Bella Glo Mobile Spray Tan

We all love to have that certain "glow."  You know the one.  The glow that makes you look healthy and radiant.  Most of the time, this glow can be achieved by getting a great tan.  But we all know how prolonged sun exposure and *gasp* tanning beds can cause severe skin damage that can lead to skin cancer. This is where a great spray tan can make your life a heck of a lot easier!

A few weeks ago I was contacted by Erin, owner of Bella Glo mobile spray tan.  Before this, the only way that I got my spray tan on was going into a booth and being hosed down from head to toe with a super cold tanning solution, having to close my eyes and not breathe, and almost having a panic attack from feeling so closed in.  Doesn't sound very pleasurable, does it.

But Erin's system is totally different.  She basically has an entire tanning system, tent and all, that she packs up and brings to you in the comfort of your own home!  This was great because the night that we did this, it was a little chilly outside, I was tired from working all day, and it was great to not have to leave my house but still get a great tan!

Before our appointment, she sent me a prep list to make sure that I got the most out of my tanning session.  For those of you interested in this, here is what she recommends:

• Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate! It is imperative that you exfoliate your skin the day before (not the day of) or even for a few days leading up to your spray tan appointment. She recommends you use exfoliating gloves, but refrain from using oil-based exfoliating products. Exfoliating is so important because it creates a clean, even canvas for the spray tan solution to be applied on. If the skin is not exfoliated properly, the older, dead skin will come off first causing your tan to fade poorly.
• Avoid all DOVE products (both pre and post-tan)!!
• Any waxing, sugaring or shaving should be done at least 24 hours prior to your tan.  These cause your pores to open up and, if done right before the tan, solution can pool in those pores causing a spotty appearance!  (Tip: shave with a new razor using conditioner)
• Make sure your skin is not too wet, but not too dry!! Dry skin is a spray tans worst enemy.  It can create uneven results and less than desirable fading of your tan.  Skin that is too oily or just recently lotioned is not ideal either.  Oils/lotions will create a barrier for the tan and affect the absorption of the DHA.  The key is to keep your skin moisturized daily, but not immediately before tanning.  The tan should be applied on clean, freshly exfoliated skin. (Therefore do not put lotion, oils, deodorant or perfume on the skin right before being sprayed.)
• It is a good idea to moisturize your skin more frequently the few days leading up to your tan.

Want to see a photo of her set up?  Check this out!

It looks like a spaceship, no?  It was this giant pop-up contraption with lights so she can make sure that she applies the tan evenly.

She said that I could wear as little or as many clothes that I wanted.  I opted to wear my swim suit.  Erin was super sweet and really professional and talked me through the process of the spray tan.  She asked me how dark I wanted to go.  I didn't want to look like I spent a month in the Caribbean, so I just went for a little bit of a glow...enough to make me appear alive and not so much like the friendly ghost look that I was currently sporting.

She mixed up the tanning solution and went to town!  She sprayed me down in "quadrants."  First my upper body, then my lower body, and then did another pass.  She also made sure that I checked myself out in the mirror when she was finished to see if I wanted to look any darker.  I had her do another pass on my face so I looked completely even.  The solution dried almost instantly, and there was no need to towel off like when I did the spray tan in the booth.  Because she controlled the spray gun, there were no streaks or runs, and my color turned out perfect!   Want to see the results?

Here's my before shot:

And here's my after:

I love it!  My tan looks so natural.  All in all it was a fantastic experience with Erin and Bella Glo, and I would definitely recommend her to anyone looking to get a fantastic and natural looking spray tan.  You can find out more information about her services and contact her at her website HERE!  Thank you Erin for the great tan!

Disclaimer:  I was provided this service free in exchange for my review.  All opinions are my own.