7 Best Body Washes to Use After a Spray Tan to Keep your Glow

Got a spray tan planned for an upcoming event or holiday? You’ll want to read on to discover all of our top tips to extend the life of your tan. From the best body washes to tan safe soap, you’ll find everything you need in this blog post.

The joy of spray tans

There’s nothing quite like a spray tan when it comes to achieving a golden glow. It’s the only way to guarantee a deep, all-over color that looks good from every angle. But for the best results (we’re talking a full week or more) you do need to make some adjustments to your bathing routine, both before and after your tan session. It’s nothing complicated, but making these small changes will prolong your tan and help it wear off evenly.

The best products to use before your tan appointment

It’s really important to prep your skin before your appointment to prevent an uneven tan.

Start by exfoliating 24 hours before your spray tan to remove dead skin cells. We like to use a glove or mitt with body scrub for a really good exfoliation. Make sure that your body scrub is oil-free, and concentrate on your knees, elbows and ankles to remove any dry skin.

Once your exfoliation is complete, you can shave your legs in prep for the tan. This should be the last time you shave before the appointment so your pores are closed during the tan.

Here are our recommended products to use before your spray tan:

These exfoliating mitts are perfect for smoothing and removing dry skin. Sweep up your legs and arms with medium pressure, and don’t forget to pay extra attention to your knees and elbows.

Try these fetching gloves for a quick and easy exfoliation session. Dip your fingers into a body scrub and apply with the gloves to remove any rough skin.

This Ouai scrub can be used on hair and body – we always have a tub of it on hand for a weekly scalp treatment and pre-spray tan exfoliation.

We wish you could smell this peach bellini scrub – it’s SO good! The perfect body treatment to get you in the mood for your spray tan.

What to do The day of your appointment

Your last shower before your tan should be with cool water, and you should make sure your skin is as clean as possible with all moisturizer and deodorant removed. Again, avoid any oil-based body wash or shower gel as this could interfere with your spray tan.

After your shower do not put anything on your skin – that means no serums, face cream or deodorant!

What to do after your spray tan

You’ll have to leave your tan on for an allocated amount of time before washing it off. The length of time really depends on the tan you’ve used, some need to be left to develop overnight, whilst an express-rinse solution might only need 2-4 hours.

Your actions during the tan development time are super important when it comes to achieving a long-lasting, even tan. First, you will need to make sure that your spray tan is completely dry before dressing. You can do a light touch test to see if it’s still damp. Another way to tell is to check if it has a slight glossy sheen – if you spot this it needs a little longer to fully dry.

what to wear

Once dry you can get dressed. We recommend loose dark clothing, like an oversized black t-shirt and loose black pajama bottoms. If you can, avoid putting your bra back on as this can cause marks – if you can’t face going braless, choose your most worn, loose-fitting bra – we all have one at the back of the underwear drawer! For shoes, flip flops or loose footwear is recommended. Don’t wear trainers or anything tight, as again this can remove your tan.

This PJ set is an excellent choice for lounging in when your tan develops. It’s loose, dark and made from breathable bamboo to keep you cool. Could you get away with wearing it to run errands? We definitely have! It’s discreet enough to pass as casualwear.

keeping cool

For the next few hours make sure you drink lots of water and try to stay as cool as possible, easier said than done if you live in a hot climate. Crank up the air con and be mindful about the way you sit down to avoid flesh on flesh behind your knees and under your arms. Try to tuck your clothes into folds, to absorb moisture and prevent sweating, you don’t want a patchy tan!

Washing off your tan: The first rinse

When the time has come to rinse off your color guide, turn the shower on to a cool setting. Rinse your entire body and watch the golden color swirl down the plug hole. Turn slowly in the shower until the water runs clear on the shower. As soon as this happens, turn the shower off. Don’t use any body wash or shower gels for this first rinse, it’s strictly cool water only.

How you dry yourself is also important here. Use a dark towel (in case of tan transfer) and gently dab your skin dry. You should keep this drying method for the whole time your tan is on to keep it looking fresh as long as possible.

The 9 best products to use after your spray taN

Your first shower the next day you can use products, but it’s important to make sure you use the right body wash. As a general rule, you must make sure that you use gentle cleansers on your face, along with a sulfate-free body wash to avoid stripping the tan and dehydrating your skin. Here are some of our favorite body washes to use after a spray tan:

CeraVe Hydrating Body Wash is sulfate-free and super gentle. It will cleanse your skin without stripping its natural moisture and contains glycerin to hydrate.

OGX Radiant Glow & Argan Oil of Morocco body wash not only smells incredible, it has been formulated to leave your skin super soft and nourished.

Aveeno Restorative sulfate-free body wash is a great choice for anyone with sensitive skin, and its gentle formula will help nourish and prolong your tan.

This multi-tasking clear body wash from Dr Bronner is sulfate-free and instead uses coconut oil to create a rich lather that will care for your tan.

Method Body Peace is a good body wash if you prefer to use natural products. It’s formulated with natural ingredients including rose water and pink sea salt. It not only smells amazing, but it will also help your tan go the distance.

If you prefer to use bar soap, there is only one brand we would recommend: Dove soap. Unlike other bars of soap, Dove is packed with natural oils to keep your skin healthy and hydrated so your tan goes the distance.

Whichever body wash you choose, make sure you shower with warm water rather than boiling hot, and pat your skin dry afterward. This will help prolong your spray tan.

Facial skincare

When it comes to skincare, you will have to make a few adjustments to your routine to keep your facial tan. Check your toners and serums, and stop using any products containing harsh ingredients like glycolic acid, BHAs and AHAs; anything with an active ingredient will strip the tan from your face. Instead, focus on replenishing moisture with hydrating products. Hyaluronic acid is perfect for this, apply to damp skin and lock in with a hydrating cream on top.

You’ll find that the fake tan fades faster on your face than your body. To keep things even, we like to top up every evening with a gradual tanning face mist. This spray from St. Tropez is so easy to use; just spray 3-4 spritzes diagonally over your face at the end of your evening skincare routine and you’ll wake up to a beautiful natural glow. It’s one of our most-used products!

Your second shower

From here on in your spray tan aftercare is exactly the same. Make sure you keep using your sulfate-free hydrating body wash, keep dabbing your skin dry rather than rubbing it, and your tan should stay looking beautiful.

We also recommend using a rich body lotion daily to keep your skin as supple as possible. There are lots of dehydrating ingredients in spray tan so it’s important to replenish that moisture.

Here are a few of the best lotions to keep your tan fresh:

Our favorite first! Sol Janeiro Brazilian Bum Cream is a super rich, luxurious body butter that smells absolutely heavenly – think tropical beach, holiday vibes. It’s truly a treat to use.

If you don’t like the feeling of heavy creams on your skin, this lightweight lotion from Neutrogena is a great option. It sinks straight into the skin without feeling sticky and has a fresh scent.

This lovely rich cream from C-Bigelow is formulated with shea butter to leave your skin deeply hydrated and super soft. It’s the perfect choice to use post-spray tan.

So there you have it, a comprehensive guide to the types of products you need to prolong the results of your spray tan. The most important thing to remember is to keep your skin hydrated with gentle body wash and plenty of post-tan moisturizer. Stock up on the aftercare products you need and book that appointment – get ready to glow!

The 7 Best Body Washes to Use After a Spray Tan to Keep your Glow

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