Generally, sunbathing or staying under the sun can create a tan that many girls want to achieve. However, some experts claim that there are risks to potential sun damage in achieving a brown tan naturally. It could give you dark spots, sun spots, and premature aging from the harsh UV rays. In fact, according to one dermatologist, suntan is never deemed a healthy tan because it can result in such skin damage and even an instrument to develop skin cancer.
Thus, spray tanning has been gaining much attention, especially for those who want to have perfect sun-kissed glowing skin through a safe process. It has become the best option to achieve a tan without getting exposed to damaging UV rays.
Instead of the sun, spray tanning has some unique ingredients to achieve the brown skin color. One of its ingredients is what they call DHA— a color additive from beet’s sugar. It plays the role of the active ingredient made to stimulate a reaction from the amino acids present in the skin to turn it brown. So, unlike the suntan, spray tanning prevents the individual from getting exposed to UV rays.
Spray tan might be the best option, but it requires meticulous aftercare to keep the tan as long as possible since it’s not permanent. After 7 to 10 days, the sunless tan is bound to disappear. So, it’s essential to know how to keep the skin brown and glowing even after several days. Moreover, spray tan is not free compared to a suntan, which is why you should be aware of the things to avoid after the process.
One of the most common questions regarding spray tan are these: “Can you wash your face after a spray tan?” along with “When can I shower after a spray tan?” and “What are the things to do after the spray tan?”. Well, in this article, you will definitely find all the answers that have been bugging you, whether you already had the spray tan or you’re still just planning to do it.
Washing the Face After a Spray Tan
You might have been wondering and worried about not being able to wash your face or body after the spray tan. Well, it can be true, but you don’t have to wait for days to shower or wash your face after the treatment. It will depend on the type of spray you had and how dark the color you want it to be.
According to some experts, the chemical reaction usually takes about two hours to occur, which means you can already wash your face after this period. However, it’s only when you want the tan to be lighter because the longer you wait, the darker the result. That’s why you can also find that 4 to 8 hours is the recommended waiting time before washing your face or showering.
Additionally, it’s not just washing your face that is forbidden when you come fresh from the spray tanning place. It’s recommended to avoid all kinds of moisture that might get your tan wet, including liquid moisturizer and other liquid stuff, although putting on some make-up after the tan is okay. However, the huge struggle is, can you wash your face after the spray tan to remove the make-up? The answer is no. It’s suggested to keep your make-up on and avoid washing your face until it’s time.
It would be best to avoid sweating, so working out and other activities that might get you sweaty is not an option after the spray tan. Thus, sweating or washing your freshly tanned face and body will definitely affect the development of the color.
What Will Happen When You Wash Your Face After a Spray Tan?
As mentioned, spray tanning requires awareness of what to do after the treatment to get the most out of it since a simple as sweating and washing the face can affect the result. However, what if you already washed your face earlier than the recommended waiting time?
If you suddenly forget that you had a tan and washed your face earlier than recommended, the possibility of decreasing the longevity of the tan is high. Instead of 7 to more days, your tan will not last longer than expected. Moreover, the development of the tan will be affected, and you might not be able to achieve your desired level of tan on your face. It will also result in a different shade of tan compared to your body. So if you washed your face after a spray tan, you might as well wash your body to prevent uneven color.
What Other Things to Avoid After a Spray Tan?
Other than not washing your face and showering before the recommended waiting time, there are also other things you should avoid after a spray tan.
First to mention is to avoid getting facial. According to experts, getting a facial after a spray tan can result in having black spots on the skin as the tanner will enter the pores. They recommend waiting at least a day or more to prevent unwanted blackhead-like spots.
It’s also suggested to avoid using harsh body wash when it’s time for you to shower after the spray tan. It will only result in an uneven and underdeveloped bronze tan. You’ll not achieve the right level of tan you like. Moreover, washing with harsh products will increase the chance of getting streaks, filling your tan with stripes and uneven lines.
Conclusion
Spray tanning is great and provides a new skin experience for everyone, and stands out. It’s the safest method to achieve the sun-kissed bronze that many people love to show off, especially during summer. However, it requires a little bit of patience as they need to follow a waiting period of up to 8 hours before taking a shower or even washing their face. Along with the waiting period are the many other things to avoid after the spray tan if they want it to develop fully. So, as much as possible, for those first-timers, they need to be aware of the aftercare to have a perfect bronze tan.
