Clients should exfoliate before spray tanning. Recommend
shaving their legs before they arrive as this can help to exfoliate the skin.
Exfoliating allows the solution to dye the layer of skin that is likely to last
the longest. Do
not underestimate the importance of exfoliating your skin before a spray tan. By
doing this you remove the dead skin cells as well as any excess body oils that
could inhibit the absorption of the applied solution.
Clients should also remove makeup / deodorant prior to a treatment as this
can lead to discolouration.
A further tanning tip is to use only a mild soap as the pH of your skin can have an affect on the active
ingredient (DHA) in most solutions.
If they usually moisturise after exfoliation you must inform clients to
do it well before the treatment or their pores will be clogged and it will
minimise the penetration of the tanning solution. The exception to this rule
is hands, feet, knees, and elbows. You may wish to apply a little
moisturiser to these areas prior to your spray tan as they have a tendency
to absorb more of the tanning solution.
Pin up hair, this will allow for a more even application. Those with
blonde/grey/bleached hair might do well to use a little Vaseline just above
and around their hairline to prevent staining. A bit of chapstick smeared
over lighter coloured eyebrows will protect them from staining.
Apply Vaseline to finger nails, palms and toe nails to prevent discolouration
Adjust your HVLP or airbrush so that it produces a
fine mist, you may wish to spray a test area on a towel to ensure the setting is
correct. A spray booth is recommended to contain overspray.
Application
Step
1: Front
Client should be upright, legs apart. Balanced equally on both feet
with arms relaxed. They should be faced towards you for the first part of the
application.
Ask
the client to turn their head slowly from side to side
with eyes closed and breath held.
Holding airbrush about 12 inches away, start
spraying a light mist. Talk to the
client as you go, telling them what you are doing.
Spay with brush slightly downward (so you don't spray
into nose). Be sure to tell them when they can breathe again once your
done !!
When doing the face, have a prearranged signal with the
client, telling you if they need you to stop for any reason. A raised hand works
well.
Working the way down the body, spray the chest and stomach
making sure you spray the underside of the
breasts.
Work down the legs one at a time. When you reach knees, have client bend
them slightly, this pulls
skin taught, allowing solution to get into creases. Only spray knees lightly. Have client relax and stand comfortably, and spray
the rest of leg.
Hold brush farther away from feet then spray feet lightly but evenly.
If you make a mistake and get a run or blotch, pat area
gently with a paper towel or sponge. Do not try to rub the area. You can come
back later and re-spray to blend the spot if needed.
Stage
2: Left side
Ask client to turn 45º
clockwise so that they are side on to you. They should have one leg in front of
the other and the arm nearest to you should be raised. You can then spray using
the same technique as before, starting at the leg nearest to you and moving
steadily upwards until you reach the underarm. Make sure you spray the inside of
leg furthest away from you
Stage
3: Back
Spray back of neck and shoulders. Be
sure to spray tops of shoulders from a slight downward angle from above.
Spray backs of arms and mist lightly
along edge of underarm area
Spray down the back in a vertical motion, overlapping slightly on each
stroke
When you reach
the buttocks area, have the client bend forward at the waist, this will tighten
the skin under the buttocks, so you can spray evenly. If you do not do this, you
could leave the client with a 'smiley' under each cheek !!
Move down each leg one at a time in a in a vertical motion
Stage
4: Right side
Ask client to turn 45º
clockwise so that they are side on to you. They should have one leg in front of
the other and the arm nearest to you should be raised. You can then spray using
the same technique as before, starting at the leg nearest to you and moving
steadily upwards until you reach the underarm. Make sure you spray the inside of
leg furthest away from you
Step
5: Hands and arms
Have client hold hands out in front
of body, palms down with fingers spread in a claw position. (Like
a bird claw) This allows solution to get lightly between fingers, and into
finger folds. An alternate method, is to have client hold a pair of tennis
balls, with finger spread. Spray lightly onto hands, from the top.
Ask client to turn the wrist and elbow as necessary to improve
accessibility.
Step 6: Second Coat
Its often a good idea to do a quick once over to ensure
there are no missed areas. Repeat the above steps spraying quickly. This allows you to
evenly blend all over, and cover any missed spots.
Double check closely to make sure there are no missed
areas. Have client remove hair band or cap, and check if you have left a white
ring around face at hairline. You can fix with some solution on a sponge.
Wipe excess
solution off of body hair areas and blow dry the client with the air from your
HVLP.
Remove Vaseline from palms and nails with a baby wipe or
towel.
Aftercare
Ask client to avoid showering for a minimum of four hours;
this allows the DHA to take full effect. Over the following days the top layer
of your skin naturally sheds in order to give way to newer skin. Because that
top layer of skin is the part that's dyed by the DHA, the tan wears off
gradually. So, to extend the effects of the spray tan, you must use moisturiser
regularly
