We Are Meticulous About What Goes on Your Skin.
...YOU SHOULD BE TOO!
After being in the industry for over 17 years we have researched and found with vast experience how to get the most out of your sunless tanning results. Your skin is a reflection of your overall wellness, and our philosophy is that beautiful skin begins with exceptional skincare. O.C. TAN 2 U's spray tan formula actually nourishes and improves your skin while giving you the best tan you've ever had.
Golden hour no longer has to end. Ever. We do everything we can to ensure you look as great on the outside as you feel on the inside with a spray tan that actually improves your skin. There are, however, a few things that are out of our control, so be sure to follow these skin preparation and aftercare instructions to help you maintain a gorgeous glow that looks flawless from head to toe.
BEFORE YOUR TAN
Exfoliate within 24 hours of your session. Spray tanning solution or dihydroxyacetone (DHA), the active ingredient in all sunless tanners including our proprietary formula, develops after reacting with the protein keratin in your skin cells. Exfoliating and scrubbing away any excess dead skin cells will ensure that the tan will last as long as possible. Ideal exfoliation is achieved in the shower, either using Exfoliating Gloves -our recommended method for dry skin or skin that has the best method if you have any self tanner/old spray tan left on your skin or you sunless tan regularly. The other method that works well is to use plain old brown sugar. Yes you heard us right, Brown Sugar!
When using Exfoliating Gloves - Simply put gloves on your hands in the shower apply your regular bar soap or body wash and SCRUB from head to toe!!!
When using Brown Sugar - Apply a cupful of brown sugar to the entire body and rub in circular motions/SCRUB from head to toe!!! Skin should be pink, or even slightly red, after proper exfoliation.
Most exfoliating body washes and scrubs are oil based so we recommend using these only 48 hrs before your application and showering again in between to remove any oil left over on the skin. Skin should be clean and free of any product especially oils before applying sunless tanner for even results.
If you have sunless or self-tanner on your skin:
For even results, remove any previous sunless tan. Spraying a fresh layer of tan over the old tan will not “cover it up”. It will just make the tan uneven and the fading worse. Every application should be removed before applying another. This thorough exfoliation typically requires more than brown sugar. We recommend pairing exfoliating gloves with a simple body wash or bar soap. Add water, and scrub, scrub, scrub! This will slough off the tired, dead skin as well as any left over color.
Manicures & pedicures should be completed prior to your tanning session. Any oils, and creams applied to your skin during these services should be thoroughly removed leaving skin product free.
Shaving and Waxing: If you wax, do so at least 24 hours before application. No waxing for at least 1 week after your tan. You can shave up to 8 hours prior to your spray tan application, but steer clear of shaving cream. Use body wash or bar soap to shave and exfoliate off any residue left over from the razor's moisture strips after shaving.
Make sure skin is clean and free of any product, such as lotions, perfumes, shaving cream, body scrubs, body oils, etc.
Consider your after tan ensemble. Before your first rinse we suggest wearing dark, baggy clothing (NO DENIM), open toed sandals/flip flops while out, going barefoot while at home and braless for long lasting even results.
Do not shower, sweat or get any liquid on your skin until the full development time; 8-10 hours for The Original and 4 hours for The Express. This includes showering, working out, doing the dishes, getting your hair or nails done, giving your kids a bath, etc.
Do NOT touch the palms of your hands to your tanned skin until after the first rinse/shower. If contact occurs, wash your hands with soap immediately to prevent your palms from turning orange. Be careful not to let the water go past your wrist line.
AFTER YOUR TAN
For your first shower, which we call a "rinse", do NOT use any soap/body wash, shave or wash hair.
Don't worry when you see the bronzer rinsing off in the shower. The bronzer is purely cosmetic and is designed to be a color guide for us and gives instant color for you. Your spray tan develops under the bronzer and takes time to process.
The Original develops in 8-10 hours. You will see your full color result upon stepping out of the shower. The Express develops in a unique & convenient way allowing you to rinse/shower in just 4 hrs. Your color will gradually deepen over the next 8-24 hours after your first rinse/shower.
Begin regular showers with soap again 24+ hours after your tan. For the best long lasting results use spray tan friendly soaps and body washes only. Be gentle when showering. Hand wash, or gently use a loofah & pat dry. No scrubbing.
We stock & carry spray tan friendly body washes and lotions to all of our mobile tan appointments. They are available for purchase at the time of your appointment or in our online store which is viewable here:
Shop O.C. TAN 2 U Self Tanning
Use clean moisturizers that are not primarily designed for fragrance and do not carry a high pH content. No Dove, Dial, Victoria Secret, Bath & Body Works or Olay products. All natural Goat's Milk & any of the spray tan friendly products we carry to our mobile tans are great
Moisturize 1-2 times daily. The more moisture the skin retains, the longer the tan will last. The opposite is true for dry skin -the drier the skin, the quicker & more uneven the tan fades.
Choose moisturizers that are spray tan friendly and do not contain mineral oil, which strips color from a sunless tan. Check product labels for this ingredient, as many lotions contain mineral oil.
If you do not have mineral oil free lotions, we suggest one of our many affordable moisturizers. All of the products we carry are designed for sunless tanned skin and will promote long lasting and even fading results. We sell spray tan friendly body washes & moisturizers here in our Online Store and carry them to all of our mobile tans, just ask your technician for details.
You may shave 24+ hours after your session but SKIP the shaving cream and razors with extra moisturizing gel strips/bars around the outside of the razor head, such as the Schick Intuition, Gillette Venus ComfortGlide & Gillette Venus +Olay Razors. Use your spray tan friendly soaps or body washes to shave instead.
Products and Ingredients that quickly fade sunless tan color:
Mineral oil (check the ingredients of your moisturizer for this one!) Baby oil, Dove, Dial, Bath & Body Works, Victoria’s Secret bath and body products, shaving cream, cocoa butter, oil based products, alcohol based toners, Vitamin C, AHA's (Alpha Hydroxy Acids -glycolic, lactic, malic, citric, and tartaric acids), BHA's (Beta Hydroxy Acids – salicylic acid), Acne products that exfoliate the skin or contain salicylic acid, Band-Aids or other adhesive tapes will pull the tan off.
Perfumes and body sprays, when sprayed directly onto skin, can remove or fade the tan. Instead, spray clothing or spray a “cloud” of spray that you can walk through, instead of directly onto skin.
Bug Sprays are oil based & will strip the tan quickly however, we have found 1 bug spray on the market that works and will not fade your tan. We recommend OFF Soft & Dry when using bug spray. It is a powder based formula (feels great on the skin not greasy) that will not affect your glow.
SPF will not strip your color. We prefer water resistant SPF lotions over the sprays. Extra points for using a marine life friendly product.
Avoid activities that strip sunless tan color:
Hot Tubs, Swimming Water -check out O.C. TAN 2 U's Moisture Seal Treatment to prevent fading in chlorine pools and salt water, massages w/oil, and long, hot baths/showers.
