You will never be ensured a flawless spray tan without proper preparation. The importance of preparing your skin before a spray tan cannot be overemphasized! Without getting your skin ready for the spray tan, you will more than likely end up with a blotchy tan that doesn’t last long at all.
One of the essential steps in preparing your body for a spray tan is exfoliating your skin. However simple this may seem, all exfoliators work differently on your skin.
To prepare your body for a spray tan, which is the best exfoliator to use? The best exfoliator is gentle on your skin but effective at buffing away all of the dead skin so that the spray tan will be streak-free.
Below are our top picks of exfoliators to use before a spray tan, which will not only help to prepare your skin but give it some extra love and nourishment as well.
5 Best Exfoliators Before Spray Tan
Below are the absolute best body scrubs to use before a spray tan.
1. Sol De Janeiro Bum Bum Body Scrub
Check current price on Amazon.
The Bum Bum Body Scrub is one of the best smelling body scrubs out there.
Their signature Cheirosa 62 fragrance is a heavenly combination of vanilla, salted caramel, and pistachio.
The main exfoliating ingredients are ultra-fine sugar crystals and crushed cupuaçu seeds, which are the perfect combination for a gentle but effective body scrub.
This body scrub is also formulated with guaraná, which has a high caffeine content and is great for firming the skin. The coconut oil will nourish your skin and help the scrub to be evenly spread so that you can get every single inch.
2. DermaDoctor KP Duty Body Scrub
Check current price on Amazon.
This dermatologist-formulated body scrub is the perfect choice for rough, bumpy skin. If typical body scrubs don’t work for you, then give this one a try.
What makes it so amazing for dry, bumpy skin? It’s formulated with 10% AHAs and PHAs, which are powerful chemical exfoliants that make your skin more radiant.
Don’t let the word “chemical” scare you away. Chemical peels are actually gentler on the skin than traditional exfoliants.
There are so many other ingredients that are packed into this clinical body scrub, including gluconolactone (which in my opinion is better than hyaluronic acid), evening primrose oil, and willow bark.
A little goes a long way, so although the initial cost is high, it is a great value for what you get.
3. Jack Black Turbo Body Scrub
Check current price on Amazon.
The Jack Black Turbo Body Scrub is my favorite exfoliator for stretch marks.
It’s formulated with arnica, which is known to help in reducing the appearance of stretch marks.
It also contains eucalyptus, which smells amazing and works with arnica to reduce muscle soreness. If you are an athlete or someone who does a lot of exercises, then this is a great body scrub for you.
You can use it in a warm bath to receive the ultimate body treatment. Not only will you prepare your skin for your spray tan, but you will give your muscles a nice treat.
4. Mario Badescu Coconut Body Scrub
Check current price on Amazon.
This coconut body scrub is great for all skin types and is formulated with Niacinamide and Salicylic Acid.
It hydrates and moisturizes your skin while gently budding away dead skin. It’s a good choice for sensitive skin and smells dramatically of coconut.
Other great additions to this body scrub are Rosehip Oil and Vitamin E. These ingredients nourish the skin, while Meadow Seed Foam Oil works to add plumpness back to your skin.
This scrub is best applied to damp skin, so the best place to use this exfoliator is in the shower.
5. Sun Laboratories Exfoliant Body Gel Purifier
Check current price on Amazon.
You can never go wrong when using Sun Laboratories products, they are so trusted in the sunless tanning industry, and promise incredible results time and time again.
The exfoliating body gel helps to scrub away excess dead skin cells that accumulate on the skin, leaving you with healthy, silky smooth skin.
The exfoliating body gel can be used on all skin tones and all skin types, resulting in an all-around healthy glow that sets the stage for a flawless spray tan.
A blend of natural ingredients works to give the skin everything it needs to hold a sunless tan, while also revitalizing, nourishing, and hydrating the skin to enhance the elasticity, giving your skin a youthful feel and appearance.
Included with this body gel exfoliator is an exfoliating mitt, which will give you even better results.
For all skin types, this is definitely an exfoliator to keep at home. You will not only be perfectly preparing your skin for a spray tan, but you will be nourishing it with each use.
The Importance Of Exfoliating Before A Spray Tan
Your skin naturally produces new cells and sloughs off dead skin cells. These dead skin cells can often cause a build-up, resulting in dryness, which is more common in areas such as the ankles, knees, and elbows. These areas of build-ups can cause a very patchy tan.
Spray tans use an ingredient called DHA. DHA reacts with the outer layer of skin cells, causing them to turn darker, which is what gives you a sunless tan. A build-up of dead skin cells can turn darker than the rest of the body, which will make the tan look very unnatural.
Dead skin cells stick to the skin with natural oils, sebum, and sweat. Even though this causes problems, resulting in a build-up of dead skin cells, this layer of natural oils and sweat help to protect the skin from pollution and toxins, and helps to lock in lipids and moisture which further nourishes the skin.
These oils can also stop the spray tan from reacting with the skin evenly and can be removed with exfoliation.
To combat this build-up of dead skin cells, you will need to scrub them away with a good exfoliator before your spray tan. Using an exfoliator will help to even out your skin, removing any excess skin cells to provide a clean, smooth canvas for the spray tan to give your skin a flawless looking tan.
Other than removing dead skin cells, exfoliation will also help to remove any excess product left on your skin, such as a build-up of moisturizer, perfume or deodorant. These can also hinder the spray tan from effectively reacting with your skin, as they will act as a barrier.
Without exfoliation, your skin will not be smooth enough to evenly hold a spray tan, and by not exfoliating, you will be robbing your skin of the most perfect summer glow!
Related Questions
When should I exfoliate before a spray tan?
It is not a good idea to exfoliate straight before a spray tan, as your skin might still be a little sensitive. Instead, it is recommended to exfoliate the day before the spray tan application.
This leaves your skin with some time to recover after the exfoliation, it also allows you time to use a moisturizer to lock in some much-needed hydration into your skin, but does not give your skin enough time to build up an excess of dead skin cells which might affect the even application of your spray tan.
Should I exfoliate after a spray tan?
You should avoid exfoliating soon after your spray tan. This will strip the color from the skin, and leave streaks or patches in your new tan. If the spray tan hasn’t set properly, this could completely ruin the overall results.
You should start to exfoliate your skin again once you see the spray tan starts to fade. This helps to remove the old color and prepares your skin for the reapplication of the spray tan.
Should I use an exfoliating mitt?
Most exfoliators can be used without an exfoliating mitt, but using one does make the job a lot easier. It helps you to deeply exfoliate your skin and is especially effective in areas that need some more attention. Together with a good body scrub, an exfoliating mitt will give you the best results.
Best Exfoliators for A Spray Tan
Acknowledging the importance of exfoliating before a spray tan is one thing, but choosing the right exfoliator to get the job done is just as important.
Without exfoliation, you will be left with an unnatural-looking tan, with drier areas being darker than the rest of your skin. To give yourself the best results possible, choose one of the exfoliators on this list and get scrubbing!
