Spray tanning Geeks, I just can't win!

[nicole333]

I hope you spray tanning geeks can persuade me to give it another go. So far I have had two Nouvatan sprays.

My first was 10% and it was booked in a hurry, so I only scrubbed myself with my hand mitts (no exfoliator and no moisturiser) the MORNING of the tan. I had realistic expectations because of this, but it wasn't too bad.

My second booking I went for 12% and obviously had time to exfoliate and moisturise 24 hours before. The difference being I used Fake bake exfoliator and no hand mitts. Also used Fake bake oil free moisturiser. Importantly, my skin was lovely and soft including ankle/heel area and knees etc.

This tan was awful, I'm so glad the weather was rubbish and we didn't go abroad as there is no way I could've had my legs on show. My knees had grabbed so much colour, they really stood out and had to be covered all the time. My elbows were the same.
I have only ever had the barrier cream applied to my hands, knees and toe nails.

I thought my prep was meticulous on the 2nd tan and because it came out worse than the first, I'm now thinking spray tans are not for me. :sad:

Is there anything I can do to make my prep better, so I can give it another go?

 

[tanfastic]

So sorry to hear that you had a bad experience x2 please dont give up,the solution is almost never to blame, usually the application, preparation or aftercare are at fault 9 times out of 10. Have you tried a different tech or salon or was it the same technician both times?
If I were you I would try a diiferent technician or a different solution, you will find one that looks great. Wish I knew where you were, as I would offer you a tan for you to compare the results

 

[nicole333]

Thanks for your reply and what a thoroughly nice thing to offer. It was the same tech both times, who I chose because it was Nouvatan they offered. Nobody else offers it where I live, so I guess if your saying my prep seems fine, I should find someone else.

Forgot to say, I'm a good few hundred miles from you! I'm down deepest south.

 

[tanfastic]

Aaawww. I used to live in Falmouth and Penzance before coming here.LOL It is a shame that you had a bad experience with Nouvatan, why not get on to Steve and ask if he can recommend an alternative technician in your area, just for comparison, You might have found an inexperienced girl. I am sure he will have a contact number for another tech in your area, I have only heard good things about Nouvatan so it might be worth another go. Your prep sounds fine, I wonder if the barrier cream was OK though since you had problems in these areas. Which cream did she use? I don't want to slate a fellow Spray Tanning professional so I am not going to and certainly don't want it to sound as if I am doing so, I hope that it is something easily rectified. Have you given her any feedback yet? She might want to know what the problems are so she can rectify them or raise the issue with her trainers and suppliers.

 

[Sweetyrex]

Maybe try just exfoliating makin sure it is oil free and don't use moisturiser this time. I always advise clients to be free of moisturiser before a tan. Hth

 

[tanfastic]

Maybe try just exfoliating makin sure it is oil free and don't use moisturiser this time. I always advise clients to be free of moisturiser before a tan. Hth

Hi Sweetyrex, she did say that she had used oil free and moisturised 24 hrs before which should be fine, I have a suspicion that the barrier cream was not applied correctly ie not in all the required areas and maybe not in the right quantities? I do agree that moisturisers applied before a tan, on the same day within hours of a spray tan can cause huge problems as well as products containing oil and of course exfoliation is of paramount importance

 

[Susie H]

Hi there, I can't get away from your knee's and elbows grabbing the tan.
the only reason for this to happen is because the skin is dry so your skin acts like a dry sponge, the tan hits it and it soaks it up so I'm wondering if the exfoliator you used was to harsh for your skin. Or you paid those area's to much attention.
I don't use barrier cream at all when I'm tanning clients. But I do keep a light moisturiser on hand and if I see dry skin I'll apply a little before starting.
then I always advise clients to moisturise every day all over and to only ex foliate the night before they are booked in for their next tan and to do so after a soak in a nice hot bath. That way the tan seems to come of all in one go rather than going patchy.
So in short my advice would be to pay more attention to your knees and elbows every day and after a couple of weeks of this, try another spray tan because I think you need to improve your skins suppleness to prevent this happening again and yes, I use Nouvatan but think this would have happened with any make of tan.
You don't need to spend a fortune on moisturiser, the avon skin softener is a good one and they have a lovely range of matching body sprays in a lot of different scents.
hth x

 

[nicole333]

Hi there, I can't get away from your knee's and elbows grabbing the tan.
the only reason for this to happen is because the skin is dry so your skin acts like a dry sponge, the tan hits it and it soaks it up so I'm wondering if the exfoliator you used was to harsh for your skin. Or you paid those area's to much attention.

Hi Susie, I also thought it was grabbing because it was dry. But the Fake bake exfoliater feels a bit wimpy to be honest. I did it in a gentle way, as advised, and it all felt lovely and soft.
The previous time when I just used mitts felt like it was properly exfoliated. I'm also mindful that if it's going to grab, then a 12% is going to look worse than a 10%, so maybe that has something to do with it too.

Which leaves me thinking my prep was rubbish? I didn't have barrier cream on my elbows and they came out just as bad as my knees, leading me to think that barrier cream made no difference in this case.

Confused.com!

Oh, and no other Nouvatanners in my area.

 

[Sweetyrex]

Hi Sweetyrex, she did say that she had used oil free and moisturised 24 hrs before which should be fine, I have a suspicion that the barrier cream was not applied correctly ie not in all the required areas and maybe not in the right quantities? I do agree that moisturisers applied before a tan, on the same day within hours of a spray tan can cause huge problems as well as products containing oil and of course exfoliation is of paramount importance

That's what I meant, avoid moisturiser right before a tan!