300+ [UPDATED] Spray Tanning Interview Questions

1. How Does A Spray Tan Work?

The ingredient that tans your skin is dihydroxyacetone (DHA), a colorless sugar that interacts with dead skin cells to create the tanned color. The DHA causes a chemical reaction with the proteins in the outer most layers of the skin, which causes the color of the skin to change, producing a beautiful natural tan. A spray tan does not dye the skin; the immediate color you see when your tan is applied is a color guide or bronzer that helps the technician not miss any sections and allows you to instantly see your tan. The DHA starts to react with the skin within 1 hours of the tan application and continues to do so for a total of 8 hours.

A spray gun is used to spray a combination of air and tanning solution directly onto the skin, which dries almost immediately. In less than 30 minutes with custom spraying you can have a flawless tan that will develop over the next 8 hours.

2. Spray Tan Solution Safe To Use?

Our tanning solution has been extensively tested and is very safe and all skin types.

The solution we use has less than 13 ingredients with these key features: 

• Hypoallergenic
• ECOCERT Certified DHA, highest quality (organic)
• Oil-Free
• Alcohol-Free
• Fragrance-Free

3. How Soon Will I See The Tanning Result?

You will receive an immediate, all natural looking tan as our product has a built in bronzer. Your tan will continue to develop over the specified time for the solution you choose.  This will vary from as little as 30 minutes up to 12 hours depending on the original formula or an express formula.

4. Will A Spray Tan Cause Freckles In People Who Usually Freckle When Tanning?

No. There is nothing in the tanning solution that will cause more freckles to break out. In fact, in most cases, freckles and blemishes will become less pronounced because the lighter skin areas will darken and reduce the color differentiation between the blemishes and the rest of the skin.

5. How Long Will My Spray Tan Last?

• There are a number of factors that determine how long a tan will last. Preparation and aftercare is very important if you want to extend the life of your spray tan. This means exfoliating before hand and moisturizing afterwards. Depending on your skin type and how each solution reacts with your skin your tan can last anywhere from 5-10 days on average.
• It is best to use exfoliators that are especially customized for spray tan preparation, as they will not contain any oils or moisturizers, and so will not stop the tanning solution getting through. Wait at least 8 hours after spray application before bathing or exercising. Moisturize skin daily to help extend tanning results. 
• We give each client a take home after care sheet for reminders to prolong their tan.  We also have a number of products that will prepare, maintain and allow you to get the most from your spray tan.  Please check out our spray tan prep page.

6. How Long Should I Wait After A Tanning Session Before Showering, Swimming Or Exercising?

To give your spray tan enough time to fully develop, it is recommended waiting a minimum of 8 hours after your spray tan (unless otherwise instructed). Showering, swimming or exercising sooner may diminish the intensity of the tan.

7. Will Swimming Affect My Spray Tan?

Swimming in chlorinated water or salt water will fade your tan and could cause possible streaking. When swimming try to only go for short dips and rinse off in fresh water afterwards.  Remember to apply your sunscreen.

8. Should I Shave Or Wax Before Or After I Get My Spray Tan?

Whether you shave or wax is completely up to you, both should be done before the application of the tan. Ideally shaving should be done 8 hours before and waxing at least the day before. When waxing ensures that all wax is removed otherwise the tan will stick to the wax and will appear very dark where the wax has not been removed. Shaving after the application will take off some of your tan, so shave on days when you really need to and ensure that your blade is sharp. You will be sprayed with the solution containing bronzer so it is best to shave or wax one day before, as the bronzer gets into the newly created pores and can give you “spotty” look.

9. Does A Spray Tan Provide Spf Protection?

No although your skin looks like it is well protected, spray tans do not mean that you will not get overexposed. It is very important to remember to use a sunscreen with SPF if you will be outdoors.

10. How Do I Prepare For A Spray Tan Session?

For the maximum result, before your session, shower and exfoliate the skin. The spray tanning solution affects only the dead skin cells. Your skin has a buildup of dead skin cells on top of it. The thicker the layer, the sooner it will fade. If you exfoliate, the layer will be very shallow, and it will take days for your skin to “build up”. Your tan will last longer. 

Make sure your skin is free of perfumes, lotions, oils, deodorants, gels or any product on the skin that would create a barrier or cause the tan to develop unevenly. We have products and cloths at our studio for our clients if they are coming from work etc and have some of these products on their skin.

11. What Should I Wear?

 You may wear whatever you feel comfortable in whether you wear nothing, underwear, thong bottoms or a swim suit; it is completely up to you.  Our solution washes out of your clothing so their is no need to worry.  You may also want to take into account clothing that you will be wearing over the next few days. Think about the styles of clothing that you will be wearing for your special occasion or your vacation to determine where you do or don’t want tan lines. Men are required to wear some sort of short.  

After your tan, wear loose, dark and preferably cotton clothing.  Your tan will be dry but there may be residue on your body (the hairs on your arms for example)   It is best to wear clothes and shoes as loose as possible, to make sure nothing rubs off. Ensure any clothing that is worn immediately after the application of the tan is dark in color to prevent the risk of staining it.  Our solution is water soluble so any residue will wash out of your clothing.

12. Will A Spray Tan Ruin Light Clothing Such As A Wedding Dress?

No, the tan will not ruin any light clothing but ensure that you have the tan applied the day or two before you intend to wear any light coloured clothing. Also remember to shower twice to ensure that all the bronzer has washed off.

13. What Else Can I Do To Extend And Beautify My New Tan?

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!!  Avoid shaving your legs with a heavy hand, pat your skin dry instead of rubbing, stay away from creams with AHA and try to avoid chlorine.  We offer a wide range of products that will help you prolong your new tan. Including custom self tanning moisturiser to use throughout the week after your session. These products help to maintain your tan intensity for a longer period. Our suggestion is to use your high spf sunscreen by day and yourself tanner at night while you are out for dinner and sleeping.  It’s like reversing your tanning while saving your skin!!  You will look great your whole vacation!

14. How Is Suva’s Spray Tan Applied?

One of the many benefits of Suva’s spray tanning is the efficient, personalized application.  Our solution is professionally applied in minutes by an experienced technician using an HVLP (High Volume, Low Pressure) System with a spray gun. The gun applies a soft mist with compressed air. Because each Client will have slightly different results with sunless tanners, the application can be tailored to a Client’s specific needs (a darker application for a more tropical glow, tanning of legs only, a light application during the winter, etc). Special care is taken around hands, feet, elbows, and knees to make sure they are not too dark. The result is a natural look, not orange or streaky, creating a uniform golden tan.

15. How Do Spray On Tanning Solutions Work?

The solution that we use at Suva contains the active ingredient dihydroxyacetone (DHA), a sugar cane derivative which reacts with the amino acids in the top layer of your skin.  DHA combines with the amino acids to form a brown color. The “tan” from our bronzer gives you instant gratification after application, and can continue to develop for up to 12 hours.

16. How Long Will It Take To Get My Spray Tan?

The actual custom spray tanning process only takes about 15 minutes. You can expect to be at our salon for approximately 30 minutes, including filling out our client profile (first time clients) undressing, having the spray tan applied, drying, and re-dressing. 

17. What Are The Advantages Of Spray Tanning?

Tanning via the sun or tanning beds causes damage to the skin, leading to premature aging, fine lines, wrinkles, pigmented spots and potentially skin cancer. You have made the safe choice by deciding to sunless tan. You can have a beautiful bronze glow and take care of your skin as you can never get your skin back!

18. How Dark Will I Get After One Session?

Sunless spray tanning is not a perfect science. Results will vary based on each individual’s skin type and we have different strengths of solutions that can be used according to each Client’s skin type. We help our clients determine the look that they are wanting taking into consideration of the event, place, or surrounding.  We want our clients to be glowing on the inside and out!!

19. What Is A Cosmetic Bronzer?

This is the component of sunless products that gives you immediate color for an “instant gratification, just off the beach” look. The ingredients used in cosmetic bronzers are similar to those used in cosmetic foundations or powder bronzers.

20. Will I Get That Fake “orange” Colour?

No. We use the highest quality tanning solution that will give you that “kissed by the sun” look and will transition smoothly into your DHA color that will develop later.

21. Will It Stain My Hair?

No. Most people will not see any affect on the color of their hair. People with gray or blond hair may see some discoloration initially, but will wash out with your first shower. We can supply a shower cap to protect your hair.

22. Will The Colour Wash Off In The Shower?

The cosmetic bronzer that is visible immediately when you are sprayed will wash off with your first shower (after waiting 8 hours), revealing sunless tan.

23. What Should I Wear During My Spray Tan Session?

What you wear during your session is your choice.  The preference of most Clients is to wear bottoms only; however, we understand that each Client’s comfort level is different.  Tan lines are optional for female Clients.  For the comfort of our Technicians, we ask that male Clients wear bottoms of their choice.

24. How Long Will It Take The Dha To Develop?

You will see an immediate tan. This is due to the natural cosmetic bronzer that is used as a color guide to see where your Technician has applied the solution.  It also gives you the immediate gratification of having a beautiful tan. Your actual tan will take at least 8 hours to begin developing and can continue to develop up to 12 hours. The developed tan will be visible once you have showered off the bronzer.

25. How Can I Prevent My Tan From Fading Unevenly And Looking Patchy?

Applying a good moisturizer at least twice a day will prolong your tan and reduce the appearance of uneven fading and patchiness. Using a tan extender will help and exfoliating between maintenance sessions is very important.

26. Can I Tan If I Am Pregnant?

Pregnant women have been using sunless tanners for over 40 years with no problems or reports of side effects on mother or child.  The FDA put DHA on its list of safe cosmetic ingredients in 1973, yet some sunless tanning companies take precautions.  Suva Spray Tan Studio is one of those companies! Please advise the Studio if you are pregnant as we can supply a list of Ingredients for you or your doctor upon request.

27. What About Spraying Over A Tattoo?

If a tattoo or piercing is fully healed, your spray tan will not affect the area.  Sunless tanning does not fade a tattoo the same way exposing the area to UV tanning does.  You will not need to remove piercing jewelry prior to your session, however, you may need to clean the jewelry and you may experience a tan line depending on the nature of the piercing.

28. Are There Any Medical Conditions That Would Prevent Me From Getting A Spray Tan?

When you book your appointment, please let us know if you are pregnant or nursing or have any allergies, medical conditions and/or physical limitations.  This will prepare your Technician in advance so we may provide the best service to meet your individual needs.  We ask that you be courteous by canceling or not booking your appointment if you have open wounds or any communicable diseases such as a cold or flu.  This is for your own comfort as well as the protection of our Technicians and other Clients.

29. My Last Spray Tan Was Different Than The Previous One, Even Though It Was Done In The Same Spray Tan Salon?

Again, it comes down to your skin. Your skin is a living thing, and is affected by many things like: time of the month, season, food you eat, stress, medication you take etc. If your tan is different, even though solution used was the same, the most probable cause is the condition of your skin.

30. Will I Spray Tan Evenly If I Have Hair On My Legs/arms?

Hair is not a problem. At the end of the tanning cycle you will notice droplets of solution on your hair, just towel this excess solution off with a towel provided.

31. Does The Solution Have Unpleasant Smell Like Some Self-tanners On The Market?

No, the solution that Suva uses is fragrance free.

32. I Had Bad Experience With A Spray Tan Before. Should I Assume That Spray Tanning Is Not For Me?

No, there are many factors that could affect your tan; the skill of the technician (of tanned with hand held gun), the quality of solution, your skin condition at a time.

Also remember, that the spray tanning solution is a cosmetic, and so the particular one that you had used, might not be acceptable to your skin.

33. What Is The Difference Between A Machine Spray Tan & A Customized Airbrush Tan Applied By A Person?

The spray tan booths cannot change the % based on skin types or there are only a couple different levels. This is why people may get orange from a booth. They are getting sprayed with the wrong % for their skin type. There are up to 6 different skin types so this % can vary drastically and the machine will not adjust, nor will it look as flawless as an airbrush by a person.

34. Will I Turn Orange After My Spray Tan?

This is dependent on the education and the technicians knowledge of understanding percentages and skin types. All our technicians understand this to an extreme. We can guarantee no orange color.

35. I Am Pregnant Or Breast Feeding; Can I Get An Airbrush Spray Tan?

Although our solution is non toxic & not known to have any detrimental effects on an expected mother, we do recommend an approval from your doctor during the first trimester. If you are within 4 days of your due date we have a right to refuse the tan in case a c-section needs to be performed. You can still get an airbrush tan when breast feeding we just recommend you wears a bra.

36. Should I Get Beauty Services Before Or After My Airbrush Tan?

We recommend scheduling all beauty and spa appointments such as pedicures, manicures, waxing appointments, hair appointments and massages all before your airbrush tan as these can interfere with your tan if you schedule them after.

37. What If I Don’t Have 8 Hours To Let The Tan Develop?

We have a rapid spray tan solution that can be rinsed off in 1 to 5 hours depending on your skin type. This is great for last minute events.

38. What Is The Advantage To Purchasing Body Wash, Body Exfoliation & Tan Extender?

Our retail products are made to interact with our solution. So purchasing these from us will make your tan last a lot longer. These products will last for multiple tans and will probably only need to be purchased once or twice a year.

39. What Kind Of Solution Do You Use?

Green Sun Organics spray tan carries 4 different products, 2 of which are vegan and the other two are certified organic & PETA approved vegan.

40. What Is Dha?

This is what creates the browning of the skin. DHA (Dihydroxyacetone) is an ingredient derived from sugar cane and beets, which reacts with the amino acids in the protein of the outer layer of the skin. DHA is safe & non toxic & is FDA approved for external application.

41. What Do I Wear For An Airbrush Tan?

You can wear whatever YOU are comfortable in. We have sprayed people in one piece bathing suits all the way down to a thong. The FDA requires an undergarment be worn as well as protective eye wear, nose filters, ear protection & lip balm all of which we supply.

42. How Long Does My Spray Tan Take To Dry?

You will dry almost instantly. We spray with such a fine mist & there is a built in blower in the gun which allows drying as we are spraying. You will not feel wet and it is a fast drying technique. You can get your tan and then get dressed and go on with your busy life.

43. My Spray Tan Lasted 1-2 Days Or Appeared Streaky, What Happened?

There are many factors that can contribute to this problem. The PH balance of your skin may have been off so the DHA did not properly react with your skin. PH balancing spray is available for purchase at your next session to see if that helps. Certain cleansers & or lotions may contain mineral oil. Any products with mineral oil will strip the tan faster. That is why we recommend our products for pre and post tan application. Also your skin may have been too dry due to not exfoliating properly.

44. What Is The Right Way To Exfoliate?

Exfoliate the skin gently. Doing this too rough will take off too many dead skin cells and the DHA will not interact correctly with your skin. We highly recommend our exfoliation products which you can purchase in our studio. Any oil based exfoliator can interfere if used 48 hours within your session. Our exfoliating products are used by most people with best results.

45. Should I Purchase A Tan Extender Lotion?

This is the best form of lotion to use during your airbrush tan. Start these on day 2 or 3 as too much in the beginning can create an unnatural look. These are used best after your shower every other day for sensitive skin and every day for non sensitive skin. If you experience dryness space the extender out a bit more.

46. I Am Not As Dark As I Hoped To Be, What Would Cause This?

• You showered too soon and the tan was not fully developed.
• You rinse off with too hot of water.
• The PH balance of your skin was off.
• You used bar soap to rinse off, only use water to rinse off the bronzer on your first shower after the tan.
• Your skin was too dry due to rough exfoliation and or oil in your exfoliators.
• You had lotion / makeup/ deodorant or anything on your skin and it acted as a barrier.

47. I Have A Sun Burn; Can I Get A Airbrush Tan?

We do not recommend this because as your skin peels off you will have new skin under neath and you will appear patchy. Gently exfoliate the edges and apply a lotion that does not contain mineral oil and a bronze to blend the lighter areas.

48. How Can I Prevent Uneven Color Wear-off?

Daily application of tan extender lotion and every other day application for sensitive skin. These tan extenders not only extend the tan and prevent uneven fading but they also have the latest skin firming technology delivering dynamic copper to the skin.

49. Will This Protect Me From Uva And Uvb Rays?

NO. There is no sunscreen in the solution. It is recommended to follow regular precautions when being in the sun.