The definitive guide to bridal tanning.........

​Achieving the perfect wedding glow.....
Let's face it, a natural looking tan looks amazing next to a white Wedding dress! And although it is possible to get a good finish with DIY at home products, when it comes to your Wedding day you want it to be perfect, and a professional spray tan guarantees that. 

Its all in the prep....
Before your spray tanning professional even picks up that spray tanning gun there is a few vital things you need to do to get the best tan possible. Start exfoliating twice a week, paying special attention to knees and elbows, and moisturising daily to get skin in tip top condition, which will ensure an even tan. Don't ignore your feet, this area needs TLC too! DIY Pedicure's or treat yourself to a professional service. Soft smooth skin makes for a great tan!

Does this shade look good on me....
Just like you would have a hair trial or makeup trial we highly recommend having one or two tan trials. 

Its a bit like when you shop for a foundation, you generally need to try a couple of shades, maybe even a few and if your anything like me, will check the shades against natural day light and in a variety of different settings just to be sure.

Finding the right spray tan shade is much the same, you will want to see which shade suits your skin tone best and a different range of lighting and we recommend taking a few pictures of you in your tan to see how how it photographs. You could also stand next to the groom for a picture, do you stand out? Unless your beloved is also tanning, you don't want to look like you've been on holiday without him. 

A good tanning professional will stock a range of tanning solution shades to choose from, and will be able to mix and match! So if you want your legs darker, your face lighter its no problem. It's about tailoring to give you the perfect finish for you on your wedding day. 

The main thing to remember is to be honest with your tanning professional, the whole point of the trial is to get it right before the big day, so your wedding can run smoothly and how you envisaged. 

It's a good idea to have your spray tan trial forty eight hours before you have your make up trial as you will be able to get a better idea of the finished look. 

Spray tanning and other beauty treatments..... 
Its important to create a schedule for any beauty treatments you are planning to have in preparation for your wedding as not all treatments are compatible.

The best time to have your spray tan is usually forty eight hours before the big day, although you may find from your trial you prefer day three. Keep note from your trail of which day you liked your tan best and use that as a guide for scheduling your wedding beauty prep. 

Any waxing, exfoliation, massages, facials, eye brow lash/tinting, manicures or pedicures should be carried out twenty four hours prior to your spray tan as they will cause the tan to fade, discolour or go patchy. 

It's also advise not to use any DIY tanning products for the two weeks before the Wedding day to avoid any product build up.

Turn it into a party....
There's no need to tan alone, especially when there's been to be members of the bridal party that will probably also want a golden glow. Your trials could be tied in as part of the hen party too. 

Tanning the dress.....
Although many modern solutions are designed not to rub off onto clothing, it can't be guaranteed that you won't get some tan marks on the inside of your dress. The most likely area's are the under arm and cleavage area. It does tend to be down to sweating. To help stop the tan from transferring onto the dress a bit of talc on these area's before getting into the dress is recommended. You can also spray a little hairspray on the under arm and cleavage area of the dress to act as a barrier.

Take it on the honeymoon...... 
With good aftercare you can expect your tan to last around seven to ten days. Perfect if you are jetting off somewhere sunny after your wedding.

Keep your tan well moisturised with an oil free moisturiser and remember to use sun screen as most tanning solutions do not contain any SPF protection.

After four/five days you can gentle exfoliate any area's that may have started to patch, like knees or elbows and if you wish top your tan up with a bit of moisturiser containing DHA.

There are many daily tanning products available to buy, it's recommend to buy a good quality....slightly more expensive one. Firstly as the shade is more likely to have golden hues as opposed to orange and secondly, its less likely to have that burnt biscuit smell that comes with less superior tanning products.  

Got any tips to add? We'd love to hear them, please feel free to share in the comment box

---