Lotions to Avoid After a Spray Tan

So you’ve decided to get a spray tan. Maybe it’ll be your first time. Welcome!

Or perhaps you’ve had a spray tan before, and were disappointed with the result. And now you’ve decided to try again, using a different approach.

Well, spray tans are a fabulous way to get a sun-kissed look without damaging your skin with UV rays.

However, there are a few steps you need to do to prepare your skin before and treat your skin after your spray tan. Here we’ll discuss the kinds of lotions to avoid after a spray tan.

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What to Do After a Spray Tan

Taking good care of your skin after your spray tan is important. Your spray tan will last longer if you keep your skin healthy and hydrated once the process is done.

Most spray tans use an ingredient called DHA, or dihydroxyacetone to color the skin. This is a derivative of glycerin.

During a spray tan, the DHA will bind with the amino acids of the dead skin cells on the outermost layer of skin. This is what gives the color of a spray tan, which will gradually fade as your dead skin cells fall off.

But, DHA has been shown to have some minor side effects on your skin. It includes rashes, rosacea, and contact dermatitis, which causes severe dryness.

And even if a skin issue doesn’t erupt, as the dead skin cells slough off, so does your tan. So keeping your skin properly moisturized will help to not only support your skin in being the healthiest it can be.

But it will also help you keep your fake tan for longer. Sweet.

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Lotions to Avoid After a Spray Tan

Before applying the lotion you’ve chosen to use after your spray tan, it is recommended that you wait at least 12 hours after the procedure.

That’s because anything that is applied to your skin before then can disrupt its development. And we’ve all seen the result of streaking, cracking, and uneven spray tan patches after application.

This also means that you shouldn’t exercise or wash your body or hair during this time, as well. Like other products, chemicals in the water can also disrupt your spray tan’s development. As well as wash off the dead skin cells that are reacting to the process.

To avoid this unnatural-looking nightmare, make sure that you wait the recommended time before you allow anything onto your skin.

It’s vital to have nourished and moisturized skin. This is to keep your spray tan looking radiant for as long as possible.

It’s All About the Ingredients

Basically, whatever brand or type of lotion (and shower gel) you decide to use to keep your skin moisturized after your spray tan has to be free of certain ingredients, which are unfortunately found in many skincare products.

These ingredient to avoid are:

• Mineral oil — Have the ability to strip your skin of color and cause patches, streaks, and dark spots.
• Parabens — Can cause dermatitis, skin rashes, and other irritations that will dry your skin out. This is not what you want after your spray tan.
• AHAs and other acids — These strip the top layers of your skin. You want to make sure that you don’t use products containing acids like salicylic acid and ingredients like retinol and Retin-A after you’ve spray tanned.
• Fragrances — Most lotion fragrances contain artificial ingredients that are impossible to know because they can number in the 1000s and you won’t find any of them listed on the label. One of the chemicals will definitely be alcohol, which will strip your skin and cause streaks and patches.
• Exfoliators – You should definitely steer clear of facial washes and lotions that are meant to exfoliate your skin. This is because these will remove the top layer of skin and dead cells, along with your spray tan! The result will be dark and light patches of skin, which is not the appearance you’re after. Exfoliate before your spray tan.
• Sulfates and other chemical foaming agents — When you shower after your spray tan, if you use foaming shower gel, this will wash away the dead skin cells that are activating your spray tan.

So, in order to get adequate hydration after your spray tan, you’ll need to use the right lotion as well as a facial cleanser and moisturizer. This will to keep the skin layer as intact as possible.

Your best bet is to stick with products that have been specially designed for spray tan maintenance. When you do this, you’ll get the best results, which should prolong your bronzed color for up to one week.

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LuxeLuminous Recommendation

Regardless of whether you’ve just had a spray tan or not, you should always consider using skincare products that have the least amount of synthetic chemicals.

Your skin is your largest organ and absorbs up to 70% of what you apply to it. To keep your skin as healthy as possible, and your spray tan looking fabulous, stick to natural products.

Non-oil-based moisturizers are the best option.

This is because natural oils will soak into the skin and cause patches to develop. Depending on how dry your skin is think the areas like your elbows and knees, hands, and feet, where skin can act differently.

Australian Gold's Pomaberry Hemp Nation Moisturizer  is a deeply moisturizing formula that contains the rich antioxidant properties of pomegranate, açai berry and goji berry extracts. It helps to combat the damage done by free radicals.

It is a rich lotion that also contains shea butter, jojoba, glycerin and pure hemp seed oil amino and fatty acids. It penetrate to give your skin maximum hydration to leave it feeling silky smooth. It is also enriched with age-defying vitamins A, E and B5. This helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

With a delectably fruity pomaberry scent, this lightweight formula is paraben free. It will leave you to enjoy your spray tan with beautifully hydrated skin for longer.

Now that you know the kinds of lotions to avoid after a spray tan, you can prepare your skin both before and after. This is to retain the natural sun-kissed glow that you paid for.