A tan is optional. Plenty of people skip it, and plenty of people with deeper skin tones use a tan only to even out color or add a glow rather than to go darker. If you want one, this page covers the safe ways to get it, how to prepare, how to keep it off your dress, and how to fix a streak.
The order of your appointments in the last few days, such as nails, tan and lashes, has its own page. Professionals disagree on parts of that order, so read the right order for tan, nails, lashes and hair for both sides.
Spray tan, self-tanner or tanning bed
There are three ways people tan for prom. Two of them are sunless.
A professional spray tan is applied by a technician with an airbrush or in a booth. A self-tanner is a lotion, mousse or spray you apply yourself. Both use the same main ingredient, dihydroxyacetone, or DHA. The FDA describes DHA as a color additive that darkens skin by reacting with amino acids on its surface. The color sits in the outer layer of skin and fades as that layer sheds.
The third option is a tanning bed. The American Academy of Dermatology says indoor tanning can more than double your risk of developing melanoma. It also calls the idea that a base tan protects you from sunburn an absolute myth, and says a self-tanner offers a way to look tan without that added risk. If you are choosing between a tanning bed and a self-tanner for prom, that is the trade-off.
What the FDA says about spray tans
The FDA approves DHA for external use only. It says DHA should not be used on the lips, around the eyes, or on any surface covered by mucous membrane. It also notes that it has not approved DHA as an all-over spray in tanning booths, because it can be difficult to avoid exposure to those areas.
In practice, the FDA says consumers should ask for measures that protect their eyes and mucous membranes and prevent inhalation. When you book, ask the salon what it offers, such as eye goggles, lip balm or nose filters. A good technician will not mind the question.
The FDA also points out that sunless tanners may or may not protect you from the sun. Only products with sunscreen ingredients and SPF labeling do. The AAD is more direct, saying a self-tanner cannot protect your skin from the sun. If prom photos are outdoors, wear sunscreen as usual.
Do a trial first
A tan for prom is not the time to try a new brand or a new salon. Book a trial a few weeks ahead to see the shade on your skin, how it develops, and how it fades. Wear something close to your dress color afterward and take daylight photos. If the color looks too orange, too dark or not quite right, you have time to ask for a different solution.
This is especially worth doing on deep skin tones. A shade that is right on one person can look ashy or too red on another, and a skilled technician will adjust the solution.
How to prep for a spray tan
Sjolie, a professional sunless tanning brand, publishes a detailed prep guide. Its key points:
- Finish waxing, facials, massages and other skin treatments at least 48 hours before your tan. After laser hair removal, wait at least 30 days.
- Exfoliate thoroughly 24 hours before, focusing on the elbows, knees, ankles and feet. Avoid oil-based scrubs that leave a residue.
- Shave at least 24 hours before, not the morning of.
- Arrive with completely clean skin. No lotion, makeup, deodorant, perfume, sunscreen or body oil. Sjolie warns that even deodorant can cause white patches under the arms.
- Wear dark, loose clothing to the appointment and for the ride home. Skip bras, tight waistbands, socks and closed-toe shoes, which can leave marks in the developing tan.
Self-tanning at home
A home self-tanner costs less, and you control the timing. The AAD gives a clear method.
- Exfoliate with a washcloth first, with extra time on the elbows, knees and ankles where skin is thickest.
- Dry your skin completely so the tanner goes on evenly.
- Work in sections, such as arms, then legs, then torso, using circular motions.
- Wash your hands with soap and water after each section so your palms do not turn orange.
- Lightly blend from the wrists onto the hands and from the ankles onto the feet.
- Wait at least ten minutes before getting dressed, and wear loose clothing and try not to sweat for the next three hours.
Ask someone to help with your back, especially if your dress is backless. A missed patch between the shoulder blades is the classic home-tan mistake.
Aftercare and timing
A spray tan needs time. Sjolie says to wait the full eight hours before showering with a standard solution, while rapid solutions can be rinsed sooner, and that DHA keeps developing for up to 24 hours after application. When you rinse, the first color going down the drain is the cosmetic bronzer. That is normal.
Sjolie says a professional tan typically lasts seven to ten days with good aftercare, fading as your skin naturally sheds. Moisturize daily to help it fade evenly, and avoid long hot baths and heavy sweating in the days before prom.
That development window is why nobody should spray tan on prom day. The bronzer layer has not been rinsed, and the color has not finished developing.
Keeping tan off your dress
Tan transfer is the biggest risk to the dress. The FDA describes bronzers as temporary color that washes off, and that wash-off layer is what rubs onto fabric. Rinse it off fully before prom day.
After that, keep friction low. Let moisturizer sink in before getting dressed. Step into the dress rather than pulling it over your head. White, ivory and pale pastel dresses show transfer most, so take extra care at the neckline, underarms and anywhere the dress is tight. The booking order page has more on protecting a light dress.
Fixing streaks and patches
Most tans are fixable, especially with a day or two to spare.
- Wait for the first rinse and the full development time. A tan often looks uneven before the bronzer comes off.
- For dark patches, gently exfoliate the spot with a washcloth over a few days. Be gentle. The AAD warns that scrubbing irritates skin, and red skin under a tan looks worse than a faint streak.
- For light patches or a missed spot, blend a small amount of self-tanner into just that area, feathering the edges.
- For orange palms, wash and exfoliate the palms.
- If it is a salon tan, call the salon and ask whether it can correct an uneven result.
- On prom day, body makeup or a bronzer can cover a small patch, and both wash off. Just keep them away from the dress fabric.
If your skin turns red, itchy or swollen after a tan, rinse it, stop using that product, and check with a doctor if it does not settle. A reaction is not worth pushing through before prom.
Skipping the tan
Skipping is completely fine. A glowing moisturizer on the shoulders, a little highlighter on the collarbones and a well-matched foundation look great on every skin tone, in every photo. Our skin prep guide covers how to get there.
If you are still shopping for a dress, it can help to know how a tan or no tan looks next to the color. You can browse prom shops by state to try colors on in person.