A spray tan gives you a natural-looking bronze without UV exposure — but only if you follow the right steps before, during, and after your appointment. Skip the prep and you’re looking at streaks, patchiness, and a tan that fades within days.

This guide covers everything: what to do in the 48 hours leading up to your appointment, what to expect in the booth, and the aftercare habits that make the difference between a tan that lasts five days and one that lasts ten.

Key Takeaways

Exfoliate 24 hours before your appointment — not on the same day — to create a smooth, even base.
Shave or wax at least 12–24 hours before, not after, to avoid irritation and open pores.
Skip moisturiser, deodorant, perfume, and makeup on the day of your appointment.
Wear loose, dark clothing to and from the salon — tight clothes can wipe off the developing solution.
Wait at least 4–8 hours before your first shower, and rinse with cool water only.
Moisturise daily after your tan to slow down fading and keep the colour looking even.
Avoid swimming, excessive sweating, and long baths while your tan is developing and throughout its lifespan.

Before Your Appointment: A Step-by-Step Timeline

48 Hours Before: Wax If Needed

If you plan to wax any part of your body, do it at least 48 hours before your spray tan appointment. Waxing opens the hair follicles and can cause the DHA in the spray tan solution to settle unevenly, leading to dark spots around the pores. Giving yourself 48 hours allows the skin to settle fully before the solution is applied.

24 Hours Before: Exfoliate Thoroughly

Exfoliating is the single most important thing you can do to prepare for a spray tan. Dead skin cells on the surface absorb the tanning solution unevenly, which causes patchiness and early fading. Removing them creates a fresh, smooth surface for the DHA in the spray tan solution to bond with evenly.

Use a gentle, oil-free exfoliating scrub and pay close attention to rougher areas like knees, elbows, ankles, and wrists — these are the spots most likely to absorb too much colour and turn dark. For a detailed breakdown of technique, see our full guide on how to exfoliate before a spray tan.

Do not exfoliate on the day of your appointment — your skin needs a few hours to settle after exfoliation before it’s ready for tanning solution.

12–24 Hours Before: Shave

Shaving after a spray tan removes the surface layer of colour along with the hair, so always shave before your appointment. Aim for 12–24 hours prior — this gives the pores time to close so the tanning solution applies evenly over smooth skin. Shaving right before (within a few hours) can leave the pores slightly open and result in a speckled or dotty finish.

Day Of: Shower and Go Product-Free

Take a shower a few hours before your appointment to remove any sweat, product residue, or natural skin oils that could create a barrier between your skin and the spray tan solution. After your shower, do not apply:

Moisturiser or body lotion
Deodorant or antiperspirant
Perfume or body spray
Makeup or self-tanner
Sunscreen

Any product on the skin can interfere with how the tanning solution absorbs. Go to your appointment with completely bare, clean skin.

If you’re wondering whether you can wear makeup to a spray tan appointment, technically you can — but it’s not recommended. Products on the face can block the solution and cause uneven results around the hairline and brows.

What to Wear to Your Appointment

Wear loose, dark clothing to the salon. Tight clothing — jeans, fitted tops, tight bra straps — can rub against freshly applied solution and cause streaks or uneven patches. Dark clothing is important because the bronzing guide in most spray tan solutions (which washes off in your first shower) can transfer onto fabric.

Wear open sandals or flip flops rather than trainers or socks, and remove all jewellery before your appointment.

During Your Spray Tan: What to Expect

First-timers often feel anxious about the process — it’s much simpler than it looks.

You’ll undress to your preferred level of coverage (most people go in a disposable thong or swimwear). The technician will direct you through a series of poses — arms slightly out, legs shoulder-width apart — to ensure even coverage. The whole process typically takes 10–15 minutes.

Before the solution is applied, ask the technician to apply a small amount of barrier cream or petroleum jelly to your palms, the soles of your feet, your knuckles, knees, elbows, and ankles. These areas are naturally drier and can absorb more colour than the rest of the body, resulting in dark patches. The barrier cream prevents over-absorption in those spots.

The solution will feel cool and slightly damp when applied. Most modern spray tans include a bronzing guide — a temporary tint that gives you an immediate colour. This is not your actual tan. The real tan develops from the DHA reacting with the amino acids in the outer layer of your skin over the next 6–12 hours.

After Your Spray Tan: The First Few Hours

The period immediately after your spray tan is the most critical for how the final result looks.

Stay cool and dry. Sweating while the solution is developing causes streaks. Avoid anything that makes you hot — exercise, saunas, hot rooms. Read more about sweating after a spray tan and how to avoid it.
Avoid water. Rain, washing your hands, and even high humidity can disrupt the developing solution. Try to keep the skin completely dry.
Wear loose, dark clothing. Continue with loose, breathable clothing to avoid friction and transfer.
Don’t apply anything to the skin. No moisturiser, deodorant, or product of any kind until after your first shower.

Sleeping After a Spray Tan

If your appointment is in the evening and you need to sleep before your first shower, wear loose, long pyjamas — a t-shirt and loose trousers work well. Put down an old dark sheet or towel on the bed in case any bronzing guide transfers overnight. Sleeping on your back where possible reduces creasing.

Your First Shower

Wait at least 4–8 hours before your first shower. If you can, push it to 8 hours for a deeper result — the longer the solution develops, the darker your tan will be. Washing off a spray tan too early is one of the most common reasons people end up with a lighter result than expected.

When you do shower:

Use cool or lukewarm water only — hot water opens the pores and accelerates fading.
Rinse only — do not use soap, shower gel, or body wash in this first shower.
Pat dry gently with a soft towel rather than rubbing.
Don’t be alarmed if a lot of colour washes off — that’s just the bronzing guide. Your actual tan will remain.

After your first shower, you can check our guide on what to do after showering post-tan for the next steps.

Aftercare: Making Your Spray Tan Last

How long a spray tan lasts — typically 7–10 days — depends largely on how well you look after your skin afterwards. These habits make the biggest difference:

Moisturise daily. Hydrated skin holds colour far longer than dry skin. Apply a gentle, oil-free moisturiser every day, paying extra attention to naturally dry areas like knees, elbows, and ankles.
Avoid long baths and swimming. Extended water exposure is the fastest way to break down a spray tan. Showers are preferable to baths, and if you swim, rinse and moisturise immediately afterwards.
Don’t exfoliate. Exfoliating removes the outer skin layer, which is exactly where your tan lives. Avoid exfoliating scrubs and exfoliating shower mitts while your tan is intact.
Use a gentle shower gel. Harsh soaps and strongly fragranced shower gels strip the skin faster. Opt for something mild and moisturising.
Avoid shaving as much as possible. Shaving acts as a light exfoliant. When you do need to shave, use a sharp razor with a moisturising shave gel and moisturise immediately after.

How Long Does a Spray Tan Last?

A well-prepped, well-maintained spray tan typically lasts 7–10 days. It doesn’t disappear suddenly — it fades gradually as your skin naturally sheds its outer cells. The tan will usually start to look less uniform after day 5 or 6, particularly on areas that experience more friction or water exposure like the hands and feet.

You can extend the life of your tan slightly by moisturising twice daily and avoiding anything that accelerates skin cell turnover — hot water, exfoliants, and alcohol-based products chief among them.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long before an event should I get a spray tan?

Book your spray tan 2–3 days before the event. This gives the tan enough time to fully develop and for any slightly uneven patches to blend naturally. Getting it the day before leaves little room to fix anything if the result isn’t what you expected.

How long does a spray tan take to fully develop?

A spray tan takes 6–12 hours to fully develop. The bronzing guide gives you an immediate colour, but the actual DHA tan develops gradually over those hours. Waiting 8+ hours before your first shower gives the best result.

Can I shave after a spray tan?

Technically yes, but it will accelerate fading wherever you shave. Shaving acts as a mild exfoliant that removes some of the outer skin cells where the tan colour lives. Shave before your appointment whenever possible, and if you need to shave during your tan’s lifespan, moisturise immediately afterwards.

Will a spray tan cover stretch marks or scars?

A spray tan can make stretch marks and scars less visible by evening out skin tone, but it won’t eliminate them entirely. In some cases, scar tissue absorbs DHA differently and can appear slightly darker than surrounding skin — ask your technician about this before your appointment if it’s a concern.

Can I get a spray tan if I have sensitive skin?

Most people with sensitive skin tolerate spray tans well, as DHA is generally considered gentle on the skin. However, some solutions contain fragrances or additional ingredients that may cause irritation. Ask your salon about fragrance-free or organic formulas, and request a patch test if you’re uncertain.

What’s the difference between a spray tan booth and an airbrush tan?

A spray tan booth is an automated machine that applies solution evenly from fixed nozzles. An airbrush tan is applied manually by a trained technician, who can customise coverage, shade, and contouring for a more tailored result. Airbrush tans are generally more expensive but offer greater precision.

How do I fix a patchy spray tan?

Minor patchiness usually evens out after your first shower and a day or two of moisturising. For more noticeable patches, a gentle exfoliation of the darker areas can help blend the colour. Applying a small amount of self-tanner to faded patches is another option to even things out mid-tan.

Final Thoughts

A spray tan is one of the fastest and safest ways to get a convincing bronzed look — but the quality of your result comes down almost entirely to preparation and aftercare. Exfoliate the day before, go to your appointment product-free, wait patiently before your first shower, and moisturise consistently afterwards.

Follow these steps and you’ll consistently get a natural, even tan that lasts the full 7–10 days. Skip them and you’ll spend those same days dealing with patchy, streaky colour that fades unevenly.

If you’re exploring other ways to maintain a bronzed look beyond your salon appointments, our self-tanning guides cover everything from at-home tanning drops to full-body mousse application — useful for keeping your colour topped up between sessions.