Our Guide to Pre-Wedding Spray Tans

We'll help you achieve the perfect nuptial glow.

Bride in Deep V Wedding Dress with Golden Tan

PHOTO BY ALYSSA GREENBERG / Design by Zackary Angeline

Have you always dreamed of walking down the aisle with a just-flown-in-from-Bora Bora glow, but feeling concerned about how to actually achieve the perfect pre-nuptial tan? You're not alone. We all know that spending countless hours in the sun just isn't the best move (in addition to the risk of sunburn, exposing your skin to UV rays can lead to skin damage and premature aging), so a spray tan tends to be a much more appealing option. Whether you go the professional route or take a DIY approach, there's still a certain level of fear that tends to be involved in the process: The thought of streaks, an unsightly orange hue, or bleeding brown all over your wedding dress is enough to make anyone worry.

To help you achieve a perfect sun-kissed glow without spending hours by the pool, we went straight to the expert. Here, St. Tropez’s skin finishing expert, Sophie Evans, shares the dos and don'ts of pre-wedding spray tans everyone needs to know.

Meet the Expert

Sophie Evans is the official ambassador for St. Tropez Tan, one of the leading self-tanning brands on the market. Evans has customized tans for A-list actors, pop stars, supermodels, first ladies, and more.

Pre-Wedding Spray Tan Dos

Whether you plan to visit a professional or apply your own spray tan at home, proper prep, application techniques, and aftercare are essential. Here, Evans shares the seven things you absolutely must do before a pre-wedding spray tan.

Exfoliate

Start exfoliating your skin and completing your hair removal a week before the wedding, says Evans. Wait 24 hours in between waxing and any self-tan application—this will ensure the hair follicles have settled to aid in a perfect finish. Prior to self-tan application, remove all products like deodorant, makeup, and perfume to ensure you have clean, smooth skin for the solution to stick to.

Find the Right Color

Evans says it's important to experiment with different shades in advance. In the end, how dark you get is your own preference, but you'll want to have just one professional spray tan application before your wedding day—if you go too light and then try to have more color added over it, you might end up with an uneven, streaky look. It's also important to remember that skin naturally sheds over about 10 days, so time your tan just right to ensure you walk down the aisle with your preferred level of color.

Prep Your Skin Before Your Appointment

Use moisturizer as a barrier for only your elbows, knees, hands, feet, crease in the wrist, back of the heel, around the hairline, and any severe dry areas, says Evans. Going into an appointment properly moisturized will keep those parts from getting too dark and helps the tan look more natural. Whatever you do, don't over moisturize. Applying lotion to your whole body will dilute the self-tan color, which you don’t want.

If You're Going the DIY Route, Use the Right Tools

Applying your own tan at home? If so, investing in a mitt is an absolute must, says Evans. They are amazing for loading up self-tanner and buffing away excess product on large surfaces—use light, sweeping strokes all over.

Fix Any Mistakes Fast

Apply baby oil if you need to fix a dark area. Leave it on for 10 minutes to allow the exfoliation to be more effective, says Evans. Then, scrub the dark part, then buff out the skin with a hot damp washcloth.

Time Your Shower Just Right 

To extend your glow, be sure to shower post-spray tan. For best results, you should wait at least four to five hours after your spray tan, but no longer than 24 hours, says Evans. Your first shower should be a gentle rinse using lukewarm or cold water. Pay close attention to areas such as under the arms to ensure that you wash off any excess bronzer. After this initial shower, you can return to your regular showering routine—keeping in mind that you shouldn't be exfoliating until you're ready for your tan to fade away. 

Remember Aftercare

Use only your favorite moisturizer on the day of your wedding—no tanner! If your tan was done right, you shouldn’t need it. This will also ensure that there is no staining on your gown from last-minute tanning, explains Evans. If you want even more of a glow, use a tinted body lotion or cosmetic bronzer on parts of your skin that peep out of your dress for even more polished perfection.

Pre-Wedding Spray Tan Don’ts

Now that you know what to do, it's time to understand what mistakes you absolutely don't want to make. Here, Evans shares seven pre-wedding spray tan don'ts to be mindful of.

Don't Skip Trials

Whether you're a spray tan veteran or giving it a try for the first time, a pre-wedding trial is an absolute must, says Evans. Ideally, start testing colors a few months before the big day. Then, once you think you've found your color, time a trial to coincide with a wedding dress fitting—you shouldn't have your tan applied on the same day as the fitting, though, as the chance of spreading color to the gown is too high. Instead, get your tan a few days before the fitting (aim for a similar timespan to what you'd do before the wedding) so that the color has had a chance to settle in and potentially fade. This is the best way to see if your coloring looks right against your wedding dress or if you want to go lighter or darker.

Don't Settle for the Wrong Shade

You never need to go with just one flat shade. Ask your spray-tan salon if they can customize the color by mixing light and dark solutions for your desired glow, suggests Evans. Most places can also contour and add more color where your body needs it. By using additional shades, your skin will have more depth and definition.

Don't Miss Touch-Ups

Remember to touch up with an at-home self-tanner every two to three days for the face and a mid-week boost for the body. The self-tan on your face fades faster, due to more exposure and daily cleansing.

Don't Apply Too Little

Being stingy with how much product you apply never works out in the long run. “When a person is scared of a self-tan, they use a very small amount of product and try to over-rub and tan a large area. Always use enough product so that it glides effortlessly and smoothly over the skin,” Evans says. Your skin can only absorb a certain amount of tanning agent, so you can never use too much self-tan. The dreaded streak actually comes from not using enough.

Don't Procrastinate

If you're going to the DIY route, your final tan shouldn't be applied more than two days before the wedding—two days prior is perfect. “You can sleep with the self-tan on for full development and then have the next day for the tan to settle and to retouch any areas if needed,” Evans says. For a professional spray tan, timing will vary: At the very least, your spray tan should be applied two days before the wedding, but consult the professional you plan to work with for their recommendation.

Don't Exfoliate or Use Harsh Products After the Tan Is Applied

To maintain your glow, avoid exfoliating and using any harsh soaps, shampoos, or conditioners. Instead, reach for a soft washcloth and sulfate-free products that will be gentler on your skin, says Evans. Keeping your skin moisturized after will be key. We recommend using an oil-free, paraben-free, and fragrance-free moisturizer formulated with ingredients like cocoa butter. 

Don't Forget Sun Protection

Just because you look tan doesn't mean you're permitted to go in the sun before your big day and get burned. Continue protecting your skin by wearing sunscreen.

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