Your Best Glow Starts Here
Everything you need to know before and after your spray tan or self-tanner application for a smooth, even and beautifully lasting sunless glow.
Before Your Tan
A smooth, even sunless tan starts before application. A little thoughtful prep helps your skin feel balanced, hydrated, and ready for your South Seas glow.
Plan Beauty Services First
Schedule waxing appointments at least 24 hours before your spray tan or self-tanner application. We also recommend completing manicures, pedicures, facials, massages, lash appointments, and other beauty services before your tan so your color can develop evenly and remain undisturbed.
Shower, Shave + Exfoliate the Day Before
For best results, shower, shave, and gently exfoliate 24 hours before your tan. This gives your skin time to relax and return to its happy, balanced state before application. Avoid over-exfoliating or drying out the skin too much, especially in naturally dry areas like elbows, knees, ankles, feet, and hands.
Light Moisture Is Okay
On the day of your application, it's perfectly okay to apply a light daily moisturizer, especially if your skin is very dry. A lightweight lotion, such as South Seas Monoi de Tahiti Body Lotion, can help skin feel comfortable without feeling heavy or greasy. Avoid rich oils, balms, or anything that may leave a thick barrier on the skin.
Arrive With Clean Skin
Before your tan, remove facial foundation, concealer, deodorant, perfume, and other products that may sit on the skin. Clean skin helps DHA develop more evenly for a smooth, natural-looking result.
A Note on Skin Sensitivity:
While sunless tanning is well tolerated by most skin types, sensitivities can occasionally occur with any topical product. If you have sensitive skin, have reacted to self-tanners in the past, or are trying a new product for the first time, we recommend performing a small patch test 24 hours before full application. If irritation occurs, discontinue use.
After Your Tan
After your spray tan or self-tanner application, a little extra care helps your color develop evenly and fade beautifully. Follow these simple steps to protect your glow during the first few hours and beyond.
Dress for Your Glow
After application, wear dark, loose-fitting clothing and flip flops whenever possible. Tight clothing, socks, sneakers, or restrictive fabrics can rub against the skin before your tan has fully settled, especially around areas like ankles, waistbands, bra lines, and underarms.
Let Your Tan Develop
Avoid showering, swimming, sweating, exercising, applying lotion, or getting wet while your tan is developing. South Seas Tahitian and Lava tanning solution formulas may be rinsed after 8 hours, or left on until your next shower. Fiji Express and Espresso Rapid should be rinsed at 2–3 hours. Your full sunless tan result will continue to develop and is typically complete within 24 hours of application.
Moisturize Daily
Once you have completed your first rinse or shower, apply lotion daily to keep skin hydrated and help your tan fade evenly. Avoid gritty scrubs, harsh exfoliation, and drying products while you want to maintain your glow. Save exfoliating scrubs for when you're ready to remove your tan and start fresh.
Enjoy Your Glow
Your South Seas sunless tan will naturally fade as your skin renews, typically lasting 7–10 days with proper care. For the most even fade, keep skin moisturized, pat dry after showering, and avoid long hot baths, soaking, or aggressive shaving.