Done with the sun.
A dermatologist's advice, a new spot to keep an eye on, or years of burning before the beach finally felt warm. A spray tan gives you a tan without asking anything of your skin.
When the sun is off limits →
Your first spray tan
A first tan, whenever you're ready.
Plenty of women book a first spray tan long after their first formal: for a fortieth birthday, a reunion, a keynote or a family portrait, or simply because the sun has had its turn. Your first appointment is private, unhurried and about twenty minutes long, and the tan is chosen for you. Then the sleeveless dress, the swimsuit or the spotlight is all yours.
I thought getting a spray tan would be a bit awkward but Jana, the owner, made me feel so comfortable and my tan looks very even and natural.
Why now
The reasons are rarely the same.
Nobody arrives for a first tan for the same reason, and none of the reasons needs explaining.
Something on the calendar.
A milestone birthday dinner in Carmel, a twentieth reunion, a conference where you'll be the one on stage. A tan that looks like rest reads beautifully in photographs.
Browse the year, month by month →
Simply for you.
A new chapter, a hard season behind you, or a quiet wish to feel more like yourself in a sleeveless dress. Those reasons count, too.
What it is like
Twenty minutes, start to finish.
Nothing happens to you without being explained first. Jana talks through your skin, the occasion and the depth you have in mind, you change in a private room, and each turn of the application is described before it happens.
Your first visit, step by step →Follow along
Your first visit, one step at a time.
Five small moments, from the week before to the walk out the door. Read them once and you will know exactly what is coming.
- The days before
A little preparation, nothing heavy.
Every day for the week before, smooth your skin with exfoliating gloves in the shower and moisturize, and finish any shaving or waxing at least a day ahead. On the day itself, exfoliate once more and arrive clean and dry: no product, no deodorant, no makeup, no lotion and no oil.
Exfoliating glovesEvery day before, and that morning - Arrive
A quiet start.
The studio is upstairs at 1515 Capitola Road, Suite N, with parking behind the building. Your appointment is held for you alone, so nobody is waiting behind you.
- Talk
The conversation.
Jana asks about your skin, the occasion and how deep you would like to go, then chooses your formula with you. A lighter first tan is always an option, and next time you can go deeper.
- About 20 minutes
The application.
You change in a private room, and each turn is described before it happens. The whole thing takes about twenty minutes, and most first-timers are surprised how quickly it goes.
- After
Your rinse time, in writing.
You leave with your rinse time and a short list for the rest of the day, and the tan keeps developing for about 24 hours. After that, the dress, the photos and the compliments are yours.
Before you book
Questions worth asking first.
Will it look like my own skin?
That's the point of a custom tan. Jana looks at your complexion and undertone, asks how deep you'd like to go, and chooses the formula with you before anything is sprayed. Many first tans start a shade softer, and every detail can be adjusted next time.
I've never done this. Will I feel out of place?
Most first-timers expect to, and few do. The studio sees one client at a time, you change in a private room and wear whatever you're comfortable in, and Jana has seen every kind of body since 2007.
How much of my day does it take?
Less than you might think. With Rapid Development or Unity NR, you rinse after two, four or six hours depending on depth, so a morning tan can be rinsed before dinner, and the tan keeps developing for the rest of the day.
What should I do beforehand?
Very little, and it is all in the five steps above. If anything in your skincare routine gives you pause, text Jana and ask before you book.
How long will it last?
Usually 7 to 14 days. Daily moisturizer, lukewarm showers and patting dry rather than rubbing keep it fading evenly, right to the end.
What if it isn't quite right?
It rarely happens, and when it does, it's simple: text Jana within 24 hours and she'll take care of it.
Free guide · made for your dates
Your First Custom Tan
Your first custom tan, without the guesswork.
A first spray tan brings questions most people only think of the night before: what to wear, whether to shave, when to rinse, and why the bronzer that washes off in the shower isn't the tan you keep. This free guide answers each one, from the week before your appointment to the day your tan begins to fade. A few short notes from Jana follow by email, including which day to book before your occasion and what your first tan shows you as it fades.
- What a spray tan is, and how your formula is chosen for your skin
- How to prepare, step by step, including when to book waxing, facials and nails
- Your own plan, dated from the occasion you choose
Teens, parents and college students
A first tan for a younger client.
Every service at deSoleil is open to younger clients, and many first tans still arrive with a milestone attached. Some of the women who booked a prom tan here years ago now bring their own daughters.
High school milestones
Prom, homecoming, a quinceañera, senior portraits, cheer and dance competitions. Book one to two days before the event so the tan has fully developed, and book early, because those weekends fill quickly. A lighter first tan is a good place to start.
For parents
You're welcome to come along and ask anything. A spray tan involves no UV, and while the face is done, Jana asks clients to close their eyes and lips and hold their breath for a moment, which keeps the formula away from the eyes, lips and nose. For a specific health question, your doctor is the right person to ask.
College and beyond
Formals, a twenty-first birthday, graduation photos, a first internship interview. Friends can book back to back, each with a tan chosen for her own skin, and a gift card makes an easy present from home.
In their words
First tans, remembered.
My daughter's cheer competition team all got spray tanned at deSoleil, and I was so impressed by how thorough and professional the owner was with the girls...
I was nervous about getting a spray tan for prom, but I'm so glad I did! The tan came out natural and did not get on my dress.
I got a quick session done before graduation weekend so I would not look like a ghost in family photos. Being tan is great!
Between finals and graduation ceremonies, I wanted something that made me look rested. Jana is kind and treats you like a real person! The tan made me look healthy, and I was definitely more confident.
After your appointment
The first day, simply.
Rinse at the time Jana gives you, using lukewarm water only, then pat dry and moisturize. Skip workouts and heat for the rest of that day, and stay out of pools and the ocean for the first 24 hours while your tan develops. After that, swim as much as you like, though lots of time in the water can fade a tan sooner. Moisturize morning and night for as long as the tan lasts.
The full Bronze Protocol →Six free guides
Find the guide that fits your moment.
Each guide is written for one kind of client and one kind of occasion. Pick the one that sounds most like you, and it opens with the questions people in your position ask first.
For him
A quiet, natural tan that reads as a weekend outside, with nothing complicated about the appointment.
Read the guide →
Mature skin
Gentle preparation, a softer depth and an unhurried visit, planned around skin that has seen a few seasons.
Read the guide →
A first tan
What to expect, what to do beforehand, and how to feel at home at your very first appointment.
Read it again
Athletes and performers
A deep, even tan for the stage, the floor and the field, built to hold up under the lights.
Read the guide →
Glow calendar
A tan for every month of a Santa Cruz year, timed to the seasons, holidays and celebrations.
Read the guide →
Sunless by necessity
For anyone asked to stay out of the sun: a tan with no UV at all, in a gentle appointment.
Read the guide →
Whenever you are ready
Your first tan, on your terms.
Book online until 12 hours ahead, or call or text (831) 479-8266 for a same-day appointment.
