First Time Spray Tan? Exactly What to Expect

Your first spray tan is quick, quiet and much less awkward than you are imagining. Expect about twenty minutes in the studio, a cool mist, a light bronze guide color when you leave, about 8 hours of staying dry while the tan develops, and your most natural-looking color on Day 2.

Most first-timers arrive with two worries: that they will feel exposed, and that they will come out orange. Both are reasonable, and both are handled before the spray gun is even switched on. Here is the whole thing in order, from the text message to the morning after.

Booking: a conversation, not a form

Rosie books by call or text at (917) 326-0303. There is no online calendar, which is deliberate. When you reach out, say it is your first tan, what it is for and when the event is. That last part matters, because a spray tan looks its best on Day 2, so a Sunday event usually means a Friday appointment.

The studio is a private space in Midwood, Brooklyn, and the street address is shared when you book. Rosie works Sunday through Thursday, 9 AM to 8 PM, and Fridays from 9 AM until one hour before sunset. The studio is closed on Shabbat and Jewish holidays.

Which service to pick

For a first tan, the choice is usually between two options on the services page: a Spray Tan ($100, 20 min) or Spray Tan+ ($150, 35 min, with extra prep and contouring time and a take-home kit of tan-safe soap, tan extender and natural lotions). If you are nervous about keeping it looking good, the kit takes some of the guesswork out of the week after.

The day before

Two jobs, both about 24 hours ahead. Exfoliate with a mitt or washcloth and an oil-free product, giving extra attention to knees, elbows, ankles and heels. Then shave. Doing both the day before, rather than the morning of, means your skin is smooth but calm when the solution goes on. If you wax, do it earlier still. There is a full explanation in Should You Exfoliate Before a Spray Tan? and a step-by-step for the whole week in the complete prep and aftercare guide.

The morning of

Shower if you like, dry off completely, and then put nothing on your skin. No lotion, no deodorant, no perfume, no makeup. It feels strange to leave the house without deodorant; bring it with you and use it after your first rinse.

Wear loose, dark clothes and slip-on shoes, and leave jewelry at home. Think wide-leg pants and an oversized shirt, not leggings and a fitted top. What to Wear To (and After) Your Spray Tan has the detail.

In the studio: the twenty minutes

The first minute is a conversation

Rosie will look at your skin, ideally in natural light, and ask a couple of questions: how your skin behaves in the sun, what the tan is for, how deep you want to go. Then she blends the solution for you. She does every tan herself, so the person asking the questions is the person holding the spray gun.

This is the moment to mention anything that affects your skin: a pregnancy, eczema, a new prescription, a recent peel. For medical questions the answer is always to check with your doctor or dermatologist first. If you are expecting, read What I’d Tell My Pregnant Sister About Spray Tans.

Undressing

You wear what you are comfortable in: a bathing suit, underwear, or nothing; if you would like disposables, ask when you book. Whatever you choose, the lines it leaves are the lines you will have, so a strapless or dark old bathing suit is a popular middle ground. Tie your hair up and away from your neck.

The spray

You stand, and Rosie works around you in sections. She will ask you to turn, lift your arms, bend a knee, spread your fingers. The mist is cool, a little like stepping into the edge of a breeze, and some people find it makes them giggle the first time. When it is time for your face, you close your eyes for a moment. The FDA has not approved DHA for use on the lips, the eye area or other mucous membranes, so those are protected and avoided.

Drying off

When she is done, you stay put until you are dry to the touch, then dress slowly in your loose clothes. You will leave with a light bronze tint. That is the guide color, a cosmetic bronzer that shows where the solution went. It is not your final shade.

The first 8 hours

The real tan develops underneath the guide color over roughly 8 hours. Three rules for that window:

1. Stay dry. No shower, no swimming, no rain if you can help it.
2. Don’t sweat. No gym, no long walks in summer heat.
3. Stay loose. Nothing tight against your skin, including bra bands and socks.

You may notice a faint, slightly biscuity scent. That is the DHA doing its work, and it rinses off with the guide color. If you sleep in your tan, wear long, loose layers and use dark or older sheets, since the guide color can transfer to fabric before you rinse.

The first rinse

After the 8 hours, take a lukewarm shower with no soap. The water will run brown. That is the guide color washing away, and it is completely normal. Your tan stays. Pat dry with a dark towel, don’t rub, and then moisturize. The timing is explained in How Long After a Spray Tan Can You Shower?

Day 2 and the week after

On Day 2 the color has settled and looks most like a natural tan. That is why event tans are booked two days ahead. From here, the tan lasts about 7–10 days with care:

• Moisturize every day, more on hands, elbows, knees and feet.
• Keep showers short and lukewarm, with a gentle soap.
• Skip scrubs, mitts and exfoliating products.
• After a workout or a swim, rinse and pat dry.

As it fades, it fades first where you wash and rub the most. When you are ready for the next one, exfoliate the day before and start again.

What first-timers usually say afterward

Not about the tan. About how fast it was. The thing people build up in their heads is the undressing, and the undressing is about forty seconds of a much shorter appointment than they expected. The thing that actually decides how the tan looks is the conversation at the start, the blend that comes out of it, and the 8 hours you spend being slightly precious about water afterward.

If you have more questions before you book, the FAQ covers the basics, or just text Rosie. A first tan is a good reason to ask everything.