The Hands

"The eyes are the windows to the soul", however the hands tell the world if you have mastered the art of spray tanning.

In my experience and my observations on various Facebook Spray Tan group forums, the hands are by far the most talked about body part.  They seem to cause the most problems, but if done well are almost completely unnoticed, and that is the point.

How do you create flawless hands and insure your clients keep them safe during the processing?

It begins with an analysis of the hands to look for problems and address them early:

• Are their hands extra dry to the point where you can see the skin as flaky or scaly
• Does the client have calluses, blisters, eczema, severe hang nails, cuts, or any other skin texture imperfections 
• Apply lotion where you need it and Vaseline where you need it, and understand the difference between the two

Second, it is time to spray the hands and blend as you go:

• Spray the hands from the correct distance (approximately 10"-12" away from the client) using the 'dusting or misting' technique rather than a deliberate spray
• Brush using your chosen blending brush as you spray.  I always recommend brushing as you go rather than waiting until you finish spraying, because it adds another layer of blending before the solution has a chance to set
• Use the appropriate amount of pressure with the blending brush.  Just tapping the hand with the brush will accomplish almost nothing, you want to actually move the solution around a touch and absorb any extra product
• Use the four recommended positions for the hands to ensure that no area is missed, and move your clients hands around to make sure that you are at the right angle and the right distance
• The hands should be the very last area that you spray

Third, make sure to blend and lighten:

• Take off the Vaseline making sure not to take off too much past the cuticle or you could leave a line on the fingertips where the tanning solution abruptly ends
• Massage a moisturizer into the skin using about a dime size.  Make sure to massage the lotion in-between the fingers, down to the tips of the fingers, and focus on the knuckle ares
• The wrist should be brushed with the blending brush as you are spraying and then use a baby wipe to dab them a bit to blend and lighten the tanning solution just around the inner wrist and the outer corner of the palm
• Use the lotion residue left on your gloves to massage into the wrist area to lighten and create a natural transition from palm to hand

Vaseline vs Lotion

Vaseline 

Used as a complete barrier when the skin is open or in areas that should not take any tanning solution at all.  These areas include, but are not limited to cuticles, blisters, and cuts.

Lotion

Used to reduce the tanning solution processing.  The tanning solution results will be lighter in the areas where lotion is applied ahead of time.  These areas include, but are not limited to calluses, dry skin patches, eczema, and severe hang nails or cuticle chewing.  

The hands are kind of my pride and joy and I find that my ability to make the hands look natural yet bronzed and hydrated will impress my clients to the point they will not stop showing off my work.  They love all the extra steps that are taken.