Golden Rules
Four habits that double how long your tan lasts
Moisturise daily
Oil-free, non-mineral moisturiser morning and night, starting the day after your tan.
Pat dry, never rub
After every shower, pat skin dry with a soft towel. Rubbing lifts the colour.
Cool, short showers
Hot water and long showers strip the tan faster than anything else.
Skip the exfoliator
Don’t exfoliate for the duration of the tan unless you’re prepping for a new one.
Day-by-Day
What your tan does in the week after the
appointment
FAQs
Aftercare questions
A professional spray tan typically lasts seven to ten days at its peak with proper aftercare, then gradually fades over the following few days. Aftercare is the single biggest factor — clients who moisturise daily and avoid long hot baths regularly get the full ten days. Clients who skip moisturiser, take very hot showers and exfoliate aggressively often see five days.
For a standard 8-hour develop tan, wait the full 8 hours (or until the morning after) before rinsing the cosmetic bronzer off. For an express tan, you can rinse the guide colour after 1–4 hours depending on the depth you want — the longer you leave it, the deeper the starting shade. Either way, the actual tan continues to develop on your skin for another 6–8 hours after the rinse. The first shower should be lukewarm, brief, and bronzer-only (no soap, scrub or shower gel).
Avoid heavy exercise for the first 24 hours — sweat lifts the tan unevenly while it’s still developing. After 24 hours you can go back to normal workouts, but rinse off sweat with a quick lukewarm shower rather than letting it dry on the skin, and avoid abrasive sports gear that rubs the same area repeatedly.
Chlorine and salt water are the fastest tan-stripping agents there are. Swimming will dramatically shorten your tan’s lifespan. If you have to swim, apply a thick waterproof barrier cream beforehand, rinse with fresh water immediately after, and pat dry — don’t rub.
Yes, but shave (don’t wax) and use a fresh razor with a hydrating shaving gel. Shaving lifts the very top layer of dead skin so the tan looks slightly lighter afterwards — that’s normal. Avoid waxing for the duration of the tan as it’ll strip the colour completely from the waxed area.
An oil-free, non-mineral-based moisturiser is best. Avoid anything with cocoa butter, coconut oil, AHAs, retinol or vitamin C — they accelerate fade. Brands like Sienna X, Fake Bake and Nouvatan all sell tan-extending moisturisers that genuinely make a difference. Apply morning and night.
