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✨ How Do I Prep My Skin Before a Spray Tan for the Best Results?

  • Cassandra Bechdel
  • Dec 16, 2025
  • 3 min read

The Ultimate Glow Girl Prep Guide


By Let’s Glow Girls PSU — State College’s Premier Sunless Tanning Studio

If you want a chef’s-kiss, smooth-as-glass, camera-ready bronze, your prep routine matters just as much as the actual spray tan.


Think of your skin as the canvas — and your glow as the masterpiece. 🎨

✨A flawless tan doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because your skin is hydrated, exfoliated, balanced, and READY to grab color like a goddess.


This is your prep blueprint, babe. Let’s dive in.

☀️ Why Prep Matters (More Than You Think)

Spray tan solution doesn’t tan your actual skin — it tans the top layer of dead skin cells.


So if those cells are:

✔ dry

✔ uneven

✔ patchy

✔ oily

✔ freshly shaved

✔ covered in residue

…your glow will cling, skip, or fade weird.


Proper prep =

✨ deeper color

✨ smoother application

✨ zero patchiness

✨ longer-lasting glow

✨ a flawless, even fade

✨ The Official Let’s Glow Girls PSU Prep Routine

24 Hours Before Your Appointment


✔ 1. Exfoliate Your Whole Body

Use a mitt, dry brush, or gentle scrub.Focus on:

  • elbows

  • knees

  • ankles

  • armpits

  • feet

  • hands


Remove ALL old tan, sweat, deodorant buildup, and dead skin.

Avoid oil-based scrubs — they leave a residue that blocks spray tan absorption.


Glow Girl Tip:Use an exfoliation mitt with warm water + circular motions.

✔ 2. Shave, Wax, or Dermaplane — 24 Hours Before


Hair removal must happen one day prior so your pores can close.Otherwise?


Your legs could develop those speckled “strawberry dots” once bronzer settles. No ma’am.

✔ 3. Moisturize Well (But Not the Day Of!)


The day before your tan:

💛 Load up on moisturizer. Your skin needs hydration to absorb color evenly.


The day of your tan:

❌ Do NOT moisturize (except targeted dry areas later).

✔ 4. Avoid Heavy Products


No:

❌ Dove body wash

❌ oils

❌ rich lotions

❌ deodorant buildup

❌ perfume

❌ leftover self-tanner


These create barriers between your skin and the glow.

The Day of Your Appointment


✔ 5. Take a Lukewarm Rinse


NO:

❌ soap

❌ shaving

❌ exfoliating


Just a quick rinse to remove sweat or residue.

✔ 6. Arrive With Clean, Product-Free Skin


Avoid ALL of these on the day of your tan:

❌ deodorant

❌ lotion

❌ perfumes

❌ makeup (on body)

❌ oils

❌ serums

❌ sunscreen


These can cause streaking or color distortion (even green undertones!).

✔ 7. Light Moisture Only on Dry Spots

RIGHT before your tan, apply a tiny amount of water-based lotion to:

  • elbows

  • knees

  • ankles

  • knuckles

  • tops of feet


These areas grab too much color.

We want them soft — not dark and crusty. 💁‍♀️✨

✔ 8. Wear the Right Outfit

This is non-negotiable.



Wear:

✔ loose dark clothing

✔ cotton t-shirt or flowy dress

✔ loose bra (or go braless)

✔ open-toed shoes












Avoid:

❌ leggings

❌ jeans

❌ sports bras

❌ tight straps

❌ fuzzy socks

❌ leather or anything that rubs


Tight fabric will imprint onto your fresh tan like a tattoo.












❌ BONUS: What NOT To Do Before Your Tan


Avoid these before your appointment or your tan WILL suffer:


  • spray deodorant

  • scented lotion or perfume

  • oil-based shower products

  • fresh shaving

  • makeup wipes

  • facials/peels

  • hot tubs or sauna sessions

  • gym sweat

  • sunscreen within 6–8 hours


Anything that creates a barrier = uneven glow.

✨ Why Proper Prep Makes Your Tan Last Longer


Good prep = smooth skin.

Smooth skin = even DHA absorption.

Even absorption = beautiful fade.


With a good prep routine:

✨ Rapid tans last 7–10 days

✨ Luxury solutions + extenders last 10–14 days


Prep is everything, glow girl.


🌸 Glow Girl Confidence Checklist


Ask yourself:


• Did I exfoliate yesterday?

• Did I shave 24 hours before?•

Did I skip lotion today?

• Am I wearing loose dark clothing?

• Is my skin clean and product-free?•

Did I moisturize dry areas only?


If YES — you're ready to glow.

💛 Final Thoughts

Prepping isn’t “extra” — it’s essential.


When you follow these steps, your skin becomes the perfect, smooth, radiant canvas for a long-lasting, glowing, natural bronze.


At Let’s Glow Girls PSU, prep isn’t just a routine — it’s a ritual.A moment of self-care before your glow transformation.


✨ Ready to glow, babe?Your dream tan is waiting for you.



Get your free downloadable Prep Checklist PDF:


 
 
 

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