My Sunless Tanning Routine

I feel like I do some sort of “stop tanning now” post every year, but guess what – you need to stop tanning. And this is coming from a former tanning bed lover.

With the warmer weather approaching, we’re all going to need to get a little color before rocking the shorts. I, however, choose to get my color via spray tanning.

Years ago, I swore off tanning beds for good. And I’ve never gone back on that. (Fun fact: I actually worked in a tanning salon during college and, after seeing women come in who had tanned for years, decided I’d stop. Seriously. I didn’t want to look like that.) Funny that it took working in the industry to make me want to quit, but that’s how it worked out.

Nowadays, I rely on Versa (a spray tanning booth) to give me color. It’s not cheap, (my salon is around $27 a session), but if you know a few tricks, you can stretch out the time between sessions to get the most bang for your buck. I should note, I've used the Mystic system before, but after being introduced to Versa last fall, I much prefer the color it gives. 

Tips for getting a flawless spray tan that will last at least two weeks:

-Three days before plan to spray tan, start moisturizing like a maniac. I like C. Booth’s Honey Almond Body Butter. It smells clean and also doubles as a great stretch mark preventer! (I used only C.Booth during my pregnancy with Caroline and didn’t get a single line.)

-The day of your spray tan, take a shower, shave your legs really well, then use a salt or sand scrub over your entire body, including your feet.

-When you arrive at the salon, apply the barrier cream to the drier parts of your body: knuckles, knees and ankles, in between fingers and toes, and ESPECIALLY on your heels. Orange heels are a dead giveaway that you’ve been sprayed : )

-After your session is over, ask to use the restroom and wash your hands really well, making sure to scrub in between fingers and on the palms of your hands. This will ensure that you don’t end up looking like you dipped your mitts in Tang.

Now…wait. They’ll tell you to hold off on showering for six hours. I say, “hogwash!” Wait until the next morning. Yes, you’re going to smell a little funky crawling into bed that night, but that tan will stick around far longer if you’ll hold off for 12 hours on a shower.

So, that’s it. How I stay tan during the warm months without actually having to, well, get a suntan.

*Versa Tanning System doesn’t know me from Adam. I just really like their tanning system as a UV-free alternative and thought I’d share my tips with you all.