Whether it’s your first time getting a spray tan, or you are a person that uses self-tanner on a regular basis, it is helpful to know the best products to use in order to take care of your skin.
Finding the Best Body Wash for Spray Tans
There are different beauty products to use to prep your skin before getting a sunless tan. There are also products that will help make sure your tan lasts. With different ingredients like shea butter, mineral oil, and artificial fragrance it can be hard to figure out what would be best for you.
Sitting out in the sun for hours on end can damage your skin and make you more susceptible to skin cancer. A spray tan removes that worry completely.
This list of the best body washes even includes options for removing your fake tan. From clear body wash to salt scrubs, we’ve got you covered on three different steps that are included in the tanning process. Find out what products you should use before, during, and after getting a spray tan.
Here’s the scoop on the 22 best body washes for before and after getting a sunless tan!
1. Hempz Herbal Body Wash
The first option for a good body wash to use before getting a sunless tan is this Hempz herbal body wash.
Hempz avoids using harsh ingredients in hopes to avoid skin irritation. The key ingredients in this hydrating wash include natural hemp seed oil, sweet pineapple and melon extracts, plus antioxidants along with skin-smoothing amino acids.
The natural products help make sure this wash is feasible for everyday use. It is a great option that you can simply massage over wet skin and rinse using a washcloth to get an extra lather going.
2. Peach & Lily Body Scrub
This is a body scrub to ensure your skin is as smooth as possible before you get a sunless tan.
One of the most important things to do before getting a fake tan of any kind is to scrub off all the dead skin cells on the outside of your body. Doing this helps ensure you get the best results and avoid receiving an uneven tan.
The micro-crystals in the scrub work together to unclog your pores while the Korean spa ingredients visibly calm redness and nourish your skin.
3. First Botany Salt Scrub
Another body scrub that is perfect for all your skin care needs is this 100% natural Himalayan salt scrub.
This sulfate-free body wash excludes the use of harsh chemicals. It contains ingredients like aloe vera and sweet almond oil.
Good exfoliation is a key step in tan development. Making sure your entire body is scrubbed down and smoothed out helps the tan appear polished and avoids unwanted streaks or tan lines.
4. Olivia Care Bar Soap
This next set includes two bar soaps that work to moisturize and hydrate your skin while exfoliating. One bar is lavender latte while the other is Himalayan rose.
They make sure your skin is soft and silky before a spray tan.
Take proper care of your body and the planet by using bar soap to eliminate plastic use and wastefulness.
5. OUIA Body Cleanser
This OUIA body cleanser is a suitable body wash that was crafted to make every shower feel like the spa. It is ready to nurture, hydrate, and balance your skin with the jojoba oil, rosehip oil, and paraben free ingredients.
It is a great body wash for you to use during the days before receiving a sunless tan. It’s great for your second shower or when you’re given the all-clear to wash with suds again.
OUIA focuses on putting in the good stuff while leaving out the bad. The body wash in this pouch is clear and works up a wonderful lather when you rub your hands together or add it to a loofa.
6. PureSCRUBS
The next product is another scrub to use when you want smooth skin before a tan. It’s also great if you are trying to rid your skin of remnants from old spray tans.
Scoop some of the scrub onto an exfoliating mitt and gently rub it into damp skin to let the vitamins and nutrients work alongside the infused essential oils to get the job done.
An important ingredient in this scrub is the coconut oil that helps nourish your skin during gentle exfoliation.
This scrub leaves your skin silky, soft, and radiant which is exactly what you want before adding any type of tanning solution on top of it.
7. Victoria’s Secret Coco Scrub
This body scrub is a coconut oil-based scrub. It’s the best option if you’re looking to enhance the radiance of your skin before a tan.
It is made up of mega-softening fatty acids. These acids work together with the active ingredient of coconut oil to eliminate dull spots on your skin.
8. Native Body Wash
This is the right body wash for you if you are looking for a water-based formula with naturally derived clean ingredients.
It excludes harmful chemicals such as cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium laureth sulfate. Instead this wash includes great things that produce a healthy natural fragrance.
Grab a wash cloth and use this great body wash today.
9. Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash
Another great moisturizing product is this Aveeno body wash.
Its unique formula is enriched with a triple oat blend that works to remove dirt and impurities without disrupting your skin’s natural moisture barrier.
It is a great body wash to use before getting a spray tan. Tan products show up best on clean skin, so it is important to use a great body wash.
This product doesn’t have artificial fragrances, dyes, or parabens. Knockout dry skin during your shower with this body wash and feel ready to receive your spray tan.
10. Dove Sensitive Skin Soap
This next Dove soap bar is made with a hypoallergenic formula that gently cleanses your skin. Dove products have been around for many years which has allowed them to be heavily used and studied for results.
This soap bar is dermatologist recommended which is great news for those who have sensitive skin. It can be intimidating getting your first spray tan when you don’t know how your skin is going to react to the spray tan solution.
Using this soap bar for body wash helps you ensure your skin won’t act out before heading in for your appointment.
11. Norvell Post Self Tanner pH Balancing Cleanser
Another product to lookout for when purchasing cleansers for after spray tan care is this one by Norvell.
This cleanser takes into consideration your pH levels. Using this cleanser will help lower pH levels in your body which fights off inflammation and breakouts from occurring.
Picking out what shade of tan you want from the color guide can be nerve racking when you aren’t used to it. Norvell makes sure to relieve that stress. The unique formula is also trusted to counter an orange undertone that tries to surface from the excess bronzer in the spray tan.
12. Nécessaire The Body Wash
This next body wash includes cynically proven ingredients that replenish the skin.
Nécessaire created this natural body wash to cleanse without stripping the skin of its protective barrier. Plants and mineral oils in this wash are naturally rich with a variety of vitamins that nourish your skin while cleaning it at the same time.
The first things you need to take care of before getting a sunless tan include cleansing and replenishing your skin so it feels fresh and ready to go. Nécessaire created the perfect formula to do just that.
13. St. Tropez Maintain Tan Moisturizer
This moisturizer is created to enhance your sunless tan through making sure your skin is properly hydrated.
No matter what type of tan session you have planned for your sunless tan, it is important to prep your skin the correct way to make sure you gain the best results.
All skin types benefit from being regularly moisturized and this lotion is known to do that and go a step further. Sunless tans are known to last for 7-10 days but if you properly take care of your skin they can last longer.
This product will help maintain your spray tan and keep you looking fresh and ensures your tan fades evenly.
14. Tan Extender Daily Moisturizer
Next up is this lotion that is great to use after your tan appointment.
You are always told to follow the same steps after a spray which include not wearing tight clothing, prepare yourself to think the tan is washing off in your first shower because the water looks brown, and make sure to pat dry with a soft towel when you’ve completed your first rinse.
Those steps are critical to know when taking care of your tan, but if you want to go the extra mile and make your bronzed body last longer use this tan extender lotion.
This moisturizer is a must have. It’s is made with natural ingredients that include vitamin e, hyaluronic acid, and aloe vera. It is great for sensitive skin and is a perfect choice for your tanning needs.
15. Norvell Post-Tan Body Butter
Another product by Norvell is this body butter that is to be used during the aftercare process of your spray tan.
When you have a fresh spray tan you want to avoid using shaving creams, harsher shaving gels, and just shaving in general if possible. If you shave afterward, it will strip off layers of skin that are holding your tan.
This body butter is perfect if you need to restore your skin from the use of those damaging gels and creams to ensure it grips the color of your tan for as long as possible.
It works wonders on dry areas thanks to its mega moisturization that is thicker than normal moisturizing products.
16. Tan-Luxe Exfoliating Tan Remover
This next product is perfect for priming the skin before getting a sunless tan or used when you need to remove the remnants of old spray tan.
When you spray this oil over your body before a tan its organic formula works with your skin tone to provide the ultimate canvas for a flawless tan to lay smoothly with no streaks or blotches present.
Tan-Luxe prides this product on the fact that it will remove your old unwanted spray tan in just five minutes. Add this product to your tanning kit and see how incredibly this toxin-free cleanser works.
17. Isle of paradise Self Tan Priming Spray
Another great product to use before getting a spray tan is this Isle of Paradise priming spray.
It’s vitamin-infused formula adjusts skin’s pH levels which helps create the ideal base for self-tanning. Using this before you get a sunless tan will allow the color to show up deeper and last for a longer amount of time.
It locks in the moisture of your skin giving it the natural glow you want before adding on the bronze layer of color you desire.
18. CYA Pre Tan Spray
The next spray is another product that helps you prepare your skin before you receive a spray tan.
Your body works hard to get you everywhere you need to go in your day, and this spray will remove sweat and unwanted oils that you want to rid your body of before getting a spray tan.
This product is paraben free and a very simple step to add to your preparation process when getting ready for a spray tan.
19. California Tan Extend Spray
Another hydrating product that is beneficial during the sunless tan process is this tan extend spray.
California tan created this quick dry formula to spray over your skin after receiving a spray tan in order to help the color last for a longer amount of time.
When you are paying for a sunless tan, it is smart to use products that will allow you to get the best bang for your buck.
20. Mystic Tan Pre-Tanning Booster
Next up we have a lotion that will take you tan to the next level.
Applying this bronzing booster before you get a spray tan will help speed up the amount of time it takes for your tan to develop.
It is lightweight and absorbs to the skin quickly to ensure you don’t feel any uncomfortable residue on your body. It leaves your skin looking firm and fabulous while allowing you to apply self-tan immediately after rubbing in the booster.
Its gentle formula is safe to use all over the body and face.
21. Norvell Pre Sunless Tanning Spray
Another Norvell product that is a must have if you are a regular when it comes to spray tans is this priming spray. It is formulated to boost self-tanning development and provide longer lasting results, so this is a must have!
This product includes amino acids that will strengthen the skin opposed to the ones like salicylic acid that strip the skin of their much-needed barrier.
It hydrates your skin with vitamins c and e also uses natural enzymes to give that desired bounce every person wants their skin to have.
22. Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream Face Moisturizer
Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream Face Moisturizer is an ideal moisturizing face cream to use before or after spray tanning.
This super charged oil of olay face cream is specially formulated with Niacinamide and Vitamin B3 as well as Hyaluronic Acid. These ingredients help to deeply hydrate the skin while strengthening its moisture barrier for a visibly firmer and lifted look.
The fragrance-free formula helps remove dead skin cells and correct the look of wrinkles, creating smoother looking skin.
Used as the final step in your skin care routine both morning and night, this face cream provides long-term benefits that increase over time, making it a great investment in your beauty routine.
Plus, it’s free of parabens, phthalates or synthetic dyes, so you can trust it to nourish your skin without any harsh chemicals.
23. Bondi Sands Self Tan Eraser
The final product on the list is a self-tan eraser that is perfect for when you want to get the remains of your previous sunless tan off your body.
When you have places to go and things to do all day and you don’t want to look like you have dirt stains on your skin this is the product for you.
There is nothing worse than showing up to hair appointments or walking into work and people thinking you haven’t showered in a few days.
This eraser gets all that unwanted bronze tint off your body and makes sure you have a clean slate before heading to get your next tan.
Tips for Spray Tan Care Before and After
There are a few things you need to know when getting a spray tan.
You should avoid hot tubs and extremely hot showers during the week after your tan. Lukewarm water or even suffering through a shower with cool water will help your tan remain strong.

It’s always a good idea to avoid scrubbing harshly when cleansing your body as well. Leaning over to make sure the hair conditioner gets washed out without running down your back is another step you may not know about but can really work to ensure unwanted chemicals don’t interfere with your tan.
Body soaps aren’t always created with as much care as facial cleansers, but this guide included only products that won’t damage your skin.
Hopefully this list pointed out some good choices for what body washes to use both before and after getting a sunless tan.
For the scoop on more beauty tips and information, be sure to check out these articles below: