I get asked all the time if I do spray tan.  I don't...anymore.  I used to. I thought that the spray tan look was so amazing. As a Fitzpatrick type 1 I can honestly say that I LOVE to recommend it as a way of getting color on anyone.  I just recommend someone else to do it.

Spray tanning came out while I was in school but we were never trained on how to do it.  So, when my former boss decided to get one and have me spray people, I originally thought "what a terrific idea!!! Just brilliant!!!"

SO, she bought a system at a hair show and brought it back for me to try it.

I watched the video.  It seemed pretty simple. Pop up tent, fill receptical with tan solution, aim evenly one side then the other. Turn, same thing, then pat down to dry. Then clean receptacle take down tent. Wash everything.

Here is what actually happened:

Tent popped up and hit a shelf with such force it broke the entire shelf.*Sigh* I cleaned that up.

I filled the receptacle with tanning solution but accidentaly dropped it and it splashed all over my white uniform.  I cleaned that up, and refilled the receptacle being careful NOT to drop it this time, and attached the hose to the "gun". 

The Gun was broken and I did not know it. I ended up spraying tanning solution all over the room as it leaked around the sides.  It was EVERYWHERE! My client was covered in a spitty tanning solution that was extremely dark for her skin. I of course, guffawed,loudly, as I do have a bad case of inappropriate laughter at times.

Now, the person I was "tanning" was also a Fitzaptrick type 1 with red hair.  She has never been tan and after I spit tanning solution all over her, I wiped her down with the tan mitt. It looked good, though a little dark. The tanning solution was really awesome. It darkened a bit more and kept getting darker and darker. My Boss had bought both kinds of tanning solution Light and Dark but there had been a mix up with the solutions at the company and it was actually DARK in the light solution bottle. 

My Client loved the color as she had never seen herself tan before and asked me to spray her again so she could get darker.  Now, she was a Fitzpatrick type III at this point.  I kept stating that it would get darker and darker within the next 24 hours and I refused to tan her anymore. Her mom disagreed and asked me to tan her again. So I did.  Shame on me.

Oh Boy! Did it get dark.  My client (who was a friends daughter) turned a weird shade of Mohagany or maybe a nice dark cocoa.  It looked totally weird.  She loved it and told everybody she knew that I had done it. Isn't that great?

So back to spray tanning,  After she had dressed and left, I was left with a big mess in my room. The white that I was known for was now all dingy and I never could get the tent to collapse.

Looking back, I should have known better.

Of course, now, I found out that the sprayer was bad and the tent had a recall. I know that I could buy a whole system and spray tan but to be honest. I just don't have the energy. :D