Two days before the wedding. Not the day before, not the morning of.
That is the headline. Here is the rest of the schedule, because the prep is what actually determines the result.
Four to six weeks out: the trial
Do a trial. This is not optional for a wedding.
You need to know how your skin takes the solution, which depth level looks right on you, and how it photographs. Skin tone, undertone and skin condition all affect the outcome and none of it is predictable from a color chart.
Take photos at the trial. Indoors, outdoors, and with flash. Flash is the one that surprises people, and your wedding photos will involve flash.
If you are wearing a specific dress color, hold a swatch against your arm at the trial.
Two weeks out: last exfoliating facial
Get your facial with extractions done now, not in the final week. Exfoliating treatments strip a spray tan and any facial in the days after will affect the color.
Same for dermaplaning, peels and microneedling. All of it happens before the tan, with room to spare.
One week out: stop the new products
No new skincare, no new body products, nothing you have not used before.
If you are doing waxing or laser hair removal, that happens now. At least 24 to 48 hours before your tan, ideally longer.
Twenty-four hours before the tan
Exfoliate thoroughly. Full body, focusing on knees, elbows, ankles, wrists and heels. Use an oil-free scrub or an exfoliating mitt.
Shave or wax if you are going to. After exfoliating, not after tanning.
No oil-based products. No body oil, no rich lotion. Oil creates a barrier and the solution will not take evenly.
Day of the tan
Arrive with clean, dry skin. No moisturizer, no deodorant, no makeup, no perfume.
Wear loose dark clothing and bring flip flops or loose shoes. Tight waistbands, bra straps and socks leave marks.
Do not shave that morning. Open follicles take solution differently and you can get dark dots.
The appointment itself takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Spray tans start at $65.
After the tan
Wait to shower. Follow the specific timing we give you, typically several hours depending on the solution used.
First shower is water only. No soap, no scrubbing. Pat dry, do not rub.
Moisturize daily after that first shower. Hydrated skin holds color evenly and fades more gracefully.
No swimming, no long baths, no hot tub, no sauna. In Phoenix in May this matters. Chlorine strips it fast.
Avoid heavy sweating for the first several hours. Which is a real ask here, so book late in the day and go straight home.
The two day gap
The reason for two days rather than one: the color continues developing for hours after application, and the first shower reveals the true tone.
Two days gives you a full day to see the actual result and to address anything uneven. Guide color washing off the day before the wedding is a bad surprise.
It also gives the color time to settle into something that looks natural rather than fresh.
Common mistakes
Going too dark. Everyone does. It photographs darker than it looks. Go one shade lighter than your instinct.
Skipping the trial and hoping.
Applying deodorant right after the tan. It can react and cause discoloration under the arms.
Shaving legs the morning of the wedding. It removes color.
Wearing a tight bra or leggings to bed the first night.
Book a trial
Schedule a spray tan in North Phoenix, and do the trial early.
