan is about 7-10 days. A tanning session every 8-9 days is usually sufficient to maintain your tan, though it can vary a little. Here are some things you can do before and after your spray tan to get the most out of your professional tanning service.
Exfoliate Before- Before your session thoroughly cleanses and exfoliates your skin. Sweat, excess oils, and dry dead skin prevent the spray tan from absorbing evenly and may leave you with a patchy tan. 24 hours before your appointment use an exfoliating glove over your whole body, but don’t exfoliate any closer to your appointment or your pores may not be fully closed. Make sure any exfoliating products you use don’t contain a lot of oil. Cleanse your skin the day of your session to remove excess oils and sweat. Go easy on exfoliation after your session. If you’re scrubbing away layers of skin you’ll also be scrubbing away color.
Remove Body Hair- The tanning spray will stain both your skin and any body hair it comes in contact with, so you’ll want to remove it in advance. Shave or wax long enough before your session that your pores have time to close. If your pores are open you could end up with dark spots all over your skin due to the pigment settling in your open pores. Waxing is preferred to shaving because it provides long-lasting hair removal. You won’t have to worry about fading your tan faster with frequent shaving.
Go In Bare Skinned- Don’t apply any makeup or products prior to your tanning session. Anything on the skin can interfere with the application of your tan.
Paint Your Nails- The tanning spray will inevitably come in contact with your fingernails, and brown nails will surely give away your faux tan. Apply a coat of nail polish prior to your session to shield them from the spray. A single coat of clear polish should be sufficient.
Use Oil-Free Moisturizer- Moist, well-hydrated skin will result in a more even tan, but don’t use oil-based moisturizers. Applied before the oil will interfere with the absorption of the tan, and after the oil will break down the pigments and fade your tan faster. Do not apply any moisturizer on the day of your session.
Don’t Get Wet For 8 Hours- Your spray tan may dry in minutes, but it needs time to develop. So avoid showering or getting your skin wet for 8 hours after your session to achieve the best color and longest-lasting tan.
UV Tanning
Spray tans have their advantages, but so does traditional UV tanning. UV tanning beds offer you the same kind of tan you would get from sunbathing, but faster, more efficiently, and most importantly even in the dead of winter when it’s too cold and days are too short to bask in the sun. UV tanning lasts longer than a spray tan because it changes the amount of natural pigment within the skin itself. UV light exposure also helps your body produce vitamin D which most people are deficient in, especially in winter. This UV light exposure can also lift your mood to combat those winter blues or seasonal depression. And most importantly UV tanning allows you to develop your tan a little at a time to build a base tan that offers you sunburn protection.
How often and how long you should use a tanning bed will vary from person to person and may change as your tan develops. If you’re new to tanning you will need shorter and fewer sessions per week to avoid burning. As your tan develops your sessions can get longer and more frequent to build your tan faster. Once you achieve your desired depth of color you may only need one weekly session to maintain it. That too can vary from person to person so it’s important to consult with a tanning professional to determine your best tanning schedule.
The tanning experts at Bella Bronze Hair Salon & Tanning Studios are well-trained and here to help you get started on your spring break tan. They will help you match your spray tan to your skin tone for a flawless tan and help you create a tanning schedule to build and maintain a flawless tan, whether you choose a VersaSpa Pro Spray Tan, UV Tanning in one of our tanning beds, or a how to combine the two for both instant and long-lasting results. You’ll find us at 1486 North Portage Path in Akron. Give us a call at 330-835-3622, or email us at appointments.bellabronze@gmail.com to reserve your appointment today. Ask about our new loyalty program to help you save.
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