The answer is: it's best to wait. Showering immediately after can impact how your tan develops, especially since your skin is still reacting to the UV exposure. The water and products you use might strip away natural oils, potentially diminishing the tan you're trying to build.
Showering before tanning is generally recommended for a few reasons: Cleansing the Skin: Showering before tanning helps remove sweat, dirt, and oils from your skin. This ensures a more even tan and helps the tanning product (whether it's a spray tan or self-tanner) adhere better.
Showering after tanning is typically not recommended immediately, as it can wash away the tanning product and lead to uneven results. If you must shower, it's best to wait at least 4 to 8 hours after tanning, depending on the product used, to allow the tan to develop fully.
Forgo the shower (if you must, make sure it's several hours earlier in the day and try your best not to moisturize) and get straight to the tan. Prime your weirdo dinosaur bits (knees, ankles, elbows) with a little bit of light moisturizer so the DHC doesn't get stuck in there and mess up the illusion.
Please note: the tan will continue to develop even after the shower, so do not be alarmed if you're not as tanned as you expect to be. The tan will continue to develop over the next 12-24 hours.
3. Hot Showers & Baths. Hot showers/baths feel great, especially after a long day, but they are not the best choice for maintaining your self-tan. Hot water can open up the pores and promote skin cell turnover, which in turn, can cause your tan to fade quicker.
During the early stages of building up a base tan we recommend tanning frequently (twice a week) for no more than 6 minutes regardless of your skin type (not including skin type 1).
The time it takes to develop a tan from sunbeds varies widely among individuals. Generally, you might start noticing results after 3-5 sessions, with a more noticeable tan developing within 1-2 weeks of regular use. However, it's crucial to understand that these are just estimates, and your experience may differ.
Recommended Frequency of Tanning Bed Use
Each session should be brief, around 3-10 minutes, depending on your skin type. After the initial week, if your skin is responding well (no burns or excessive redness), you can gradually increase your sessions to three to four times per week.
☀️Tanning Tip Tuesday☀️ How to avoid the “bunny tail” or white spots on lower back or under your arms or sides: ✅ when using a lay down bed always reposition your body every few minutes to achieve an even tan. Switch from side to side and rest your arms behind your head .
You don't necessarily tan faster in water or laying out. This is because water reflects UV rays, so you may not be getting as much exposure as you think if you're actually in the pool.
Papaya: Like carrots, orange fruits and vegetables, such as papaya, help to enhance your tan naturally thanks to its high beta-carotene levels. Melon: This refreshing fruit, rich in antioxidants and beta-carotenes will help you to keep your golden skin tone.
We highly recommend that you do not have wet hair for your appointment. Wet hair can drip and cause damage to your developing tan. Have dark loose fitting clothes ready for you to wear after your appointment. We recommend long loose pants, oversized shirts, sweatshirts, and long sundresses in 100% cotton if possible.
Even one sunbed session can increase your risk of developing squamous cell skin cancer by 67% and basal cell skin cancer by 29%. Even more importantly is the increased risk of melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer.
Tanning Bed Tips for Pale Skin
To prevent burning, it's essential to start with a lower-level bed and gradually increase the level as your skin becomes more accustomed to UV rays. Additionally, you should limit your tanning sessions to shorter lengths, such as 3 minutes, and work your way up to longer sessions.
Prepare Your Skin
Your perfect tan starts before you set foot in your local PBT. You'll want to shower, shave and exfoliate at least a day before your tan (preferably two!). We recommend using our Premier Collection® body washes as the perfect pre-tan prep. Exfoliating is especially important.
Yes, a tan will naturally fade away due to the exfoliation of our skin. It may not be the nicest thing to think about, but the human skin sheds and then generates millions of cells everyday. When the tanned skin cells are replaced with new, untanned skin cells, your body will gradually return to its normal colour.
Why Is Baby Oil Used For Tanning? Many people tan with baby oil because it can make your skin tan more quickly. The reason for this quicker tan is because baby oil helps attract and absorb UV rays, says Farber. The problem, and this is a big one, is that baby oil doesn't offer sun protection.
In the end, no sunscreen can completely prevent tanning if exposing skin to the sun for extended periods. The myth persists that lower SPF sunscreens aid tanning while higher SPF prevents it. In reality, tanning depends more on sun exposure time, skin tone, and a sunscreen's UVA blocking capacity than the SPF alone.
Eat the right food. Fruit and veg that's high in beta carotene, which can help you tan, but without burning. Beta-carotene is widely recognised as being an excellent antioxidant that fights free radicals and reduces skin damage and oxidative stress on the skin, helping limit the harmful effects of UV light.