Holiday Tan

Too pale to wear swimwear?
A spray tan will boost your confidence instantly, help you feel glowing in photos, but it’s important to set realistic expectations.
Factors like humidity, sweat, chlorine and salt water can speed up fading, so while your glow can last up to 7 days, extra care will help you keep it smooth and radiant for longer.

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Holiday Shade Selection

Many clients believe the colour must be very dark, but your best shade depends on your undertone, destination climate and how your skin naturally absorbs tanning solution. Too dark can look brassy in photos and fade more noticeably. A balanced glow is always the safest and most flattering result for holidays.

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Before Care for Your Holiday Tan The Secret to a Long-Lasting Travel Glow

I know you’ve read a lot, so here is the simple truth, the most important part of your pre-holiday spray tan is exfoliation. This step impacts longevity, absorption, colour clarity, and how your skin fades over days in heat and water.

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1 Week Before Your Tan

✔Avoid all self-tanners or gradual tans
✔Exfoliate your full body at least once
✔Moisturise daily to keep your skin hydrated using light, skin-friendly lotions

✔Choose moisturisers containing natural seed-based oils like jojoba, argan, or almond
✔Avoid mineral oil, petroleum jelly or paraffinum liquidum, they sit on the skin and slow absorption without providing deep hydration

 

24 Hours Before Your Appointment

✔Complete all other beauty treatments such as facials, massage, lashes, brows and nails. (Check with your technician if their glue or tint product allows same-day spray tanning. If not compatible, reschedule your treatment or we can skip tanning face and you can purchase Spritz Tanning Water to top up face at home)

✔Shaving & Waxing:

-Shave 24 hours before your appointment
-Wax 48 hours before your tan appointment
✔Avoid shaving right before your session, irritated skin and disrupted pH can change absorption and final tone

✔Exfoliate 

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How to Exfoliate Correctly (The Night Before)

✔Take a warm bath for 20 to 30 minutes
✔Shave during or after the bath
✔Gently buff the skin in circular motions using an exfoliating glove or mitt. Do it enough long to remove all dead skin. Exfoliate from feet to head.
✔Avoid scrubs or shower gels that contain oils or silicone, they form a barrier
✔Check your skin with a towel while drying. If any dead skin rolls off, exfoliate once more. This step ensures your skin is smooth, even.

✔If you have recently experienced sunburn or peeling, spray tan should be rescheduled. Sun-damaged or peeling skin needs 4 to 6 weeks to fully heal before tanning.

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On the Day of Your Appointment

✔Shower 4+ hours before your session, not right before, this protects your pH balance
✔Do not apply perfume, deodorant, makeup or lotion to the body
✔Wear loose comfortable clothes like baggy T-shirts and joggers or pyjamas. Avoid leggings, jeans or strappy tops, as tight clothing may cause streaks from body friction or seatbelts during tan processing.
✔If it’s raining, bring an umbrella to avoid accidental water contact

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Aftercare for Your Holiday Tan: Keep It Golden, Smooth & Long Lasting

Your spray tan takes up to 24 hours to fully develop and looks its most radiant after 2 days. Do not judge the tan earlier, your skin needs time to shift into its final tone. Every formula develops, rapid rinse tans need time.

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Your First Rinse

✔Use lukewarm water only, no soap
✔Gently glide your hands over skin, starting from toes upwards. ( Strat rinse from feet - its key to avoid streaky tan)
✔Rinse until the water runs clear, this takes up to 2 minutes
✔Pat the skin dry, never rub
✔Do not apply lotion or makeup right after your first rinse

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24 Hours After Your Tan

✔Take your second shower using shower gel to remove all bronzer residue
✔Now you can safely wear white or light-coloured outfits and swimwear
✔Start using a spray tan-safe moisturiser daily (available in salon for purchase)
✔Avoid mineral-oil heavy moisturisers, they can break the tan down faster

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Daily Longevity Tips

✔Pat dry after swimming
✔Apply sunscreen before water contact to form a protective layer on your skin
✔Keep your skin hydrated to minimise dryness from heat, salt or pool water
✔Avoid exfoliating until your tan fades naturally
✔Use gradual tanning lotion or tanning water spritz for glow maintenance and blending fading areas

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Maintance your glow
✔It’s essential to remember that spray tans do not protect the skin from UV damage or sunburn, so SPF is always a must. Quality sunscreens like Sun Bum or COOLA are known for being tan-friendly and gentle on the skin. Applying SPF before swimming in the sea or pool creates a thin, protective layer that slows down fading, allowing your tan to wear more evenly. After water exposure, avoid rubbing the skin - simply pat dry with a towel.
✔After 4+ days, if your tan was very dark, fading may become more visible. When you notice your tan slowly starting to fade after around 5 days, gently glide a sponge or a towel over the skin in the shower using circular motions to blend and remove the tan gradually. This method avoids irritation and protects the skin for future spray tan sessions.

✔If you plan to wear a tight, wet suit for water sports, schedule those activities toward the end of your holiday, not during the first couple of days when the tan is still fresh.

✔Tanning oils, while popular for sun-kissed skin, often contain mineral oils that may dissolve a new spray tan prematurely, so it’s best to avoid them while your glow still looks fresh.

✔For maintenance during your trip, you can also top up with gradual tan products from Azure Tan, which are always available to purchase at your appointment. 

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