I get asked surprisingly often about where, and how, you should store your self-tanning products. To be honest, until people started asking, I never really gave much thought to it. However, to give the best possible answer I asked some experts in the field for their advice, and this post is what I found.
If you don’t feel like reading a short post about such a bland topic, let me sum it up for you real fast:
The best way to store self-tanner is at room temperature, in a dark place. You want to keep the temperature of the solution the same all the time, so don’t put it in the refrigerator or anywhere else that is too warm or too cool. A good place would be under the sink, in a cabinet, or anywhere else that is dark and mildly temperate.
Alright, that is the basic answer that you were probably looking for. However, if you want to go into this in a bit more detail, OR if you’re wondering about storing similar products like spray tan solution, keep on reading!
Storing Self-Tanner – What Is There To Know?
So the main element of self-tanner and spray tan that we want to protect is the DHA inside. DHA is the primary ingredient in just about all fake tanning products that actually produce the tan. It’s a type of sugar, that can be created synthetically, or derived naturally.
When DHA comes in contact with the skin, it has a chemical reaction that forms a simple pigment. This pigment (if the product is of high quality) should closely replicate a tan you would get from the sun.
DHA is moderately delicate, so we want to keep temperatures even, and not let the solution be exposed to too much light.
Should I Store Self-Tanner In The Fridge?
No.
I’ve heard of people doing this, and I think I can guess how it started. If you go grab a bottle of your favorite self-tanner right now, and look at the instructions, it will probably read something along the lines of “Please store in a cool dark place.” My guess is that someone assumed that the cooler, and darker, the longer the shelf-life, and so they just put it in their fridge and the word spread.
I chatted with a few self-tanning companies, and none of them recommend this. The primary reason is that constant temperature fluctuation can cause the DHA to break down and lose effectiveness over time. So taking it in and out of the refrigerator everytime you want to use it, is actually probably slowly ruining the product.
What About Spray Tan Solution?
This will really only be an issue if you’re a spray tan technician or own a salon. However, if one of these is the case, similar rules apply.
I have known salons to refrigerate their solution, however, there are a few issues with this. First of all, if the fridge is set to too cold of a temperature, the solution could freeze, which is really terrible for it and could ruin the effectiveness of the solution. This could also cause an issue with the color formed by the DHA, such a green color that many people complain about.
Another potential issue with storing spray tan solution in the fridge is the possibility of condensation forming inside the container. This usually happens if you had the solution outside the fridge for a while, and then put it back in. The sudden drop in temperature can form condensation, altering the consistency of the solution.
So, the best and most effective way to store any type of spray tan or sunless tanning solution is at room temperature, in an area with no light. Even if the container is a solid color intended to block light, it is still best practice to store it in a cabinet or container of some kind that won’t allow any direct light or heat to reach the solution.
This will protect the DHA and keep your product working it’s best.
I hope this short post answered your questions about how to store and keep sunless tanning products!
