Tanning has always been seen as a feminine pursuit. From Coco Chanel to Jennifer Aniston, women have gone to extreme lengths to achieve the perfect summer glow with beautiful results. Men, however, have not been quite as lucky. With examples such as Donald Trump and John Boehner running around it is unsurprising most men are reluctant to try tanning themselves. However, according to research in JAMA Dermatology, despite its bad reputation “man-tanning” has increased nearly 177 percent in men ages 40 to 49.
Even though it can leave your skin with an amazing summer glow tanning in the sun or using indoor tanning beds can lead to premature aging, peeling skin or possibly skin cancer. The safest way to tan is actually spray-on or airbrush tanning. Logan Colt, owner of Glow Goddess, a boutique hub for airbrush tanning, aesthetics and body sculpting services, has been a licensed esthetician since 2010 and she has a couple of tips for men on how to get the perfect spray tan.
What are the signs of a good spray tan vs. a bad spray tan?
A good tan is basically all solution then application. If you don’t know what you’re doing it’ll be splotchy and noticeable as far as your hands and feet. A good tan is not going to look fake, it’s going to look like a natural tan. With a bad tan you’re going to get that orange undertone. I tend go lighter on men just for that reason.
What are some of the ways you can prep your skin for when you go in for an airbrush tan?
Ideally just take a shower and exfoliate. No lotion, moisturizers or oils. Usually men don’t use lotion or things like just. They just come in and I have to take their deodorant off.
How often should a spray on tan be reapplied?
It can last anywhere from seven to ten days. Anyone who says it doesn’t last longer than that is lying. Your skin replenishes every 10 to 28 days so you’ll begin to see it fade. Since your skin doesn’t peel like a snake’s I have a gloves and an exfoliant to help take it off. I use an extender as well so I can make it last a little longer
Is there a difference between a tan you would wear at the beach and a tan you would wear to work?
Lighter maybe. I have over 20 different solutions but there’s hundreds of kinds of tans. I tend to go lighter with men in general but it depends because it’s all customized. If you want to a tan for a beach vacation I can make you really dark or if you want to go tan for a week at work, I can make you go tan for a week at work.
What’s the best course of action if you get an awful spray tan?
I would take baking soda and lemon juice, mix it into a paste and then scrub it off using exfoliating gloves or a toothbrush. Just take a minute and let it set into your skin first then scrub.
