My Spray Tan Looks Like Freckles – What Happened?
Did you get a spray tan or apply self-tanner, and now you have spots all over you that look like freckles?
The good news is that this is very common. The bad news is that there may not be much you can do about it right away.
To expand on these two points, though, we need to dive a bit deeper into how this happens and how you can prevent it from happening in the future.
Why Is My Spray Tan Spotted?
There are actually a few reasons for this, and it’s not just limited to spray tans but also to self-tanners.
So let’s break down each one and talk about it a little bit. I sort of listed these in order based on prior experience.
Shaving or Waxing Before Your Tan
This is almost always the number one culprit. So first, if you haven’t already read my complete guide on shaving before fake tanning, you should check it out.
To save you a little time if you don’t want to check out that guide, you should avoid shaving or waxing your skin for 24 hours before you go spray tanning.
After you shave, your pores will be enlarged, needing time to close up completely. If they don’t have adequate time to close, two things can happen:
- Bronzer from the spray tan can get stuck in your pores, clogging them and giving the appearance of spots or freckles on your skin. This will mostly come off with your first shower, but it may not if they get lodged deep enough.
- The DHA in the spray tan can get stuck in the pores, and develop longer and faster than the rest, giving a lasting appearance of spots or freckles.
So the bottom line is, make sure that you shave at least 24 hours before your appointment so your skin has time to heal.
You Forgot To Exfoliate
Alright, if you think this may be the case, take a moment to read my complete guide on exfoliating before fake tanning. It has a ton of great information.
If you don’t want to read that article, I’ll sum up some of the relevant information here.
Spray tan and self-tanners contain a chemical called DHA. DHA reacts with the amino acids in the dead skin cells on your body, forming a type of pigment that looks just like a real tan.
This tan then lives on the outer layer of your skin, which is why you have to reapply self-tanner so often.
So, the reason that exfoliation is so important before we go spray tanning, or apply self-tanner, is we need an even canvas for the DHA to develop.
Exfoliating your skin beforehand removes excess dead skin cells that would absorb more DHA, and cause our tan to look blotchy or uneven.
This can also sometimes cause your skin to look freckled because you have small bits of dry skin that have absorbed more DHA and appear darker than the rest of your skin.
As we’ll talk about in a minute, you really have to exfoliate beforehand.
If this happens to you, the only real remedy is to exfoliate the tan entirely off your skin, wasting the spray tan appointment altogether.
This is one of the many reasons that so many people just use self-tanner at home, because it can be much simpler to control this.
If you do get a spray tan, and you’re not happy with the color, I would try using a layer of my favorite self-tanner. The added layer of color will help minimize any freckling or unnatural look.
Issue With The Spray Tan Machine
Another possibility, and what some people would say is one of the most likely reasons, are faulty machines.
Some salons do not adequately clean the lines of their spray tan machines, causing a sticky solution to build up in them.
So, instead of getting a delicate even mist that will properly cover your skin, you’ll get a blotchy thick solution that results in something that can look identical to freckles.
Despite the way I described this, it can be really hard to notice, so it can go unreported for a long time. I’ll give you a personal example.
As the author of this site, I have a spot-on pre-tan ritual. I wait at least 24 hours after waxing or shaving, moisturize, use the correct products, etc.
I tried out a new salon, and despite the fact that my routine was on point, I ended up with a tan that looked just like freckles.
I went back and talked with the salon, but was met with skepticism, that it must have been something I had done.
Sure that I had done everything right, and having heard of this issue in the past, I asked them to inspect the lines of the machine that I used.
After they did so, they apologized and admitted that they had not been properly cleaned.
I share this quick story to demonstrate that although a spotty tan is usually the result of improper preparation, it can also be the machine or airbrush used.
So if you end up with this kind of result, and are sure you did everything correctly. Don’t be afraid to talk to the salon about the machine they used.
Oil-based soaps and other products, if not properly washed off, can form a barrier on your skin, stopping the DHA from developing.
When this does happen, it usually looks more blotchy than spotty.
How To Avoid A Spray Tan That Looks Like Freckles
Let me sum this up for you a little bit.
- First, be sure that you shave or wax at least 24 hours before you go spray tanning.
- Make sure that your skin is well exfoliated and well moisturized. This will help ensure that your tan looks even and non-blotchy.
- Take a shower as soon as your tan has had time to develop. Use a simple, non-harsh soap. If a little bit of bronzer or guide color is stuck in your pores or on your skin, the shower should help rinse it off.
- If you’ve done all this, and you still have freckled looking skin, it could be the machine that was used is having some issues. Check with the salon if this is the case.
I hope you found this article helpful, if you did, please consider sharing!
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