Why I Don't Love the Phrase 'Fake Tan' | Best Spray Tan in Melbourne
- Greta Engizer
- 6 days ago
- 6 min read
In more than 20 years of spray tanning women across Melbourne, I have heard one phrase more times than I could count.
My fake tan is booked for Friday. I need my fake tan before the wedding. My fake tan is fading already.
It is such a normal part of how we talk about tanning that most people say it without thinking twice. I understand why. But every time, something in me quietly pauses.
Fake. It is a word I have never been able to sit comfortably with.
Even The Sun Gives You A "Fake" Tan
I think about it like this.
Picture a client coming back from a week away somewhere warm, with golden skin. Nobody would ever say she has a fake tan. They would just say she has a gorgeous tan.
But that colour is not the skin she was born with either. It changed because of the sun, and it will fade in a week or two, the same as a spray tan does.
So really, the two are not that different. One happens because of UV. The other happens in my studio. Either way, underneath it, it is still her skin. Just a little more golden for now.
The Feeling I Am Always Aiming For
When you sit down with me for your appointment, my mind is already working through a few things. Your skin tone. Your undertone. What you have coming up, and how you want to feel when you walk in the door.
But underneath all of that, my goal never really changes. I want people to look at you afterwards and think you look healthy and rested, like you have just come home from somewhere warm.
To me, that is what a good spray tan is. A little holiday for your skin, fitted into thirty minutes.
Quick Tip: For the most natural result, exfoliate the night before your appointment and skip moisturiser, deodorant and makeup on the day. Clean, dry skin takes colour beautifully. |
Why The Old Stereotype Does Not Fit Anymore
I suspect the phrase "fake tan" comes from another era. An era of orange palms, dark wrists, streaky ankles and products that often looked heavy or unnatural on the skin.
When I first entered the beauty industry, some of those products were exactly what we had available. I understand why many people developed concerns about spray tanning. The results were not always predictable and sometimes the colour looked obvious.
Thankfully, professional spray tanning has evolved enormously over the years. The solutions available today are far more sophisticated, allowing colour to be customised according to skin tone, undertone and personal preference. When applied correctly, a modern spray tan should blend beautifully with your natural colouring and enhance your appearance without looking artificial.
Most people will not look at you and think, "She has had a spray tan."
They will simply think you look healthy, fresh and glowing.
Even The Sun Gives You A "Fake" Tan
I often think about it this way. Imagine a woman returning from a week in Queensland, Bali or Hawaii with beautifully bronzed skin. Nobody would ever describe her colour as a fake tan. Instead, people tell her she looks healthy, radiant and well-rested. They ask where she has been and comment on how amazing she looks.
Yet that colour is not the skin tone she was born with either. Her skin has changed because of sun exposure and, given enough time, it will gradually fade. In that sense, a sun tan and a spray tan are not as different as people think. Both temporarily change the appearance of the skin. Both fade over time. Both create a warmer, more bronzed version of your natural complexion.
The difference is simply how you got there. One comes from exposure to UV rays. The other comes from a professionally applied tanning solution. Either way, underneath it all, it is still your skin. It is still you.
The Feeling I Am Always Aiming For
Whenever a client walks into my studio, I am thinking about far more than simply making her darker.
I look at her natural skin tone, her undertones, the event she is attending, what she plans to wear and how quickly she needs to rinse. I consider how much colour will suit her features and what level of glow will look the most natural.
But beneath all those technical decisions sits one simple goal. I want her to walk out feeling like the best version of herself.
The greatest compliment a client can receive is not, "Your spray tan looks amazing."
It is, "You look fantastic."
A beautiful spray tan should never be the first thing people notice. Instead, they should notice healthy-looking skin, a natural glow and a sense of confidence. To me, that is what spray tanning has always been about. It is a little holiday for your skin, fitted into a thirty-minute appointment.
Why The Old Stereotype Does Not Fit Anymore
I suspect the phrase "fake tan" comes from another era. An era of orange palms, dark wrists, streaky ankles and products that often looked heavy or unnatural on the skin.
When I first entered the beauty industry, some of those products were exactly what we had available. I understand why many people developed concerns about spray tanning. The results were not always predictable and sometimes the colour looked obvious.
Thankfully, professional spray tanning has evolved enormously over the years. The solutions available today are far more sophisticated, allowing colour to be customised according to skin tone, undertone and personal preference. When applied correctly, a modern spray tan should blend beautifully with your natural colouring and enhance your appearance without looking artificial.
Most people will not look at you and think, "She has had a spray tan."
They will simply think you look healthy, fresh and glowing.
It Is Still You
This is perhaps the biggest reason I dislike the term fake tan.
A spray tan does not change who you are. It does not change your body, your features or your identity. It simply adds warmth and colour to the skin in much the same way a fresh haircut, flattering outfit or touch of makeup enhances your appearance.
You are still you.
The freckles are still there. Your smile is still the same. Your personality has not changed. The only difference is that your skin has a little more warmth and radiance than it did before.
For many women, that subtle change brings a surprising boost in confidence. They stand a little taller, feel more comfortable in their clothes and enjoy seeing a healthy glow reflected back in the mirror.
There is nothing fake about that feeling.
What I Wish We Called It Instead
If I could remove the phrase "fake tan" from our vocabulary, I probably would.
I would call it a spray tan, a sunless tan or simply a tan. Because when it is applied properly and customised to suit your individual skin tone, there is nothing fake about it.
It is still your skin.
Still your colour.
Still your confidence.
The method may be different from lying in the sun, but the outcome is remarkably similar. You feel brighter, healthier and more comfortable in your own skin.
And after more than 20 years of spray tanning women across Melbourne, that feeling is what keeps my clients returning. Not because they want to look fake.
Because they want to look like themselves on their very best day.
Looking For A Natural Spray Tan In Melbourne?
At Spray Tan Queen, every spray tan is customised to your skin tone, your event and your desired result. Whether you are preparing for a wedding, holiday, photoshoot or special occasion, my goal is always to create natural-looking colour that enhances your skin rather than hides it.
Because the best spray tan in Melbourne should never look fake.
It should simply look like you.
If you are ready to book, I would love to have you in the studio. Let's find the perfect shade for you and get your glow sorted.
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