One of the things our clients look forward to the least when it comes to their sunless tanning routine, is when their tan starts to fade! The main goal as a spray tan artist is to provide our clients with a tan that looks as flawless as possible, even when the color starts to diminish! Unfortunately, as much as we try to give our clients the tools and knowledge to prep their skin for a seamless fade, uneven fading does occasionally take place. The question your clients may wonder is, “what causes uneven fading?” There’s a few different factors that contribute to the way a spray tan wears, whether it fades evenly, and how long the color lasts on the skin. Exfoliation is one of the main factors that affects the longevity of a spray tan and the quality of its fade. Doing proper exfoliation during pre-tan prep and avoiding unnecessary exfoliation post-tan should always be taken into consideration when trying to actively minimize uneven or premature fading of a sunless tan. With this in mind, we have outlined the ways in which exfoliation plays a major role in pre and post tan care when it comes to achieving a flawless fade. 

Pre-Tan Exfoliation 

Exfoliating prior to a sunless tan, whether you prefer to get a professional spray tan or opt for an at-home DIY tan, is a crucial step to avoiding evenness during the lifespan of that tan. The reason spray tan artists are trained to deliver precise pre-tan instructions and educate clients on the power of exfoliation is because of the role this single step will play in preparing the skin to evenly distribute the spray tan solution. Exfoliating ensures that the dead skin cells on the top layer of the skin are sloughed off prior to the skin being saturated with tanning solution. This helps deliver the solution to a fresh canvas, increasing the likelihood that the sunless tan will develop without streaks, creating flawless results that last! However, if exfoliating is not done prior to a spray tan, the client can expect to experience premature and uneven fading.

Post-Tan Exfoliation 

Although it’s imperative to do proper exfoliation prior to a spray tan, excess exfoliation can also play a role in uneven fading when it comes to spray tanning. You might think this advice is contradictory to what we just talked about, however it's important to keep in mind that while exfoliating prior to the tan helps create flawless, even results, exfoliation taking place on the skin post-tan can also create unevenness and premature fading. When the active ingredient in sunless tanning products, DHA, interacts with the skin, it’s only developing on the top layer of the skin. This means that whenever additional exfoliation takes place on the skin, the tan will start to be removed. 

Excess exfoliation can take place from:

• Exfoliating body scrubs and washes

• Products containing mineral oils and alcohol

• Excessive sweating

• Shaving 

Yes, Glow Boss, you heard that correctly! Excessive sweating can lead to uneven fading, especially when it’s combined with tight clothing. You may find this fading in areas where clothing, such as sports bras rubs against the skin during a workout. This may be somber news for all the gym girlies, but wearing workout clothes that are more loose fitting can keep the tan intact for a glow that lasts longer even through a heavy gym session. 

Luckily, the situations that cause exfoliation to the skin can be avoided and remedied with proper education and planning! In your post tan care instructions that are provided to clients, make sure these considerations are noted and talked about with your clients prior and during their spray tan appointments so they get the best experience possible even after their tan has fully developed.

If you want to enhance your client experience even further, X-Tan has everything you need! With premium sunless solutions and retail products for aftercare, your clients will rave over their jaw-dropping bronze transformation. To explore all of the X-Tan Sunless retail options that are ready to be implemented into your sunless biz, head to the X-Tan Pro Shop today!

Xo,

Kelly