Can Make-up and a Spray Tan play together happily? – Yes they can !!!
If a client comes in for a spray session wearing full face makeup, and would like their face tanned, they should first remove all makeup products before being sprayed. Keep some packages of individually wrapped make-up remover wipes on hand for this purpose. They are readily available from most drugstores, and on-line.
For the best tan results; It is also recommended to wipe the freshly cleansed skin with the Tampa Bay Tan CYA prep spray, to remove any last traces of makeup residue from the skin surface, which client may have missed.
If a client would like to apply makeup immediately after spray tanning they can do so, but we suggest the following.
- Wait until the tan solution is dry to the touch on the skin surface (normally about 5 minutes).
- We recommend not applying a liquid makeup or foundation. Rather use a powder based foundation, a powder bronzer, or a dry power only, for face coverage.
- Eye shadows, liners, mascara, blush and lip products can all be applied, but avoid wet blushes or other wet products on facial skin. This will prevent smearing or dilution of the facial tan. Lipsticks and glosses are okay to apply to lip area.
- If the client wants to apply full face makeup with liquid products, client should wait 20-60 minutes before applying makeup products. They can then use primers, liquid foundations and blush products, just apply lightly so as not to “over wet” or saturate the skin.
I personally prefer to use a makeup sponge to apply (i.e Beauty Blender or similar), this allows one to lightly “pat” makeup onto the skin, rather than “wiping”. If client wets the sponge with water, please wring out thoroughly to prevent excess water transfer to the skin surface. Face tan color could still lighten a bit, depending on how long you wait before applying foundation (and how wet sponge it) but it is normally minimal if sponge is wrung out well.
Matching Facial Tan with Cosmetics:
If a Client has difficulty adjusting facial foundation tones to a fresh vs a faded tan, these tips may help.
Purchase facial foundation in two shades, your “untanned” pale shade and your darker “fresh tanned shade”. Mix products together in your hand, to match your facial/neck shade, and adjust color as needed to match.
Or client may purchase a cosmetic bronzer powder, and lightly dust the darker powder on cheeks, forehead, nose bridge and tip of chin, to bring back a sun kissed glow, to more closely match neck and chest tan depth. Don’t apply heavily to the entire face, with a thick layer, or color may look to “mask like” . Rather focus on the face points as noted above, to provide a more natural multi-level finish.
A powder bronzer can also be lightly dusted over a lotion or sunscreen product, to provide color depth, if client is not wearing foundation. The lotion or sunscreen will provide a base for the browner color to stick to.
Face Tan Fading:
The face often will fade faster than the body. This is normal, as the facial skin turns over faster than body skin.
Your client can reapply fresh tanning products to their face every few days to maintain a darker color as needed. You can sell client a small bottle of tanning solution which they can apply at home to the face with a large makeup brush or small make up applicator pad or sponge.
Or they may purchase a DHA containing tan extender lotion to apply to the face to rebuild color. The Yume Tan Therepe product, or our U Tou Can Tan Aerosol Spray or Whipped Mousse will all work well for this use.
Since the face does face faster, it may also fade unevenly. Remind client to lightly exfoliate the face as needed, to help the tan to fade smoothly and evenly, and allow facial makeup to look fresh and even.
How Dark Should the Face Be?
This is of course a personal preference of the client. And as a technician, you can provide your expert advise, based on what you feel works best in your location, with your blend of choice, and application technique.
As a Skin Finish expert, I personally feel that clients appear younger, more fresh faced and glowy, and less aged if the facial tan is slightly lighter than the body tan. This is especially true with older clients, or those with less perfect, or less youthful skin.
Younger appearing firmer skin may be more forgiving of a dark or very dark facial tan.
A dark or very dark face will accentuate fine lines, droopy or sagging skin, dark under eye circles, or sunken skin areas.
As skin ages, naturally, it tends to darken and dull, and this is an unconscious visual indication that a person is no longer youth full.
When spraying the face, I am careful not to overspray this area, blending face, neck and chest color down into the darker shoulders and body.
When UV tanning, the face often tans lighter than the body, except for very dark skin types. Though color may be professionally augmented with photoshop adjustments or cosmetics for media images and appearances.
If trying to replicate a natural UV tan, a slightly lighter face will often look very natural, for most Caucasian skin types. Especially for older clients.
If you prefer this approach, advise clients to match their facial foundation depth choices to the coloration of the neck. Not the color of the darker body. This will prevent an obvious make-up line. Foundation should be blended down under the jawline, so any mismatch is less apparent.
Have a great Holiday and a Prosperous New Year from Tampa Bay Tan
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