Is Airbrush Tanning The Same as Spray Tanning?

Aesthetic treatments are becoming more popular these days. Many men and women have found the need to enhance their physical appearances. However, some of these people try to avoid getting treatments that would expose them to pain or those treatments that may risk people into accidents. Tanning is one of these aesthetic treatments. There are multiple methods for a person to achieve a tan. One of the most sought-after methods include spray tanning. However, people need to understand that spray tanning can be done in 2 methods.

The Concept Of Tanning

In most cases, tanning is done by people with light-colored skin. A tanned skin means that it becomes darker. The traditional method of tanning involved exposing the skin under the ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun. This is mostly seen on beaches where people prefer to sunbathe. When the skin is exposed to the UV rays of the sun, this causes the skin cells to produce melanin. This is a pigment that would eventually darken because of oxidation. The longer it takes for the skin to be exposed to the UV rays of the sun, the more melanin is produced and further darkens the skin. Melanin is very important because it absorbs the UV rays radiation from the sun and defends the body from letting the radiation reach deeper into the skin. In relation to the aesthetics industry, a number of men and women feel that a tanned body is more attractive. This is why there are different methods developed to mimic the tanned effect given to the body.

Things To Know About Spray Tanning

For those people who do not like feeling pain when undergoing aesthetic treatments, they will like availing spray tans. This is a non-invasive treatment which also does not involve exposing the skin to UV rays. However, this method only gives a small increase in the production of melanin, which means it is not mainly aimed to protect the skin from the UV rays of the sun. The process involves spraying mist onto the body. Its main ingredient is dihydroxyacetone (DHA). This is an active ingredient that reacts with the proteins found on the outer layer of the skin. This reaction causes the color of the skin to darken. Compared to the immediate results people get when they are exposed to the UV rays of the sun, spray tanning takes around 24 hours before the results fully develop. The results of a spray tan may last up to 7 days.

Salon Spray Tanning Methods

Spray tanning has 2 well-known methods of application. It is important for people to know about these methods so that they can pick the one that suits their requirements and needs. You may refer below to the things you should know about these 2 methods:

Spray tan booth
This is a method of application that is done with the use of a spray tan machine. There is no need for a technician to handle the application as it is an automated process. It is usually one of the faster options to choose from. The clients are the ones controlling how much and which parts of their bodies they want to be tanned. Clients do need to take extra caution when going into spray tan booths because tanning machines do not have sensors that would detect areas they should not spray on.

Clients should inquire with the technicians in the salons on how they should go about standing and which angles they should take inside the spray tan booths. Failure to do so could mean that they may receive uneven tan on different areas of their bodies. If you go to reputable salons, their technicians will explain the process to you and they will give you advice so that you avoid making mistakes inside the booth. In addition, spray tan booths may have different cues or timings before the automatic jet sprays the tan on your body. Your technician will teach you all about these things before you enter the booth.

Salons will also give you protection for your hair, the palm of your hands, and your feet. Always remember to keep your eyes and your mouth closed so that you do not get chemicals on these areas of your body. You just have to listen to the cues and instructions so that things will turn out well for you. When you are finished, and you have exited the booth, you should check if there are blots and other minor inconsistencies in the application of the tan. Pat these with a towel, and you should always avoid rubbing or wiping them off. This is important so that you will not smear the tan and leave uneven streaks all over your body.

Airbrush tan

For this method, this can be applied by professionals or clients may apply airbrush spray tans on their bodies themselves. However, it is highly advised that clients should proceed to reputable salons to avail this type of treatment. For the tan to be applied, a technician manually sprays the solution on the client’s body using an airbrush tanning gun. These technicians are highly-trained professionals, and they are able to determine if the tanning solution has been applied in the most optimal and even way. Technicians will do their best to avoid areas that should not be tanned too much so that their clients will receive the best results possible.

Main Differences Between Spray Tan Booth And Airbrush Tan

Knowing how the processes work for the 2 spray tanning methods, some may still find things unclear between their differences. Knowing these differences can help clients choose which they should go for. Below are some of the main differences between these 2 spray tan methods:

Cost

With the need for a highly-trained technician to apply an airbrush tan, this is considered to be the more costly between the two methods. Since the technicians are manually applying the solution to their clients, they would also determine if there were areas that need touchups. Also, they are more familiar with the areas that do not need to be tanned as much as some specific areas of the bodies of their clients. A spray tan booth may use an automated spray tan machine, but the process just follows a timed routine and steps that clients just have to follow. Since clients need to follow the cues and directions inside the booth, they do not have enough time to determine if there were areas missed or may have been mistakenly applied with the tanning solution.

Control

Compared to an automatic spray tan booth, the clients do not need to worry if they are positioning their bodies the wrong way when they get airbrush tans. They do not need to mind any timings and cues that would tell them if they should turn their bodies around or face another direction. Airbrush tanning is a more controllable treatment method than a spray tan booth. Clients just have to put their trust on their technicians, and they just have to follow the instructions while relaxing. In addition, with airbrush tanning, clients are assured that the areas of their bodies that are hard to reach will be applied with the correct amount of tan needed. With spray tan booths, there is always a chance that clients may miss tanning their armpits and inner thighs if they are not familiar with the angle and location the nozzles will be spraying the solution.

Schedule

This is one of the differences that could become an issue when the technicians in salons are fully-booked. It is normal for clients to prefer going to the salons that they are already accustomed to. Even though these salons may offer both methods of spray tan, it may be harder to schedule an airbrush spray tan as compared to a session in a spray tan booth. Spray tan booths follow certain timings that would determine how long a session would finish. Most spray tan booth machines take less than a minute to finish a session. Airbrush tanning, on the other hand, may take up to 30 minutes to finish since it is considered to be a meticulous job. These things need to be considered if a client is in a hurry to get a tan.

Choose Airbrush Tan If Possible

When comparing the different spray tan methods, it can be seen that if you wish to get results that have fewer risks involved, then you should opt for an airbrush tan. This is highly advised for clients that are new to spray tanning. Highly-trained technicians are able to explain and show to their clients the perfect tan. However, if you are in a hurry to get a tan and cannot find a fitting schedule with your preferred salon, then you can still go with the automatic spray tan booth method. You must always remember to listen carefully to the instructions. You must follow all the cues and steps as much as you can so that you can achieve the best tan possible.

You may check with Solea Medical Spa & Beauty Lounge for the available schedules of our spray tanning options. You may contact the salon at 305-932-2555.