How Dry Skin + Dehydrated Skin Affect Your Spray Tan
This may come as a surprise to some but dry skin and dehydrated skin are two different conditions. Sure they tend to feel the same BUT the root cause is quite different. Dehydrated skin is lacking water, dry skin is missing oils. You can actually have dehydrated oily skin! A spray tan will only be as good as the canvas it’s being applied to. That means if you are dealing with either of these issues it’s important to understand what to do. We all want a flawless application and a long spray tan life!
Dry Skin vs Dehydrated skin: what’s the difference??
Dry skin: if your skin is dry it means you are lacking oils and this is how you were born to be (ie dry/combination/oily skin types). Typically you are dry all over your body and can sometimes experience sensitivity, eczema and flakiness of the skin.
Dehydrated skin: if your skin is dehydrated it means it’s lacking water. Your body will try and replace it by producing more oils and this can lead to other issues such as break outs, patchiness or irritation. Dehydration can come from various sources; diet, environment, wrong products for your skin, some make up.
How will these issues impact your spray tan?
The likelihood of your spray tan being impacted by dry or dehydrated skin is quite high. You can experience the tan developing unevenly, potentially have flakiness in areas making it fade quicker than other spots. This can give the appearance of blotchiness. It could highlight problem areas you wouldn’t want made more visible, fine lines and wrinkles can become more noticeable. Dehydrated skin may absorb more of the solution making the tan darker in some areas. Having a hydrated even canvas is crucial to a beautifully even tan application.
What can I do about it??
Your best bet is to understand your skin and look to address the root issues. Following our before and after care will also greatly support a beautiful spray tan! (pro tip: prep the day before your spray tan appointment. The day of your spray tan make sure to NOT apply anything to your skin)
Before your tan:
Use a gentle exfoliator, we suggest a mitt on soaked and softened skin and buff off all those dead skin cells. Don’t go too hard tho! You don’t want to irritate your skin.
A hydrating body lotion to add nourishment to your skin and even out any rough patches supporting an even application. For dehydrated skin add a hydrating serum. A product that can boost hydration will help with appearance and longevity of your skin (ultimately your spray tan!)
After your tan:
Use a spray tan friendly hydrating moisturizer. This will help with longevity and fade when the time comes. It is important to moisturize daily. A tan extender moisturizer can also help with the life of your tan and help it live on a little longer. Your artist can offer recommendations for in salon products or drug store options. Pro tip: use a hydrating add-on in salon to your spray tan appointment! Our hydrating oil treatment is a skin loving option to add some longevity moisture to your spray tan. Our artists can recommend an add-on that would work best with your goals.
Understanding your skin and prepping it for your spray tan appointment will help ensure your results are even and beautiful. Come visit us at our salon Downtown Burlington ON. You can book an appointment here