When Is the Best Time to Have a Spray Tan?

If you’ve ever wondered when the best time is to book your spray tan, the answer is… it depends what you’re tanning for.

A spray tan doesn’t stop developing the moment you rinse it off. Your colour continues to settle and develop over the following hours, and different formulations, skin types and desired depths can all affect the timing I recommend.

How Many Day Before an Event Should You Get a Spray Tan?

As a general rule, for weddings, proms, photoshoots and big events, I recommend having your spray tan two days before.

For holidays and weekends away, I usually recommend tanning the day before you travel.

Here’s why…

When Should I Have a Spray Tan Before a Wedding?

For weddings, I recommend having your spray tan two days before the big day.

This gives your colour time to fully develop, settle into the skin and look beautifully natural by the time the wedding day arrives.

For brides, there isn’t one standard “bridal tan”.

Different spray tan formulations and colour bases can create different depths and tones on the skin, and the tan I choose will depend on your natural skin tone, the result you want and how you normally tan.

Some brides want the lightest hint of colour. Others want a deeper, more noticeable tan.

There are also different options when it comes to the cosmetic bronzer - from a traditional guide colour, to a lighter bronzer or a completely clear tan.

This can affect what you see immediately after your appointment and what to expect when you shower, but the DHA is what develops your actual tan underneath.

This is why I always recommend a bridal trial. It gives us the opportunity to choose the

right formulation, colour base and depth for you, and make any adjustments before your wedding tan.

When Should I Have a Spray Tan Before Prom?

For prom, I recommend having your spray tan two days before.

This allows the tan to fully develop and settle into the skin before the big night.

It also means you’re not trying to fit your first rinse, hair washing and all of your other prom prep into the day before.

For under-18s, a patch test and parental consent are required before your spray tan appointment.

When Should I Have a Spray Tan Before a Photoshoot?

For a photoshoot, I recommend having your spray tan two days before your shoot.

This gives the colour time to fully develop and settle into the skin, so it looks its best under studio lighting and on camera.

Photoshoot tans are often about creating more depth, definition and a more even looking skin tone. For my photoshoot tans, I use Black Magic VIBE ULTRA DARK, a professional tanning formulation chosen for the rich depth of colour it can create while still giving a balanced, natural looking result.

The depth is always tailored to your natural skin tone and the look required for the shoot. A fitness shoot may need a very different finish to a fashion, branding or portfolio shoot.

Contouring is also available and can be used to enhance your natural definition, depending on the style of the shoot and the finished look you’re aiming for.

When Should I Have a Spray Tan Before a Holiday?

For holidays, I usually recommend having your spray tan the day before you travel.

Unlike a wedding or photoshoot, where I want the tan fully settled for one specific day, with a holiday I want you to get as much life from your tan as possible while you’re away.

Having your tan the day before you travel means your colour is fresh at the start of your holiday.

A spray tan does not protect your skin from the sun, so SPF is still essential.

I recommend using a tan friendly SPF such as Ultrasun, and a gradual tanner or tan extender can also help maintain your colour while you’re away.

When Should I Have a Spray Tan Before a Weekend Away?

For a weekend away, I usually recommend tanning the day before you go.

Again, the aim is to have your tan looking fresh for as much of the weekend as possible.

If you’re travelling early in the morning, a rapid or clear tan may be a better option depending on your skin and the depth you want.

So, When Is the Best Time to Have a Spray Tan?

As a quick guide:

• Wedding: Two days before

• Prom: Two days before

• Photoshoot: Two days before

• Big event: Two days before

• Holiday: The day before you travel

• Weekend away: The day before you go

The best timing can still vary depending on your skin, the spray tan formulation and the depth of colour you want.

Does the Spray Tan Formulation and Appointment Time Matter?

Yes. Different spray tan formulations have different development times, so the time of day you book your appointment is worth considering too.

An evening appointment doesn’t mean you can’t have a spray tan, but booking later may limit which formulations are practical for your schedule. If the formulation I recommend needs to be rinsed after a set number of hours, make sure you’ll be able to shower at the advised time - even if that means staying up a little later!

An eight hour formulation may be a better option for an evening appointment, but longer isn’t always better. Leaving a spray tan on for longer than advised can sometimes cause the colour to overdevelop or pull warmer than intended. It may also dry the skin, which can lead to a more uneven or patchy fade.

Always rinse your tan at the time recommended by your spray tan artist. Your rinse time is based on the formulation used, your skin and the depth of colour we’re aiming to achieve.

Your natural skin tone, the depth and tone of colour you’re looking for and the occasion you’re tanning for all help determine which formulation I recommend. So when booking, have a quick think about your schedule as well as the day you need your tan for.

I may also use professional pre tan and post tan sprays as part of your appointment, depending on your skin and the formulation being used.

Your tan, development time and appointment timing are tailored to you.

If you’re still unsure when to book, just get in touch and I can recommend the best appointment day for you.

Thanks

Noush xxx

YOO Spray Tanning | Private Spray Tan Studio in Wyton, Cambridgeshire