Spray tanning is one of the easiest ways to get a sun-kissed glow. Whether you’re looking for a bit of color or want to jump-start your winter skin, it’s an excellent way to get some color without worrying about burning or damaging your skin. But if you’ve wondered how long you can wait before you wash your hands after getting a spray tan (or any other part of your body), then we have some answers.
A spray tan provides an even, streak-free tan. It’s easy to rub off color, especially after applying the tan accidentally. But once you get some color on your skin, it can be hard to know how to maintain it. What if you’re out running around and want a quick wash of your hands? Then this question will surely be on your mind: can I wash my hands after a spray tan?
You can wash your hands after a spray tan, but you should wait until your skin has developed before washing. If possible, try to avoid washing hands for at least a few hours after applying a coat of lotion to your body to allow it time to set properly; however, there are no medical studies available that indicate this will damage the overall results of the application process or cause any adverse side effects over time.
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How Long Should You Wait Before Washing Your Hands After Getting a Spray Tan?
There isn’t a specific time frame for washing your hands after getting a spray tan; however, it’s recommended that you wait at least 2-4 hours before washing your hands. This is because your skin needs time to absorb the solution and dry completely so that you aren’t rubbing off any color.
If you wash too soon, it can wash off the solution and cause streaking or unevenness in color. The longer you wait, the more time your body has to absorb the solution and develop a nice tan. Washing too soon also makes it harder to remove any splotches that might have appeared on your skin during application.
If you need to wash your hands before four hours have passed, try using wet wipes instead of soap and water until after the four-hour mark. This will help prevent water from washing off your new tan prematurely and ruining it before it has had time to dry completely. If you have to touch anything before the two-hour mark, try wearing rubber gloves until you can wash them off.
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Can You Wash Your Hands With Soap After Getting a Spray Tan?
You can wash your hands with soap after getting a spray tan, but there are a few caveats.
When you get a spray tan, the solution used to give you that tan often contains oil and water. The oil helps protect your skin, while the water helps remove the excess solution from your skin and leaves behind just the tanning pigments. Those pigments are what give you that gorgeous sun-kissed glow.
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To maintain that look, it’s important not to wash your hands with soap or scrub them too hard while they’re still wet from getting a spray tan. Soap will remove those pigments and make it more difficult for you to get another spray tan in the future. It can strip away some of the tanning solutions and cause them to fade more quickly.
You can’t just wash your hands with soap after getting a spray tan because soap strips your skin of its natural oils and dries it out. This leaves your spray tan patchy and uneven, which isn’t the look you’re going for. Instead, use a moisturizing hand lotion or spray to keep your hands soft and hydrated until your spray tan fades away.
If you need to wash up after getting a spray tan, make sure you’ve got some waterless hand sanitizer. The sanitizer can make you feel clean without washing your hands and eliminate germs without drying out your skin.
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How Soon Can You Shower After a Spray Tan?
When you get a spray tan, your skin is covered in a beautiful mist of color. The color dries after a few hours and will last anywhere from 7-14 days, depending on your skin type and the product used.
While you can wash your hands after a spray tan, you should wait at least four hours before showering. The spray tan solution needs at least that long to dry completely. The longer you wait to shower, the better your results will be. This means you should avoid showering, washing your hands, or sweating right after applying the tanning solution.
While waiting for your spray tan to dry, it’s important not to wipe or scrub at the product because you don’t want to remove it prematurely. You also don’t want moisture on your skin until after the tanning solution has dried. If you have an appointment scheduled within 24 hours of getting your spray tan, it’s best not to shower before then so that they don’t wash off any of the tanning solutions that haven’t dried yet. After 24 hours, however, you can shower normally without affecting the quality of your tan.
However, avoid hot water and exfoliating scrubs, so you don’t damage your new tan. If you have any excess color on your skin, you can use a body exfoliator instead of soap or body wash to remove it. You can also use a loofah or exfoliating mitt to remove excess tanning solution after it dries on your skin.
It also depends on the type of spray tan you get. There are two kinds of spray tans available: airbrush tanning and self-tanner.
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Airbrush tanning
Airbrush spray tans are more precise and last longer than self-tanners but require more maintenance. With an airbrush tan, you’ll want to wait until your skin dries before showering, anywhere from four to eight hours, depending on the brand. This is so that the tanning solution has time to absorb into your skin, giving you a longer-lasting glow.
Self-Tanner
Self-tanners usually have a shorter drying time, so you won’t need to wait as long before taking a shower; three or four hours should be enough. However, if you don’t wash it off thoroughly after using a self-tanner, it could stain your towels and sheets. You also need to avoid using exfoliating products while wearing a self-tanner because they can take off part of the color prematurely.
How Long After a Spray Tan Can I Sleep?
You should wait at least 4 hours before going to bed after getting a spray tan. This is because the tanning solution can stain your sheets and pillowcases if you sleep on them right away. You have to wait 4 hours because the solution takes that long to completely dry. Once it’s dry, it won’t transfer onto anything else.
It will also develop into an actual tan within 1-2 hours of application, so there’s no need to rush it. This may not apply to you if you have darker skin and have been using self-tanners for years. You may be able to go straight to bed after your spray tan application without worrying about staining your sheets or pillowcases.
If your spray tan is yellow or orange, it will develop over several hours and last longer if you don’t wash or shower. On the other hand, if your spray tan has more brown tones, you’ll need to wait about 8-12 hours before getting into bed so that the solution has enough time to dry completely on your skin.
The good news is that even though some people worry about their tan fading while sleeping, this doesn’t happen very often. For most people sprayed with a darker solution, their tans will stay solid for at least two days before they start to fade noticeably in coloration (and even then, there’s usually some residual tint left behind).
Do You Put Lotion on Before a Spray Tan?
Applying lotion before a spray tan is an important step in the process. It helps the tanning solution go on evenly, giving you a smooth and even glow.
You’ll want to apply several hours before your appointment; this gives the lotion time to soak into your skin and activate its hydrating benefits. You can use any kind of moisturizer or body lotion, but it needs to be oil-based so that it doesn’t wipe off when you shower after getting spray tanned.
When applying lotion, be sure not to miss any spots. This can lead to uneven results after your tanning session, and no one wants an orange streak down their leg.
Conclusion
So to answer this question, the bottom line is, yes, you can wash your hands after a spray tan. Without worrying about staining, you can wash your hands once your skin has developed completely. However, it’s important not to wash your hands immediately after spraying. Your hands will still have some spray on them, which could cause color transfer onto other surfaces when they come into contact with them later in the day.
Spray tanning is a great way to get a flawless, glowing tan and will remain a safe and popular choice as long as people remember to wear sunscreen before going out into the sun and if they have their spray tan done by a certified technician.
