How To Fix Water Spots On A Spray Tan
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Most of us take for granted how difficult it is not to get our skin wet for the hours needed for a spray tan to develop.
Even the smallest splash of water on your fresh spray tan can result in a light spot or streaky appearance, which you will want to avoid.
Ready for the next one!
If a water spot happens on a fresh spray tan, how do you fix it?
Luckily, it is fairly simple to remove water spots from your spray tan, and you can do it at home without having to return to the spray tan salon.
What Causes Water Spots?
It might seem obvious that water causes water spots, but how exactly does it cause such a drastic change in a spray tan?
Water washes away DHA on the skin. DHA is an ingredient in the spray tan formula that is responsible for darkening the upper dead skin cells.
If the skin comes into contact with water, such as from rain or washing dishes, the DHA will wash off the skin and will not be able to darken the skin evenly throughout the body.
Your skin must remain completely dry for 8 hours after the spray tan has been applied, or you risk developing water spots from contact with water at any time before this period.
If you do want a lighter tan, you can wash your spray tan off sooner than 8 hours, but you will need to make sure you wash it off evenly in the shower, and from all areas, to make sure there is no DHA left to cause darker patches in certain places where it was not washed off properly.
So, avoiding water for 8 hours after your spray tan is extremely important to ensure you have an even, natural-looking tan.
Another way water spots appear is if somebody sweats excessively after a spray tan. This could be due to hot weather or tight clothing (which is not advised) worn after a spray tan.
These beads or drops of sweat can also wash away the DHA, causing patches and lighter areas on the spray tan.
When you leave the spray tan salon, avoid sitting on leather seats, refrain from any strenuous activity, and do not wear tight-fitting clothes. Also, be sure to use cooling products.
How To Fix Water Spots on A Spray Tan
The damage done to your spray tan will obviously vary, and so will the various ways to address it. Here are a few suggestions on how you can fix a splotchy tan.
Touch-ups
If you have a few small water spots, you can use a self-tanning lotion (either one you already have in your cupboard or one you need to buy). This is my current favorite tanning lotion.
Using a small paintbrush, dip it into the self-tanner, wipe off some of the product onto the bottle itself, and carefully paint in the water spots.
Try and keep the tan light and let it develop until the white spots blend in with the rest of your skin.
Bronzer
Bronzer is a great option if you do not want to commit to more self-tanner To cover up water spots, use a tinted bronzing cream, but note that this is only a good solution for smaller water spots.
Choose a bronzer that closely matches your tanned skin color. Rub it evenly into the affected areas until it is all blended. You will need to do this daily, or whenever you go out, until the tan fades away.
Lemon and baking soda
Lemon and baking soda, two simple ingredients, can help you fix water spots at home. Mix a few drops of lemon juice with enough baking soda to make a paste.
Jump into the shower and use this mixture to scrub away at the water spots. The mixture of the two ingredients will help to lighten the area around the water spots, blending them in more with the rest of your skin.
Reapplication
f you are unfortunate enough to come into contact with a significant amount of water, which leaves you with numerous small water spots or large patches of lighter areas, it may be better to simply strip your skin of its tan and opt for a new spray tan.
To do this, you can make an exfoliating scrub using lemon juice and sugar.
This body scrub will remove much of the tan from your skin, giving you a fresh canvas to go back for a new spray tan. Be sure to keep your skin hydrated, though.
Apply a light moisturizing cream after exfoliation, and wait a day before heading back to the tanning salon. This will give your skin a chance to heal after exfoliation and provide it with some much-needed hydration.
As annoying and unfortunate as water spots might be, they can be a great lesson to learn.
Next time you go for a spray tan, be sure to stay away from any water, knowing the damage it can cause to your tan and how challenging it might be to even out water spots once the damage is done.
When your spray tan salons give you tips on how to care for your developing tan after a session, listen!
How To Keep A New Spray Tan Safe
In addition to all the preparation necessary to ensure your skin is in optimal condition for a spray tan, there are certain things you should do and avoid doing once you have had your spray tan applied, at least for the 8 hours it takes for the spray tan to properly develop.
- Allow your tan to develop for at least 7 or 8 hours to achieve a deep, rich tone.
- Do not wear socks or shoes after your tanning session. If you must wear shoes, choose loose-fitting flip-flops to wear home.
- Do not apply any moisturizers or deodorants to your skin; these, like water, can prevent the DHA from properly reacting with your skin and may cause dark patches and streaks.
- Do not wear tight-fitting clothing for at least 6 hours. This includes bras, spandex, workout clothes, tight-fitting jeans, tight shirts, and socks.
- Do not swim, exercise, sit in a sauna, or do any activity that could cause you to sweat. These will all leave you with streaks and patches.
- Avoid shaving for at least a day after a spray tan. Shaving can strip the color from your skin, and it should be avoided for as long as possible.
- If you have leather seats in your car, place a towel down before sitting. The leather can disrupt the tan, cause you to sweat, and your tan could damage the leather.
Related Questions
How do I know when to shower after a spray tan?
The spray tan specialist at the salon will give you a guideline on how long you should wait to shower after your spray tan, but as a rule of thumb, the below should be followed:
- For a light tan, shower 1-3 hours after a spray tan
- For a medium tan, shower 3-5 hours after a spray tan
- For a darker tan, shower 5-8 hours after a spray tan
Some spray tans contain bronzer, which can make the tan appear darker than it actually is; however, this bronzer will wash off in the shower.
Be sure to keep this in mind and check with the salon to see if their spray tans contain bronzer.
Can I wash my hair after a spray tan?
You should avoid washing your hair after a spray tan, even if you have no intention of wetting the rest of your body. There is too much risk that the hair might drip and wet your developing tan.
Additionally, shampoo and conditioner can also act as a barrier to the spray tan reacting with the skin and should be avoided, along with soaps, scrubbing, and shaving, for at least 12 hours after a spray tan.
Will my spray tan fade evenly?
This will depend on your skin and how evenly the spray tan was applied, but the maintenance of your spray tan will also depend on how evenly the tan fades.
It is important to keep your skin hydrated in the days after your spray tan, as hydrated skin helps a tan fade more evenly.
Water Spots and Spray Tans
Do not fear water spots; they are unfortunate and a pain when they happen, but they are fixable.
However, the best way to deal with water spots is to stop them from happening in the first place.
Listen to the guidelines provided by the salon and follow the sacred rules of spray tanning to ensure your tan remains even, glowing, and completely natural-looking.
It might be difficult to avoid water for 8 hours, but you will thank yourself for doing so.
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