DIY Spray Tanning

How can you get a cheap spray tan? You can do it yourself! Spray tanning leaves your skin with a natural-looking glow even if it’s applied by yourself. Although a salon spray can give you a flawless application, the process can come with a heavy price tag especially if you get spray tanned often.

Fortunately, the DIY process is a viable alternative, saving you money but still giving you that sun-kissed touch. We’ve outlined some key points below to help you with your application, making it possible to have a cheap spray tan whenever you want one.

Tip 1 Hop in the shower, grab your exfoliating gloves and scrub away! Exfoliating before spray tanning rids your skin of any flaky dead skin cells. When exfoliating, take extra notice of the drier areas on your body, notably your elbows and knees. Once this is done, apply a generous amount of an oil free moisturiser all over your body. Exfoliating and moisturising before applying your spray tan leaves you with fresh, smooth skin, helping to even out the spray as well as prolong the time your tan will last.

Tip 2

Avoid staining parts of your body that you are not trying to tan. Cover your hair with a shower cap and rub Vaseline along your hairline and eyebrows. Don a pair of latex gloves for your hands, fingernails and toenails.

Tip 3 What to wear? Simple: a dark, skimpy bikini you don’t mind staining. And once you’re finished applying your spray tan? Go in the nude (don’t be shy!) or throw on dark, loose fitting clothes. Your choice!

Tip 4 Where to tan? The shower is your best bet as you can easily rinse away any spray that hit the floor rather than your skin.

Tip 5 An optional step, although a great choice, is to grab a friend for some help. They can help to spray your back and any other parts of your body that are difficult to reach. If you have a friend that’s happy to spray you all over, that is the best option of all.

Tip 6 Start by spraying your feet and work your way up… slowly. You’re in no rush! Keep the canister at least six inches from your skin. Apply the solution to your face by hand, using your fingertips in circular motions. Stay clear of spraying too much tan onto your elbows and knees. Remember a critical rule: the thicker the skin (elbows and knees), the more fake tan it will absorb.

Tip 7 The final tip to your cheap spray tan is to apply moisturiser at least once a day afterwards. This will help to extend the life of your tan.

While doing it yourself will solve your need for a cheap spray tan over the long term, you will need to invest in the right equipment up front. There are however numerous affordable spray tan kits that give you an “all in one” solution to your DIY tanning needs. Remember you’ll also need to practice using the spray tan system, but practice does make perfect and soon enough you’ll be giving yourself a flawless tan from within your home, as you need it.