Many people want to get a spray tan before their wedding. Some do it well and others…well…there’s no kind way to say it – they look like an oompa loompa. While I personally don’t agree that you need to get a tan for your wedding, I know many people want them. If you insist on getting one, I suggest going to a spa that creates custom spray tans. A spa that matches your natural coloring and makes it just a shade or two darker.

Going to a spa that color matches will help you look natural and that will result in more natural-looking photographs.

Getting a custom spray tan for a wedding

As a fine art photographer, there’s nothing I hate more than trying to fix an orange bride or bridesmaid. I know they’re not orange in real life, but that’s how a bad spray tan registers in a digital file. It’s especially challenging when a bride with an orange spray tan is next to someone who hasn’t tanned at all. That’s because digital cameras register skin tones as one to three different colors – red, orange, and/or yellow. In order to fix an orange bride, the solution could make the porcelain bridesmaid next to her end up looking like a ghost. Why? Because I had to pull down the orange saturation in Lightroom to make the bride look more natural.

If this kind of editing talk is confusing, I don’t blame you. It is. Basically, what I’m saying is you should choose your tanning salon carefully. If you don’t, you could end up looking unnatural in your wedding photos.

So, what do you do if you want to be tan on your wedding day? You go to a spa, such as GoGlow, that customizes their spray tan colors to their clients.

Getting a spray tan for a wedding

Because I’ve never gone to a tanning or spray tanning salon, I had to ask someone who knows far more about the subject than I. So, I sat down with Margo, the Corporate Marketing Manager of GoGlow, and Megan, a longtime GoGlow client, to ask them why custom spray tanning is the way to go.

Q&A with Margo, Corporate Marketing Manager of GoGlow, and Megan, a longtime client of GoGlow.

Lauren : What is GoGlow and how does it differ from your run-of-the-mill spray tanning salon?

Margo: GoGLOW is a customized sunless tan. It focuses on skin health and proper education so that clients have the tools to take care of their skin and feel confident. Most other spray tan companies have been rooted in a history of traditional tanning salons and have pivoted to a sunless concept because that is what the market wants. At goGLOW, we differ because we focused on a sunless concept and the market began to follow. Our client base has grown tremendously once they realized how a proper ‘spray tan’ is done! 

Lauren: From a client’s perspective, why do you choose to do a custom spray tan? Are there any advantages of going to a custom spray tanning salon vs a big box chain spray tanning salon?

Megan: There’s something about a bronze glow that makes me feel more radiant. My first spray tan was in 2011 and it was god awful – I remember being orange from head to toe! I’ve tried countless lotions and other products; I think I still have PTSD from the hundreds of products I tried that didn’t work. When you use tanning products, you don’t know what you are going to end up with until the process is finished. With custom, it’s customized for you! At GoGlow, you get a natural glow because extra time is set aside to choose the perfect shade fit for you. Booking a custom spray tan is a no-brainer.

Lauren: So custom spray tanning doesn’t look orange at all?

Megan: Not at all! I have found that having a custom formula for your skin tone creates the perfect natural glow. A custom spray tans also allows even application – nobody wants a streaky, uneven tan. I would suggest starting on the lighter side and working to build in color as you continue.

Lauren: What is the GoGlow spray tanning consultation like? What happens during the consultation.

Margo: In a goGLOW consultation, your specialist will ask you a few questions regarding how you prepared your skin and the depth of color you are looking to receive. On our website we go through detailed preparation guidelines so that your service goes flawlessly. The health and moisture levels of your skin before and after your service play a huge role in the color development and longevity of the color so we cater to all things around hydrated skin. Your specialist will also go through everything you need to know about taking care of your tan as well as your skin to keep you healthy and glowing. 

Megan: As a new customer, I was impressed with the staff’s time to educate me about spray tans when I first arrived. They reviewed all the phases, from the preparation stage to aftercare. During the consultation, the spray tan professional and I discuss my lifestyle, reasoning for a spray tan, and what color I’d like to achieve. 

Lauren: How do you match clients’ skin tones?

Margo: We match the formula with the natural undertones and skin type of the client. We also match the depth of color they are looking for and take into consideration the time of year, the kind of event they have, and how a client’s skin naturally tans in the sun. We consider all of those so their result looks realistic. 

Lauren: What else should people know about custom spray tanning that I haven’t asked?

Margo: It might seem unnerving to stand naked (or semi-naked) in front of us to get the service done, but we promise that we are the least judgemental group of girls you’ll meet. We want to make our clients feel comfortable. We focus on their skin, not their body. All bodies are beautiful and they deserve to glow!

Megan: With spray tanning, you can bronze without the health risks. Spray tans also do not provide protection in the sun, so remember to SPF up if you are going outside. 

After talking with Melanie and Megan, I’m warming to the idea of spray tanning. I still would love to normalize our natural skin and get rid of the stigma of “being pale” or “ashy,” but I know better. People want to look healthy and glowy. And if a custom spray tan is how we achieve that, I’m all for it!

To learn more about GoGlow check out their website. And if you want to book your own GoGlow session, fill out their contact form on their website or email them at info@goglow.co. GoGlow has four locations: three in Twin Cities Metro and one in Chicago, IL.

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