For many people, makeup is part of their daily routine. There is nothing better than leaving the house in the morning with a perfectly finished face, with full lips and long lashes.
So can you spray tan with makeup on? Makeup will act as a barrier between the spray tan and your skin, meaning that the active ingredient (DHA) won’t be able to do its job. This could result in a patchy tan, so it’s recommended not to wear makeup during a spray tan.
The perfect complement to beautiful makeup is a gorgeous spray tan, but these two do not necessarily go hand in hand in the beginning. When planning for a spray tan, you need to make sure you have properly prepared yourself for the application.
Your skin needs to be in the right condition for the spray tan to properly do its job, and if it is not, you will probably land up with a patchy and streaky spray tan.
What Is A Spray Tan?
Before knowing whether you can spray tan with makeup on, it is a good idea to know exactly what a spray tan is. To avoid damaging your skin in the sun, a spray tan is one of the easiest and most effective ways to get a gorgeously glowing tan.
Spray tanning products are made with DHA (dihydroxyacetone), a carbohydrate derived from sugar beets and sugar cane. The DHA reacts with the cells on the surface of the skin, darkening them to form a bronze tan. The results can last between three to ten days before fading.
Some spray tan products also include erythrulose, which comes from red raspberries. Together with the DHA, it helps to ensure the tan lasts longer and fades more evenly. It also helps to give the bronze glow that everybody is after.
Most spray tans are done at a salon by professionals, who know exactly how to apply the product correctly to give you an even, flawless tan. Many people prefer this to home self-tanners, which can often seem blotchy from a bad application.
Can You Wear Makeup Before A Spray Tan?
Simply put, the answer is no. When it comes to makeup products such as foundation and concealer, these could act as a barrier to the spray tan reaching the skin and will halt the chemical reaction which results in the spray tan darkening your skin.
If you do wear makeup to your spray tan, once you get home and remove it, you will be removing the spray tan product along with it and will have a pale face.
Mascara should not be such a problem when applying spray tan, as most people generally do not tan their lashes.
However, note that if you have false lashes, spray tan products might end up staining them, so try and plan this around your extensions.
Lipstick should also be removed before a spray tan. While you don’t necessarily want to spray tan your lips, the lipstick could run or get in the way of the spray tan on your face, which once again would result in patches or streaks.
All other makeup, deodorants, creams, and perfumes should be removed before a spray tan. These could all act as barriers to the spray tan product and will cause the resultant tan to have patches or streaks, which will really just be a waste of your time and money!
Can I Wear Makeup After My Spray Tan?
So you aren’t able to wear makeup during your spray tan, but you can definitely wear makeup after getting your spray tan done.
Makeup over a spray tan can actually help to enhance the appearance of your new glow and will be the finishing touch to a gorgeous, radiant look.
It is important to remember though that you might not be able to use your regular makeup products and shades as your skin will be a darker shade. Do a patch test with your old makeup to see if it will suit your new tone, and if not, you get to go on a makeup shopping spree!
How Soon After My Spray Tan Can I Wear Makeup?
As a spray tan results in a chemical reaction between the active ingredients in your skin cells, which can take a couple of hours, it is always a good idea to wait a while before applying any creams or makeup to your skin.
It would be best to wait between six to eight hours before applying any sort of product to your skin, and remember to also not get your skin wet during this time as well.
This may stop the tan from developing and could land up with your tan being blotchy and streaked.
To ensure the most perfect and flawless tan, be patient and let the tan react and develop as it should. Once this has happened, generally after eight hours to be safe, you can apply all the makeup you want.
If you are quite desperate to wear some makeup soon after your tan, you can try a dry, loose powder foundation, but be light and don’t overdo it. This shouldn’t really interfere with the development of the tan.
Makeup Tips for Spray Tanned Skin
With your new spray tan tone, you want your makeup to highlight and accentuate your new glow. Choosing to apply your makeup too thick or too cakey can actually hide your new tan, and make your skin look quite unnatural.
Many women find that they do not even need to wear much makeup after a spray tan and use a simple bb cream instead. This bb cream gives light coverage and moisturizes the skin to keep the tan looking healthy and glowing.
To really make your new tan shine, here are a few makeup tips to follow after your spray tan:
Foundation
As your skin is now a darker tone, you will need to make sure you have a foundation that matches your new color.
You also will not need to purchase such an expensive foundation, as your spray tan will be giving your skin a wonderful glow already.
Another option is to mix some bronzer (this bronzer is my favorite) with your normal foundation to give it a darker tone, while still being able to use the product that you love.
Eyeliner and Mascara
To really bring out your new glowing look, a dark and bold mascara will give you a really defined appearance.
Apply the mascara to your upper and lower lashes to make your eyes seem bigger, and perfectly winged eyeliner will give that extra flair of drama.
Lipstick
To keep the attention on your new radiant tan, try and use nude lipstick, or colors such as rose, brown or peach. These colors go really well with a tanned complexion and will give your face a polished, smooth appearance while giving your skin the attention it deserves.
Blush
Avoid using a heavy blush on your cheeks and choose softer shades such as peach or strawberry.
This helps to give your skin a feminine shine without overpowering your features, making your makeup seem like too much. Anything dark will take attention away from the other features.
You could also opt for a super natural-looking blush. This blush is my favorite for that subtle glow.
Eyeshadow
There is no need to overdo your eyeshadow. Neutral, nude shades can really bring out the natural beauty in your eyes and can be all you need to finish off your look. Tanned skin also looks incredible with a little bit of sparkle, so add in some glitter if you dare!
Will Makeup Remover Damage My Spray Tan?
You might use makeup remover every day and be worried that it might remove your new spray tan.
If you wait the recommended amount of time after getting your spray tan to apply makeup or shower, there should be no problem with using a gentle makeup remover at the end of the day to cleanse your skin of excess product.
As the reaction between the spray tan ingredients and your skin would have already taken place, the makeup remover will just be removing the makeup on the top layer of your skin.
It is much better to remove the makeup than leave it on fearing it will damage your spray tan.
While makeup removers shouldn’t do much damage, it is recommended to use a gentler makeup remover, such as micellar water. Not only is it gentle, but it is caring and nourishing to the skin.
Should I Use Moisturizer After A Spray Tan?
It is actually recommended that you use a moisturizing cream after going for a spray tan, although you will have to wait the right amount of hours for the tan to properly develop.
Most moisturizers have ingredients which help with anti-aging and obviously provide the skin with extra hydration.
This helps to keep the tan looking glowing, and even helps it last longer and fade more evenly. So keep up with your moisturizing routine, or get motivated to start a habit of it for the sake of your tan.
Final Thoughts
So while you should not wear makeup to your spray tanning session, and avoid applying makeup six to eight hours after the spray tan, makeup worn as an addition to your spray tan can bring out your skins gorgeous glow and give you the definition you need to look and feel like a summer goddess!
