Face Spray Tan: Should You Tan Your Face? Face-Only Tans

Yes, you can spray tan your face, and most people do so it matches the body. The face just needs more care than anywhere else: eyes closed, breath held, lips and nose protected, because the FDA has not approved DHA for the eyes, lips or mucous membranes. If your facial skin is reactive, skipping the face spray or booking a separate face-only tan are both good options.

The face is the most visible part of any tan and the most delicate to get right. It is also where most of the safety conversation actually happens, because it is where the eyes, nose and mouth are. This guide walks through the options, from a full face spray to none at all. For the safety background, see the pillar, Is Spray Tanning Safe?

Why the face gets special treatment

The FDA permits DHA for external application to the skin. Its definition of external excludes the lips and any surface lined with mucous membrane, and DHA is not permitted in the area of the eye. On its sunless tanners page, the FDA advises anyone getting a spray tan to make sure their eyes and mucous membranes are protected and that inhalation is prevented. Practically, the face is where those cautions matter most.

How the face is protected

• Lip balm on before you start.
• Hair pulled back with a band or cap, so the hairline does not grab extra color.
• Eyes closed for every pass near the face, until the mist settles.
• Breath held for the few seconds of the face pass, then a slow exhale before breathing in.
• Nose filters if you would like them. Ask your artist.
• A light hand: the face needs less solution than the body to match it.

Done this way, the face pass takes only seconds. Why these precautions matter is explained in Is DHA Safe?

Why the face fades first

Clients sometimes notice that their face looks lighter than their body by day five or six. That is normal. You cleanse your face once or twice a day, you rub it with towels, makeup removers and fingertips, and you probably use active skin care there that speeds up the shedding of surface cells. All of that takes the tan with it.

To help the face keep pace:

• Use a gentle, non-foaming cleanser and lukewarm water.
• Pat dry rather than rubbing.
• Pause scrubs and exfoliating acids for the life of the tan, if your dermatologist agrees. Do not stop prescription treatment without asking.
• Moisturize daily with something light that your skin already tolerates.
• Remove makeup gently, without scrubbing.

Makeup and your face tan

Come to your appointment with a clean face: no makeup, moisturizer or sunscreen, so the color can develop evenly. Wait until after your first rinse, about eight hours later, before putting makeup back on. After that, makeup is fine. You may want a slightly warmer foundation, or you may find you need less of it, which is part of the appeal.

For weddings and big events, tell your makeup artist you will be tanned and when. Many like to see the tan the day before. Since a tan looks most natural on day two, a wedding tan goes on two days before, which gives everyone a settled color to work with on the morning itself.

When to skip the face spray

There are good reasons to leave the face out of a body tan, or to treat it separately:

• Sensitive or reactive skin, including rosacea. See spray tans for sensitive skin for patch testing.
• Active breakouts or acne treatment that makes the skin peel. See does spray tan cause breakouts.
• Pregnancy, where many clients prefer to avoid any spray near the face. See what I’d tell my pregnant sister and ask your OB.
• Asthma or another breathing condition, where your doctor should weigh in first.
• Younger teens, where many parents prefer the face left out.
• A recent facial, peel, laser treatment or injectable, where your provider will tell you how long to wait.

If you skip it, a well-chosen foundation or bronzer can bridge the gap between face and body, and your artist can blend the jaw and neck so there is no line.

When a face-only tan makes sense

Rosie offers a Face Only appointment, about 15 minutes for $50. It is useful when:

• Your body still has color but your face has faded first.
• You want to see how your facial skin responds before committing to a full tan for an event.
• You skipped the face during your body tan and want it handled separately, on its own schedule.
• You want a light, healthy look for a photo, a family simcha or a weekday event without a full-body tan.

Full pricing, including the Spray Tan ($100) and Spray Tan + ($150, with a take-home aftercare kit), is on the services page.

The rule of thumb: tan the face gently, protect what the FDA says to protect, and if your face is the part of you that reacts to everything, give it its own plan. Questions? Call or text Rosie at (917) 326-0303.