If you are booking more than one beauty service before prom, the order matters. Tanning solution can stain fresh nail work. Its oils can loosen lash glue. Shaving after a tan strips the color. And a tan sprayed too close to the dance can rub off on a dress you spent months choosing.
The short answer, for most people: wax or thread first, nails next, then the spray tan, then lashes, and hair and makeup on the day. The rest of this page explains each step, including the one where professionals disagree.
A sample schedule for a Saturday prom
| When | Service | Why then |
|---|---|---|
| The weekend before | Brow, body waxing or threading | Redness settles and pores close before the tan |
| Wednesday | Manicure and pedicure | Done and dry at least a day before the tan |
| Thursday | Shave and exfoliate in the morning, spray tan later | Two days out gives the tan time to develop and be rinsed |
| Friday | Rinse the tan, then lash extensions or a lash fill | Clean lash line, glue sets before prom |
| Saturday | Hair and makeup | Finished a few hours before photos |
If your prom is on a Friday, move everything a day earlier. The prom countdown can turn this into dates on your own calendar.
Why hair removal goes first
Waxing and threading can leave skin red and open, and tanning solution settles into open pores as dark dots. Loving Tan, a self-tan brand, recommends waxing about a week before an event and shaving at least 24 hours before you tan. It also says to exfoliate 24 hours before tanning so the color goes on evenly. Estheticians at Duly Health and Care, an Illinois medical group, put waxing or threading four to seven days before a big event.
After the tan, put the razor down. Board-certified dermatologist Rachel Nazarian told The Zoe Report that shaving after a spray tan removes color and makes it fade faster.
Nails before or after the spray tan
This is the step people argue about, so here are both sides.
Most tanning professionals say nails first. Sjolie, a professional sunless tanning brand, schedules the final manicure and pedicure 24 hours before the tan. Loving Tan says to book manicures at least 72 hours before. Live That Glow, a beauty publication, explains why. A manicure involves soaking, scrubbing and cuticle oil, which can wipe tan off your hands and leave them lighter than your arms. Nail polish itself does not absorb the tanning ingredient the way skin does.
The other side is about staining. Dr. Nazarian told The Zoe Report to get the manicure after the tan, or at least to brush on a clear coat beforehand so the formula does not stain the nail beds.
For prom, nails first usually works best, because a patchy hand is harder to fix than a faint stain. Tell your tanning artist you just had your nails done. Live That Glow suggests a barrier like petroleum jelly over nails and cuticles before you are sprayed. If you can only get a nail appointment after the tan, ask for no soak, no scrub and no lotion. A gel manicure that cures in the chair is the safer bet.
How many days before prom to spray tan
One to two days. Sjolie recommends booking a prom tan one to two days before the event, and two days ahead for standard solutions. Duly's estheticians recommend two days before prom, after a test tan earlier in the season.
Do not tan on prom day. Sjolie says same-day sprays are the reason for the number one complaint tanning artists hear, which is color rubbing off onto formal wear and white dresses.
Keeping tan off your dress
A spray tan has two layers. The color you see right away is a cosmetic bronzer, and it washes off in your first rinse. The lasting color develops underneath. Once that first shower is done, Sjolie says the risk of color transferring to a dress is minimal.
A few more precautions help, especially with a light-colored or white dress. Sjolie suggests dusting translucent powder where the dress touches skin, such as the neckline and underarms, and waiting 20 to 30 minutes after moisturizing before you get dressed. Step into the dress rather than pulling it over your head. And if you want extra insurance, ask your tanning artist about a clear solution with no bronzer in it.
Where lashes fit
Lash extensions are held on with adhesive, and spray tan solution contains oils that can weaken it. Divine Lashes, a lash studio with locations in Toronto and Quebec, recommends getting the spray tan first and the lashes the next day, once the tan is rinsed and the lash line is clean.
If your lash appointment has to come before the tan, leave a gap and protect your eyes. Divine Lashes says to wait at least four hours after a lash appointment. The Lash Lounge, a lash salon chain, says to skip tanning entirely for eight hours after a first full set, and to cover the lashes with goggles when you are sprayed. The Lash Lounge also advises against a same-day lash appointment before a big event, with the last fill 48 to 72 hours ahead.
Hair and makeup go last
Hair and makeup are the only services you want as fresh as possible. A 2019 Lulus guide suggests scheduling a hair appointment about four to six hours before prom, and washing your hair the day before if you are getting an updo. Stylists differ on whether hair or makeup goes first, so ask yours how they like to run it.
For the rest of the countdown, from skincare 90 days out to color and trials, see the prom beauty prep timeline. And if the dress is still on your list, start there. You can browse prom shops by state.