In my last spray tan blog, I outlined the importance of the proper pre-spray tanning steps to ensure the perfect results. I have learned the importance of each of these tips from personal experience. No one’s perfect! Even I forget some of these things and end up with an imperfect tan from time to time. While it’s always better to follow the instructions and avoid this altogether, it’s no reason to panic. We all make mistakes!

For example, right after I posted that last spray tanning blog, I was preparing for a weekend with my family boating and beaching in Florida, so of course I went to get my regular spray tan before we left. I had also been suffering from a sinus infection that I just couldn’t kick. After my spray tan, I ran to the closest Urgent Care clinic in hopes to find out I wasn’t contagious and get some antibiotics. Just as I suspected, I was cleared to go on my trip and given a Z pack. The nurse also asked if I’d like a steroid shot. Without hesitation, I said “yes” as those have always kick-started my feeling better when I’m sick. What I did not think about was my spray tan. Before you ask, it’s not the shot itself that caused the spray tan mishap, it was the bandaid she put on afterwards. I did not think about this however until hours later, when the damage had been done.

Now, we all know where a steroid shot goes and I don't think the picture would be blog appropriate, so try your best to imagine spray tan lines in the perfect band aid shape. My husband and kids found it hilarious all weekend when it peaked out from my swimsuit, so I didn’t even bother fixing it right away; however, if this was a more visible area and a more important event, I could have fixed this eye sore immediately, and I did eventually end up doing so.

One other very memorable incident was my birthday a few years ago. Again, I was preparing for a trip to Florida, but I also had a birthday dinner planned that evening before we left the following morning. I spray tanned an hour or two before dinner and sat down at a huge table with friends and family at a local Mexican restaurant. We all ordered drinks and were chatting while eating chips and salsa as we waited for the remainder of the group to join and our margaritas to arrive. As the waitress came over with a large tray of drinks, she stood behind me and reached over to begin to place them one by one on the table in front of each of us. She reached across the table holding a massive frozen pina colada, and tilted just a little too far. The entire tray of drinks, including the pina colada ended up on my head and down my entire body. My hair, face, arms, back, everything was soaked, cold, and sticky. I won’t lie, I panicked. I jumped up, grabbed my purse and ran out the door yelling “My spray tan! I’m going to Florida tomorrow! Nooooo!” The party ended up at my house with everyone's Mexican food and drinks to-go since I had to immediately shower to even out the streaks of bronzer and get the sticky pina colada out of my hair. I swear I could smell that drink in my hair the entire trip which made for an even more beachy vibe, and my spray tan looked just as good as ever. Turns out, adding an accelerator to your tan really does speed up that development process to just 2 hours instead of the usual 4-6!

One easy trick for streaks and mistakes is baking soda and lemon.  If you're wondering what to do when a fake tan goes patchy, or when you rip it off with a bandaid perhaps (lol), one natural remedy to evening out tan lines can be found right in your kitchen. This simple trick involves combining lemon juice and baking soda until it makes a paste. Then, rub the paste on your tan, and let it sit for a few minutes.The acid in the lemon will strip the tan and baking soda is a natural exfoliant. This method is perfect if you just have a few patches that you need to even out. It worked wonders for my band aid line and many other mishaps I’ve encountered in the past!

So, the next time you leave SOL SPA with your perfect spray tan and realize you forgot to properly prep, or mess something up along the way before it’s developed, don’t panic. One of our trained and knowledgeable Spa Consultants are just a phone call away or refer back to one of these blogs for help. At SOL SPA The World's First 24 Hour Day Spa, we’ve got you and your tan covered!

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Written By: Paige Stuart, VP of Spa Operations