We Got Our First Spray-Tan, Here’s Our Experience

As a guy, we’re genetically predisposed to not care about things like tans. Don’t get me wrong, having a bronze tinge to one’s skin is a nice touch to an appearance, however, it’s something I personally have never actively pursued due to the dangers associated with the harmful rays of the giant burning ball of fire in the sky.

So, if you were interested in a tan, what are the other options? Tanning beds cause severe skin damage, and self-tanning and spy-tans are considered ‘odd’ or embarrassing by many. Even with these notions, people always still say “wow, you need a tan” (we’ve all heard it post-winter). What’s the solution?

We were given the chance to try the new gold standard of spray tans from Vita Liberata. Extremely hesitant at first, we decided to take the plunge, because that’s what MenStuff is all about – giving you reviews and features on things from the every man’s perspective… even when they’re out of our comfort zone.

So we geared up, acted cool, and totally pretended like we weren’t freaking out on the inside…

Visiting the MenStuff HQ, our tanning guru immediately calmed our nerves and explained that its not unusual for guys to get a spray-tan, in fact – 60 percent of his clients are male. Our particular tanner had even worked with international sports stars and performers, so we felt we were in the right hands.

He also explained that Vita Liberata is unique in that almost no two clients have the same colour results. This is because the product works with your skin to bring out your natural colour – or basically the colour you would go if you were to tan in the sun. Things were starting to look up.

We got the quick and easy spray, which basically entailed having a bit of banter with our spray-pro while he did his thing, and the results were surprisingly impressive. The tan was super subtle and natural, and the fact that there were no streaks or awkward blotches to speak of immediately squashed any sceptic preconceptions.

Another plus of this product is the fact that it dries quickly (hence why there is no streaking). Which means no more sitting around completely starkers for 15 minutes while you wait for it to dry. The product dried almost instantly and the fact that you could put your clothing back on after the spray tan and go about your day makes it a much more comfortable and uninhibiting experience. We had to leave the product on for 8 hours to let the colour develop, but after a shower, the colour looked ideal – a natural, light brown tinge that would be achieved after spending a full summer in the sun, although done in 2 minutes and without damaging your skin. But that’s not all – Vita Liberata also smells great and moisturises your skin! It’s a win-win really.

And all guys get spray-tans (so we learnt), check out British singer Olly Murs getting a Vita Liberata spray-tan:

After going into the overwhelming and daunting world of tanning, it’s refreshing to also learn that the products are completely non-toxic and 80 percent organic (the products contain natural extracts like ylang-ylang, seaweed, pomegranate and grape) so they’re good for your skin and the environment. This is huge for the tanning industry as these organic products not only help protect the health of the tanning therapists, who use the product all day long but also the clients whose skin has to put up with the product for a few days afterwards.

Vita Liberata also has a range of home-use products for customers.

While it may not be for everyone, the stigma of spray-tans is definitely fading and as far as the results and experience goes, we would definitely recommend this product to anyone who is curious about delving into the field and who wants a bit of a summer shade without putting your skin at risk. With Vita Liberata, there’s no orange tinge and the tan lasts a good few days if you look after it carefully. The tan lasted about 14 days and faded naturally as time went on. And, if you’re not sure about going full tilt with a full body spray tan then you can also try their range of at-home tanning products.

A Vita Liberata spray tan will set you back about R400 for a full body tan and is available at a range of salons in Cape Town, Johannesburg as well as the rest of South Africa. Visit the Vita Liberata website for more info on stockists.