Darker Isn’t Always Better: When Does a Spray Tan Become Too Much?
Darker has never been our motto—unless you request it with the utmost assuredness.
After the recent Next Gen NYC reunion, viewers started discussing the cast’s deeply bronzed looks online. Some compared today’s dramatic tanning trends with the noticeably orange spray tans many of us remember from the early 2000s.
You can read some of the ongoing viewer conversation in this Next Gen NYC reunion discussion on Reddit.
And before we go any further: this isn’t about criticizing anyone’s appearance. Everyone gets to decide how they want to look—and a bold, unapologetically dark tan can be gorgeous.
But the conversation does raise an interesting question:
Should the goal of a spray tan always be darker?
At Sunny & Sheer, the answer is simple:
Darker ≠ Better
The best spray tan isn’t necessarily the darkest color your skin can hold.
It’s the color that actually belongs on you.
That means considering more than a shade level. Your natural complexion, undertone, desired depth, upcoming plans and personal comfort all help determine what your custom color should look like.
Some clients want the kind of glow that makes people wonder if they just returned from vacation. Others want unmistakably bronzed color that photographs beautifully. And sometimes, a client wants to go noticeably dark—confidently, intentionally and without apology.
All are welcome here.
Why Going Darker Can Sometimes Work Against the Result
More solution or a higher DHA percentage doesn’t automatically create a better tan. Pushing the color beyond what someone’s skin develops naturally can sometimes create a result that looks oversaturated, uneven or less believable.
Beautiful color comes from choosing the right formula and applying it with intention—not simply reaching for the darkest option available.
That’s why every Sunny & Sheer appointment is customized around:
- Your natural complexion
- Your skin’s undertone
- How easily you typically tan
- The occasion and how you’ll be photographed
- Whether you want subtle, sun-kissed or visibly bronzed color
- How confident you feel wearing the final result
Your Glow Should Still Feel Like You
A spray tan should enhance your complexion—not overpower it.
We want you to leave feeling polished, comfortable and completely yourself. Maybe a little more rested. Maybe recently vacationed. Maybe ready to wear the outfit you almost talked yourself out of.
That is the difference between simply making someone darker and creating color that feels considered.
And if you truly want dark?
Say it with your whole chest. We’ll talk through the result, choose the right formula and create it intentionally.
Because the goal isn’t lighter.
The goal isn’t darker.
The goal is right—for you.