22 Tips - I Forgot to Shave Before Spray Tan

Here are the top 22 tips on what to do to get the best results from a spray tan. But also what to do when you forget to shave, and tips on how to self-tan.

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22 Tips When I Forgot to Shave Before Spray Tan

For Best Results, Use These Tips

Exfoliate 4 hours prior to the tan for best results
Use oil free exfoliators, instead of using exfoliating products, use a loofa or a washcloth
Shave at least 24 hours prior
Wax 24+ hour prior, if that’s on the agenda as well
Do not wear lotions, oils, or makeup to your appointment
Rinse in cold water before the service
Let the tanning solution stay 8+ hours after the service to adhere to the skin before showering or shaving again
Wear loose clothing after the tan

You’ve arrived to your appointment and forgot to shave before spray tan! That doesn’t mean that your tan is ruined. Thick body hair can affect the tan, making it streak or patchy, but that’s simply not always the case.

It is better to shave beforehand, but if you forgot to shave before spray tan there are a couple of things you can do to make up for it.

I Forgot to Shave Before Spray Tan – What to do

What do you do when you forgot to shave beforehand and you’re sitting in the parking lot before your appointment?

Don’t panic!

Get the tan anyway. That’s what you’re there for.

Some salons may have exfoliating products that you can purchase and use while you are there, if they have a place for you to rinse the product off before the spray.

Continue below to see the tips on how to fix a patchy tan for what to do at your appointment when you forgot to shave before the spray tan.

Does Body Hair Affect A Spray Tan?

It will. Body hair does affect a spray tan because the spray will adhere to the hair instead of the skin.

The best product to use with body hair is a tanning mousse or tanning bronzing lotion.

Beauty by Earth Self Tanner Mousse Fair – Medium $34.99

Beauty by Earth Self Tanner Mousse Medium – Dark $34.99

What is Spray Tanning?

The solution that makes a spray tan product contains dihydroxyacetone, also known as DHA.

When DHA reacts with the oxygen in the air and the amino acids on the top layer of your skin, it darkens the color of your skin.

A good spray tan when cared for in optimal conditions will last 7-10 days. Just enough time for a vacation!

That being said, it’s hard to not get in the pool or the ocean while vacationing and even harder to not shower afterwards. Which fades the tan a little faster. But please don’t let that stop you from showering when you need to.

How to Fix a Patchy Tan

Exfoliate. When the tan ends up less than perfectly even you can fix the patchy tan by lightly exfoliating. You can exfoliate using-

A washcloth
Loofa
Baking soda
At home bronzer or fake tan solution

Baking soda and a touch of lemon juice is optimal for fixing a patchy tan. The baking soda is just coarse enough to help even out that line, and the lemon juice has a reaction with the skin and the product that lightens the tint just enough to blend in the skin tone with the fake tan.

Lemon juice is better for blending patchiness over oils because the acidity will work with the skin rather than the oils opening up the skin and smearing the spray tan solution off, making the patch bigger.

If you are using a washcloth or a loofa, DO NOT scrub the skin like you want the skin to come off! Skin is skin, it’s a sensitive (yet tough) organ of the body. You simply want to blend the patchiness in, not damage the skin and scrub raw spots.

When blending a patchy tan at home with a bronzer or solution be sure that the tone of the product is close to your desired tone. Whether you want to blend into your natural tone or the fake tan, be sure that it is the correct tone before lightly blending it in with a tanning mitt.

Sugar or salt is a little too rough for fixing a patchy tan and should only be used before the tan. If used beforehand it can exfoliate the entire tan off or make the patch bigger instead of removing the harsh line.

Before the Tan

how to prepare for a spray tan the night before

Why shave beforehand?

Shaving beforehand means that the skin has been exfoliated with a razor, meaning the first layer of dead skin has been removed along with the hair that will get in the way of the tanning product.

For best results of a spray tan or fake tan, you should shave the body parts with the most hair, such as legs and arms. But if your arm hair isn’t very long or thick, it should be alright with an alternative exfoliating technique.

It takes 24 hours for the pores of the skin to fully close after shaving. Rinsing in cold water helps do this too, of course, but 24 hours is the full amount of time to safely say the pores have closed to help the skin absorb the tan and the product adhere to the skin.

If the pores aren’t closed all the way before the tanning product is applied, it will clog the pores and cause blackheads.

Now, with that being said, if you are getting a full-body spray tan or using a fake tan solution at home for the whole body you will need to exfoliate the whole entire body- not just the parts that you usually shave.

Use oil free products

Oils will hydrate the skin and soak into the skin, which normally you would want but not when you are preparing for a fake tan. When the skin is exfoliated and product-free it will soak in the spray tan or at home bronzer better and deeper, holding the color more.

You can use an oil free exfoliating product before the tan such as sugar or salt, or you can use a loofa or a washcloth to exfoliate the skin.

Exfoliate Gently

Exfoliate by using a washcloth, loofa, baking soda, or lightly rub sugar or salt on the skin to remove all of the dead skin but not removing the top layer of the dermis. This will help expose the fresh skin to the tanning product and soak it in better.

Don’t wear any lotions before applying the tanning solution

If the skin has products soaked into the pores there is less room for the fake tanning solution or the spray tanning product.

Wear loose clothing to the appointment and for the first day afterwards

The last thing you want to do is rub off the fresh tan. Be sure that the clothes you wear are not skin tight and a little bit loose.

At the Tan

No Lotions or oils
No Makeup

The two big no-nos… Don’t wear lotions, oils, or makeup. You want the skin as fresh and exposed as possible to be able to soak in the tanning product and not be rinsed off with the makeup or lotion.

How to choose the best tan color shade for you

Things to consider, the shade and tone of your hair, eye color, natural skin tones, and the seasons.

For example, if you have blonde hair and blue eyes, a gold toned tan would be optimal for you over an olive (or cooler) color on your skin.

If it is Autumn and you dress with the season, your hair and clothes consist of more oranges, greens, dark browns, and reds, a softer bronze might be better than a copper.

After the Tan

For the best results of a spray tan-

Do not shower for 8 hours after the product has been applied to allow the product to fully oxidize and adhere to the skin
Wait at least 8 or more hours before shaving again
When you do shave again, use a new razor
Use alcohol-free shaving, or conditioner instead of oil products or heavy shaving cream

Do NOT use Nair after a spray tan, it will remove the fake tan. Also, be sure that you use oil-less and alcohol-free products to shave.

Safe Self Tanning Products

Beauty by Earth Organic makes a beautiful self tanner solution so you can apply a fake tan at home to yourself. This brand also uses clean, organic ingredients to maintain the integrity of your skin.

The only ingredients used in their products are – Coconut oil, Organic Witch Hazel, Cranberries, Aloe Vera, Shea Butter, Vanilla, Organic Pomegranate Extract, Coffee, Cucumber, Hyaluronic Acid, Lavender, Peppermint, DHA, Citrus, Blue Tansy, Chamomile, and Bakuchiol

Again, DHA is short for dihydroxyacetone, which reacts with the oxygen in the air and the amino acids on the top layer of your skin, it darkens the color of your skin. It is completely safe for the skin.

Beauty by Earth Self Tanner Bundle Face & Body Lotion Medium – Dark $64.99

The Self Tanner Bundle includes your choice of Fair to Medium, or Medium to Dark face bronzer and total body bronzer.

Self Tanner Lotion

Beauty by Earth Self Tanner Lotion Fair – Medium $34.99

Beauty by Earth Self Tanner Lotion Medium – Dark $34.99

Self Tanner Mousse

Beauty by Earth Self Tanner Mousse Fair – Medium $34.99

Beauty by Earth Self Tanner Mousse Medium – Dark $34.99

Self Tanner Face Serum

Beauty by Earth Self Tanner Face Serum Fair – Medium $29.99

Beauty by Earth Self Tanner Face Serum Medium – Dark $29.99

Self Tanning Face Mist

Beauty by Earth Self Tanning Face Mist – Fair to Medium $29.99

Beauty by Earth Self Tanning Face Mist – Medium to Dark $29.99

Benefits of Beauty by Earth

Organic Ingredients
Healthy for the Skin
They listen to your concerns about your skin
Vegan ingredients
Various products to meet your skincare needs

Not only does Beauty by Earth use the best, healthy, organic ingredients, but they have plenty of other options for other skincare concerns. Not just self tanning needs.

How to Make your Spray Tan Last Longer

The best way to make a spray tan last longer is to prepare the night before, exfoliate well, don’t wear oils or lotions for 24 hours after the appointment.

Leaving the tanning product on the skin for as long as possible before taking a shower or applying lotion will help it adhere to the skin stronger. Minimum 8 hours. Maximum 24 hours before showering or applying a moisturizer.

How to Prepare for a Spray Tan the Night Before

Shave at least 24 hours before your appointment or when you will apply your self-tanner. And exfoliate again 4 hours beforehand with oil free products, or with a loofa or washcloth.

If you want to wax, do it at least 24 or more hours prior to the spray tan. DO NOT wax after the spray tan or it will completely remove the tanning product.

FAQs About What to Do When I Forgot to Shave Before Spray Tan

Can you shave after a spray tan?

Yes, wait at least 8 hours and then you can lightly shave again with a new razor.

How to shave after a fake tan

Using water and oil-free soap, gently shave with a brand new razor to prevent nicks or streaking. Have a self-tanner on hand just in case you need to freshen up some spots that might have worn off in the hours just after the tan.

Can you spray tan if you haven’t shaved?

Yes, if you forgot to shave before a tan get the tan anyway. There is a greater chance that it might not soak in quite as well or end up slightly patchy, but fixing a patchy tan is easy.

Can I fake tan and shave the next day?

As long as it’s been 8 hours and you use a brand new razor, it shouldn’t be a problem!

Can you spray tan with hairy legs?

Yes. Just be aware that it will cause a little bit of patchiness, but it’s not hard to fix a patchy tan when you have hairy legs. And you can shave the hair off if you want 8 or more hours after the tan.

Can you spray tan with stubble?

Spray tanning with stubble is much better than having a lot of hair on the skin. As long as you have exfoliated 4 hours beforehand, you can easily get a spray tan with stubble with no problems.

How to choose a spray tan color

Look in your makeup drawer, do you have more cool toned foundations and primers or warmer tones? What is the season outside? And what color is your hair at the moment?