Happytans is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. Some of the links contained in this article may be affiliate links, although it will not cost you more to buy through the links. Additionally, the fee's received go to help support this website and our podcast.
Most people who get a spray tan think that the longevity of the tan, or how long it lasts, depends on the spray tan solution or application. The truth of the matter is that the tan application matters, but it also matters how you take care of your tan afterward that has a huge effect on how long the tan will last.
One of the most important factors in making your tan last is the type of soap or body wash you use. There are certain ingredients used that can be harmful to a spray tan because either they rub the tan off, or they cause your skin to exfoliate faster.
Since a spray tan only covers the top layer of the skin, once you start to exfoliate, the tan will come off too.
In this article, I want to talk to you about the best soaps and body washes that you can purchase to help keep the tan on for longer!
Too busy to read? Go ahead and view our top 5!
Soap or no soap with a spray tan?
First things first.
Should you use soap immediately after your spray tan or during your first shower?
No.
It is always recommended to avoid soaps, body washes or any other products you would use in the shower for the first shower after your tan. We want to give the active ingredient, dihydroxyacetone (DHA), as long as possible to adhere to and be absorbed into the skin.
During the first shower, we want to make sure that we only use lukewarm water and rinse off the bronzer from the spray tan.
Also, we recommend using your hand to wash off and avoid using a washcloth because it acts as an exfoliator and can cause your tan to start to come off sooner than it should.
soaps/body washes after your tan
Now, let's get down to the nitty-gritty. We want to use a product that won't affect the tan or our skin, and will allow our tan to last as long as it can! Generally, a spray tan should last about 7-10 days, although those times will vary depending on a number of factors.
Ideally, you want to use a product that is as natural as possible and has very few ingredients. Also, it shouldn't contain any harsh ingredients, such as mineral oil, that will negatively affect your tan.
Soaps or body washes with moisturizing ingredients are also a plus, because moist skin will help to keep the spray tan on longer, and make the color more natural and darker (in most cases).
Below, we listed our favorite products that are available for purchase on Amazon. We will go into detail about each product below.
This is a great body wash because it truly helps to keep the skin soft and moisturized after a warm shower, which is ideal for a spray tan. As you know, for a tan to last longer and look more natural, we need to keep our skin refreshed and moisturized. This body wash does just that.
The Puracy body wash has some of the most natural and beneficial ingredients that you can find in a commercialized body wash. In addition to the fact that it has natural ingredients, it is also developed by Doctors and contains coconut. Coconut oil is one of the best, and only, oils that is recommended to use with a spray tan because of its moisturizing benefits.
A couple of things right off the bat that we like about this product: shea butter and coconut oil. Those two ingredients alone tell me that this body wash is going to help to keep your skin moisturized and refreshed while you have your spray tan. And as we know, moisturized skin helps a spray tan last longer and look better!
If you read the first couple of bullet points about this body wash, you will see that it protects your skins natural protective oils and emollients. In addition, it is also dermatologist recommended and hypoallergenic.
Aloe vera. Yes! We love to see aloe vera in products because of the natural skin moisturizing benefits that it possess. In addition, it's another product that is naturally moisturizing and dermatology tested.
I hope this article was helpful for you. If you have any additional questions, feel free to reach out to me directly - [email protected].
Grant Kantsios
Sunless tanning business & marketing coach
Hey everyone! My name is Grant and I've been in the sunless tanning industry for over 9 years. I started in the industry working for Sjolie Sunless, one of the largest companies in the sunless tanning industry. Since then, I've had a passion for helping sunless tanning business owners through my work at happytans, with the happytans podcast and website builder. In addition, I created Sunless Evolution with world-renowned spray tan artist Jimmy Coco, who sprays A-list celebrities like the Kardashians and Ashley Graham.
Disclosure: Some of these are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I’ll earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase. I do have experience with each of the products or services listed below so I feel fully comfortable recommending them. Please do not spend any money on the products unless you feel you need them to achieve your goals. It turns out a lot of the things I use are free so you should be able to do the same.
