But how do you tell what makes a good spray tan and what to look out for?

Obviously we are biased in favour of our own products but here we’ll fill you in with some key facts that will enable you to make your own well informed choice.

Let’s start with the “tanning solution” of “sunspray” as some people call it.

The main active ingredient in all tanning solutions is a chemical called DHA. It’s actually a form of sugar but not the sort you would want to put on your cornflakes of course.

DHA quality is varies between manufacturers. You can get good quality DHA and poor quality DHA. The first DHAs to be used in sunless tanning creams had a tendency to create a rather orange colour making it obvious that the person had a fake tan.

There are tanning products  containing lower grade DHA. At SunSpa we use modern high quality DHA in order to achieve that “natural tan” look. Other ingredients that can make a big difference are the cosmetic colours used to make it easier to see where the tan has been sprayed and the alcohol in the solution.

At SunSpa we don’t use cosmetic colours that stain the skin or give an unnatural look. We also minimise the use of alcohol in our tanning solutions because it tends to dry out the skin.

Getting a good tan doesn’t just depend on the tanning solution. A skilled and experience beauty therapist knows how to apply a spray tan professionally. Always check out the therapist before they tan you.