Should I get my nails done before or after my Air-Tan?
We recommend that your tan should be the last stop in your beauty timeline, so if you can – definitely get your nails done first. Soaking, scrubbing, exfoliating, nail polish remover and other harsh chemicals, and strong oils that are used during a manicure or pedicure can be too harsh on your tan and can cause it to fade faster in those areas. And we want your tan to be as long lasting and even as possible.
But won’t it stain my mani-pedi?
Our tanning solution only tans skin so the product won’t actually work on your acrylic or gel nails. Because there is a bronzer in our solution, you may see some color on your nails right after you get sprayed, but that wipes right off. Just grab a tissue or a make up wipe (very carefully – you don’t want something wet to touch anything but your palms) and gently wipe it off and they’re as good as new – no staining. I actually prefer to have my nails done before my tan because any type of polish actually acts as a barrier to prevent your nails from staining.
So what about my natural nails? Will they get stained?
Natural nails are a little more susceptible to taking in any tanning solution. Over time and a couple tans, our solution can build up and eventually stain natural nails. Because of the control we have with our air-brush gun (as opposed to a spray tan machine) we are very careful around your hands and there is really no need to worry about your finger nails staining. Just because of gravity, the solution can build up a little easier on your toe nails. Personally, I just usually keep my toe nails painted and I never have to worry about it as it just wipes off polish. Even just putting on a basic clear coat can prevent staining. If you don’t have time for that – we always provide a barrier cream at your appointment that we recommend putting on just your toe nails right before your tan. Afterwards, just grab a tissue and wipe it off and voila – good as new.
~ Men: Take note ~
Of course, you can always go grab a pedicure or some clear polish before your tan, but if that’s not your style – we recommend the barrier cream method.
I’m ready and just got my nails done. Can I come straight to my Air-Tan appointment?
Yep, Come on over. (Who doesn’t love to spend the afternoon getting pampered?)
If you do plan your nails and your tan back to back, just have them skip the lotions and oils at the end. It’s best to have fresh clean skin when you come in for your tan as any lotion and oils can act as a barrier to the tan as it develops on your skin.
I HAVE to schedule my nails after my Air-Tan. What do I do?!
While this isn’t ideal, it’s understandable that this will happen sometimes are there are a couple little work arounds we can do for the best results. If your getting your nails done after, there are a couple of things to avoid when you go into your appointment.
Don’t let them exfoliate your skin. This is my favorite part of a mani-pedi, but in the end, it will just scrub off your tan so avoid any exfoliation at all costs.
No soaking. Soaking your skin in water will exfoliate your skin faster and cause that part of your tan to fade faster and you definitely don’t want that.
Avoid oils or oil based lotions. Oils can be too harsh for the tan so stick to a plain non oil based moisturizer.
I would recommend that if your getting your nails done after your tan, just ask for a polish change and skip all the frills of a full on mani/pedi. It’s less fun, but in the end, you don’t want to damage your tan.
