How to Choose the Best Spray Tan Near Germantown: 5 Things Every First-Time Client Should Know
If you've never had a spray tan before, it's normal to have questions or even be a little nervous about the outcome you’ll have. This guide answers the questions I hear most often so you can book with confidence.
How do I choose a spray tan artist?
Choosing the right spray tan artist is about more than finding someone who can apply color—it is about finding a professional who understands skin tone, solution selection, preparation, and the details that create a natural-looking result. A skilled spray tan artist should take time to understand your desired outcome, recommend the appropriate solution for your skin, and provide guidance before and after your appointment. For clients searching for a spray tan near Germantown, looking for experience, customization, and attention to detail can make the difference between a tan that looks artificial and one that looks like a healthy, natural glow.
Another important factor is that you’re selecting someone who uses the highest quality professional solutions and maintains strict standards for their business. Because DHA can degrade over time and contribute to off-color results, especially with poor storage or less sophisticated formulations, you may prefer someone who has a fixed location vs. someone who only performs mobile services and has less control of their solution storage.
When choosing a spray tan artist, consider:
✓ Do they perform a consultation before your first tan?
✓ Do they customize solution selection based on your skin tone and desired result?
✓ Do they use professional-grade solutions?
✓ Do they explain preparation and aftercare?
✓ Do they have consistent, natural-looking results in their portfolio and/or positive client reviews?
✓ Do their clients mention comfort, professionalism, and attention to detail?
🧪 Angela’s Skin Pharmacist Insight
“The quality and nourishing qualities of the spray tan solution matters—but so does the person applying it. Skin tone consideration, in-salon prep and finishing products applied, and professional guidance all influence how a tan develops. That’s why customization is one of the most important parts of achieving a natural-looking result.”
Airbrush Spray Tan vs. Booth Spray Tan: What's the Difference?
A custom airbrush spray tan offers a more personalized experience than a traditional booth spray tan because every detail can be tailored to the individual. From selecting the right solution shade and undertone to adjusting application based on your skin type, desired glow, and lifestyle, a trained spray tan artist can create a more natural-looking result. The difference is not just the tan itself—it is the consultation, customization, and attention to detail behind the final color.
Automated booth tans offer self-guided solution application using standardized solutions that could be described as “one-size-fits-most”. This application method serves clients best if limited on time or if self-conscious with undressing in front of the spray artist. My personal observation has been that booth tans are at higher risk for looking unnatural, although the root cause being solution or client-related is undetermined. Overall, the biggest differences between a custom airbrush tan vs. booth tan can be summarized as follows:
CUSTOM AIRBRUSH SPRAY TAN
✓ Personalized consultation to determine best options and lifestyle fit
✓ Professional-grade solutions with stabilized DHA delivery systems and skin-conditioning ingredients
✓ Customized color and depth with more refined color blend solutions
✓ Optional skin-enhancing additives that improve fade characteristics
✓ Optional finishing powder to improve comfort, application integrity, and skin glow
✓ Personalized aftercare guidance
✓ Natural-looking results
Both airbrush and booth spray tans can provide beautiful results when performed correctly. The biggest difference is the level of personalization. Clients who want a customized shade, individualized guidance, and optional enhancements often prefer a custom airbrush spray tan, while booth tanning may appeal to those seeking a quick, standardized experience.
🧪 Angela’s Skin Pharmacist Insight
“A spray tan doesn’t actually dye your skin. Instead, DHA temporarily reacts with proteins in the skin’s outermost layer to create color. Since everyone’s skin tone and undertones differ, a personalized approach often produces a more natural-looking result than a one-size-fits-all application.”
Will I look orange?
A professionally applied airbrush spray tan should not look orange. Modern tanning solutions are formulated in different undertones and strengths so the color can be customized to complement your natural complexion. When applied correctly and clients properly follow directives for processing time, the result should look like you've returned from vacation—not like you're wearing a spray tan.
Perhaps the biggest differentiator for a premium spray tan is being able to consider undertone and how the tan solution will harmonize with the client's natural coloring. There inlies the beauty of being able to customize the solution’s cosmetic bronzer for the skin’s undertone. Another important aspect of sunless tanning is that a higher DHA percentage solution or longer processing time does not automatically mean a darker or better tan. If the DHA level is too strong for a person's skin tone or undertone, the result may appear warmer, yellow, or the dreaded “orange”.
For all the aforementioned reasons, every spray tan at Glow Lab begins with a consultation to evaluate your skin tone, undertones, and desired outcome. Rather than selecting a single solution for every client, each tan and recommended processing time are customized to create the most natural-looking result possible.
🧪 Angela’s Skin Pharmacist Insight
“The orange spray tan stereotype usually comes from a mismatch—not simply from the idea of “fake tan.” Sunless tanning solutions contain DHA, which reacts with proteins in the outermost layer of the skin to create color. The final result depends on the DHA concentration, solution formulation, skin undertones, preparation, and application technique. A customized approach helps create a more natural-looking bronze because the solution is selected to complement the individual—not applied as a one-color-fits-all approach.”
What's the difference between Express Bronze and Signature Bronze?
Both our Signature Bronze and Express Bronze are fully customized luxury airbrush spray tan experiences designed to create a natural-looking glow tailored to your skin tone and desired level of bronze. The primary difference is the tanning solution used and how long it remains on the skin before rinsing. Choosing the right option depends on your schedule, lifestyle, and personal preferences rather than the final quality of your tan.
Signature Bronze
The Signature Bronze uses a traditional professional tanning solution (often referred to as an “overnight” solution). After your appointment, you'll leave the solution on your skin for the recommended development time before rinsing, typically 8 - 12 hours. This option is ideal for clients who don't mind waiting longer before showering and prefer a classic development process.
Express Bronze
The Express Bronze uses an accelerated tanning solution that allows you to rinse sooner than a traditional spray tan. It's a popular choice for clients with busy schedules, evening events, or anyone who prefers greater flexibility after their appointment. Although the rinse time is shorter, the tan continues to develop over the following hours, revealing your customized color. Glow Lab stocks many unique solutions in this category, what we refer to as our “Rapid Exotics”, due to their unique color bronzer profiles.
🧪 Angela’s Skin Pharmacist Insight
“Not all spray tanning solutions are formulated the same. Differences in undertones, DHA concentrations, cosmetic bronzers, and a client’s schedule can influence which is best for a certain situation. At Glow Lab, I carefully select professional-grade solutions based on all these factors—not simply color depth.”
How should I prepare?
Knowing how to prepare for a spray tan can make a significant difference in how your color develops, how long it lasts, and how naturally it fades. The best results begin before your appointment with proper exfoliation, hydration, and avoiding products that can create an uneven barrier on the skin. Whether you are preparing for your first spray tan, a special event, or routine maintenance, following the right steps helps your tan look smoother and more radiant.
General spray tan preparation tips:
✓ Exfoliate 24 hours before your appointment
✓ Remove unwanted hair before tanning
✓ Avoid lotions, oils, and deodorant immediately before your appointment
✓ Wear loose, dark clothing after your tan
✓ Follow your artist's recommended rinse and aftercare instructions
For detailed preparation instructions and post-tan care, visit our Sunless Tanning FAQs section before your appointment.
Choosing the right spray tan isn't about finding the darkest color—it's about finding the right artist. At Glow Lab, every luxury custom airbrush spray tan is tailored to your skin tone, undertones, and goals, creating a natural-looking glow that's uniquely yours. Conveniently located on the Germantown–Cordova border, we proudly serve clients throughout Germantown, Collierville, East Memphis, and the greater Memphis area.
Discover how personalized sunless tanning can help you look and feel your most confident—because every day deserves a healthy, beautiful glow. Whether it's your first spray tan or you're a seasoned sunless tanning enthusiast, we'd love to help you achieve your most confident self. Schedule your personalized airbrush spray tan today and discover the Glow Lab difference.