Spray tan for Borough Park kallahs and families

A spray tan isn’t standard in every Borough Park household, and that’s fine. The women who do come in from 13th Avenue and 18th Avenue tend to want the same few things: privacy, a natural result that doesn’t look like a tan, and someone who doesn’t need the calendar explained.

Rosie’s studio is in Midwood, a short drive south. It’s a private room, not a salon floor. She does every tan herself, she’s shomer Shabbat, and the studio is closed on Shabbat and Yom Tov. Whether you spell it Borough Park or Boro Park, this page explains how women from the neighborhood use the studio and when it makes sense for her to come to you instead.

Why women from Boro Park come

Most first-time clients from Boro Park are there because of a wedding, either their own or a sister’s. A smaller group comes every few weeks because they like how a little color looks with their sheitel and their makeup. Both want a tan that looks like healthy skin, not a beach vacation.

Because tznius clothing covers most of the body, many women only need color where it shows. The Face Only tan ($50, about 15 minutes) blends the face, neck and hairline with the hands. For a kallah whose gown covers her arms, the full tan still matters, because her wrists, neck and décolleté show in photographs, and the full Spray Tan ($100) keeps them consistent.

Kallahs: trial, mikvah, wedding

If you’re a kallah, three dates matter: the trial, the mikvah and the wedding.

• Trial, four to six weeks out. You see the color on your own skin, next to your sheitel, before anything is final. A bridal trial is $120.
• Mikvah. Rosie doesn’t rule on chatzitzah or timing. The widely cited preference is tevilah first, tan after. Ask your kallah teacher or rav and give Rosie the answer; she’ll build around it.
• Wedding tan, two days before. The color is at its most natural on Day 2, which is why it goes on two days ahead. For a Sunday wedding, that’s Friday morning.

The kallah spray tan page and the kallah timeline have the full schedule. A $150 deposit holds the date.

Getting to Midwood

By car, Ocean Parkway is the natural route. Head to the parkway from wherever you are in the neighborhood, drive south and turn east at Avenue I, Avenue J or Kings Highway, depending on the address Rosie sends. Outside rush hour, it’s a quick trip.

By train, the F is the most direct. From the 18th Avenue or Ditmas Avenue stations on McDonald Avenue, ride south to Kings Highway. If you live closer to the D on New Utrecht Avenue, it’s usually easier to get a ride.

Wear something long, loose and dark home. A tan needs about 8 hours to develop, and a crowded train or a tight tichel can mark it in that window. Mention a sheitel or tichel when you book so Rosie can plan around the hairline.

When Rosie should come to you

Boro Park families are large, and a wedding can mean a kallah, her mother, her mother-in-law and five sisters all wanting color the same week. Getting all of them to Midwood at different times is hard. With five or more people, Rosie can come to the house instead, set up in one room and tan everyone in a row. It’s private, it’s at home, and nobody has to find parking.

Mobile visits are quoted per booking, based on headcount, date and time. The mobile page explains how group bookings work, and the mother of the bride page covers softer color for mothers and grandmothers.

Mothers, mothers-in-law and grandmothers

At a Boro Park chasunah, the mothers are photographed almost as much as the kallah, often next to her under bright hall lighting. Many of them have never had a spray tan and aren’t sure they want one. That’s fine. A very light blend, or just Face Only, can take away the tired, gray look that comes from weeks of wedding planning without making anyone look tanned. Nobody at the table will know; they’ll just say she looks rested.

Older skin is often drier, and dry skin takes color unevenly. Moisturize well for a few days beforehand, but skip lotion on the day itself.

Health questions

The solution is vegan, paraben-free and DHA-based. If you’re expecting, nursing or managing a skin condition, check with your doctor before booking, and tell Rosie what they said. She’s happy to wait.

Prices for every service are on the services page. If you’re on the Kensington side of Ocean Parkway, see the Flatbush and Kensington page; south of 60th Street, the Bensonhurst page may suit you better.