Rapid solutions are a more convenient way to spray tan. They still produce the same flawless results you expect to see with a traditional tan, but allow you to wash off in a fraction of the time, meaning you can get back to being you quicker. After you’ve rinsed the bronzer off you can exercise, go dancing with your friends, and even get caught in the rain without having to worry about ruining the development of your tan!
How long your clients should leave a rapid tan on their skin for is largely determined by the type of tan they want to achieve (subtle versus significant) and their skin type. It also is largely dependent upon the company that develops your rapid tan: some require longer wait times than others. My advice is always to consult your spray tan solution provider for your rapid tan’s specific development times.
How rapid tans are made: rapid solutions are made by blending and preparing the ingredients in such a way that the amino acids in your skin interact with the DHA faster than with a traditional tan. Keep in mind that this does not mean that you will tan quicker—it just means that you don’t need as long of an exposure to become tanned. This is similar to the way we tan naturally: we need to stay out for less time in strong sunlight (rapid tans) to get the same tan that we achieve by staying out all day in weaker sunlight (traditional tans).
Rapid Tan FAQs
I’ve helped thousands of clients with their rapid tan questions. These are a few of the ones I get asked the most, but feel free to ask your own!
1. Will my client’s rapid tan last as long as a traditional tan?
Yes, a rapid tan should last just as long as a traditional tan, should fade just like how your traditional tan fades, and should look just as good, if not better! Additionally, there shouldn’t be anything that you have to do to prepare for a rapid tan that you didn’t have to do for a traditional tan (aside from making sure your client understands the wash off times!).
2. My client washed off and her tan disappeared, what happened?
First thing first: don’t panic. DHA requires a set amount of time to tan your skin. While some rapid tan solutions can be washed off faster, no matter what solution you are using it will still require the same amount of time to actually produce the tan. What your client washed off was the bronzer, the temporary color, in the solution. The actual tan will continue to develop and darken over the next several hours until it becomes that beautiful color you saw with the bronzer.
3. My client knows that her tan will develop over the next few hours but doesn’t feel that she got much of a tan, what happened?
Assuming that nothing went wrong, this is actually her mind playing tricks on her. Because the tan is slowly developing, often clients will forget how pale they really were before they got their spray tan. Once the tan has fully set, they’ll look at it and say, “Well I was always this color”. The best way to nullify this is to have them check their tan line—if they don’t have a tan line then a cute sticker in a not-so-visible place is a great way to show them just how much tanner they are now.
4. Can my client actually get wet, or is that just a gimmick?
Once your client has washed off the bronzer portion of their rapid tan, they are good to go! One of the biggest selling features of rapid tans is the huge convenience factor that comes with them. You don’t have to worry about getting caught in the rain or licked by the neighborhood dog, and you can hit the gym as hard as you normally do without fear.
5. What if my client forgets to shower off? Will she be fluorescent orange?
Many rapid tan solutions are made to be forgiving. Your client might be darker than what they would normally like to be, but most will not turn her orange. I’ve had clients call me up and say that they accidentally slept in their rapid tan, only to have it look fine afterwards. I personally don’t recommend risking this, but it’s good knowledge to help put your client’s mind at ease if they are worried about trying out a rapid tan.