Mild Soaps

• Harsh, drying soaps can shorten the life of your spray tan or leave it looking blotchy. You can avoid this by choosing mild soaps. If you aren't certain which soap to choose, check out those recommended for children. Such soaps are almost always gentle. Shower gels also tend to be gentler than bar soaps. Avoid soaps and gels with ingredients like sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate. These are drying, harsh ingredients that can shorten the life of your tan.
  
  

Moisturizing Soaps

• Keeping your skin soft and moist is key to making your tan last as long as possible. One way to help keep your tan looking great is to choose soaps that contain moisturizers. In addition to choosing a moisturizing soap, find a good all-over-body moisturizer (lotion) to use after you bathe or shower.
  
  

No Exfoliates

• You've probably heard over and over again how important exfoliating is to keeping your skin soft and healthy. When it comes to maintaining a spray-on tan, soaps that contain scrubs or exfoliating agents aren't helpful. You should exfoliate very thoroughly before going in for your spray-on tan treatment, but once the treatment is complete, avoid exfoliating until you are ready to remove your tan.
  
  

Water Temperature

• Once you've found a cleansing and moisturizing regimen that works well for maintaining your spray-on tan, the final component is your water temperature. Hot water dries the skin and strips it of oils. Take your showers or baths in warm water rather than steamy, hot water.