Does showering after tanning in the sun affect your tan

All sun bunnies know that aftercare is the most important part of having the most even and long-lasting tan.

Even how you shower can affect your tan.

Can I Shower After Tanning?

Yes, you can shower after tanning, but you will need to wait for different amounts of time depending on what type of tanning you’ve done and the products you have used.

Tanning products such as bronzers and accelerators will add more wait time before you can hop into the shower.

There are also some cleaning products you may want to avoid.

Your skin is still tanning even after your session, so you will want to wait before adding water of another temperature to the mix.

The amount of time it takes your skin to finish tanning depends on how intense of a skin tone change you have gone through and how sensitive your skin is.

The shortest wait time will be for those who use tanning beds without any products.

As long as you are taking a break from the sun while you wait to shower, you will only need to wait 20 minutes.

Some people do not notice a difference if they shower after using a tanning bed, but the majority of tanners will wait.

However, if you have used tanning lotion or other products, then you will want to wait a minimum of two hours.

You will need to wait at least four hours after getting a spray tan before getting in the shower.

Those who get a spray tan with bronzer are going to have a wait time of eight hours before they will be able to shower.

People who use sunless tans should wait at least half of a day to shower.

What Showering Too Soon Does

Showering too soon can cause damage under certain circumstances, but there are major misconceptions about what the actual harm is.

While most people may assume that it lessens the tan, the actual problem is cooling down the skin too fast.

The water in your shower may end up having the same effect as cool water being poured onto a boiling pan.

Showering too soon can dry your skin out even further.

The drier your skin is after tanning, the more damage there will be.

One of the most common myths about showering after tanning is that it will wash your tan away.

The only time a shower will wash your tan away is if it is a fake tan and you haven’t waited long enough.

There’s not a showerhead in this world that is powerful enough to wash away the melanocytes that lie deep within your skin.

Your tan goes deeper than the surface level of your skin.

Your suntan is at the same level as your bottom layer of the epidermis, the stratum basale.

You would have to remove the majority of your skin to even get to that layer.

Water is not making your tan go anywhere.

The only time you have to worry about showering ruining your tan is when you use spray tans or bronzers.

Even after waiting the recommended amount of time to shower after getting a spray tan or using bronzers, you may still notice that your shower water is brown.

You don’t need to panic.

This isn’t your entire tan coming off.

These are just the chemicals used in the bronzer or the spray tan that have turned your skin darker.

It’s better to get the excess chemicals off in the shower rather than staining your bed sheets or furniture with them.

Why You Need To Shower After Tanning

For most of us, the potential of staining our bedsheets brown is enough to motivate us to go shower before bed.

There are more benefits to showering after a tan than just good housekeeping.

Showering can help heal your skin and keep it from having any additional problems.

A suntan is a sign of burning skin.

The damage that your skin goes through in order for you to have a tan can cause some serious stress on the epidermis.

Not only is your skin stressed by the intense temperatures it has endured, but it has also been sweating more than normal in order to regulate your body heat.

Taking a cool to lukewarm shower will help ease the burning and relax the skin.

Your pores can become blocked by the abnormal amount of sweat your skin has to produce and the chemicals from the products you used before or after your tan.

This can lead to redness, acne, and blotchiness.

A gentle shower is all your skin needs to rid itself of the chemical and sweat build-up.

Tanners who have basked directly in the sun at a beach will especially need to shower.

While you’ve been tanning at the beach, your skin has already been irritated by the burn.

The combination of sand and a sunburn is nightmare fuel.

The micro-tearing caused by sand feels like Freddy Krueger scraping the tips of his razor fingers against your flesh.

Not only is it painful, but it can cause skin irritation that could disrupt your tan and further damage your skin.

Showering regularly is how you can keep your skin healthy even after burning time and time again.

How you shower can determine the healing or harm your shower will bring to your skin.

Post-Tanning Showering Tips

The first shower after you tan will play a crucial role in your skin’s healing.

Showering is the perfect time to use products that moisturize and heal your skin.

Even the water temperature can play a role in how well your skin heals.

Keeping your skin healthy is crucial if you tan frequently or have tanned for a long time.

While you can’t completely undo the skin damage that comes with tanning, you can lessen the blow.

When you turn on your shower, you will want to set your shower to a slightly cool or lukewarm temperature.

Just like any other skin burn, cooling it down too quickly will cause even more scarring.

Having the water too warm will dry out the skin and prevent it from healing properly.

Although a warm soak in the tub may sound amazing after getting a tan and moving around all day, it may be more harmful than beneficial.

You shouldn’t shower for longer than you need to remove any chemicals, sand, or sweat.

Baths are meant for long soaks.

If you’ve used any tanning products, it will also turn your bathwater into a brown, oily mess.

As soon as you get out of the shower, your skin is going to be insanely sensitive.

You need to do everything in your power to not irritate it any more than necessary.

Instead of rubbing yourself dry with your towel, you will want to pat your skin dry.

Once you’re dry, you will need to apply some moisturizing lotion.

You will want to find a lotion that contains hyaluronic acid, or hyaluronan.

Hyaluronic acid is known for locking moisture into your skin and speeding up the time it takes your wounds to heal.

Hyaluronan helps your skin heal faster by regulating inflammation levels.

Showering After A Spray Tan

Showering after tanning using a tanning bed or the sun is vastly simpler than showering after a spray tan.

There are two important showers that you will need around the time that you get your spray tan.

You should shower four hours before you get your spray tan, and you will need to wait a minimum of four hours after your spray tan.

The shower you take before getting your spray tan may determine the evenness of your spray tan, especially as it begins to fade.

This is the shower you will want to take plenty of time exfoliating your skin and shave well.

Your tan will adhere better and more evenly if you exfoliate your skin well.

Those who are also considering getting any waxing done will want to do that at least 24 hours beforehand, otherwise the spray tan could experience trouble sticking to your skin.

You’ve gotten your spray tan and you’ve waited the proper amount of time, based on whether or not you had bronzer in your spray tan, so you’re ready to hop in the shower.

With lukewarm water gently pouring from your showerhead, you are ready to step in.

You will need an oil-free body wash that lacks any harsh chemicals.

Gently spread the body wash on the palm of your hand and rub it as gingerly as possible onto your body.

You don’t want to rub it into the skin unless you want an uneven spray tan.

Don’t spend longer than necessary in the water. Once you’re out of the shower, you can use a tan extender to extend the longevity of your spray tan.

Best Post-Tanning Lotions

The aftercare you provide for your skin will determine how healthy your skin will remain.

There are many lotions that will not only help your skin heal but also extend the length of your tan.

These lotions use vitamins and minerals that your tanned skin is craving.

Golden Star Beauty has an amazing lotion that goes beyond skin repair.

Their Tan Extender Lotion will heal your skin using all-natural and organic ingredients such as aloe vera, argan oil, avocado oil, hyaluronic acid, and multiple types of vitamin B.

Golden Star Beauty is also a cruelty-free, vegan brand.

Their tan extender also has no parabens, dye, or gluten.

Those looking for another cruelty-free, paraben-free, and gluten-free brand will want to check out Hempz and their Pomegranate Herbal Body Moisturizer.

Although hemp may be in the business’s name, there is no THC in any of their products, which means there is no chance of anyone who uses their products becoming intoxicated.

Hemp seed oil is becoming increasingly popular in skin care products because it’s an amazing source of multiple vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Ingredients such as shea butter and ginseng help soothe your skin.

This moisturizer offers all these benefits while still being lightweight.

Ahava has a lotion that feels as luxurious as its ingredient list sounds.

Ahava’s Dead Sea Mineral Body Lotion is made with witch hazel, Dead Sea water, and aloe vera.

This body lotion is packed to the brim with magnesium, calcium, and potassium.

Those who suffer from sensitive skin will be relieved to hear that this lotion is also hypoallergenic.

All of Ahava’s products are vegan and free of any parabens, making them as safe as they are effective.

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