Spring: formals and fresh starts
April and May fill with spring formals, Easter tables, prom and graduation. Book as soon as a date is set, because the weekends go first, and a lighter first tan of the season is a gentle way back in.
Glow calendar · Santa Cruz
A tan for every month of a Santa Cruz year.
The coast keeps its own calendar. June arrives in fog, September and October bring the warmest days of the year, and the holidays fill every weekend from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. This month-by-month guide follows the local seasons, so your tan is ready for each one.
The shape of the year
Four seasons, four ways to time a tan.
Santa Cruz does not follow the calendar on the wall. The weeks that matter most are the ones that fill first, so here is how the year tends to run before you step through it month by month.
Summer: weddings and the Fourth
June arrives in fog and weddings arrive on schedule. The Fourth of July, beach days at Seacliff and late-summer trips follow, so a tan that holds through a busy month is worth planning ahead.
Autumn: the warmest weeks
September and October bring some of the clearest, warmest days on this coast: golden-hour photos, fall weddings, harvest parties and Halloween.
Holidays: every weekend fills
From Thanksgiving to New Year’s, family photos, office parties and galas crowd the calendar. Plan your dates early, and book each tan one to two days before the event.
Month by month
A reason for a tan in every month.
Twelve months, twelve moments where you are the one people notice. Scroll and each month settles over the last, or jump straight to the one you are planning for.
Scroll through the year
January
The warm escape
Santa Cruz is cool and gray, and somewhere sunny is calling. Step onto that first beach already looking like you have had a few days of it.
Timing. Book one to two days before you leave, so your rinse is done before you pack.
Book for January
February
Valentine’s, quietly
A candlelit table, a weekend away, or simply a gray month that needs some warmth. A soft, natural depth suits the season and the low restaurant light.
Timing. Book one to two days before the date.
Book for February
March
Spring break begins
College and high school breaks bring the first beach days and the first swimsuits of the year, and you get to be ready for both.
Timing. First tan of the season? A lighter depth is a gentle way back in.
Book for March
April
Formals and fresh starts
Spring formals, Easter tables and the first warm weekends on West Cliff, when the sundresses come back out.
Timing. Spring weekends fill early, so book as soon as plans are set.
Book for April
May
Prom, graduation and Mother’s Day
The busiest stretch for milestones: prom, senior portraits, a graduation in the redwoods and Mother’s Day brunch.
Timing. Book one to two days before each event, and reserve early.
Book for May
June
Weddings and June fog
Wedding season is in full swing while the coast hides under its morning fog. Your tan brings the summer the weather has not delivered yet.
Timing. Brides: a trial at least two weeks out, and the final tan two to three days before.
Book for June
July
The Fourth and the beach
Fourth of July gatherings, long days at Seacliff and the Boardwalk, and evenings that stretch well past eight.
Timing. Book before the holiday weekend, since it fills quickly. Pools and the ocean wait 24 hours after your tan, then swim all you like.
Book for July
August
Late-summer road trips
The last family trips and drives down Highway 1 before school begins, windows down and shoulders bare.
Timing. A three-tan plan keeps your tan going through a busy month.
Book for August
September
The real summer arrives
Santa Cruz saves its warmest weather for fall. September brings sunny beach days, back-to-school photos and fall weddings.
Timing. Keep your summer tan going into the warmest weeks of the year.
Book for September
OctoberThis month
Golden light and harvest
Some of the year’s clearest days: golden-hour photos, pumpkin patches along the coast and Halloween parties.
Timing. A soft, natural depth flatters the low autumn light, and Jana chooses the formula with you.
Book for October
November
Family photos and Thanksgiving
Holiday card photos among the redwoods, Thanksgiving tables and the first holiday parties of the season.
Timing. Book family photo sessions one to two days before the shoot.
Book for November
December
Parties and New Year’s Eve
Office parties, galas and New Year’s Eve, when every weekend fills fast and the velvet dress finally comes out.
Timing. Reserve December appointments early, especially Fridays and weekends.
Book for December
Using the calendar
Count back from the date, then book.
- Find the date that matters. A wedding, a trip, a reunion or a photo session. Start with the day you want your tan to look its finest.
- Book one to two days ahead. That gives the tan time to develop fully, and the busiest weekends deserve a little more notice.
- Ask for the rinse that fits your day. Jana gives you a rinse time at the appointment, and the tan finishes developing over about 24 hours.
A regular appointment
Your year, planned tan by tan.
Many clients keep a regular appointment so their tan never has to catch up with the calendar. A plan of three, six or ten tans, valid for twelve months, makes that easy, and Jana can help you map out the dates that matter most to you.
See the tan plansSix weddings to go to
A plan of six.
Wedding season arrives in a rush. A plan of six covers every ceremony on your calendar, with each tan booked for the date it is meant for.
Three trips coming
A plan of three.
Book each tan close to departure and let the plan travel with you through the year, valid for twelve months.
Every month
A plan of ten.
For the client who likes to stay tan year-round, a plan of ten means the next appointment is already on its way.
Those 20 minutes in the studio are a rare moment of stillness for me. I leave feeling relaxed, confident, and glowing.
Free checklist · yours to keep
The Spray Tan Checklist
Every tan, prepared properly.
First tan or fiftieth, a good tan becomes a beautiful one in the shower a few days before. This checklist keeps every step on one printable page, so nothing is left to memory before a trip, an event or an ordinary Thursday.
- Preparation, the appointment and aftercare in the order you need them
- Boxes you can tick on screen or on paper
- Printed with your name, for every tan after this one
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 the guide →
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 it again
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 →
Ready when you are
Your next tan, on the calendar.
Book online until 12 hours ahead, or call or text (831) 479-8266 for a same-day appointment.
