Instead, make a timeline and start early so you can build up to your desired shade without having to rush. If you're planning on using tanning beds to achieve your glow, you should start at least two to three weeks before prom (though you may want to start earlier than that).
4. DON'T fake tan the day of an event or occasion. The optimum time to have a salon tan or self tan before an event is one to two days beforehand. The colour will develop over 48 hours from the time of spray tan.
How many days before your event should you book your spray tan? The time frame will vary depending on how much time you have to prepare but aim for 2 days to allow the colour to develop and settle on your skin.
Begin Tanning at a MINIMUM of 6 weeks prior to the wedding.
If you choose UV tanning, start 4-6 weeks for best results before you travel to reach your color goals. If you're new to tanning, your skin may not be ready for the sunless beds quite yet. Start at a lower time and increase time with each session to avoid overexposure.
How many times a week can I tan? All PBT locations require 24-hours between sunbed sessions. This requirement is in accordance with FDA guidelines and will give your skin the time it needs to rest and maximize color development.
With very low-dose exposure over weeks to sunlight, a light tan on pale skin may eventually be possible for some. Slightly less sensitive light skin (Fitzpatrick type 2) can tolerate short 30 to 45 minute sessions of moderate direct natural sunlight before initial pinkness emerges.
Try to aim to book your spray tan two to three days before your event and your tan will be the perfect colour.
Apply Self-Tanner
Thankfully, you don't need to visit a spray tan salon to get pro-level results that completely camouflage your tan lines. There are plenty of self-tanners that are easy to apply, one's that will keep you glowing from the rehearsal dinner to the after-party and beyond.
Once skin is exposed to UV radiation, it increases the production of melanin in an attempt to protect the skin from further damage. Melanin is the same pigment that colors your hair, eyes, and skin. The increase in melanin may cause your skin tone to darken over the next 48 hours.
After you've dried yourself off, lather yourself up in a nourishing moisturiser. You need to make sure you lock all the moisture in and cover yourself evenly, so the tan doesn't cling to certain areas and get patchy.
Start Early
If you're planning on using tanning beds to achieve your glow, you should start at least two to three weeks before prom (though you may want to start earlier than that).
Avoid wearing make-up, perfume or deodorant on the day of the tanning bed session. That's because these chemicals can negatively impact the even result of the final tan. For the same reason, please don't wear watches or jewellery.
Most Brides schedule tanning sessions approximately 6-8 weeks leading up to the week of their wedding; this allows you to build a base tan.
The Two-Day Rule: When it comes to tanning before an event, it is generally recommended to have a spray tan or apply your own tan two days prior to the occasion. The reason behind this is that all tans take approximately 24 hours to fully develop, even after rinsing off the initial bronzer.
Let's be clear – you won't. Fake tan doesn't provide a barrier because it does not produce melanin and, vitally, it doesn't contain any SPF. In other words, it does nothing to block or protect your skin from the sun's harmful UV rays.
Ten minutes in a sunbed can be roughly equivalent to 1-2 hours in natural sunlight, depending on factors like sunbed intensity and skin type. However, this varies widely based on geographical location, time of day, and weather conditions. Always adhere to recommended exposure times to minimise skin damage risks.
If you have light skin or very light skin, 10 to 30 minutes in the sun is a perfect amount of time for a tan. Much longer than that, and you could start to develop a sunburn. No, not if you have light brown to dark brown skin.
Stand up sunbeds can give your skin a deeper colour, which is due to the bulbs in stand up beds being more intense than the bulbs in a lay down sunbed. So if you are aiming to achieve a very dark tan then a stand up may be the sunbed for you!
Either way, with the appropriate level of sun protection, you can usually see yourself begin to tan in 1 to 2 hours in moderate sun and acquire a noticeable summery glow across several days of exposure.
Is it possible to get a tan with sunscreen on? In short, the answer is yes. Whilst sunscreen works to reflect and absorb the majority of UV rays, it is designed to let a small number through. No sunscreen can block 100% of the sun's UV rays and this enables you to still tan whilst wearing it.
A cloudy sky may not seem like the best choice for tanning, but it is still possible to tan! According to research and studies, around 90% of UV rays penetrate clouds, therefore reaching your skin. Even if you can't feel the sun on your skin, the UV rays that lead to tanning are still present.