Competition & Bodybuilder Spray Tan – Base Coat & Top Coat

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Designed specifically for athletes competing in bodybuilding, fitness, bikini, wellness and physique categories, this tan enhances muscle definition, evens skin tone, and ensures you look your absolute best under harsh stage lighting.
Whether you need a Base Coat only or a Base + Top Coat, this guide explains everything you need to know for a perfect result.

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Why Athletes Need a Professional Competition Spray Tan

A "normal" spray tan is not strong enough for stage lighting bodybuilding shows require a specialist competition tanning solution that deepens colour, sharpens muscle definition, and prevents wash-out under bright lights.
My competition tan is formulated specifically for athletes giving you:

• Rich, deep stage colour

• Enhanced muscle definition for sharper lines

• Smooth, even application

• A professional finish approved for all major UK federations

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Why My Competition Tan Is Different From Show-Day Tanning Services

Unlike on-site tanning teams who often work under extreme time pressure backstage, my service is dedicated, unhurried, and highly personalised. Your booking includes up to 1 hour for your Base Coat, ensuring:

• No rushing: your appointment is fully focused on you

• You are fully dry before dressing, preventing early marks or streaks

• Hands, wrists, knees and feet are blended

• Nails and palms are wiped to avoid unwanted staining

• Precision application that prioritises symmetry, smoothness and detail

• Individual attention to your physique, posing suit lines and category requirements

This meticulous approach gives you a cleaner, deeper, more polished result than the quick backstage tans often provided at shows. With me, your tan is applied in a calm setting, with the time and care needed to ensure a perfect, stage-ready finish.

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Preparing Your Skin for a Bodybuilding Tan

During prep your body is often dehydrated and your skin can become dry and flaky due to strict dieting. Dry skin does not absorb tan evenly, so preparation is crucial.

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1–2 weeks before your show: daily moisturising

✔Moisturise twice a day using lotions with natural oils such as: Jojoba oil, Almond oil, Shea butter. Body oils such as AVEENO® Skin Relief Body Oil Spray

✔Exfoliate 1 time per week

Hydrated skin = richer colour, smoother application and better fading.

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Before Care for Competition /  Bodybuilder Spray Tan

The most important part of your spray tan is exfoliate. This impacts longevity, evenness, absorption, colour clarity, and how your tan fades.

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24 Hours Before Your Appointment

✔Complete any other beauty treatments, especially facials, massage, nail, brow or eye-area services. Some lash or brow glue and tint formulas are not compatible with same-day spray tanning, so please confirm with your technician beforehand.

Shaving & Waxing:

✔Shave at least 24 hours before your appointment.

✔Wax at least 48 hours before your appointment.

✔Do not shave right before your spray tan session. Skin irritation and disrupted pH levels can interfere with tan clarity and absorption.

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Exfoliation should be done day before your spray tan:

✔Take a warm bath for 20 to 30 minutes.

✔Shave during or after the bath.

✔Use an exfoliating glove or mitt in circular motions to gently buff off dead skin. (Exfoliating glove is usually next to sponges in supermarket and cost £1-£5)

✔Avoid oil-based body scrubs and shower gels. Many products contain silicone or oils that form a barrier and reduce tan absorption, even after rinsing.

✔Exfoliate from feet to head, focusing especially on the upper body including chest, back, sides and anywhere your dress fits tightly. ✔Incorrect exfoliation may result in your dress rubbing the skin and causing patches or visible bronzer transfer.

✔Check your exfoliation: after this long bath, rub skin with your towel. If any dead skin rolls off, exfoliate again. Proper exfoliation prevents patchy fading and helps tan last longer.

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Base Coat (Day Before the Competition)

Your Base Coat is applied 1 day before your show.
This first layer develops overnight and creates the perfect foundation for your Top Coat.

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What to wear during your Base Coat

• Men’s Physique competitors: may stay in their own underwear

• Other male categories: underwear must be replaced with a sock

• Females: must be nude to prevent tan lines

For men, I recommend applying clear nail varnish to protect fingernails.

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❗ After your Base Coat – IMPORTANT

• NO showering

• NO sweating

• NO deodorant or lotions

• Avoid water, steam, and tight clothing

Wear loose cotton clothing, long bottoms, and a long-sleeved top/hoodie.

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Your Base Coat Includes:

• pH Balancing Pre-Mist

• Barrier Cream for nails areas such as: hands, elbows, knees, feet

• Full Body Competition Spray Tan Solution

• Post-Mist Tan Lock to seal colour

• Drying Powder to reduce tackiness

• Hand, nail, knee and foot blending, your palms and nails wiping

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Top Coat (Show Day Morning)

Your Top Coat is applied on the morning of your show.
If you don’t see availability on the booking system, please text me I will manually reserve your slot.

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Arrive in your Base Coat – DO NOT SHOWER.

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Your Top Coat Includes:

• Final competition spray tan layer

• Tan Lock

• Drying powder for comfort and reduced stickiness

Extra Competitor Essentials (included):

• A mini jar of glaze with sponge for on-site blending

• A mini jar of competition tanning solution for touch-ups

• A full-size tan remover for post-show use

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Recommended Emergency Top-Up Products

Even with a flawless tan, show day can be unpredictable: clothing or sweat can sometimes cause small marks. These products are highly recommended to help you correct or enhance your tan quickly and effectively.

✔Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs – Dark: A must-have for every competitor’s show-day kit. This product is perfect for quick touch-ups, covering rubs, marks or uneven areas within seconds. It blends easily, dries fast, and gives excellent additional coverage under harsh stage lighting.

✔O.R.S Olive Oil Nourishing Sheen Spray: A fantastic, affordable alternative to professional stage glaze.
Highly recommended for your show day, this product adds a beautiful, even sheen that enhances muscle definition without making the skin look overly shiny or greasy. It applies effortlessly and is ideal for achieving the polished, competition-ready finish judges expect.​​​​​​​​​​​