Dihydroxyacetone (or DHA for short) is the tanning ingredient in all self-tanning formulas. DHA creates a tanned appearance by developing a brown color on the surface of the skin thus creating a tanned appearance. DHA is a colorless 3-carbon sugar that when applied to the skin causes a chemical reaction with amino acids in the surface cells of the skin producing a darkening effect. DHA does not damage skin as it only affects the outermost cells of the epidermis, the outer layer of skin. The development of color takes anywhere from 6 to 8 hours and the intensity of color is dependent upon the DHA concentration in the product as well as each person’s skin type. The tan typically lasts 5 to 7 days and begins to fade as the top layer of skin cells naturally sheds.

The Day of Your Spray Tan
Take a shower as normal and be careful to rinse off ALL of the shampoo and soap; also don’t apply any deodorant, moisturizer, lotion, cream, or makeup before your spray tan. Any of these products will block the spray tan from setting to its fullest and deodorants can turn the bronzer in the spray tan green so unless you want Incredible Hulk armpits I would advise against it (The DHA tan will not be green, just the bronzer). If you have an appointment later in the day then be sure to rinse off your deodorant or moisturizers in the shower or with a washcloth before your appointment.

Exfoliation is Key
By exfoliating before a spray tan, you are turning your skin into a clean slate for your spray tan consultant. This is the single most important aspect of your before-appointment regimen. A spray tan sets on the topmost layer of your skin; so if the topmost layer of your skin is not at its cleanest, most natural state prior to a spray tan then you will not get the best results. If you do properly exfoliate with an exfoliant designed specifically for spray tanning then you can increase the life of your tan by up to three days!

What to Wear to Your Appointment
Find a sunless tanning solution that is oil-free, this means that it should not stain your clothes, bedsheets, or your couch; however, we do suggest that you wear dark, loose clothing so that your clothes don’t rub against the spray tan while it is setting.

Now that you have had your appointment, and you love your spray tan, you should learn how to keep it:
No Diving!
Do not go swimming or work out during the 8 hours that your tan is setting to ensure that the tan is given enough time to properly develop.
For your first shower: rinse only!
You should always only wash off with water during your first shower. After that though, soaps and shampoos that have not been designed for spray tanning could still lessen the quality of your spray tan. Alcohols and oils in products could produce a crackling effect on your fade and certain soaps dry out your skin, causing your tan to vanish faster.
Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize!
A spray tan’s worst enemy is dry skin; a spray tan’s best friend is a fantastic moisturizer. By using moisturizers on a daily basis (and after every shower!), your skin will stay soft, supple, and most importantly tanned for days longer

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