How To Fix (And Avoid) An Orange Spray Tan

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Spray tans are an amazing way to achieve a beautifully bronzed glow, without the damage from the sun or tanning bed.

As easy and accessible as spray tans are, you need to ensure that you prep your skin properly and choose a good product to avoid the dreaded orange colour.

Orange spray tans do happen, and while they might not be as common as they were in the past, you still need to be wary.

How do you fix and avoid an orange spray tan?

To avoid an orange spray tan, you need to properly prep your skin to hold the spray tan evenly. You also need to choose a good product and have it applied by a professional who knows what they are doing. To fix an orange spray tan, you would have to remove the tan from your skin.

If you frequently spray tan, chances are you will end up with an orange tan at some point, but don’t stress! An orange spray tan can be fixed, and even better, avoided. Keep reading to find out how!

What Causes Orange Spray Tans?

One of the best ways to avoid an orange spray tan is to know what causes them in the first place. There are several factors that may cause an orange spray tan. Here are some of the main reasons why a spray tan might turn orange:

The Wrong Spray Tan Product

Using the wrong spray tan product is a sure way to get an orange tan.

You must choose a spray tan product that is suitable for your skin type and tone. This is why it is advisable to consult a professional who can help you select the perfect product.

You can give yourself a spray tan at home, but then you would need to spend time finding out which spray tan colour and product is best suited to your skin and will give you a natural-looking tan.

High DHA Concentration

DHA is the ingredient in spray tan that works with the top layer of your skin to darken it and develop a tan.

DHA is an important ingredient that makes spray tans work and last longer, but the concentration should not be too high.

Anything that contains more than 10% DHA should be avoided. A gradual tanner works well for this purpose: This is my favorite gradual self-tanner.

Too Much Product/Spray Tanning Too Fast

You might be a bit impatient to wait and build up a darker tan, and think it is okay to just spray tan dark really quickly, but this is another way to end up with an orange tan.

You should start with a light spray tan and gradually build up from there. Go darker at your next spray tan appointment, but make sure to progress more slowly rather than choosing the darkest tan the first time around.

Unprepared Skin

You need to prep your skin before a spray tan application, or you can expect orange patches and tan lines.

Spray tan products work with the top layer of your skin, so you need to provide a clean canvas for them to work with. This means exfoliating dead skin cells and moisturising your skin to not dryness.

Dry skin with excessive dead skin cells will turn a darker orange than the rest of your body. If it’s already too late and you forgot to shave before a spray tan appointment, read this article to learn what to do.

Preparing Your Skin To Avoid An Orange Spray Tan

The work to avoid an orange spray tan starts before you even have the spray tan done! Not only will properly preparing your skin help avoid any orange discolouration, but it will also help your spray tan last longer.

Here is what to do:

Choose The Right Product

If you don’t often spray tan at home, or if it is your first spray tan experience, it’s helpful to speak with a professional at the salon.

They will be able to determine the right spray tan product and tone to use on your skin, which is crucial for preventing orange patches and streaks.

If you are applying a spray tan at home, be sure to do your research first and determine your skin type and tone to select the right product.

Exfoliate Your Skin

Use a body scrub or a gentle exfoliating sponge to exfoliate your skin all over (check out our article on the best exfoliating scrubs for legs if you’d like some suggestions).

Exfoliating helps to remove dead skin cells and build-up from your skin, which sets it up perfectly for a spray tan.

Exfoliate your skin the day before your spray tan session, or at least 6 hours prior, to ensure that there are no dry areas or areas of buildup that could cause orange patches.

Shave Or Wax

Shave or wax the areas you want the day before your spray tan appointment. This helps to exfoliate your skin further and ensures your skin is smooth and ready for the spray tan application, so no orange patches show up.

Hair can interfere with the spray tan product settling properly on the skin, so the less hair, the better.

It also means you can delay shaving or waxing after your spray tan, allowing your tan to last longer.

Moisturise Your Skin

Dry skin is often the main culprit for a spray tan turning orange. Dry skin does not absorb spray tan products well, which means that the area will turn out a darker shade than the rest of your skin.

Make sure to moisturise your skin in the days leading up to a spray tan to avoid areas turning orange or darker. The areas to focus on include your ankles, knees, and elbows.

Use Proper Application Techniques

Ensure that you only visit reputable spray tan salons to guarantee that they know how to apply the spray tan properly.

The right spray tan technique is crucial for achieving an even tan without orange patches.

If you’re applying a spray tan at home, be sure to watch tutorials on how to apply it evenly.

Caring For Your Spray Tan To Stop It Turning Orange

Caring for your spray tan after it has been applied is just as important to ensure it does not turn orange, which can happen.

Here is how to care for your skin after a spray tan to stop it from turning orange:

Avoid Sweat And Moisture

You need to allow the spray tan time to settle and develop on your skin after it has been applied, which means avoiding moisture and any exercise or activities that might cause sweating.

Keep your skin as dry as possible to prevent the spray tan from being disrupted during development.

Wait To Shower

You should wait at least 4 hours before showering after a spray tan session, but do not wait longer than 24 hours to shower.

When you do eventually shower, use an oil-free, gentle soap to cleanse your skin, and avoid rubbing your skin too hard.

After getting out of the shower, gently pat your skin dry with a towel instead of rubbing it dry, to avoid disturbing the spray tan. Make sure not to have too hot a shower either!

Keep Moisturizing

Make a habit of moisturising your skin (check out this moisturiser from CeraVe) at least twice a day following the spray tan.

It is recommended to wait two days before moisturising your skin, allowing the spray tan sufficient time to develop.

Use an oil-free moisturiser to keep skin hydrated and nourished.

This will help prevent areas from drying out and turning a darker colour or orange in the days after the spray tan.

How To Fix An Orange Spray Tan

If you are unfortunate enough to end up with an orange spray tan, you don’t have to wait for it to fade; there are ways to remove the orange tone from your skin.

Exfoliate Your Skin

If a significant portion of your tan has turned orange, you may want to remove the entire spray tan and start again.

One of the best ways to remove your spray tan is to exfoliate your skin. You can use a body scrub and an exfoliating sponge to achieve this.

An exfoliating mitt is also a great option, as it allows you to comfortably reach many areas of your body.

It might take a few exfoliating sessions to remove the spray tan, but if you notice an orange tinge from early on, the sooner you start exfoliating, the better.

Shower Soon After The Spray Tan

Sometimes, you can see quite early on that the spray tan is orange on your skin. As soon as you notice this, you should hop into the shower.

The shower will wash away a lot of the spray tan that hasn’t developed yet, and this can prevent the orange tone from developing further.

Bathing can also help lighten the colour of the spray tan, and if possible, jump into a chlorinated pool.

The chemicals in the pool can help strip the spray tan from your skin, which will hopefully remove the orange tint.

Use Hair Removal Cream

Hair removal cream can help remove orange patches from spray tan on your skin. Apply the hair removal product to your skin and leave it on for a few minutes before wiping it off.

Hair removal creams are quite powerful at breaking down hair follicles, so they can also effectively remove the spray tan from the surface of your skin.

Use Baby Oil/Coconut Oil

Another way to gently remove orange spray tan from your skin is by using baby oil or coconut oil.

Apply baby oil or coconut oil to your skin and let it soak in for a few minutes to help absorb as much of the spray tan as possible.

Once you have left the baby oil or coconut oil to soak into your skin and the orange patches, jump into the shower and wash it all away.

You could also exfoliate in the shower after this for extra orange removal.

Use A Baking Soda Mix

Baking soda is handy for so many reasons – and one of those reasons is to help remove orange spray tan!

Mix baking soda with lemon juice or coconut oil to create a paste. Massage this paste onto the orange area of the spray tan, and allow it to sit and soak for up to an hour.

Wash off the baking soda paste, and you should notice that the area has lightened. You can repeat this process the next day until the orange has disappeared enough.

Go Back To The Salon

If you had a spray tan done at a salon and are not happy with the results, the best option might be to return to the salon.

They will be able to help you remove the orange tones, or they could reapply some spray tan to even out the colour, making it less patchy.

Why Did My Armpits Turn Green After Spray Tanning?

Turning orange is a common problem that people experience when spray tanning, but looking and seeing green armpits after a spray tan might be a new one for you!

If you notice green armpits after spray tanning, don’t be too alarmed. This is another common issue that occurs with spray tans, and it can be easily resolved.

The reason armpits turn green after spray tanning is that deodorant was left on the skin when the spray tan was applied.

The bronzers in the spray tan product react with the deodorant, causing a green appearance.

The good news is that the DHA in the spray tan is not affected by this, and the green can be wiped away using exfoliating wipes.

Please keep in mind that the deodorant may create a barrier between the DHA in the spray tan product and your skin, so your skin may not actually develop a tan.

You would have to wipe away all product from your skin and then spray tan again.

How To Fix And Avoid Orange Spray Tans

Unfortunately, when spray tanning, you are always at risk of an orange tone; however, with spray tan products becoming increasingly advanced, orange spray tans are less common nowadays.

Make sure to follow our advice above on how to prepare your skin for a spray tan and how to care for it after a spray tan to reduce the chance of the spray tan turning orange.

If all else fails and you do end up with an orange spray tan, there are ways to fix it, and you should be able to remove the orange tone within a day or so!

How To Fix (And Avoid) An Orange Spray Tan