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What exactly is a Spray-tan?

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You probably know that “looking tan” is the hottest accessory you can own right now.

And for good reason, just about everyone looks a lot better when they have a little color.

Right or wrong, the pale, white ‘sickly’ look is definitely not for everyone!

And because we now know that baking in the sun (or in a tanning bed) all day is REALLY bad for our skin, tons of people are turning to spray tanning to get that beautiful bronze glow.

But what exactly is spray tanning?   How does it work?   How much does it cost?   And where do I get it done?

I’m glad you asked… let’s go over each one of those right now!

Let’s start at the beginning.

Spray tanning is a form of self tanning (or sunless tanning) where a fine mist is sprayed onto your body. 

This mist has an ingredient in it called Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) that interacts with your own skin’s chemistry to turn it tan, or bronze.

This temporary effect generally lasts from 3-7 days and is completely safe for your skin (although it doesn’t provide any protection against the sun’s rays).

The results you can get from tanning sprays are generally very good.  Many celebrities and models prefer spray tanning to just about anything else to get the color they want.

Now, the mist can be sprayed from a variety of ‘devices’.

First, you can go to a tanning or beauty salon and have it applied in a booth.

These specially-designed booths have several nozzles or jets that spray your entire body with the spray tanning solution.

Second, a spray tan can be administered with a airbrush or airgun as they’re called.

These look similar to a paint gun that painters use on your house!

They tend to be smaller and more mobile (obviously) than a booth.

Last, you can get a spray tan from a bottle.

There are lots of companies that make spray tanning products that have the same ingredients you’ll find in a salon or airbrush gun.

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