If you have been considering a spray tan but are afraid of looking orange, you are not alone. It is the number-one concern I hear from new clients (especially those who have had an unnatural-looking tan somewhere else).
I have been spray tanning Palm Beach-area residents and visitors since 2009, and my approach has always been simple: your spray tan should look like a natural enhancement of your skin, not like a spray tan.
Why Do Some Spray Tans Look Orange?
An orange or overly brassy result is typically caused by the wrong solution, poor application or a color that is simply too dark for the client’s natural skin tone. Here are the most common reasons it happens:
1. The Color Was Not Customized to the Client
Spray tanning is not one-color-fits-all. Someone with very fair, cool-toned skin cannot be sprayed with the same formula or depth as someone with a naturally deeper or olive complexion and expect the same result.
An experienced spray tan artist should evaluate your natural skin tone, undertones, tanning history and desired outcome before selecting your color.
At Perfect Glow Sunless™, every tan is customized. With first-time clients, I prefer to begin conservatively and create a believable, natural-looking glow that will eliminate any chance of your spray tan looking orange. We can always adjust the depth at your next appointment once we know exactly how your skin develops.
2. Too Much Solution Was Applied
Applying more spray tan solution does not necessarily create a better or darker tan. An improper spray-gun setting or heavy-handed application can oversaturate the skin, leading to an uneven, brassy or unnatural-looking result.
Proper application requires professional training, controlled spray patterns and an understanding of how much solution the skin actually needs. I’m also an educator and I trained Spray Tan professionals worldwide with my spray tan Academy, so you’re in great hands.
3. The Solution Is Poor Quality or Wrong for Your Skin
The quality and formulation of the spray tan solution matter. This is one of the reasons I developed my own Perfect Glow Sunless™ professional formulas, now used by salons and spray tan artists worldwide.
My formulas are created with premium tanning and skin-loving ingredients to produce a natural-looking color while supporting hydrated, healthy-looking skin. During your appointment, I select or custom-blend the formula that best complements your individual coloring.
4. Improper Preparation or Aftercare Affected the Color
Your skincare routine before and after your appointment can influence how your tan develops, wears and fades.
Sometimes your tan could look great and then a few days turned unnatural. That’s because soaps, exfoliants, oils, lotions and active skincare ingredients can interfere with development or cause the tan to fade unevenly or change your skin ph creating a brassy result a few days after getting tanned . Arriving with clean, properly exfoliated skin and following the recommended rinse and aftercare instructions will help protect your results.
I will explain exactly when to rinse and how to care for your tan based on the formula used during your appointment.
The Bronzer Is Not Your Final Color
Immediately after your appointment, your skin may appear darker or warmer because of the temporary cosmetic bronzer. This is only the guide color that allows me to see where the solution has been applied.
Once you complete your first rinse, much of that cosmetic bronzer washes away. Your actual sunless tan will continue developing gradually over the next 12 to 24 hours, leaving a softer and more natural-looking result.
Will You Turn Orange at Perfect Glow Sunless™?
No—you will never be placed into a standard color simply because you request the darkest option.
Before your first spray tan, we will discuss your skin tone, undertones, previous experiences and the look you want to achieve. I will then choose or custom-blend a formula designed specifically for you and apply it with careful, controlled technique.
Whether you want a subtle everyday glow, vacation color, bridal tan or deeper bronze, the goal is always the same: a believable, flattering tan that still looks like you.
If a previous spray tan left you feeling orange or made you nervous to try again, I understand. With the right artist, customized color and professional application, your spray tan can look natural, even and beautifully sun-kissed.
Ready to experience the Perfect Glow difference? Book your customized luxury spray tan in West Palm Beach.
