FAQ

THE BASICS

1. WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED?

   I am located in Cary, IL. 853 Feinberg Ct. Suite 120. I do not currently have a sign above my location. Look for the suite numbers on the doors. I am between Outwork Fitness and State Farm.

2. WHEN SHOULD I BOOK MY TAN FOR AN EVENT?

   If you have a special event or vacation, it is best to book 2 days before. However, many brides book 3 days in advance to account for a rehearsal dinner, and some clients book the day before a vacation if they can plan for their proper rinse time and shower time. For a rapid tan, you need to plan to rinse just with water the day of your tan (anywhere from 2-6 hours after) and take a full shower with soap 24 hours after your appointment. For a classic tan, you need to plan to rinse just with water the morning after your tan, or 8-10 hours after your appointment, and take a full shower with soap 24 hours after your appointment.

3. SHOULD I BOOK A RAPID OR A CLASSIC TAN?

   This is all preference! Neither last longer than the other, and the color ranges are virtually the same! Unless you want to be as DARK as possible...then I would recommend a rapid tan! The rapid will give you a rapid rinse time, not rapid development. So the benefit of a rapid tan is not having to sleep in your tan or wear it for a full 8-10 hours. Sometimes the rapid is beneficial if you are having to get a tan the night before an event! This allows for the rinse before bed and a QUICK soap shower only in needed areas the next day at whatever time you need.

4. WHY ARE YOU ONLY OPEN AT NIGHT?

   I am a stay at home mom during the day! I work nights and Saturday mornings.

5. WHY ARE SOME DATES NOT AVAILABLE?

   Books open 30 days in advance. If you don’t see a date available, I may be booked or closed for that day! However, you can always reach out to see if there is any way you could be squeezed in! If you do not see any availability for the next day when going to book, you may be within 24 hours of that time… which means booking for that time has closed. You cannot book within 24 hours because this does not allow you the proper time to prep. (Exceptions may apply for returning clients. Please reach out to me if you need a last minute appointment and I will see what I can do!)

6. HOW LONG WILL MY SPRAY TAN LAST?

   An average tan will last you 7-10 days with proper prep and tan care! Please be sure to follow all of my instructions to make your tan as perfect as possible!

7. WILL I BE ORANGE?

   Let me tell you how tired I am of hearing this specific question…No! If you listen to my prep, instructions, recommendations, and warnings, you will not be orange! Spray tanning has come such a long way and products have evolved drastically! Trust me, you will love it!

8. I’M PREGNANT… CAN I GET A SPRAY TAN?

   Yes! I have sprayed many clients while pregnant. However, I am not a doctor and every pregnancy is different! Please reach out to your doctor first to be sure they are okay with it!

9. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A RINSE AND A FULL-SHOWER?

   A rinse is ONLY WATER. It is done to drastically slow the development of your tan and to remove all of your cosmetic bronzer. Please do not freak out when you see everything washing down the drain! This is normal! Your tan will continue to develop over 24 hours even though you have rinsed. A full shower means you are clear to use tan-safe body washes again!

10. WHEN DO I HAVE TO RINSE AND SHOWER?

    Your rinse time will depend on if you got a rapid or a classic spray. For a classic spray, your rinse time is 8-10 hours or overnight! For a rapid tan your rinse will be anywhere from 2-6 hours! This depends on the depth you are trying to achieve and your skin tone. I will give you your rinse time at your appointment!

11. WHY DO I FEEL STICKY AFTER MY TAN?

    Spray tan solution is very hydrating and contains a lot of sugars. This can cause you to feel sticky and it is normal. If it is very bothersome for you, next time you should try the drying powder to combat that sticky feel! You’ll wonder how you ever went without it!

12. CAN I USE A TANNING MOUSSE ON TOP OF MY SPRAY? AND ARE SPRAY TANS BUILDABLE?

    Please, NO! If you put more product on top of your current tan you risk looking splotchy! Spray tans are not buildable. They need to be fully removed from the skin before your next one to avoid a patchy tan. The only thing you should be layering on top of your tan is a tan extender! Take a look at the one I sell on my website and in studio!

13. WHEN SHOULD I BOOK OTHER BEAUTY SERVICES?

    If you want your tan to be as perfect as possible, please plan ahead and schedule your other beauty services accordingly:

    Nails, pedicures, hair services, and injections need to be done at least 24 hours prior.

    Brows, lashes, massages, and waxing need to be done at least 48 hours prior.

14. I JUST GOT A TATTOO/PIERCING! CAN I COME IN FOR A TAN!

    You MUST WAIT for a tattoo or piercing to be fully healed before you come in for a tan. You CAN get a tattoo or piercing on top of a spray tan!

15. DO I NEED THE ODOR-BLOCK & HYDRATION SPRAY AND DRYING POWDER?

    These are not necessities, but they do make your experience more luxurious and comfortable. The Odor-Block & Hydration Spray helps to further balance the pH of your skin (which helps with the “tan smell” during your development), and the added hydration helps your tan to last a bit longer and fade more evenly. Drying powder is something that most clients will not leave without. I make the powder myself in-studio so you know that there are safe and fresh ingredients! The powder acts as a “setting powder” for your tan to help keep it in place and to combat the sticky feeling that a sunless tan leaves! (Once you spoil yourself with these add-on’s, you will never get a spray tan without them!)

16. DOES THE SCENT LAST?

    The add-on scents that you choose aren’t made to last past the first rinse. However, some people say that it does linger for a couple of days! And they smell amazing while you are getting your tan! I have seasonal scents as well as my year round scents: Coconut, Pineapple, and Orange-Ginger.

17. “OOPS! I FORGOT TO PREP LAST NIGHT! CAN I JUST DO IT REALLY QUICK BEFORE I HEAD OVER!?”

    Please do not jump in the shower before you come to see me. This can mess with your pH level and can change the outcome of your tan. If you exfoliate too close to your appointment time, your tan will have nothing to cling to. I tell my clients that a prep shower should be completed no less than 10 hours before your appointment. Any closer and your tan will not reach its full potential. Honestly if you forgot your prep, you are better off just coming as you are. Then wait as long as possible to shave (AT LEAST 24 hours after your appointment. The longer the better.)

18. WHEN CAN I SHAVE?

    You should have shaved during your “prep” shower the day before your tan so that you can wait as long as possible to shave again! Try your best to wait 24 hours after your tan to shave, but the longer you can go, the better! Shaving is a heavy form of exfoliating so it can pull your tan off faster! When you need to shave, make sure you grab a brand new sharp razor and skip the shaving cream if you can!

19. CAN I WORKOUT AFTER MY TAN?

    Please plan to skip the workouts after a tan if you need it to be perfect for an event. And ABSOLUTELY NO sweating until your first water rinse. Working out in your tan can cause premature fading. Especially in areas where you wear tight clothing can cause it to fully rub off in those areas (sports bra, leggings, and socks are the biggest culprits)! I have clients who work out every day and never skip even when they get their weekly tans! So you can decide for yourself, however, I would recommend no workouts to keep your tan looking fresh!

20. I AM GOING ON A VACATION, WILL MY TAN COME OFF IN THE POOL/OCEAN/HOT TUB?

    Extended time in any water can cause your tan to fade faster. (This does not mean that if you stick your leg into a pool you will see it coming off into the water.) When you are in the water for a long period of time, your skin softens and dead skin cells (where the tan is) fall of faster. If you are in the ocean or a chlorinated pool or hot tub, this will dry your skin out and can cause you to have a “crackly tan” as it fades. To combat these things, you can try a body oil (I sell one in studio that is very gentle and has minimal ingredients), and rinsing off after exiting water. Applying a body oil before heading into the water can give you a little “barrier” and protect your tan. Rinsing off after exiting the water will help combat the drying effects of salt water and chlorine.

21. “WAIT…I CAN’T WASH MY HANDS?”

    Listen... I know it sounds nasty. But if wash your hands a couple of hours after your tan (before your water rinse), your hands are not going to have any color. You also risk stripping more color up your wrists and onto your arms from water exposure! Try your best not to touch anything dirty! Because we want those hands looking perfect! If you need to clean your hands, I recommend a tiny amount of hand sanitizer just on your palms and squeeze your fingers together really tight so that none drips through your fingers or onto the back of your hand while you rub your hands together. Or, an anti-bacterial skin safe wipe on just the palms works well!

22. CAN I WASH MY FACE?

    Not before your water rinse, love. If you wash your face before your body, you will not have an even tan. You also risk having darker color around the edges of your face (from missing areas), drips down your neck, and no color on your hands because you are using those to wash your face (hence your hands will get wet!) Please just hold off on your normal skin care routine for one night so that your tan is great!

23. WILL MY TAN COME OFF ON MY CLOTHES?

    Yes. But the good news is that a spray tan washes out of pretty much anything. The most transfer that you will see onto your clothing will be immediately after your appointment and before your first rinse. This is completely normal and it is why you are recommended to wear dark, loose clothing to your appointment. After your rinse (if you rinsed correctly) you should see very minimal to no transfer onto your clothing. The main reasons that you would is from exercise or sweating and the tan could rub off on the inside of your clothing! But once again, this will wash right out!

24. WILL MY TAN GET ON MY SHEETS?

    If you have to sleep in your tan, most likely! But again, it will wash right out! If you want to avoid this because you just washed your sheets, sleep with long clothing, sleep on a towel, or look into a “tan sleeping bag”! They are available on amazon and I will hopefully be selling them in-studio soon! If you are a warm sleeper and sweat in your sleep, you may still see some transfer after the first night and after your first rinse! This is normal. But again, following the above recommendations will minimize transfer.

25. CAN I SKIP MY RINSE?

    Please don’t. Unless you are a veteran spray tanner and know your skin’s limits, follow my instructions for your rinse times! Rinsing too soon can cause your tan to be non-existent, and rinsing too late can cause your tan to over-develop! (Which makes you look like you got a bad spray tan!)

26. CAN I WASH MY HAIR DURING MY RINSE?

    No! Please plan for this ahead of time! You can wash your hair during your prep shower and then during your 24 hour post tan shower! Your rinse should ONLY BE WATER! If you absolutely have to wash your hair, please do so over a sink and have someone else help you. Because you also don’t want product on your hands before your full shower!

27. CAN I GET MY HAIR DONE/BLOWN OUT THE DAY AFTER MY TAN?

    If you think that no product will come into contact with the back of your neck/face, then go for it! However, I know how hard this is to avoid! It will most likely take tan off of your forehead if your stylist has to use a color remover on your face or has to wipe bleach off with a towel! A blow out isn’t as risky as a color service! If shampoo or conditioner gets on you, I doubt that it will have any noticeable effect! But..just try to plan ahead for your hair to be done the day before! Please!

28. CAN I GET A MANICURE/PEDICURE THE DAY AFTER MY TAN?

    Not if you want your tan to be perfect. A pedicure involves soaking your feet/shins in water full of chemicals!! This can strip your tan clean off! Manicures often involve a lot of acetone which can also pull your tan off prematurely on your hands! If you work with your nail artist you can avoid a lot of these things if you are desperate! Some people just opt for a color change on their toenails to avoid soaking their feet in water.

29. WHEN CAN I MOISTURIZE?

    You can moisturize your entire body after your prep shower and then again after your first rinse! You should then be moisturizing 2 times a day to help your tan last and fade evenly!

30. WHY DO I FEEL STICKY AFTER MY TAN?

    It’s because there are a lot of sugars in spray tan solution. This is normal! If you absolutely cannot stand it, try drying powder at your next appointment! It makes a a huge difference!

31. CAN I WEAR TIGHT CLOTHING BEFORE MY RINSE?

    Just don’t. This could cause your solution to move around and rub too much which would give you some lighter spots after your rinse! Please just dress like Adam Sandler until your rinse! And relax! You deserve it!

32. WHAT CAN I USE TO EXFOLIATE?

    A mitt. Trust me, nothing else will give you the same results. I sell exfoliating mitts in my studio and on my website. They are reusable and can be washed after each use! A loofah, wash rag, and scrubs will NOT do enough.

33. SHOULD I BE EXFOLIATING EVERY DAY?

    ONLY EXFOLIATE THE DAY BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT! If you exfoliate while your tan is on, you will make it fade extremely quick.

34. WHAT PRODUCTS SHOULD I AVOID FOR MY TAN?

    Aerosol products, AHA products, Anti-Acne Products, Antibiotics, Band-aid’s or body tape, bar soaps (unless they are made for spray tans…check out Glo-Bar that I sell in my studio), BHA products, Bug Spray, Perfumes, Body Spray, Dove Soaps, Face Masks, very fragranced products, exfoliating scrubs, makeup removal products, mineral oil, retin-a products, shaving cream, toners, hair removal products.

35. WHAT PRODUCTS ARE GOOD FOR SPRAY TANS?

    Cerave, Cetaphil, Hempz, Aveeno, and Native. (Gel-based body washes only, please!)

36. I HAVE PERMANENT JEWELRY! DO I HAVE TO REMOVE IT!?

    If you don’t want ANY possible lines, I would take it off. However, 25% of clients that I encounter have a permanent bracelet and it turns out just fine! I have them myself and my tan still looks wonderful!