When you have a gorgeous spray tan, you want to show it off! And the best place to show off your beautiful bronze skin is next to the pool or at the beach = you get to show off a tan without having spent any time in the sun.
However, when you are sitting by the pool and thinking of getting in, you might start worrying if spray tans are waterproof and if a dip in the pool will leave your tan lighter and streaky.
So, are spray tans waterproof? Spray tans are not waterproof within the first 8 hours after the spray tan application. Don’t use makeup, wash your face, take a shower or bath, or go swimming until at least 8 hours after your spray tan. After that, spray tans are waterproof and you can enjoy water activities as normal.
You need to make the most of your spray tan, and this does involve taking some precautions when caring for your skin, and when going for a swim. Keep reading to find out more on whether spray tans are waterproof, and what you can do to better protect your spray tan.
Are Spray Tans Really Waterproof?
Spray tans can be quite long-lasting, and they can be waterproof, but there are some factors that could make them not as waterproof as you would hope.
You need to remember that in the first 6-8 hours after the spray tan application, the spray tan is not waterproof. You need to stay away from water as best you can, while the tan settles and develops on your skin.
Getting into the shower too soon after the spray tan application will prevent the color from developing evenly, and you will be left with patches or streaks that are next to impossible to fix without removing most of the tan.
However, after this 6-8 hr period, you should be able to shower and swim and not worry about your tan being ruined.
Just keep in mind that when you do shower for the first time after your spray tan, you might notice some color running off, but this is just the bronzer washing away, and the actual spray tan will still be there developing into a darker color.
Can I Swim With A Spray Tan?
There is no reason to have a spray tan when you can’t show it off! You also do not want to be sat by the pool, really wanting to jump in, but worrying that your spray tan might wash off.
In most cases, you should be okay swimming in a pool with a spray tan, but you do need to be careful. A quick dip in the pool should not do any harm, but you should not stay in the water for a prolonged amount of time.
The popular belief is that the chemicals in the water bleach your tan and cause it to fade quicker, and while this is not completely correct, there is some truth to it. The chemicals in swimming pools can dry your skin out, and dry skin does not hold onto a tan well.
Public swimming pools are even more dangerous for a tan, as they have a much higher chemical concentration, for health reasons, and these can dry your skin out much quicker, and cause your fade to tan more than in a private swimming pool.
It should be fine to jump into the swimming pool for a few minutes. When you get out, dry yourself off, and jump in a cold shower to wash off the chemicals.
Swimming In Other Types Of Water
A pool isn’t the only place you can go for a swim! You might be wanting to take a swim in the ocean or in a lake or river, and while these do not contain chemicals like some swimming pools, you do need to be careful when going for a swim in them.
Chemicals are not the only thing that might cause a spray tan to fade. It can also be the amount of time that you spend in the water, no matter the type, whether salt water, fresh water, or chlorinated pool water.
When you spend a long time in water, water seeps under the top layer of dead skin cells (where the tan develops through DHA in the spray tan product), and this is what causes your skin to look like a raisin after a long bath or swim.
As the water soaks into your skin, it loosens the attachments between your skin cells and lifts the dead skin cells. This then causes exfoliation or shedding of dead skin cells to happen faster, and as the top dead skin cells are shed, so is the tan.
To avoid this, you just need to spend less time in water and make sure to not get to the ‘pruney’ stage. This can happen in all types of water, such as in pools, lakes, the ocean, and rivers.
Will A Hot Tub Make My Spray Tan Fade?
Pools, lakes, streams, and the ocean are all generally cold bodies of water, which means that they are fairly safe enough for your tan. When it comes to spending time in a hot tub, your tan is at risk of fading faster.
The heat from the hot tub will cause your skin to exfoliate and shed faster, and it will be more effective at causing your spray tan to fade.
If you hot tub quite often, you will find it really difficult to maintain a spray tan, without it lightening and developing patches and streaks.
Your spray tan will only last for as long as it takes the top layer of your skin to exfoliate, and using a hot tub will only cause this process to speed up. The same is also true for a long, hot bath. Both will only cause your spray tan to fade much faster than just taking a shower or swimming in a pool.
How To Prevent Your Spray Tan From Fading When Swimming
One of the best ways to prevent your spray tan from fading when swimming is to prepare your skin perfectly before the spray tan application.
This includes exfoliating (I recommend trying out this sugar scrub) and moisturizing your skin (this body lotion is one of my favorites), to allow the spray tan to have the best base possible to be even and to last as long as it can.
When it comes to swimming after a spray tan, there are a few things to do and remember to prevent your spray tan from fading, and to make sure you can enjoy your time in the water:
- Wait the recommended amount of time before showering or swimming. Only shower six to eight hours after the spray tan, and maybe wait a day or two to go swimming.
- Swim for a maximum of 15 minutes, to prevent your skin from soaking too much and shedding too quickly.
- Apply a waterproof sunscreen lotion to your skin before going out into the sun or swimming. This can help to prevent your skin from absorbing too much water, and it protects your tan from damage from the sun.
- If you swim in a pool that is heavily chlorinated, jump into a cold shower soon after to wash any excess chemicals off your skin.
- When you get out of the water, pat yourself dry with a towel instead of rubbing your skin. Rubbing your skin dry can remove some of your tan by exfoliating the outer layer.
- Continue to moisturize your skin to prevent it from drying out after swimming, and to keep the tan around for longer.
Final Thoughts
Spray tans can be waterproof, but you do have to be careful when swimming after a spray tan. Make sure to wait the right amount of time before getting your skin wet, and do not spend too much time in any type of water, as the more your skin soaks, the more the tan will fade.
Some waterproof sunscreen lotions can help to protect your spray tan when swimming, and it is vital to keep moisturizing your skin to keep it nourished and hydrated, to prolong the tan.
With a few simple tips and tricks, you should be able to enjoy swimming in any type of water without your tan fading too much. Just try your best to avoid the hot tub!
Related Questions
Does spray tan come off in the rain?
If your spray tan has settled and it is not a fresh spray tan, then there is little chance that the rain will fade your spray tan.
However, if you have just had the spray tan done, then you might be nervous to leave the salon straight into the rain. As long as you have an umbrella and clothing that protects your skin, there shouldn’t be too much to worry about. Just try to keep your skin as dry as possible.
How do you sleep while spray tan is developing?
If it is time to go to bed but your spray tan is still developing, then make sure to wear long pants and a long sleeve shirt, both of which are loose-fitting. Tight clothing will cause the tan to smudge and not develop evenly.
