Why Spray Tans Can Turn Orange and How To Avoid it

Picture this: You’ve finally decided to get a spray tan after weeks of debating whether or not this will be the right option to getting a nice subtle glow or a decision you’ll highly regret. You decided against tanning beds for the sake of protecting your skin and you definitely didn’t want to test your luck inside a booth tan. Having to turn at intervals sounds like a disaster waiting to happen! That, of course, leaves you with the option of getting a lovely airbrush spray tan. You know this is a process that involves a certified professional that manually applies the tan, but you can’t help but have that one thought push its way into your mind over and over again: “what if I turn orange?” Does this scenario sound familiar to you!?

My lovely friend, I want to calm all the fears and doubts that you currently have circling inside your brain around the idea that you’ll turn orange if you get a spray tan! Trust me when I tell you that this is NOT the first time that I’ve had a client come to me and express this fear. And I know it certainly will not be the last time either! Unfortunately, even with the strides that sunless technology has made, there’s still a very real stigma around the possibility of having an “orange” spray tan. It’s quite literally the last thing anyone wants from their appointment. And I’ll be completely honest, it’s the last thing I would ever want to give my clients as well! I don’t want you to walk around looking like a human cheeto as much as you don’t want to be the one looking that way! That’s why I’ve worked SO hard to invest in my education and become the most skilled spray tanning artist in Brevard County. I wanted to be able to confidently tell every single one of my clients that comes to me with the fear of an orange spray tan that it will not even be the slightest possibility if they choose to tan with me. That’s why today I’m going to share some of that hard-earned knowledge with you in hopes to ease some of those fears you’re currently wrestling with!

Over Saturation of Product

One of the reasons that orange tans happen is due to there being an over saturation of product on the skin. Basically, if there’s too much spray tan solution used during an appointment, once the tan is developed it can start to give off an orange tint. In order to make sure this never happens, all of our airbrush tans are manually applied by a trained professional! I’ve gotten numerous certifications and trainings under my belt in order to understand the correct amount of solution that should be applied to the skin during a spray tan, how to set my spray tan gun to apply an adequate and even spray as well as how to adjust my technique for tan that develops naturally on all skin and body types. 

Spraying Too Dark

Having a pre-tan consultation prior to even starting a spray tan is one step in the appointment process for this very reason! During the consultation period, we will always go over the goals for the appointment in terms of how dark the desired tan should be and what type of event or occasion the client will be attending! Through this process I will also assess the individual skin type of every person that comes into my salon. The reason I do this is so I know how to create a custom mixture that is going to be the perfect depth of color for their skin tone. That’s right, babe! There’s no such thing as a one size fits all at Lovely Airbrush Tanning Co. As unique as you are, your spray tan should be just as unique! That means that someone who has fair skin and typically only burns in the sun will not get the same spray tan solution mixture as someone who has naturally darker skin that tans easily. Using a solution that is too dark for the natural skin tone of the client will result in the tan pulling orange once it’s developed. So, as much as some of our fair skin clients want a dark tan, for the integrity of the color and the sake of having a natural looking tan, my professional opinion will always be to provide a shade that will work well with the client’s natural skin tone!

Dry Skin 

Remember earlier when we mentioned that over saturation of product could lead to that dreaded orange tan!? Well, that’s also where dry skin comes into the equation as our third and final reason for spray tans looking orange. Spray tans and hydrated skin are like two peas in a pod. When the skin is hydrated, the spray tan turns out more natural and lasts longer. The reason for this is because dry skin, just as it tends to absorb lotion quickly, it also absorbs more spray tan solution which can cause the over saturation that we try to avoid. This is why it’s our top priority to always prep your skin with barrier cream on the hands, feet and ankles because of the perpetually dry skin we tend to see in those areas. As a spray tan client, we also need you to do your part in the prep process to avoid this potential spray tan oopsie! Make sure to moisturize the skin on the days leading up to your spray tan appointment, especially if you tend to have dry skin overall.

Okay girl-friend, there you have it! That’s why spray tans turn you orange! I want to be super upfront about this topic and this specific question because I know it steers so many babes away from getting a spray tan when the reality is that the orange tans are avoidable if you’re getting a service from a knowledgeable professional (hi, that’s me!). As I tell all of my clients, if you ever have any concerns on the process of a spray tan or what an appointment actually looks like, feel free to reach out and ask those questions! That’s what I’m here for. You can also head on over to our “Services” page and explore all of our spray tanning options!