Men do spray tan, often for the same reasons that women do: to appear thinner, feel more confident, and look younger and healthier. Some use it to even out their skin tone in the winter or look younger (kind of like hiding your grays) on first dates. While men may be more hesitant to try spray tanning, once they do they are just as hooked as everyone else! When it comes to spray tanning a man, there are certainly some questions that come up more than others.

Question: How do I spray tan a man with heavy chest hair?

Answer: If a man has heavy chest hair/leg hair/etc. then the spray tan solution will not reach those areas as easily–this won’t be a problem if he isn’t planning on shaving his legs/chest because you won’t be able to see the less tanned portions of his skin anyways.

Question:
How do I spray tan a man with a beard?

Answer: if a man has a beard, mustache, or any other type of facial hair make sure that, if he is going to shave it soon, he shave it off BEFORE his spray tan. If he waits until after his spray tan to shave then he is going to wind up with a reverse five-o’clock shadow and have much lighter skin where the beard had been pre-shave. *This is also important to remember if he is going to shave his legs/chest hair!:

Question:
Do men have to do anything different after getting a spray tan?

Answer: Yes: it’s very important for men to remember to moisturize after every shave! Shaving is an exfoliation process and can remove color from a tan, especially when paired with oil-heavy shaving creams. To counteract the effects of shaving, use a great moisturizer after the initial shave and again before bedtime.

Question:
How do I get more men to come in for a spray tan?

Answer: Men are more likely to respond to deals and discounts in advertising rather than the emotional benefit. Offering a “couples”, “Anniversary”, or “Valentine’s Day” deal is one popular option, as is “Man-Tan Mondays” where men can get a spray tan for a discount.

Question:
What do I do if a man wants to be naked for his spray tan?

Answer: Ultimately this decision of course hinges on what you feel comfortable with. Just remember that it is not anything sexual: it is a beauty enhancing service and you are the professional. If at any point that line is crossed or you become uncomfortable then you have every right to stop the spray tan service and/or refuse any future services. Also keep in mind that most men will be just as nervous about this as you are, so do your best to keep the atmosphere friendly and professional!

How to spray tan a bald man

The idea of spray tanning a bald man scares a lot of people. They are worried that the tan won’t match, and when the tan is in such a visible area it’s perfectly acceptable to be a bit nervous about tanning your first bald man! Luckily the technique is actually quite easy and can be done quickly: good news if you’re on a tight schedule!

Before the tan: Make sure he hasn’t shaved his head within the last 24 hours, recently applied sunblock or moisturizer as the residues from these can all block a tan. If possible, make sure he exfoliates his scalp as this will remove any stubborn dead skin cells and help the tan apply more evenly and fade more naturally.

During the tan: It is important not to apply too much solution to his head because you don’t want it dark by comparison. This can be tricky because most men will already be getting some sun and have a slight tan on their head already–perhaps less so in the winter months. The best technique, regardless, is to lightly mist over his head until it is blended with the bronzer in comparison to the rest of his tan. I say lightly because you also don’t want to have excess spray filtering down onto his neck, face, or shoulders.

Technique 1: When spraying his back, allow his neck to dry and then have him crane his neck and tilt his head slightly back, spraying side to side, starting up towards the forehead and moving back towards the neck, blending as you go (remember: roughly double the normal distance and lighter spraying)

Technique 2: Have the client crouch down slightly and tilt head forward. Standing on the side of him, lightly spray from the forehead to the back of the skull, continuing down the neck as needed for blending purposes. (remember: roughly double the normal distance and lighter spraying)

Technique 3: When you are spray tanning his face just ask him to bend his head forward so that you can spray his head. This is just a variation on technique 1 so you will want to start towards the back of his head and move towards his forehead, spraying side to side, blending as you go (and remember: roughly double the normal distance and lighter spraying!)

Post-Tanning: Moisturize! Because the skin on top of his head is exposed to the elements his tan is going to fade faster unless he maintains a healthy moisturizing regimen (it wouldn’t hurt to offer him a light tan extender for this purpose either!) And remember: no soaps or shower products on first rinse off of the bronzer! If he’s going to be sleeping in his tan before rinsing off then make sure he knows not to sleep with a hand touching his head or he’ll be in for some really interesting patterns when he wakes up!

What NOT to wear after the tan: Advise him not to wear any tight-knit caps or tight baseball hats after his spray tan. Also make sure he knows that if he is going to wear a hat then he needs to make sure it’s not going to make his head sweat AND that he can’t fiddle with it: it’s either on or off–don’t keep putting it on and taking it off or he’s going to rub off a majority of the tan before it can develop!

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