What Actually Happens at a Competition Tanning Appointment
If you haven't sorted your skin prep yet, start there first — read our full skin prep guide here before you read this one.
This post is specifically about what happens at the tanning appointment itself. Because if it's your first show, the tanning process can feel like one of the most unknown parts of the whole experience. And the less you have to figure out on the day, the better.
The day before your show
Your tan will almost always be applied the day before your show, not on the morning of. This gives the tan time to settle, develop and absorb properly into the skin overnight. Make sure you have the day before your show completely free — don't try to squeeze in travel, last minute errands, or anything else. You want to be relaxed, rested, and ready.
The day before your tan appointment — so two days before your show — do your final gentle exfoliation. Don't exfoliate on the day of your tan appointment itself.
Before you head to your tanning appointment:
Shower using water only, or a basic unfragranced shower gel — nothing with heavy oils or fragrances
Do not moisturise, use deodorant, perfume, or apply any product to your skin before your tan. Anything on the skin can act as a barrier or react with the tan
Remove all jewellery before your appointment
If you wear contact lenses, remove them before being tanned
In the UK, males and females are tanned separately. Females are tanned nude to avoid any tan lines. Depending on your skin tone and the tan being used, you may receive one or two coats.
After your tan you'll dry off — usually with a fan — before getting dressed.
What to wear after your tan
This is where a lot of people go wrong. What you wear after your tan and while you sleep matters a lot.
Loose, dark clothing only — nothing with zips, metal fastenings, or tight waistbands. Go a size or two bigger than you normally would. Think loose drawstring bottoms and a long sleeved top so there's minimal skin to skin contact. Wash whatever you plan to wear a few times before show weekend so it's soft rather than stiff.
Wear flip flops as your only footwear until after you've been on stage.
When you sleep, consider putting dark fitted sheets, pillowcases and a duvet cover on your bed — it'll save your bedding and reduce the risk of marks from rubbing against lighter fabric overnight. Some competitors also sleep with socks on their hands to avoid palm contact marks. It sounds extreme but it works.
We know — this all sounds a bit mad.
Nude tanning, socks on your hands, sleeping in dark bedding. If you're reading this before your first show it probably sounds completely overwhelming.
But here's the reality — everyone is in exactly the same boat. The tanning team has seen it all a thousand times and the whole process is far more relaxed than it sounds on paper. A lot of competitors actually end up really enjoying this part of the weekend. You're backstage with other athletes who all know what you're going through, and there's something genuinely fun about the chaos of it — chatting, meeting people, the buzz before you go on stage. It's one of those things that sounds terrifying beforehand and becomes one of your favourite parts of competing.
Show day morning
When you wake up on show day your tan will have darkened overnight. Depending on the show and the tanning team, you'll either go back for a full top coat of tan or a tan check. Don't skip this — even if you think your tan looks perfect, marks and prints you haven't noticed are more common than you'd think, and a good tanning team can fix most things.
Around 20-30 minutes before you go on stage the tanning team will apply your glaze — this gives the tan its shine under stage lighting and highlights your muscles. Make sure you're in your stage wear and ready to go before this happens so you can head straight to pump up and line up afterwards.
A few things worth knowing
If you wake up with marks or lines, don't panic. Most things can be fixed backstage — go straight to the tanning team and let them know
Deodorant and perfume after your tan will react and turn the tan green. Avoid any products on your skin until after the show
Don't shower until after the competition
Getting your skin show-ready
A great tan starts long before your appointment. Browse our full range of skin prep and tanning products below.