Tan Destroyers: The top 5 things you should avoid

If you have ever experienced a quality SunFX spray tan, then you will understand the excitement that comes with it. Looking tanned and terrific you feel confident enough to take on the world. People notice you for all the right reasons. It’s a feeling that you want to last forever.

But for some peope the feeling of looking gorgeously tanned does not last as long as it could. In this article we are going to take a look at the top 5 things that you should avoid to help extend the life of your tan.

1. Exfoliating

To avoid any confusion let me say straight away that you MUST exfoliate prior to your tan if you want it to last. But be careful which exfoliants you use, as some contain oils that interfer with the tanning solution. For more information about pre-tan exfoliating you should read our article on exfoliating. But the number one killer of the lifespan of your SunFX spray tan is exfoliating AFTER you receive your tan. The solution does not penetrate deep into the skin. Instead, the tanning effect takes place on the surface layer. Your skin cells will naturally die and fall off over time causing your tan to fade, however exfoliating will rapidly speed up this process. If you want your SunFX spray tan to last, then exfoliating is definitely a no, no after your application.

2. Water

Long hot baths and showers might feel devine, but they can play havoc with your spray tan, particularly if done in conjunction with particular soaps, some of which can have an exfoliating effect. Brief showers and baths, as cool as you can stand them will definitely extend the life of your tan. You should also use SunFX Body Wash instead of soap, as it is non-abrasive and perfect for extending the life of your tan. Chlorine in swimming pools can also cause your tan to fade prematurely and should be avoided where possible, as too should spa baths.

3. Perspiration

Some times it is impossible to avoid perspiring, and a little amount of perspiration will not adversely affect the life of your tan. However, excessive perspiration as might occur during a heavy workout session at the gym can reduce the lifespan of your tan. And it should go without saying that saunas are a no go zone. So if you want your tan to last longer, try to keep your physical activity to something more leisurely, than a full-on workout.

4. Oils and moisturizers

Whilst some moisturizers can help to increase the life of your tan, by keeping your skin cells moist and alive, others can be down right bad news for a spray on tan. Among these, baby oil is possibly the worst, as it has the potential to virtually strip away your tan before your very eyes. If in doubt we would recommend that you use a tan extending moisturizer such as SunFX Tan Extender or SunFX Summer’s Secret.

5. Tight fitting clothing

Now you may be looking at this list and thinking to yourself ‘What’s the point of having a spray tan if I can swim, exercise or wear what I want?’. Well the fact of the matter is your SunFX tan will have you looking so amazing that you will want to be out and active. You may also want to wear tight (very tight) clothes to show it all off. And so you should. But keep in mind that material rubbing against your skin will begin to remove skin cells, those same skin cells that you just got spray tanned. And of course the tighter the clothes, the more they rub, the more they rub, the faster your tan fades. So by all means wear whatever you want when you go out, but where possible, change back into something loose fitting for around the house.

Of course these are just guidelines on what to avoid to increase the life of your tan. The most important thing is that you get out and show off your new tan, and if that means that you have to break some of the above rules, then so be it. Just don’t go blaming your spray tan if you choose to do any of the above. But when it’s all said and done, we’re here for a good time, not a long time. Besides, it only takes 5 minutes in the salon to get a whole new tan.