Journal
How to make your tan last longer
· VIP Tanning
Most colour is lost to dry skin, not to time. Six things that genuinely extend a tan.
You have paid for the sessions. Here is how to keep the result for as long as possible.
1. Moisturise, properly and daily
This is by far the biggest factor and the one most people skip. Your skin sheds its outer layer continuously, and your tan lives in that layer. Dry skin sheds faster and flakes unevenly, which is what produces a patchy fade.
Moisturise every day, generously, and especially straight after showering while skin is still damp.
2. Shorter, cooler showers
Long hot showers strip the skin's natural oils and accelerate shedding. Warm and brief keeps colour noticeably longer.
3. Pat dry, never rub
Rubbing with a towel physically exfoliates. Pat.
4. Skip the harsh scrubs
Exfoliate before you start tanning, not during. Once you have colour, aggressive scrubbing takes it straight off.
5. Watch the chlorine
Swimming pools and hot tubs are hard on a tan. If you are swimming, rinse immediately afterwards and moisturise straight away.
6. Use an indoor tanning lotion
Hydrated skin tans better and holds colour longer. A proper indoor tanning lotion does both jobs — and please do not use outdoor SPF on a sunbed, which simply blocks the session you have paid for.
Topping up
Most people maintain with one or two sessions a week once they have reached the colour they want. Our monthly unlimited at £70 is aimed at exactly that pattern.
How quickly you develop colour and how long it holds varies a great deal between individuals — skin type, how hydrated you are and how often you exfoliate all change the answer. Your session length is set for your skin, not from a chart.
