OUR SPRAY TAN GUIDE: HOW TO GET THE PERFECT WEDDING-DAY GLOW

There are so many little details that go into feeling your best on your wedding day, and your spray tan can absolutely be one of them!

A good bridal spray tan should never feel overly dark, orange, or like something completely different from your everyday look. The goal is a natural, even glow that helps you feel polished, confident, and like the best version of yourself.

And if you are completely new to spray tans, don’t worry! You are definitely not alone. We work with plenty of brides who are trying one for the first time while preparing for their wedding.

The biggest thing to know is that a beautiful spray tan starts well before the actual appointment.

Why We Recommend a Spray Tan Trial

Just like you trial your bridal hair and makeup, we love the idea of trialing your spray tan too. At Berry Hill Beauty, we recommend booking a Spray Tan Trial about two days before your bridal hair and makeup trial.

This gives you the opportunity to see your entire bridal look together instead of trying to imagine how your makeup will look with a different skin tone later on.

Your makeup artist can work with the same level of color you plan to have on your wedding day, and you can get a much better feel for how everything looks together: your hair, makeup, tan, dress tone, and overall bridal vision. It is also a great way to figure out exactly how deep you want your color to be. Maybe you love the first shade you try. Maybe you decide you want something slightly lighter and softer. Either way, it is much better to make those decisions during your trial than during wedding week.

Once we know what you love, we can work toward recreating that same glow before the wedding!

How to Prepare for Your Spray Tan

The smoother and more hydrated your skin is going into your appointment, the better your spray tan will typically look.

We recommend exfoliating your body about 24 to 48 hours before your appointment. Focus especially on areas that tend to hold onto dry skin, like your elbows, knees, ankles, hands, and feet. You will want to avoid exfoliating immediately before your spray tan, though. Giving your skin some time to settle helps create a more even canvas.

If you plan to shave or wax, try to do that at least a day beforehand as well. Freshly shaved or waxed skin can sometimes be more sensitive, and pores may still be open right after hair removal.

On the day of your appointment:

• come in with clean, dry skin

• try to skip lotions, oils, perfumes, and deodorant right before your spray tan because these products can sometimes create a barrier between your skin and the tanning solution.

• loose, dark clothing is ideal after your appointment.

  • Think soft sweatpants, an oversized tee, a loose dress, or anything else that is not going to press tightly against the skin.

  • Tight leggings, sports bras, socks, and fitted clothing can rub against the tan while it is developing and potentially leave uneven areas.

If You’ve Never Had a Spray Tan Before

Your first spray tan can feel a little intimidating simply because you do not know what to expect, but the actual appointment is very straightforward. Our spray tan artist will guide you through each position and tell you exactly where to place your arms and legs throughout the service.

One of the most important things for first-timers to know is that the color you see immediately after your appointment is not necessarily your final color. Most spray tans include a cosmetic bronzer that makes you look darker right away. That bronzer will rinse away during your first shower while the actual tan continues developing underneath.

So if you look in the mirror afterward and think, “Okay…this feels darker than I expected,” do not panic! Your final result will look different after your first rinse and once the color has had time to fully develop.

What to Do After Your Spray Tan

After your appointment, the main goal is to leave your tan alone while it develops.

Your spray tan artist will tell you exactly when you should rinse based on the formula used. Until then, try to avoid getting your skin wet.

That means skipping workouts, sweating, swimming, long walks in the Nashville humidity, or anything else that could interfere with the developing color. And yes, if you are a hot yoga and pilates girl, we would definitely give it a break until after your first rinse.

When it is finally time to shower, keep that first rinse gentle. Use lukewarm water and avoid scrubbing or exfoliating the skin. You may notice quite a bit of brown color washing off in the shower, but that is usually the cosmetic bronzer,  not your entire tan disappearing.

After your color has fully developed, moisturizing becomes one of the best things you can do to help your tan last. Keeping the skin hydrated helps the color fade more evenly and prevents dry patches from becoming more noticeable. Try to avoid aggressive exfoliation, long baths, chlorine, or anything else that can cause the tan to fade more quickly.

When Should You Get Your Wedding Spray Tan?

For most brides, we recommend getting your final spray tan about two days before the wedding. That gives your color enough time to develop, settle, and look natural by the time wedding morning arrives.

It also gives you time to complete your first rinse well before your wedding-day hair and makeup appointments.

Your exact timing may vary depending on the tanning formula and your wedding schedule, so we can always help you determine what makes the most sense.

Think About Your Entire Bridal Beauty Timeline

Your spray tan is only one part of your wedding-week beauty routine, and appointment timing really does matter. Facials, waxing, shaving, exfoliating, nails, hair color, extensions, spray tanning, and bridal glam all work best when they are scheduled in the right order.

In general, you want your exfoliating, shaving, waxing, and most skin treatments completed before your spray tan.

Your tan should be one of the final beauty appointments before your wedding, followed by your wedding-day hair and makeup. Planning these appointments ahead of time can make wedding week feel much calmer and help avoid last-minute beauty surprises.

Make Your Trial Feel Like the Real Thing

One of our biggest pieces of advice for brides is to make your bridal trial feel as close to your wedding day as possible. Wear a similar neckline. Bring your veil or accessories if you have them. Have your spray tan done. Give yourself the chance to actually see the complete look.

That is why we love having brides book their Spray Tan Trial two days before their bridal hair and makeup trial at Berry Hill Beauty.

You get to see how the color photographs, how your makeup looks against your tan, and how you feel with your full bridal look.

Then, when wedding week arrives, you are not experimenting with anything new.

You already know your shade. You already know your glam. And you can walk into your wedding day feeling that much more confident in the look you have planned from the beginning.

Ready for your spray tan? Book with us here to get started!