You want a golden, beautiful tan but you don't want to expose yourself to actual sun or UV rays. Luckily you have a few options to darken your skin for a vacation, special event or even just because without actually seeing the sun or UV rays from a tanning bed.
You likely have heard of both airbrush and spray tanning, but have you ever wondered what the difference is between the two? Learn how each of these tanning applications work so you can make an appointment with your tanning salon for glowing skin you will love.
How Tans Are Applied to the Body
Spray tans and airbrush tans both have the same end results: to coat your body in an even pigment of color that can last anywhere from a few days to a week or longer. The pigment often uses orange or red tones to give the illusion of a "real" tan, without actually darkening the skin via US ray exposure. However, each tanning solution is applied differently:
Spray Tans
Spray tans are applied by a machine within a booth. You press a button and turn your body, waving your arms as you are coated in a spray tan solution.
Spray tans are applied by a machine within a booth. You press a button and turn your body, waving your arms as you are coated in a spray tan solution.
Airbrush Tans
Airbrush tans are applied by a tanning salon technician using a special machine that coats your skin evenly with a tanning solution pigmented to match your desired results.
Airbrush tans are applied by a tanning salon technician using a special machine that coats your skin evenly with a tanning solution pigmented to match your desired results.
Both spray tans and airbrush tans can give you beautiful results, but if you are aiming for a more realistic tan, airbrushing is likely your best option. Talk to your tanning salon specialist to see which option will work best for your needs.
How Tans Can Fit Your Skin Tone
If you are looking to match your skin tone with a spray or airbrush tan, you have to be careful in choosing a quality spray tan booth or an experienced airbrush technician. You can expect beautiful results either direction as long as you take care to match your current skin tone as closely as possible for a realistic finish.
There are differences in skin tone matching, however. With spray tan you do not get to choose a variety of pigment hues so you may end up with a darker or more orange effect than you'd like if you stay in the booth too long at one time.
With an airbrush tan, you can customize the pigmentation to better match your natural skin tone. Your technician can mix special dyes and pigments in your tanning solution to give you an even, realistic tan that you can love.
Either option allows you to have near-instant tanning results, although it is often recommended to start at a lower pigment setting or booth time duration to ensure a more even-looking, solid tan that looks natural. Talk to your tanning salon specialist about your sunless tanning options for optimum results.
When you get an airbrush or spray tan, it's important to exfoliate your body and shave certain areas for more even results. You will want to shower prior to your tanning experience and remove all oils, perfumes and lotions from your body. Your tanning specialist can help you prepare for your tan at home so you get streak-free, even results in the salon.
Whether you opt for a quick-results spray tan or you want a more custom-pigmented airbrush tan, you can expect quality results. If you have never tanned before or you just want a temporary tan that doesn't require using UV rays, either option is great for you to try. Our tanning specialists at Golden State Tanning Studio are happy to help you make your tanning experience a wonderful one.
