Achieve a gilded, honey-toned glow with tips from beauty guru, Taylia Wheeler.

Figuring out what to do before a photoshoot (let alone a boudoir ‘shoot) can be daunting. And since my inbox is always overflowing with questions and last-minute tanning flusters, I wanted to partner with an expert to put your mind at ease. Rather than stressing to coordinate a spray tan before boudoir shoot, I sat down with beauty guru Taylia Wheeler from Defining Beauty Co, to finesse this tanning bible. It’s a gateway to gilded, honey-toned skin and flawless final photos.

Tanning preparation: what to do before a photoshoot

While sun-kissed skin may adds depth and contrast to your boudoir photos, lounging for hours in the sun isn’t recommended. With the right preparation, fake tan will create the same illusion, shadows and definition without the risk of uneven spots, sunburn or sun damage. Taylia stresses the importance of preparing your skin for a tan, “it’s best to develop a skincare routine which involves regularly exfoliating your body, followed by a nourishing moisturiser–especially on the elbows, feet, hands and knees”.

However, you’ll need to adjust your post-shower rituals in the leadup to your boudoir ‘shoot, if you want to avoid patchiness:

Avoid exfoliating 36 hours before getting a tan
Avoid waxing 48 hours before tanning
Avoid shaving 12 hours before tanning
Skip the moisturisers on the day of your tan–you want a blank canvas.

On the day of your tan

There isn’t much difference between doing it yourself or opting for a spray tan before boudoir shoot. The rules remain the same. On the day you plan to tan, don’t apply any moisturisers, serums or creams to your skin and carve out at least 6-8 hours of doing nothing. No groceries, errands or bustling into a busy work office: the longer you can allow your tan to develop without disrupting it, the more even you will glow.

Post-tan, you’ll want to choose loose clothes in light fabrics to avoid sweating and rubbing. If you’ve tanned later in the day, sleeping in an old doona cover naked or buying a tanzee will save your sheets.

Prolonging your golden glow until ‘shoot day

Once your tan has finished developing (pay close attention to the package instructions, or the directions from your beautician!), you’ll need to have a warm shower to rinse the excess tan off your skin. Avoid all soaps and cleansers. After emerging from the shower, reach for a soft towel and use a gentle, patting motion to dry your skin thoroughly.

To prolong your tans radiance and ensure it fades evenly until ‘shoot day, moisturise morning and night using even strokes. This will keep the colour rich and luminous until you’re in front of the camera lens.

Keen to soak up even more ‘what to do before a photoshoot’ tips and tricks? Opt in to my bi-weekly newsletter, join our exclusive Facebook group overflowing with positivity, divine energy and everything boudoir or step into something beautiful over on Instagram.