Here are some of the most frequently asked questions I get at Tancouver for first time tanners.
*Similar to every other business we are not "on-call" at all times, do not expect replies outside of business hours*
Q: HOW DOES SPRAYTAN WORK ?
A: The ingredient that tans your skin is called DHA, a colourless liquid derived from sugar cane. DHA reacts with the amino acids on the outermost layer of the skin and causes the colour of the skin to change temporarily. The skins outermost layer consists of dead and constantly shedding skin cells meaning there is absolutely no skin damage from sunless products. With a real tan, the UV rays from The Sun or Tanning beds penetrate into the deeper layers of skin causing DNA damage and premature aging.
Q: HOW LONG DOES SPRAYTAN LAST ?
A: The short answer 6-10 days. However, there are a number of factors which determines how long your tan will last. This is why you should only book 1-2 days before your event. Skin preparation and aftercare is of utmost importance to extend the life of your tan. I provide all my clients with Skin prep & Aftercare upon booking. A spray tan is one of the only beauty services where the service provider has to also rely on the client for the job to be done with 100% guaranteed satisfaction. A spray tan is 50% the skill of the technician and 50% of your prep and aftercare. **If you add the hydration add -on to your service you will have the longest lasting tan**
Q: HOW DO I KNOW WHAT SERVICE TO GO FOR?
A: Every services I offer is extremely popular, most popular is They Hydra Tan, The Spray & Contour and The Trio.
Q: I AM A BRIDE, HOW DO I KNOW WHICH SERVICE TO BOOK?
A: Being a bridal tan specialist , I created a customized service perfect for bachelorettes, bridal showers & all things wedding related called The Bridal. The Bridal includes a custom mixed spraytan unique to your individual skin-tone, mini contouring (arms, collarbones, back) and finished with hydrating moisture mist infused with Aloe Vera to extend the life of your tan. Just like hair and make up, all bridal clients new to Tancouver must do a trial anytime but but a minimum of 2 weeks before to ensure you are prepared for your big day.
Q: I AM A BRIDE, WILL I HAVE RUB OFF ON MY DRESS?
A: Absolutely not! There are many tans to chose from, including a clear tan, we discuss options at your trial during your consultation.
Q: HOW DO I BOOK?
A: My diary opens 50 days in advance, I get extremely booked. Its best to prebook appointments as trying to find one with 3 yrs of cancelled weddings and vacations is becoming quite a challenge. As is responding to emails.
*My only availabilities are shown on my booking system - I do not have availability outside of these hours and therefor cannot facilitate last minute appointment requests.
*Please create an account when booking as it allows you to reschedule and cancel your own appointments, I am not always available by email.
Q: WHEN SHOULD I BOOK?
A: Spraytans only last 7-10 days so it is best to book 1-2 days before your event/occasion.
Q: HOW DO I SCHEDULE MY SPRAYTAN AROUND OTHER BEAUTY TREATMENTS ?
A: Manicure, Pedicures, Waxing, Tinting, Facials, Lashes & Botox etc have to be done at least 24 hours before spray tanning so they don't disrupt the tanning process. A spraytan should always be scheduled at least 24 hours after nearly every beauty service out there.
Q: HOW DO I PREP MY SKIN?
A: Upon booking clients are sent skin prep, simple instructions to follow before coming in to ensure your skin is in its best condition to absorb the tan evenly. Remember Spray tanning is one of the only beauty services that has to rely on the client for the job to be done with 100% satisfaction! A spray tan is 40% the skill of the technician and 60% client prep and aftercare. You cant expect an even, flawless tan if you haven't prepared your skin before coming. We aren’t miracle workers. You can see the prep and aftercare under the "Prep" tab on the website. Be sure to check out my "Fail to prep" highlight on instagram.
Q: I HAVE SUNBURN CAN I GET A SPRAYTAN ?
A: Not only does 5 sunburns in your life double your risk of skin cancer, I can also not spray over a recent sunburn. Even if it is healed to the naked eye, tan will peel straight off and take your sun damaged skin along with it, it will ruin your tan and you won't be able to conceal it. If you arrive with sun burn to your appointment, you will need to reschedule and will also be charged for the appointment slot.
Sunburn penetrates into the deeper layers of the skin and causes DNA damage. Spray don't lay & always wear a broad-spectrum SPF everyday to ensure you don't burn.
PS: It looks nasty and is extremely dangerous please protect your skin!
Q: I HAVE A SPECIAL EVENT DO I NEED TO DO A TRIAL ?
A : If you are a new client- ABSOLUTELY! Spraytan trials are probably the most important as there is plenty to learn and can result in client error. Similar to booking a hair or make up trial, scheduling a trial allows us to have a baseline so you know on the day of your event whether any adjustments need to be made for example, slightly darker etc as we all absorb tan differently. Unlike make up, you cant just rinse tan off, so it is important to do a trial for this reason.
Q: HOW DO I BOOK A TRIAL?
A: A trial is effectively two separate sessions. Book your trial a minimum of 2 weeks before your big day. All tan must be fully removed in order for an even application at your next appointment.
Q: HOW LONG IS THE APPOINTMENT ?
A: The spraytan itself takes 3 mins or so, the appointment is 30 minutes to allow for a consultation, spraying, drying, getting dressed and payment.
Q: HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO DEVELOP ?
A: The initial colour you are seeing is a guide colour only and must be rinsed off in the shower. The tanning ingredient is a completely transparent liquid and will develop between 3-8 hours depending on which solution we use. If you do not rinse at your recommended time your spray tanner advises, your tan may either be too light or too dark.
Q: ARE THERE BAD INGREDIENTS IN THE PRODUCT?
A: Just like everything in the beauty industry, I cannot speak for all spraytan solutions. However, Tancouver products are formulated using only organic natural ingredients, free from alcohol, parabens and fragrance imported exclusively from Ireland (my home).
Q: HOW DO I KNOW WHICH TAN TO CHOOSE ?
A: We decide this together during your appointment. All appointments include skin consultations. We base the selection from your skin tone, lifestyle and desired outcome so we can be sure to match your glow to compliment your skin and complexion perfectly.
Q: I HAVE FAIR SKIN WILL I BE TOO DARK WITH A SPRAYTAN ?
A: This is a really common question for some reason, there are many different solutions with all different levels of colour in them, light right through to dark. We select the appropriate level of colour to suit each individuals complexion through custom mixing. Follow Tancouver on instagram, you will see my portfolio of clients, and a lot of useful tan highlights.
Q: DOES IT PROTECT ME FROM THE SUN ?
A: NO! Spraytan does not protect your skin from the harmful effects of The Sun. Please make sure to apply a broad spectrum spraytan friendly SPF at all times. More people develop skin cancer due to UV tanning than from lung cancer from smoking - this is a shocking statistic. Furthermore, 5 sunburns in your life double your risk of skin cancer. Protect yourself.
Q: WILL SWIMMING AFFECT MY SPRAYTAN ?
A: Yes! Bathing in chlorinated water (which is effectively a bleach) will fade your tan at an accelerated pace. Salt water will do the same. Tan is water based, meaning the longer you have your skin in water, the looser the tan will come from the skin. Vacations are all about pool fun however and vacation glows are one of my most popular services! If you must swim, go for a short dip, rinse your skin after in the pool shower and remove that bleach from the skin and pat your skin dry with a towel. Hot tubs, saunas, steam rooms and massages - are a harsh nope for making your tan last.
Q: MY FACE LOSES COLOUR SO FAST, IS THIS NORMAL ?
A: Yes. The face is the first area to lose colour due to its composition. The skin on our face is thinner than the skin on the rest of our body, it also produces more oil and we use a lot of products on it daily. For this reason, you may chose to purchase a facial tanner to refresh the colour on your face for the duration of your gorgeous glow. Tancouver retails a gorgeous bronzing water face mist imported from Ireland, enriched with Vitamins A & E to nourish the skin and help combat fine lines.
Q: "I DONT WANT TO BE ORANGE"
A: One of the most offensive statements we get in the industry. This is an uneducated misconception as a result of old school tanning days (1960s is when tan came out) where the products were formulated with heavy tanning agents and poor ingredients. This is also a result of bad colour theory knowledge. Just like you match your foundation for your skin tone (ie: cool, warm or neutral) it is the same for the skin on your body. Many tans have differing undertones to compliment each individuals unique skin tone. We, as spray tanners, are not all created equal. Find someone who is knowledgeable in their field. Note that the beauty industry is not regulated here in Canada so doing your research is key.
Q: CAN YOU FIX MY CRAZY TAN LINES?
A: The more harsh the line the harder it is to cover. Tan is not cream based camouflaging make up, it purely tints the skin by reacting with the amino acids on your skin. While we can help to take the look of lines away it is all very dependant on how bad they are. Although nothing can 100% cover them, if you are looking to conceal more intricate tan lines, please book the spray and contour, it is a longer more specialized appointment using my contouring pen to cover the lighter areas first, then we use my airbrush to cover the body.
Q: WILL MY BEDSHEETS BE STAINED ?
A: No. All Tancouver tans have the highest quality ingredients and will wash out with a simple wash cycle. We have many different options of tan, some you sleep in, some you can rinse in as little as 3 hours and some that are completely clear solutions and require no rinse at all. We will discuss which tan to go for during a simple consultation on the day when I can see your skin.
Q: CAN I TAN IF I AM PREGNANT ?
A:The FDA put DHA on its list of safe cosmetic ingredients in 1973. However, if you are pregnant, please let us know we can happily supply a list of ingredients for you or your doctor upon request. Please also be advised our hormones regulate everything in the body, which includes the pH level of your skin, you may not have the darkest results you want if you are pregnant due to this, however we have pH balancing spray available that can help.
Q: WHEN SHOULD I SHAVE ?
A: Any hair removal should be done 7-24 hours prior to your appointment. Shaving creates microscopic tears on the surface of the skin not visible to the naked eye. They take around 12 hours to close up. Adding anything onto the skin too soon can cause irritation. If you notice when you self tan or spray tan that you sometimes have dots on your legs this could be the culprit. You also could just have larger pores. Talk to me about this during your appointment as we have many spray tan solutions to help with this.
Q: WHEN CAN I REBOOK ?
A: 80% of my clients rebook me every 2 weeks. There is no way to maintain your spraytan as your skin is a living thing and we shed 30,000 skin cells per minute. Your skin must be free of any previous tan before coming back. The canvas must be even in order to create an even tan. If you don't have one of my exfoliation mitts which are specifically designed for sunless tan, pick one up during your appointment for $10.
Q: WHEN SHOULD I SHOWER BEFORE COMING IN?
A: Shower between 4-12 hrs before coming in, this allows enough time for your pH levels to return to normal after your shower. It is a misconception that pores open and close. Hot water doesn't open them, cold water doesn't close them. If you shower too close to the appointment, pores are more susceptible to solution settling into them.
Q: SOMETIMES IF I GET THE EXACT SAME TAN, THE COLOUR CAN BE LIGHTER ?
A: If your tan is different even though the solution used is the same, the most probable cause is the condition of your skin. The skin is the largest organ in the body and multiple factors can effect it. Your hormones regulate everything in your body, including the pH of your skin. When you are menstruating, pregnant, menopausal, oestrogen levels drop which causes your skins sebaceous glands to produce more oils on the skins surface (which you cannot see) and can act like a barrier to the tan. It can produce more colour, less colour no colour at all. It rarely happens but something to be aware of.
Q: ASKING QUESTIONS
A: While I appreciate a lot of people are new to tanning, the prep, aftercare, instagram highlight videos and FAQ I provide gives everything you need to know. Google is also available. Once you do the three steps I provide before coming you will have a beautiful glow.
For highlight videos, my top tips and fave prep products add Tancouver on Instagram