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The deSoleil journal

Notes from the studio.

Practical guidance and real moments from thousands of appointments: how to time a wedding tan, what to wear afterward, how to keep a tan through a two-week trip, and why a Tuesday is reason enough.

Written by Jana, who has applied every deSoleil tan herself since 2007.

Featured · Bridal Beauty Tips The Father of the Bride Didn't Want a Spray Tan

A father of the bride who was sure he didn't need a spray tan found out, two days before the wedding, that his daughter had already decided otherwise.

By Jana · 7 min readRead the story →
Browse by topic

Start with what's on your mind.

A wedding on the calendar, a flight next week, or just a Tuesday that could use a little color. Each topic gathers the stories written for that moment.

A woman smooths lotion onto her legs at the edge of the bed in morning lightEducation & ProtocolHow a tan develops, how to prepare and how to make it last, in plain English.5 stories →A woman in a green velvet slip dress raises a glass by the fire at a holiday partySeasonal Tanning TipsGolden Octobers, foggy Junes and the holiday party season, month by month.1 story →A bride and her bridesmaids laugh together on the rocks above a coveBridal Beauty TipsTrials, timing and the dress, for brides, mothers and the whole wedding party.3 stories →Two friends in sage and rose slip dresses toast with champagne on a garden lawn by the seaLuxury Tanning RitualsThe regular appointment, the date night and the Tuesday that needs no excuse.2 stories →A couple relaxes on a beach blanket in front of the Santa Cruz BoardwalkSanta Cruz Spray TanningStories from the studio on Capitola Road and the towns its clients call home.3 stories →A woman in a sleeveless top smiles at the rail of a ship deck at sunsetTravelPacking, timing and arriving already tan, from Positano to Highway 1.4 stories →
The latest

Recent stories

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A fair blonde woman in white sits beside a whitewashed pool on a sunny terraceTravelSantorini in WhiteA honeymoon, a hotel that dresses in white every evening, and why the depth of a tan matters against all that white.By Jana7 min readA woman in a sage slip dress walks through an olive grove above the seaTravelPacking for PositanoEleven days before a fortieth-birthday trip, Margot found a tan line in the one dress she could not return.By Jana7 min readA woman in a white sundress walks a coastal path lined with orange wildflowers toward a lighthouseSanta Cruz Spray TanningThe Architecture of Vitality: Why Santa Cruz Professionals Are Trading Fluorescents for a Natural TanOffice light flattens everyone, so a subtle tan that says you stepped outside this month has become a quiet professional habit.By Jana12 min read
A man and woman laugh while loading a wagon for a coastal weekend, a Highway 1 sign behind themTravelClose to HomeThe two-day rule still holds for a weekend you can reach by car, and the planning takes even less time than packing.By Jana6 min readA traveler sets a cream suitcase down by a sunlit window overlooking palms and the seaTravelThe Two-Day RuleOne trip, planned backward from the morning you leave, shows exactly when to tan so you arrive already looking like yourself.By Jana7 min readA groomsman in suspenders reads over his notes on a bluff above the sea before the ceremonyBridal Beauty TipsHis First Spray Tan: A Wedding Weekend, PlannedA first spray tan for men, told through one wedding weekend: will it look fake, when to book, and what happens in the room.By Jana8 min readA bride in a backless ivory gown and floral hair piece walks barefoot on a beachBridal Beauty TipsI've Planned Wedding Tans for Nearly Twenty Years. Here Are 5 Things Every Bride Should KnowFive things I tell every bride, from why the trial matters most to never tanning the night before, planned from engagement to honeymoon.By Jana9 min readTwo friends laugh together in a coastal pumpkin patch in OctoberSeasonal Tanning TipsThree Tans, Five Saturdays: A Santa Cruz October, PlannedA Santa Cruz October mapped out in three tans, from the first weekend through film festival week to a Halloween that lands on a Saturday.By Jana8 min readA couple laughs over a candlelit dinner by a rainy window, she in a red slip dressLuxury Tanning RitualsSpray Tanning for Confidence, Chemistry and Lingerie Ready GlowHow a fresh spray tan changes the way you feel in your own skin, and the choice between tan lines and no lines.By Jana7 min readA silver-haired woman in a sleeveless ivory dress fastens an earring by a sunlit windowEducation & ProtocolTailored Tans for Mature Skin: Achieving a Rested and Collected LookHow a spray tan is adjusted for mature skin: a lighter depth, steady hydration and the right undertone for a rested, natural look.By Jana8 min readA fitness competitor in a blue posing suit walks the stage under bright lightsEducation & ProtocolTiming a Competition Tan: The Stage, the Floor and the FieldTwelve weeks of training come down to ninety seconds under the lights: how to plan a competition tan, from first conversation to the morning of.By Jana8 min readA woman in a black tank top relaxes on a window seat above the seaLuxury Tanning RitualsYou Don’t Need a Reason. A Tuesday Works Fine.You do not need a wedding or a reunion. Most of my clients book a spray tan as simple, ordinary maintenance.By Jana6 min readThree friends in tank tops and denim shorts carry a cooler along the beach by the Santa Cruz BoardwalkSanta Cruz Spray TanningdeSoleil has been calibrating skin tone in this town since 2007Why consultation and nearly two decades of experience matter when a tan is calibrated to your skin, and why tans go wrong.By Jana7 min readA woman laughs as she writes her plans on a wall calendar in a sunny kitchenEducation & Protocol18 Things I Have Learned in 18 Years of Spray TanningWhat nearly two decades of one-on-one sessions have taught me about formulas, clients and the work itself, in eighteen short lessons.By Jana9 min readA woman wrapped in a white towel smooths on lotion at a bright bathroom mirrorEducation & ProtocolSpray Tan Aftercare: Rinse Times and Making It LastWhat the first rinse is really doing, when to rinse for your formula, and how to protect the first 24 hours.By Jana6 min readFour friends in tank tops laugh together on a coastal bluffEducation & ProtocolUnveiling Spray Tan Myths and Facts - Navigating Spray Tan Misunderstandings with ConfidenceThe most common spray tan myths and misunderstandings, answered plainly, plus how to get the most from your appointment.By Jana8 min readA woman in a black swimsuit and straw hat walks along a sunny beachSanta Cruz Spray TanningAchieving the Perfect Glow: Spray Tans in AptosWhat to wear, what to expect and how to keep a custom spray tan going if you live or play in Aptos.By Jana6 min read
Two women talk over tea in a sunlit room, one in a sleeveless cream dress, the other in sage
Why there is a blog

Written between appointments

Every post here starts with a question someone asked me in the studio. A bride wants to know how early her trial should be. A client flying to Kauai wants to know how soon she can swim. (After the first 24 hours, as much as she likes.) When the same question comes up three times in one week, I write the whole story down, so you can read it on your own time, with your coffee, before you ever book.

Jana

I had a gala coming up and looked exhausted. Twenty minutes at deSoleil gave me a lovely glow and helped me feel camera-ready. It was quick, easy, and a real confidence boost.

Tara H.
Three friends share coffee on a white blanket on the beach at golden hour

Finished reading? Your tan is ready when you are.

Book online up to 12 hours ahead, or text (831) 479-8266 and ask about today. Jana will match the depth and the formula to your skin and to whatever the story on your calendar happens to be.