What happens if I wash my spray tan off too early?
Thankfully, even if you wash a spray tan off early, for example, 1-7 hours before reaching the full development time, the product will still have had an effect on your skin and cause it to tan.
Problem #1 A spray tan that looks too dark
The Solution: For dark or orangey spray tans, put baby oil on the skin, let it set and then soak in a hot bath for a while. The oil and hot water will help to break down the tan.
Your tan will be darker before your first shower ( 8-10 hours after your appointment ) because the airbrush solution contains a cosmetic bronzer that rinses off during your first shower. On a similar note… If you see your tan going down the drain, don't worry, that's the cosmetic bronzer, NOT your airbrush tan.
If you showered after just a few hours, you might notice your skin is not as tanned as you'd expected. Don't fret! Your colour will continue to develop and darken for a few hours (and a spray tan takes up to 24 hours to develop fully).
We recommend waiting at least 4-8 hours after your spray tan before you shower for the first time, but don't wait more than 24 hours. When you shower for the first time after getting a spray tan, you'll probably see some golden glow wash down the drain, but don't worry!
Approximately 40% of the colour change happens in the first 2 hours. This is what enables tanners to say you can wash your tan off in 2 hours. What so many of them forget to tell you is that even though you wash the bronzer off, the colour will continue to develop for up to 18-24 hours.
Exposure to excess moisture soon after the spray tan can prevent the solution from getting absorbed by your skin.
If you use soap before the 24-hour mark, you will stop the development of the spray tan, and will not achieve the best results. You'll want to simply hop in the shower, and rinse off the cosmetic bronzer that is the top layer of your spray tan.
Enjoy a nice soak
Take a long hot bath and allow the warmth of the water to lighten your fake tan. In fact, you can speed up this process by applying olive oil to your skin 15 minutes beforehand and then soaking in the tub.
A spray tan on lighter skin tones might last for about 5 days, medium shades can last between 7-8 days, and darker shades can last up to 10 days. To be safe, we say that your spray tan will last anywhere between 5-7 days, depending on your spray tan care routine.
Can I shower 6 hours after spray tan?
Don't wash the solution off for at least six hours
You must wait at least six hours after your appointment to take a shower. This gives your skin ample time to absorb the solution and ensure an even shade.
This means staying inside if it's raining and skipping swimming. Maybe you're wondering, "How long after a spray tan can I sweat?" You should wait for at least eight hours after self-tanning before jumping into your workout routine.
Yes, something as simple as taking a bath can be more than enough to take the solution off. Namely, taking a warm bath will soften your skin's top layer, which should cause the spray tan solution to fall right off. You can also use oil during your bathing session as it can speed up the whole process.