Wedding Hive Podcast
Giving you the tea and ALL the buzz in the wedding world! New episodes every Wednesday!
Wedding Hive Podcast
021 - From Pale to Perfect: Mastering Your Bridal Glow with Leah
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We dive deep into the world of wedding spray tans with expert Leah from Bronze Alchemy, who shares everything from proper timing and preparation to maintaining your glow throughout your honeymoon. Having recently experienced Leah's magic firsthand, we can attest that the confidence boost from a professional spray tan is real and game-changing for your wedding day.
• Leah was inspired to become a spray tan artist after experiencing her first spray tan for her own wedding
• The "spray tan effect" instantly boosts confidence and transforms how you feel in your skin
• Trial tans are essential for brides to nail down color preferences and proper skin prep
• Exfoliation is crucial for a flawless application and longer-lasting results
• All other beauty services (waxing, facials, lashes, hair) should be completed 24-48 hours before your spray tan
• Spray tans should ideally be scheduled 48 hours before your wedding day
• Solutions for preventing tan transfer onto wedding dresses include clear solutions or proper rinsing techniques
• Post-tan care requires twice-daily moisturizing and careful management of pool/ocean exposure
• Grooms are increasingly getting spray tans too, with special accommodation options available
• Proper timing and preparation can help avoid common spray tan mishaps like streaking or patchy fading
Follow Leah on Instagram @bronzealchemy_ or visit her website at bronzealchemy.com to book your bridal spray tan consultation.
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Episode Introduction
Speaker 1But most have a bottoms policy.
Speaker 3Okay, they have to wear bottoms, so wait you require bottoms to be on For the men For men Either bottoms or like Can they wear like underwear. Yeah, like, okay, like underwear. So, at least wear underwear.
Speaker 1Yeah, an underwear policy. I mean which?
Speaker 3would be fine. I guess you could like scrunch it up.
Speaker 1I do allow, like this is going to sound so crazy, but like a sock, like Sock, not the sock, because it's soluble.
Speaker 2Hey Queens, it's Kelsey and Grace back with the Wedding Hive, Hive Giving you the tea and all the buzz in the wedding world.
Speaker 3Let's jump right in. Hey queens, Welcome back to another episode of the Wedding Hive podcast. Today we are joined with Leah from Bronze Alchemy. Welcome, Thank you.
Speaker 1I'm so excited to be here.
Speaker 3We're so excited to have you. You guys, we have to let you know. We've already been on a more than first name basis. As of yesterday, she's seen us fully naked, Correct? Yes, yes a more than first name basis. As of yesterday, she's seen us fully naked. So, yes, yes, we got our beautiful spray tans yesterday and that's what we're going to be talking about today all things wedding spray tans yes, I'm so excited, you too.
Speaker 2But first, kelsey, do you have something for us? Yeah, um, I think we need to take a shot of our four karat vodka, our incredible sponsor what do you think?
Speaker 3I'm ready. I think it's five o'clock somewhere, perfect, all right, get your shot, I know, and we have to share this Lovely All right, okay.
Speaker 2All right To seeing each other naked fully naked and still showing up to talk at the podcast.
Speaker 3That's right, cheers, cheers. So cheers. I just know we gave the listeners some ASMR with that tastes like the Rocky Mountains, you guys? I know it tastes like right off the glaciers and shit it's made from. Rocky Mountains snow it is. That's wild. That's what I said, but apparently it's well known or something.
Speaker 2This is not the podcast for me. To educate you guys on how our water comes from mountains and streams down.
Speaker 1I have to tell you, guys, that's the first time I've ever taken a straight shot. What Dead ass.
Speaker 3No way, I'm not a good shot taker Okay, that's fair. I'm not a good shot taker Okay, that's fair. I I do love a tequila shot with some wine chilled, but I do love a mixed shot like a green tea or like a gummy bear. I, that's my go-to and I'm not feeling too crazy, but love it here. Swap me car, oh, yes, yes, I actually grabbed your car.
Speaker 2Okay, all right, leah, so let's get started here. Swap me cards. Oh, yes, yes, I accidentally grabbed your card. Okay, all right, leah, so let's get started. Yes, tell me what inspired you to pursue a career in spray tanning. How long have you been doing this?
Speaker 1Tell us all the tea, so I actually went to beauty school during high school, back in like 2011. Let me just date myself now. But yes, I went to beauty school and I started doing hair and I was like this is maybe not for me. I actually went to beauty school to do makeup and I'm like we didn't even learn makeup whatever. So then I didn't really love hair. I ended up getting into like healthcare and working in a career and whatever doing that kind of stuff.
Speaker 1And then I got my first spray tan for my wedding and I was like, oh my God, I could totally do this, like I feel like I could actually spray tan people and like just the confidence that it gave me to spray tan was incredible and I was like I want to do this for other women. I feel like women have such a hard time, I think, with like our body image and just like feeling confident in our skin and I was like I got to do this. So, even from the time that I started thinking about doing spray tanning, it took like two to three years for me to actually do it and I just wanted to make that little bit of difference and, whether it's your tanning for like your wedding or like I have girls come tan on like random Tuesdays just to feel better Like us. Yeah, exactly it tan on random Tuesdays just to feel better, Like us.
Speaker 3Yeah, exactly, it was a random Tuesday. I feel like literally we talked about this. The spray tan effect is just crazy. It's wild, you instantly go to a 10, no matter what.
Speaker 2So we'll talk about this. But last night I got out of the shower after my spray tan, got my lotion on and my husband's like, oh my gosh, it looks so good. And shower after my spray tan, got my lotion on and my husband's like, oh my gosh, it looks so good and I'm like I'm a seven now.
Speaker 1He's like you're 10. He's like no, babe, I think you're, you're more than seven. I go. No, I'm a seven now, but we'll go to 10 here soon. Yeah, so it's. It's like, so, like magical. That's why I chose the name, because it's such a transformation, not even just like externally, but like what you feel on the inside, just from a tan, is insane. It really is, yeah it's actually funny.
Speaker 3You said this because I actually went to beauty school stop right after high school for makeup. I went to this one spot because I wanted to do makeup, yes, and they had like a you know, like MAC, the makeup brand, you know MAC. They had a MAC program and I was like, okay, you know, it'll be good to have like two things under my belt, like I can do hair and makeup, you know, and I freaking hated it. Yeah, I hated the hair aspect. I lasted four months and I became a beauty school dropout.
Meeting Leah from Bronze Alchemy
Speaker 3I dropped out. I didn't finish it because I really wanted makeup, and they dropped the Mac program right after I got there and I was like that was pretty much my main driving force for even wanting to come. And I was like you. I was like I don't know how people or women who do men, women enjoy this. It was miserable to me. I was just like it sounds so fun and I I hated it. And after four months I was like I'm out, yeah, so and I respect the hair girl.
Speaker 1They have those clients for six, seven hours and I I don't know how I have ADHD I like I gotta go, I gotta move through and like a spray tan takes 30 minutes.
Speaker 3Yeah, you know and you said what you see literally, because you said you see like eight to nine people a day. If you have like a book day, yeah, that'd be just be nice to the fast pace. I think maybe that too like being with one client for so long and I get anxious, like when I can't think of conversation.
Speaker 2So I'm like to begin a year and I'm like they're stuck here for seven hours. What else do we talk?
Speaker 3about. I'm like. So what's your social security number? You're a podcast host.
Speaker 2Well, I'm better now. Your job is to communicate with people.
Speaker 3Well, first, of all, this was back 10 years ago. I definitely have gotten better with being able to talk to people, of course, but back then, you're like the least shy person I know. I know, yeah, I've kept, I've given a show a lot.
Speaker 1We're here. Well, if anything doesn't work out, you can always become a spray tan artist.
Speaker 3I know I'm down for that honestly. But okay, we did. I realize we skipped our yes or no. Oh my gosh, we did, the shot got to us Okay. Leah yes or no, yes or no, oh my God. Sex after a spray tan.
Speaker 1Absolutely Wait. Rinsed off, not rinsed, absolutely not Like show up.
Speaker 3Absolutely not Like booty call, like you just got a spray tan and you're like you know what.
Speaker 1People do it, people do it, people do it. What?
Speaker 2Yep, do you have?
Speaker 1people come back. How can I get on this talk?
Speaker 2No go, literally. I personally have never had this happen, not only just myself, but my clients, she's like I've never gone home and had sex afterwards Exposing everyone.
Speaker 1No, I have heard of spray tan artists having their clients tell them that they have spots messed up on their inner thighs.
Speaker 3That's what I'm saying. Yeah, I feel like in sweat.
Speaker 1I mean you sweat, you also can't pee in the shower, just an FYI too.
Speaker 2What.
Speaker 1Yeah, like if you're rinsing off your spray tan and you pee in the shower, that will mess your spray tan up.
Speaker 2Wait what I didn't pee in the shower after my spray tan, Did I? I don't know if I did. I think I'm good Because I was too busy focusing, waiting for the water to like turn runnier.
Speaker 1Yes to like, I didn't maybe I didn't.
Speaker 2I didn't pee in the shower, actually.
Speaker 1I'm like super grossed out.
Speaker 2I'm really proud of you guys yeah, I did all the right things I did not do it after my spring.
Speaker 3Yeah, I was blowing up my phone yesterday, yeah, till like 10 o'clock last night. She's like what do I do? Do I use soap? No soap. Do I shower an hour later? And I was.
Speaker 1I'm like it looks amazing yeah you did a great job, but, yes, no sex, no sex ever, especially before.
Speaker 2You cannot have sex before, absolutely not, no matter how much they like those tan lines. That's the problem.
Speaker 3No, and it's true. I came home. We talked about this yesterday. Guys think tan lines are sexy and I came home and I showed him and he's like, ooh, and my husband was like I like that. So it's a true thing.
Speaker 2We can even do initials Okay, don't give him that much.
Speaker 1Low-key I'd be down on my ass where you can't see it, Like for brides. Imagine wedding night or not wedding night.
Speaker 2Wait, that's kind of cute. Can you do like their full name? I haven't done a full name, I've only done initials. I think we're going to need. I've always joked about getting my husband's name tattooed on my ass. I think that, well, this is like a trial. Yeah, see what I mean. I do know how he really feels about it.
Speaker 3I did do a henna tattoo in Mexico one time with like initials on my butt, so like I'm down for like the whole thing. It's a tan too. Yeah, I think that's perfect.
Speaker 1Maybe I should do that for my honeymoon. Yeah, it's a thing for brides.
Speaker 2That's so fun, that's cute. I would love that so okay, all right, you see a lot of clientele, you see brides, you see day-to-day people come in or not day-to-day, but like more week to week, more maintenance. Yeah, let's talk about brides, yes, so tell us from the beginning, walk us through that prep yeah, I think the biggest thing I would tell anybody is to do a trial tan.
Speaker 1Like, if you do not do a trial tan, it's not that your spray tan will be messed up on your wedding day, like if you don't have time, the budget, whatever, but if you can squeeze it in, I'm telling you, doing a trial just helps everybody to really number one nail down your prep, because it's if it's your first tan, like prep is the thing. Like you have to make sure that you're prepping your skin appropriately and I'll talk about that. But making sure that you have that trial tan to really dial in what color you want to be, because once it's on, we can't really take it away. We can definitely act but we can't take away. So making sure that you book that trial tan and then prepping for your tan. It's super important to exfoliate your skin. Think, if you hear any spray tan artists, we're like evangelists for exfoliation, um, but you should be sponsored by every exfoliating product.
Speaker 2Sold in all, sold in all.
Speaker 1So just making sure all that dead skin is removed, because how the spray tan actually works is it is only changing the color of the top layer of skin. So if you do have some dead skin, that's where you're going to start to get that patchy fade, because you have dead skin left on the top layer. So exfoliate. Make sure you follow all the prep instructions. So don't shower six hours before your appointment. There's a whole list of things, but just making sure you follow those instructions before so you can not only have a perfect tan, but also, especially if you're going on your honeymoon after or you're going somewhere after, that's how you're going to get it to last you as long as possible with the prep yeah so what about waxing?
Speaker 2because we talked about a lot of girls that will wax before their wedding. They need to do that before their spray tan yeah, okay, for a special event.
Speaker 1Tan like a wedding, all other beauty services, so your waxing your facials, your eyelashes, your hair, everything should be done at least 24 hours before your tan. I am the last person you'll see before your wedding. This is the last appointment, that's true, and ideally, if you can get it to be 48 hours before the wedding is the perfect timing.
Speaker 2Could you imagine a wax being done after a spray tan and then you can see all the little strips?
Speaker 3yeah, I'm saying like I would be surprised if anyone would think that was the move to do that.
Speaker 2Oh well, you have people do that. Yes, yes, there's so much in the planning process, grace like in, that you're so overwhelmed, like you're not putting together like your calendar of like what goes first, second and third. It's just like you're so mean.
Speaker 3I know I think that would be great. I would never think to get something that is, you know, sprayed on me that could easily wash away or have imperfections or have blotches, to get a spray tan and then go get waxed after grace.
Speaker 1When you're dealing with tanned, I think like you've gotten tans before like spray tans. Yeah, I think for people who, like, have absolute people, think that, like, what I'm spraying on you is like, now you're base tan, like this is it?
Speaker 2and then you just keep going darker and darker I don't know what you did, but, like I said, oh, this girl went from a three to a ten yesterday. I know, just so we're clear, just so we know.
Speaker 3Okay, so everyone exfoliate, do all the like wedding necessities for like 24, 48 hours before the spray tan because that's true. Yeah, I would say I think I got my spray tan 48 hours before my wedding, because then we had rehearsal the next day and if you want to time it right, do your spray tan trials around your bridal shower, your bachelorette trip.
Speaker 2That way you're able to make the most out of that time and that tan.
Speaker 1Or like dress fittings. I always recommend sometimes I recommend a couple trials if you can, but do it before your dress fitting so you can see what the tan looks like in white. Or like if you're wearing white on your bachelorette trip or your bridal shower, like it helps to know what your tan looks like in white, because it looks different wearing different things, but white especially it's going to pull out that tan. Sometimes you can look a little bit darker in white, so I always recommend like planning it around certain things so that you can see what it's actually going to look like on your wedding day.
Speaker 3Yeah, that's smart. I didn't think about that because I did that with my like bridal makeup and hair trial. I went and like, did like an alterations appointment that night for my dress. So I was like, okay, yeah, this is what I was envisioning, this is what I was thinking.
Speaker 2But the tan tan, I didn't think about that. Yeah, I definitely was not tan, but so talk us through day of so somebody comes in, walk us through the whole process. Obviously I was your guinea pig because I got my first spray tan yesterday.
The Spray Tan Journey
Speaker 3Kelsey's never had a spray tan before yesterday no, and I did not know this, so Grace was completely annoyed with me because I asked 107 questions. I wasn't, but I was also getting naked, and so I was like exposing my whole body. Yeah, no, I just I think in my head like, and everyone's different. Like I mean, I've definitely in high school got the spray tans for like prom and for homecomings and yada yada. So I was just surprised you never had at least one yet.
Speaker 1So there's a first for everything, and that was yesterday. It was yesterday, and now you've fallen in love.
Speaker 3So, now you get the lore.
Speaker 1Everybody's hooked. Yes, so walk us through the process. The process yeah, so obviously, like I said, follow your prep instructions. But when you actually come in, one of the big things that I'm like I think it's my hair school coming through. But, like we do a full consultation, like I will sit down with you, talk about your skin tone, your skin type. Make sure that, like we're going towards what you want as a color goal, but also keeping in mind, like I always tell people my professional opinion, but you can scratch everything I say about what color you want to be, because at the end of the day, it's about what you want. But you'll sit down with me for a consultation.
Speaker 1You can choose how much you undress. Some people do still tan with a bra on, like a bikini top or something like that, or even just pasties. Keep in mind your dress that you're going to wear for your wedding. Like, the tan lines are a thing we don't really want, probably bikini tan lines. So you don't have to get fully nude. I think people think that, but you don't. You can wear a thong or a disposable thong or something like that. So you'll undress to your comfort level and then I will mix up. I typically mix a pretty custom color based on your color goal, your skin type, your skin tone, and then I spray once you leave the appointment. That's really like we call it your marination time, because that's the time like you literally need to like couch rot and just like chill, like don't be doing dishes and crazy stuff, don't be like I've had brides will come in and they're like yeah, it's, and it's always the wedding tan. They're like I have to to do all this DIY stuff and I'm just like oh for their wedding.
Speaker 1Anxiety.
Speaker 3I didn't even wash yeah. I didn't wash dishes yesterday because I was like not really worth it. I was like Dr Leah told me to sit on the couch.
Speaker 2So I, my family, the doctor's orders? Yeah, the family fed themselves last night. I wasn't making dinner. And yeah, the family fed themselves last night I wasn't making dinner and they'll always figure it out Exactly.
Speaker 3Nope, everybody is alive. In my family currently Nobody has died from starvation, so they're just fine.
Speaker 1Yeah it's just super important Clear your calendar, especially as a bride. Use that as your time to chill too, because wedding planning is the most stressful thing ever. So chill after your appointment and then, once you rinse it off, I think the color going down the drain is a little terrifying to people. It was scary. It is scary because you're like, oh my God, I just paid for this service and all the color's gone, and sometimes you don't have. Depending on what I put you in. Sometimes you won't have a lot of color left on your skin, but it takes 24 hours to fully develop. So just give it some time. Trust the process. That's what I always say, and that's pretty much like the whole your whole tan day. It just depends on some people do sleep in it. You have the option. I did not. I followed instructions.
Speaker 3Depends on rapid or overnight if you sleep in it, okay, I will say you guys, we're going to shut her out, obviously at the end, but I've gotten, like I said, many a spray tans and this is the best spray tan I've ever had. I'm being serious, and I'm not just saying that I'm being serious, I'm and I'm not just saying that I'm being serious.
Speaker 3I did text me that I texted her and I said this is like the best spray tan I've ever had your process, all the stuff you do like we even talked about the smell like driving it to the studio yesterday.
Speaker 2Literally, I do not like smelling like coconut. What did I? Oh, yeah, I was like no, okay, I was like I don't like.
Speaker 3I was like what I was like.
Speaker 2I don't like smelling like a stripper, and that's what a lot of spray tans smell like. Yeah or not spray tans, because I've never had one but like tanning lotions yeah very tropical.
Speaker 3I don't like smelling very tropical and then, when we were doing it yesterday and we left, we did not smell literally did not smell and I, I would have been like Kelsey normally, like I would have been over the smell, I would have showered last night. But I was just chilling and then, literally I, I even what did I say on the way there? I said I honestly don't like getting spray tans because of the process after, I don't like sitting in it, I don't like the smell, love the end product. Of course.
Speaker 2That's why I came in with so much anxiety in it.
Speaker 3I don't like the smell, love the end product of course, that's why I came in with so much anxiety, because somebody was prepping me for six hours of health, but then we walked in and I was telling my husband. When I got home I said, yeah, she puts the creme on your nails so they don't turn. You do the powder after. Can we talk about that powder?
Speaker 2Because I didn't sweat.
Speaker 3I'm going to make it. When I get home. I was so sparkly. I was so sparkly and it was amazing.
Speaker 2I didn't want to use this glittery until I went pee and I was looking at my legs. You peed, but sprinkles too, or sparkles, oh, I don't know about that, but no, I totally was sparkles. I peed, sparkles I didn't realize, like falling off your ass into the toilet probably, but I was like damn I should tell my husband to come check this out because he needs to know I'm a real queen Literally, yeah, but seriously the best spray tan I've ever had. So let's go into post care. How do we not screw it up?
Speaker 3Yes, how do we not mess up?
Speaker 1There's 100 ways to screw up your spray tan. I think when it's your, if it's your first spray tan, as you experience, it's overwhelming. It was so overwhelming, Like the process of prepping and then making sure that you you know little by little. But I think the most important thing that you can do, like after your spray tan, after you rinse it off, is hydrate your skin. I always say, apply lotion twice daily. Like I'm a big habit stack girly, so I'm like put it by your toothbrush. Hopefully you're brushing your teeth twice a day. I don't know. I don't know.
Speaker 2We hope everybody has good dental hygiene.
Speaker 1Put it by your toothbrush and do it two times a day. That's going to help your tan, because spray tanning is an ingredient called DHA. It's dihydroxyacetone. That is an incredibly drying ingredient. So that is why you have to add that moisture back into your skin. So hydrate and avoid shaving if you can. If you are shaving with your spray tan, it is not going to last you as long. And then pools is a big thing. I mean if you're on your honeymoon and like this is a toss up for me because I'm like don't not enjoy your vacation because you have a spray tan on right, but just know that it's not going to last you as long as you if you're in and out of the pool. If you do plan to be in and out, there are some things you can do. There are great tan extenders that you can apply, like a lot of people know of like the jerkins lotion.
Speaker 3Oh, I do like that, yeah, um, I don't like the smell of it, yeah, but it's like the glowy like. Yeah, it's supposed to give you a tan or whatever that smell is. Yeah, it's really not the best product.
Speaker 1There are way better ones. Okay, um, but having a lotion that has some of the tanning ingredient in it can extend your tan. So if you want to swim, put on a tan extender after you get out of the pool, um, that'll help you and then again hydrate your skin after the pool as well. So that's. I mean, it's not terribly hard to take care of, but it does. It should last you. Some of my girls say they last them two weeks. Wow, Should last you seven to 10 days. Seven is the absolute minimum.
Speaker 3Okay, yeah.
Speaker 2Wow. So not to throw you off, but ocean versus pool I was going to say that too. Really, is there a difference? Is it the chlorine that affects it, or is the salt water also affecting?
Speaker 1the tan. They're both. They're both naturally drying and exfoliating your skin.
Speaker 3True, they're both naturally drying and exfoliating your skin.
Speaker 1True, when you're in the sand and the beat yeah, so they both are equal. I say take short dips, okay. So, dip in, dip out.
Speaker 2Yeah, exactly Pull off, get out yeah.
Speaker 1If you're in there and like, if you're in the hot tub and you're in there for like an hour, like your spray tan is going to be gone.
Speaker 2I get in the hot tub to get out, to get, like, my spray tan gone. Oh, wow, you know what I mean, because I'm like I got a tan tomorrow. Yeah, life hack, life hack. Just hop in that gym, go find a random jacuzzi and just hop in that girl. Yeah, I will say, though, we can talk about it, you did a phenomenal job. Yesterday I had a horrible, horrible tan line, remember, on my chest oh, and you were able to color correct it.
Speaker 2Yeah, that was mind-blowing. My absolute it was chef's kiss. Yes, so somebody goes on their bachelorette trip, screws up and has not everybody's like Grace, who wears strapless bikinis all summer for her dress. Wear something silly, like me. Yeah, it is fixable.
Speaker 1It is fixable. Yeah, it's not 100. Yeah yeah it depends on how bad it is too.
Speaker 3Yeah, if it's like a light one, yeah, which I feel like yours was, and now it looks like perfect, yeah, yeah I can't tell I think, like the apple watch, tan for brides is the biggest lie. I see I I genuinely don't get how people get that if they're not in a working job that's constantly in the sun. I'm like are you really wearing an Apple Watch that?
Speaker 1much. I think it's the driving.
Speaker 3Yeah, oh, like the sun just hits it. I had a horrible Because I was always curious. I'm not like throwing shade, but I would see, because you know I've seen a lot of people you are.
Speaker 2Because I had a horrible. How that happens.
Speaker 1But you're in the sun a lot, aren't you?
Speaker 2Unless I'm outside, like outside at venues, I'm not.
Speaker 3I guess I only really wear mine like to the gym kind of.
Speaker 2Then how do you get all your steps in?
Speaker 1I mean like you don't care about closing all three of your rings.
Speaker 2No, I do, but Because I'm like psycho about closing my rings. Yeah, I'll pace my bedroom.
Speaker 3My employees might in a while, so let's not talk about that.
Speaker 2Yeah, I haven't even seen your Apple Watch. I didn't know you owned one. I know I haven't worn it in a while. Oh my gosh, this chick.
Speaker 3Okay, wait I have a question though yes. Super random. How do we feel? Are you seeing any grooms get tans for a wedding day? We are.
Speaker 1I think it love. Yeah, actually fun fact there's only like maybe three or four male spray tan artists in like the country. Like that's not really yeah, wow, um. But if your groom is wanting to get a spray tan, I highly recommend it. It depends on complexion, like if you know if you're getting a tan and you're naturally like a fair skin complexion, just to like balance things out. Sometimes it's helpful. Or just I think everybody needs like the confidence boost.
Speaker 3Yeah yeah, grooms get tanned all the time. Too much to ask. I'm thinking in my head Do they wear?
Speaker 1those, oh yeah.
Speaker 3Cause, like you, have one another reason why I'm, I love you, and yesterday was you had the disposable thongs which I those thongs were like incredible well, that's what I'm thinking one like they were super clutch for us women, because then you don't ruin your underwear and then you can just toss them right, but like if a guy's going, yeah, what's the?
Speaker 2vibe most oh you're bringing a speedo.
Speaker 1It's like balls to the wall and just everything hangs out. I personally have most female spray tan artists not all, but most have a bottoms policy.
Speaker 3Okay, they have to wear bottoms, so wait you require bottoms to be on. For the men.
Speaker 1For men Either bottoms or like Can they wear like underwear.
Speaker 3Yeah, like, okay, like underwear.
Speaker 1So at least wear underwear. Yeah, an underwear policy, I should say. I mean which?
Speaker 3would be fine. I guess you could like scrunch it up.
Speaker 1I do allow, like this is going to sound so crazy, but like a sock, like Stop, not the sock. Well, think about it.
Speaker 3Okay, I'm so here for it. Is this the?
Speaker 2juic a sock so I can spray you when you make your leg do this that is setting me to another dimension right now, because but that's like I can't like that is smart, though, if they're not wanting the butt. The butt has to get tanned right, guys work really hard on leg and butt day like glutes. Mine doesn't Okay well, most do put that in there.
Speaker 3I love you, baby, but you don't do this.
Speaker 2Gosh, john, I'm so sorry. Wink twice if you're hurt or in danger. I like his butt, you like his white butt.
Speaker 3It's small and hairy. Grace, he's a guy. Everyone has a hairy butt, all guys have hairy butts, not all of them. If you get it waxed, then I'm spooked. Grace, be nice to your husband, I love it, I just said I liked it.
Speaker 2You like his hairy ass? Yes, okay, anyways. So a sock is an option to cover all the male genitals. Correct, yes?
Speaker 3Okay, I'm here for that. So you know what grooms. If you want to get his rights in, just bring a sock, just bring a sock. Bring a sock, it's totally fine.
Speaker 1Here's the thing, I am a professional. I see this is very normal. Like yes, I know we all hate, like going to the gynecologist, right? But, like they see this all day, every day. Right, it's, it's just kind of part of the job. I'm not thinking about anybody's body. Yeah, I'm just thinking about like let me make sure I give you the most bomb tan of your life.
Speaker 1That's really it. So it's like, if you feel comfortable wearing like underwear for girls or guys, like if you feel comfortable wearing like underwear for girls or guys, like if you want to wear your boxers, by all means, yeah, you'll have some gnarly tan lines, but yeah, like if that's like totally you do want to make sure you kind of pull them down to the crack.
Speaker 2Could you imagine that? Like yeah, that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 3You could wear underwear and like fold it and like bring it up. Yeah, it'd could be not as bad.
Essential Pre-Wedding Tan Tips
Speaker 2So what about farmer's tans? Can you help color correct that? Obviously, my husband's not going to get a spray tan. He's very dark and we kind of joked about this. You can go even darker if you want. He's a very dark individual but he kind of has a little bit of a farmer's tan on the shoulders or like on his arms. Are you able to kind of color correct that? Not that it would really show on a suit.
Speaker 1I can do. Some Farmer's tans are hard Okay, especially because, like some of them, are dark.
Speaker 3Like the back of the neck.
Speaker 1You'll see like really dark. I can definitely blend. Okay, absolutely Okay definitely blend.
Speaker 3Okay, absolutely okay. What about six packs, can you?
Speaker 2put six packs on abs. Yeah, we should do that next time we go. She gave me a butt lift yesterday. She did and it looked really good.
Speaker 1Yeah, it did look good. Yeah, contouring is super fun. I think it's like if you're gonna do your wedding spray tan, like go all out and add in like the contour and all the fun extras. Yeah, because it just helps you, like, especially for women who I, who I mean, I know for me, like I think a lot of women have insecurities about their arms and then being in a you know, a wedding dress sometimes can bring that out. So adding a little bit of contour might help, just because it does shade any areas that you don't necessarily want seen and then bring out anything that you want, like your collarbone. All of those kinds of little extra touches can help you just feel a little bit better.
Speaker 3Like, bring it in.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2Yeah, yeah, are you next? Or we went from a three to a 10.
Speaker 3You did go there, am I next?
Speaker 2Well, I do have a question. Okay, what's your opinion? This is a hot topic, ooh.
Speaker 1Ooh spicy. This is a hot topic we get a hot take.
Speaker 2Ray tans booths are sun tanning and at home DIY tanning. What are your thoughts?
Speaker 1so I would absolutely never recommend anybody go into a bed tan absolutely not. I think they're terrible for your skin. But sun tanning, when done right, as long as you're applying your your sunscreen and reapplying you know there is benefits. This is a this is a not popular opinion from a spray tan artist, but there are also wellness benefits to being, to getting vitamin look at her talking about the vitamin d like you can't't.
Speaker 3Look at her. She's like get that D she's like get that vitamin.
Speaker 2D.
Speaker 1I think when done safely right, Like it regulates your circadian rhythm and all this stuff.
Speaker 2There's a lot of benefits. Oh my gosh, I'll talk, I'll explain.
Speaker 1Yeah, we'll explain it to you off.
Speaker 3Yes, oh sorry, there's just benefits to being in the.
Speaker 1My friend. Actually she works in cancer registrar so she gives me all the skin cancer data Statistics. Yes, and the biggest, I think. In Arizona specifically, skin cancer is the fifth leading type. Melanoma is the fifth leading type of cancer. A lot of it's found on your left ear and your left arm from driving. So just reapplying your sunscreen, I think, is the most important thing I could ever say um, but then also practicing safety, like not laying out for hours and hours and hours without reapplying sunscreen, like the girl sitting next to me.
Speaker 2Yeah, you put on sunscreen when you lay by your pool. Yes, of course I do. Then how do you?
Speaker 3always show up looking all dark. Well, yeah you. So first I apply the sunscreen and then I let it set in, then I get in the pool and then I get out, and then I put my tanning oil on with the SPF.
Speaker 2With the tanning oil. Okay, well, it has like 30 SPF.
Speaker 3I don't know, it's not like I don't know. The Australian Gold, I think, is the brand. Oh my Lord.
Speaker 2Okay, that's what I was like. So when you get to my age which you're not super far away, but you're still far away from my age yeah, you will start to notice all of the sun spots and the aging and you will age your skin so much faster by spending too much time in the sun. I don't, I'm good you want to be a queen forever.
Speaker 3I am a queen forever it is true there is.
Speaker 1I've seen a lot of my clientele that's a little bit older. That was in the generation that laid out like they just laid out and laid out forever and ever, and this they're one of their biggest like insecurities in their skin is the sunspots and the damage. So I think there's a time and a place, but I think it's just like about being safe with your skin, because it's important to take care of your skin.
Speaker 2Can you talk about the importance of hydrating not only on the skin, but in the mouth as well? Yeah, what Like drinking water? Oh, hydrates your skin. You said what?
Speaker 1Yeah, I mean, isn't it's like your biggest organ?
Speaker 3I said, wait, like where are we going with this? Listen, I wasn't sure, I really wasn't. I was like where is she going with this? Yes, I mean water drinking water is like also insanely important for your skin. Yes, guys, drink your water.
Speaker 1Are we having an intervention about her water intake right now?
Speaker 2I don't know what she puts in her mouth but I just want to make sure that every I want our, that I want our brides to be well hydrated.
Speaker 3I try to drink like two Stanleys a day, which is like a normal amount, right.
Speaker 2Okay, I don't know, you do need to drink more. You're in Arizona. I was going to ask you about tips for those who are uncomfortable, completely undressing, but you obviously talked about that. You don't have to get completely naked. You have pasties, the best disposable underwear ever.
Speaker 3Do I have to bring that back to my?
Speaker 2next appointment or do I get a new pair?
Speaker 1Did you take them home?
Speaker 2Yeah, I wore them. I wasn't going to get completely nude again.
Speaker 1I offered those complimentary. Don't worry about that. I didn't know if I needed to bring them back.
Speaker 3I took really good care of them. They're disposable. I'm so proud of you. So you throw them in the trash?
Speaker 1Oh, okay, as soon as I got home I said ding, and you can always play it by ear. Feel your spray tan artist out. I think it's important to do your research. When you're finding an artist area, come to me. But if you're outside and, like you are looking, find somebody that fits your vibe, that like you feel comfortable with already from just like interacting with them on social media, and then feel out the appointment, like get there and maybe bring something that you'd feel more comfortable tanning in and then if you change your mind because like you're having a great consultation and it feels comfortable, then change your mind there. Um, but that's most spray tan artists do it for a similar reason as me is just to make people feel really comfortable in their skin. So typically the appointments are really a comfortable setting, but it's all about what makes you feel the best going into the appointment.
Post-Care and Maintenance Secrets
Speaker 3Yeah, I love that. Okay, one thing obviously you do a lot of brides. If they get a tan, will it transfer onto their dress or a veil? How do they avoid that? Is that going to happen?
Speaker 1it could happen it happened to me um when I got married.
Speaker 3But I wasn't an artist at the time, okay.
Speaker 1So things are a little different now. Okay, it can happen because what I spray on the skin like when you see those dark tans and you see like the tan line and everything that's a cosmetic bronzer. So a lot of times what you're seeing on wedding dresses is the cosmetic bronzer that's transferring onto the dress. So there's a couple ways. Number one you could take a soap shower in between your wet like from when you get your tan. You rinse it off with water only, and then you take a soap shower in between your wet like from when you get your tan, you rinse it off with water only and then you take a soap shower that can sometimes combat that like bronzer that you still have on your skin. Or you can opt for a clear solution.
Speaker 1There are downsides to clear solution, because you're not going to see it Like, you're not going to get that like right. When you spray and you get like that post tan like satisfaction of like, you can see it already. It's absolutely clear. There's nothing on your skin. So it just depends on what you're wanting. If you're really concerned and maybe you're like trying to resell your dress or something of that nature, then definitely opt for a clear solution. Most of my brides will opt for a clear solution. It just depends on what you want out of it, but it's definitely an option. My brides will opt for a clear solution. It just depends on what you want out of it, but it's definitely an option for brides.
Speaker 3Yeah, that happened to me too. On my wedding day we got spray tan like under my like, I guess yeah, but it wasn't on the outside where people could see, right? No, so that's why, like yeah, I didn't care that much because, like I was like it doesn't matter, you can't see it anyway. But I remember I was like oh, oh shit, but it's white, so it's kind of tough.
Speaker 1I also tell brides too if you don't want to do a clear solution, you want to have that bronzer effect find a white, tight kind of t-shirt. It doesn't have to be tight, but a more skin-fitted t-shirt. After you're tan, rinse it all the way off. Skin fitted t-shirt. After your tan, rinse it all the way off. Put your white t-shirt on and take it off and then see if you see any bronzer on there. And if you do, then that means you just need to probably get back in the shower and rinse it off a little bit more or get yourself a soap shower within the timeframe.
Speaker 2Okay, so this sounds this. I don't want to sound dumb, but like, when can I use soap 12 hours after your first rinse? Oh my gosh, so it's tonight at 10 pm, yeah or no? That was this morning at 10 am. Yeah, that's 24 hours.
Speaker 3Yeah, I was like because we got ours yesterday at one.
Speaker 2Yeah, that'd be 24 hours okay, yeah, you can soap it up. I just want to make sure I'm I'm doing this right, but I also want to become a stinky girl yeah, it's Arizona, it's hot, so and then soap is kind of important.
Speaker 1So, just looking at your soap and making sure it doesn't have sulfates in it, I always like keep things as fragrance-free as possible. No, it's not fun Like all the rage right now, it's like all these smelly things. But for your tan specifically, keeping it kind of as natural, as fragrance-free as possible and sulfate-free Perfect.
Speaker 2Okay, those are all my questions. Those are all mine.
Speaker 3Yeah, because we already talked about, you know, aftercare and all that good stuff.
Speaker 2Perfect, you do. Education for other spray tanners or people who are interested in coming into the industry, correct? Yes, okay, I do. Do you want to speak on that at all? Yeah, spray tanners or people who are interested in coming into the industry, correct? Yes, okay, I do you want to speak on that at all?
Speaker 1yeah, sure, this is a new thing for me.
Speaker 3I just I just kind of launched like my tiktok, I don't know, I think I followed you or like I don't remember, but I was like I'm pretty sure this is before. We obviously met yesterday. I was like I'm pretty sure this is who we're interviewing, so I have to double check. But yeah.
Speaker 1So I focus mainly on like artist education on TikTok, just because I think no shade to my first spray tan artist.
Speaker 1I'm not trying to spill tea, but I think, like the experience that you had versus maybe what you had a few years ago, or like if, like, especially if somebody comes in and they haven't had spray tan a long time time, things have changed and I think, as a new artist, it's super important to really learn how to make your clients feel an experience.
Speaker 1You know, I think a lot of my clients will come in and say it wasn't just like a tan, it felt like a whole thing, a whole experience, right. So I want to teach spray tan artists how to create that for themselves and for their clients. So I do try to, you know, focus a little bit more. Now that I've been three years in business, I'm like let me focus a little bit more on spray tan artist education because I think, number one there's so much misinformation out there about spray tanning, not just for clients but for artists as well. Spray tanning, I always say, is like kind of like the wild, wild west, like there's not a ton of regulation, there's not a ton of research about spray tanning. So you know, creating this kind of place where artists can come and learn about being an artist is super important.
Speaker 3Yeah, I love that. I love that too. I think that's so true. You saying, like the wild, wild West, I feel like that's to the T what it is. It is Because it's not like going to hair school and you have to pass these boards and all this stuff. It's kind of, I guess, if you buy the stuff to do it, you can kind of do it right, yeah, but not in it like you know. That's why we have the education that we need. I'm here for that.
Speaker 2I'm so grateful. As a white girl, I'm so grateful for your profession. I know, don't laugh at me, no, I'm a white girl too. I'm super white and you were able to provide a service that's not going to give me skin cancer.
Speaker 1Yes, because I have to spend five million hours in the sun so give me that glow up.
Speaker 3I'm just going to do this now, yeah, and I think too.
Closing Thoughts and Artist Education
Speaker 1Anybody can tan. I think I have girls of all complexions that come in to tan. There's like formulas created specifically for people who have more melanin rich skin and I think that's like one of the biggest stigmas around spray tanning it's like it's only for a certain person and it's really not Like it's for literally anybody.
Speaker 3Yeah, that's so true.
Speaker 2I love that. Well, if you are looking for Leah, if you are in the valley, make sure to check her out at bronzealchemy underscore or at her website, bronzealchemyazcom, and we will check. We will so close you were so close and we will see you next time.
Speaker 3Goodbye we will see you next time. Goodbye.