Frequently Asked Questions

Q Can a sunless tan be this great? A Yes! What’s the catch you may ask? While we at La Bella Spray Tans feel there are no catches, we would like to touch briefly on some common sunless tanning observations, experiences, and questions we have had from our clients. Q Are there different levels of solution to use on different skin tones? A Yes. La Bella Spray Tans makes three levels of solution. We determine the appropriate level of solution for each individual during a consultation before the session. What we would like to make clear is that a higher percentage of (DHA) does not necessarily mean a darker tan. There is only a certain amount of DHA the skin can absorb at one time. Using too high of a percentage of DHA or too much DHA at once will result in an unnatural looking tan and a tan that wears off poorly, leaving uneven skin tones. Q Why does my face tan fade faster? A Facial skin is thinner than the skin found on the abdomen, legs, and arms. In addition, the face is exposed to the environment continually and requires anti-aging products, potions, and makeup to protect the skin. While these products “save face,” due to their exfoliating nature they break down the tan more quickly. Q Can body sculpting be achieved with a sunless tanning treatment? A Although many sunless tanning technicians or companies make claims of body sculpting, the reality of achieving sculpted and toned muscles as a result of a sunless tan are slim. This is commonly a gimmick used to sell multiple tanning sessions. We do not offer this service or make promises of a sculpted body.

Q Do I need to wear sunscreen? A Absolutely. Despite the darkening of the skin, an individual is just as susceptible to the harmful rays of outdoor and indoor tanning. An overall sun protection program is still necessary. Q Does the solution have an odor? A La Bella Sunless solution is made with all natural ingredients and a chemical free preservative that eliminates the unpleasant odor associated with sunless tanning. While most people do not experience an unpleasant odor when using our product, there are certain variables of body chemistry changes that may at times cause the solution to have a slight odor. Q Is it safe to breath the overspray in a tanning session? A DHA is a non-hazardous compound that causes no adverse reaction in the quantities found in a sunless solution. DHA has been FDA approved for over 30 years and is found in makeup and products we use everyday. Furthermore, La Bella Spray Tans uses natural herbs and botanicals to create our solution. Therefore, there are no harsh chemicals. DHA has been used as a diet supplement in sports nutrition and is non-carcinogenic. Further tests have shown that DHA is less toxic than aspirin, caffeine, and common table salt. The amount of DHA that could be breathed during a sunless tanning session would be .05 milligrams, which is equivalent to less than one grain of table salt. The easiest way to comply with the recommendations for safety is to either keep your mouth closed or wear a mask during your session. Also, you may opt for barrier cream on and around the eyes. Most facilities offer masks. Some technicians may even wear them if they are doing several treatments in a short amount of time. This is to keep them from a mild irritation that would come from breathing too much of anything in a short amount of time. Q Why do some sunless tans start to become patchy when the tan starts to fade? A As mentioned before, the part of the skin that achieves the tan appearance is a layer of dead skin cells. When the DHA first reacts with these cells, (which by nature are very dry) you almost always get a smooth and even tan. As the tan fades and your skin goes

through its natural exfoliation process, these dead skin cells shed. Not every cell turns over at the same rate. You may have some “tanned” cells that remain or last longer while others fade away. The result of this is the appearance of dark spots that resemble freckles. This doesn’t mean you received a bad tan or bad solution. Your tan will eventually fade all the way and there are several things you can do. First, you can prep your skin by assisting the exfoliation process using a scrub or gloves before going for a re-spray. This will blend your fading tan and even it out. Second, you can leave your skin alone and allowing the natural exfoliation process of the skin to occur. Eventually the tan will fade all the way. Third, you can assist the exfoliation process by soaking in a warm bath or using exfoliating gloves or a scrub to remove the remainder of your tan. Remember that it is a sunless tan and like all beauty routines, maintenance is involved. Q Why didn’t I get as dark this treatment as I did with my last treatment? A In our experience and research, due to the ever- changing chemistry of the body, there are times of the month that our bodies are less receptive to DHA. Some people can even be DHA resistant. Finally, there are variables to our clients’ routines. For example, a client may shower after six hours one time and eight hours the next. Consequently, the tan is not given the same amount of time to develop. During a stressful day, a client may perspire excessively during development time. This dilutes the solution and does not allow the DHA to absorb into the skin properly. Finally, the skin may have had residual oil or moisturizer on it. This blocks the DHA and prevents the skin from reacting and changing colors. Q. Should pregnant women tan? A . Our client base does include pregnant women. The active ingredient in sunless tanning products, which is sugar, has never been tested specifically on pregnant women, However, this ingredient has been FDA approved and safely used in skin care, makeup, and sunless tanners for over 30 years.Due to the variety of changes that occur to women during a pregnancy, we do request that all clients get the “ok” from their OBGYN prior to having a sunless tanning treatment or any type of treatment during their pregnancy.