The majority of people aren’t sure whether to shower after a tanning session or not. So, should you shower after a session? Or more importantly, how long should you wait before heading to the bathroom. Here’s what experts have to say.

According to experts, this isn’t really a very hard question to answer. Taking a shower after a tanning session depends a lot on what kind of session you went through. Did you get a spray tan? Were you under natural light or in a tanning bed?

There’s a lot of misconception out there but a general idea is that you can immediately shower if you had a session in a tanning bed, or wait at least 2-4 hours if you used a bronzer or spray tan.

Why is it Important to Take a Shower After Tanning?

• Make no mistake, every expert out there recommends taking a shower after a good session because it is very important. But what time you take that shower will have a big impact on the overall results.

Tanning naturally takes away the moisture from your skin and leaves it dehydrated, showering helps bring back that moisture which is very important.

• Depending on the technique you used, and the type of tanning lotion you used, shower will impact your results. Not sure what this means? Keep on reading.

Showering After Tanning – 5 Important Things to Know

• If you’re unsure whether to take a bath after tanning or not, these 5 things will help you clear all the misconceptions you have in your head.

Always Use Lukewarm Water

• Never take a hot shower immediately after tanning no matter what method you used. A session of tanning puts a lot of stress on your body and it changes your skin tone. In times like these, hot water is your worst enemy.

Hot showers will not only start to irritate your skin, but will also put it under distress which is bad for your health and skin.

Do Not Take a Bath

• Notice how I have only talked about taking a shower and not a bath after your session? The idea is to quickly get done with this activity and since bathing can take a lot of time, you can expect to lose most of your natural and fake tanning oils if you spend too much time in the water.

So head to the shower, quickly get done with it and you’ll be alright.

Don’t Use Soap!

• Soap is designed to break-down oil, maybe this is why you wash your hands after touching anything oily. If you put that soap on your body, the tanning oil will give away and you’ll lose what you achieved over the session.

However, it is okay to use soap in places where you did not get UV exposure such as your armpits.

Pat Dry Your Skin Only

• Do not rub the towel to dry yourself. Rubbing the towel on your body will take away the moisture of the skin which is very important at that time. So when you are done showering, pat dry yourself using a towel instead of rubbing it.

 Use a Moisturizer

• Immediately after showering, top up your skin with extra moisturization. These contain hyaluronic acid that returns the moisture to the skin and prevents it from becoming dry and dull.

Last but not least, always invest in high-quality tanning products. These are designed to increase overall results and protect your skin from damage. So never overlook their importance.