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Sunless Spray Tan

Preparation and maintenance of your sunless tan is the KEY to sunless success. Make sure to read our online sunless preparation and maintenance guide prior to your sunless application.

Follow these important steps to ensure maximum sunless results:

GENTLY exfoliate your skin prior to your sunless spray session. A gentle, sulfate-free skin polish, such as Norvell Renewing Sunless Exfoliator, can be used prior to your sunless session.
Any waxing or shaving should be performed 24 hours in advance of applying sunless products.
Remove any ‘barriers’ that may prevent the sunless product from absorbing into the skin evenly. These include, but are not limited to: make-up, deodorant, perfume, oils, moisturizers, residue from hair conditioners.
Optimize your skin surface pH levels prior to application. Do not use bar soaps prior to your sunless tan, and apply Norvell Pre-Sunless xLaTan Ph Balancing Spray.

xLaTan works on the skin surface 3 ways:

boosts amino acid levels, which work directly with DHA, to maximize sunless color results, balances the pH on skin to reduce any ‘orange’ coloring and produces golden brown results.
hydrates skin for even and maximum absorption of sunless solution.

The longevity of a sunless tan depends on the type of self-tanning application, the skin’s natural exfoliation process, and on the skincare regimen followed before and after application.

On average, self-tanners last 4-7 days. A professionally application, i.e. a sunless tan received at a salon or spa, will last longer than an at-home application as there is usually a greater percentage of DHA used.

At-home application (lotions, sprays, mousse, etc.) = 3 to 5 days

Professional application (stand-up spray units, airbrush, Custom Bronzing) = 5 to 7 days

The “life span” of a sunless tan also depends on your skin’s natural exfoliation. The faster your skin turns over, the faster the sunless tan will fade. The tan created by the DHA affects only the top layer of the skin and will begin to fade after 4 to 5 days as the skin naturally begins to exfoliate.

Following a good skin care regimen before and after sunless tanning will help a sunless tan last longer. Exfoliating prior to a sunless tanning application and keeping skin moisturized afterwards are essential. Sunless tan-extending products with a light self-tanning bronzer, like Norvell Color Extender Pro-long™ Moisturizer or Dancing with the Stars by Norvell Endurance, help hydrate skin and maintain even, natural-looking color longer.

DHA solutions take about 16-hours to fully develop. Clients will receive the best results if they can avid bathing until the day after their sunless session. If they must bathe, they should wait a minimum of 6-hours after the application.

If showering prior to the 16-hour post application recommendation, a simple rinse with water only, is best. Soap destroys DHA. Delayed bathing allows the DHA bronzer sufficient time to complete its reaction with the amino acids (proteins) within the skin.

When used as recommended, Norvell’s professional and retail sunless tanning products are formulated to give a natural, just off the beach™ color, starting with our perfectly blended instant cosmetic bronzers that allow you to gently transition into your DHA tan over 24 hours after application.

High pH levels in the skin can sometimes give individuals an undesirable, ‘fake’ non-natural looking sunless color. Sunless application on skin that is out of balance due to high pH levels sometimes results in what many people refer to as an ‘orange’ coloring.

To prevent this from happening, there are a few things you can do:

Do not use bar soaps before your sunless session. A properly pH balanced skin cleanser will not elevate pH levels on the skin, and result in more ‘golden brown’ sunless tanning results.
Norvell recommends spraying the body with Pre Sunless xLaTan pH Balancing Spray prior to any sunless application. This product is formulated to lower the pH levels of the skin giving a more golden brown color, and maximizing your sunless results.
Do not over-apply sunless products. In general, the darker your natural skin tone, the higher concentration of DHA (sunless product) you can apply to the skin and still maintain ‘natural’ color. Generally, those will fair/light skin tones should apply less DHA (sunless product) to the skin to ensure natural looking results. Be sure to not only evaluate how much product you apply to the skin, but what the concentration level of DHA in each product is. Sunless products that are designed to give a darker color may not be desirable for fair skin.