Can You Wear Fake Tan in a Hot Tub?

Want to keep your fake tan looking flawless while enjoying a hot tub? Hot water, bubbles, and chemicals can quickly ruin your glow. 

But don’t worry, you can still protect your tan with a few smart steps. Read on to discover how to enjoy your soak without losing that sun-kissed, radiant look.

• Wait Before Soaking: Give your fake tan at least 24 hours to develop before entering a hot tub.
  
  

• Keep Sessions Short: Limit hot tub soaks to 10–15 minutes to prevent fading and patchiness.
  
  

• Rinse and Moisturize: Rinse before entering and moisturize afterward to protect your tan and keep skin smooth.
  
  

• Avoid Harsh Chemicals and Jets: Chlorine, bromine, and strong bubbles can strip color quickly.
  
  

• Pat Dry, Don’t Rub: Gently pat skin dry to maintain even color and prolong your tan.

You should not wear fake tan in a hot tub, as the heat, jets, and chlorine quickly strip the color, causing fading, patchiness, and water discoloration. 

It can also damage the tub’s chemical balance. Wait 24 hours after tanning and limit soaking to 10–15 minutes.

Hot tubs can cause fake tans to fade and become patchy due to heat and chemicals like chlorine or bromine breaking down DHA. 

The hot water softens skin, speeding up shedding, while chemicals strip oils. Limit soaking, rinse off afterward, and moisturize to preserve your tan.

Moisturizing keeps your fake tan smooth and prevents patchiness. Dry skin can make a tan fade faster, so use a hydrating, non-oily lotion once or twice a day. Consistent moisturizing also prevents peeling and uneven fading from hot water.

Rinsing your body before entering a hot tub protects your fake tan by removing sweat, oils, and lotions that can cause uneven fading. 

A one- to two-minute lukewarm rinse is enough to prep your skin and reduce the risk of streaks or dull patches.

Long hot tub sessions can fade a fake tan because heat and water break down the color. A safe soak is 10–15 minutes. 

Shorter sessions prevent uneven fading, so multiple brief dips are better than one long soak. Even 30 minutes can dull your tan.

Hot tub chemicals like chlorine and bromine can quickly fade a fake tan by breaking down the color. 

Strong jets and bubbles can also cause streaks. Some hot tubs use milder, low-chlorine options, but chemicals combined with bubbles still accelerate fading. To protect your tan, limit time in treated water or rinse off immediately afterward.

After a hot tub, pat your skin dry instead of rubbing. Rubbing can remove layers of fake tan and cause streaks. 

Use a soft microfiber towel and avoid pressing too hard to keep your color even and prolong your tan.

After soaking, uneven areas can be fixed with a touch-up product or gradual tanner. Apply gently with a mitt, focusing on lighter spots and blending the edges for a smooth finish. Wait a few hours before showering to let the product set.

Frequent hot tub use can drastically shorten a fake tan’s lifespan to just a few days. Heat, chlorine, and moisture strip tanned skin cells, causing patchy fading. 

To protect your tan, limit time in the tub, moisturize well, apply waterproof sunscreen, and pat skin dry afterward.

Fake tan can stain hot tubs, leaving brown residue along the waterline, clouding water, and clogging filters. 

Heat and chemicals strip the tan from skin, transferring it to surfaces. To prevent damage, shower beforehand, maintain water balance, clean regularly, and avoid prolonged soaks.

Yes, a fake tan will come off in a hot tub because heat, jets, and chemicals like chlorine accelerate skin cell shedding, break down the tan formula, and cause streaking. To minimize fading, limit soaking, moisturize, pat dry gently, and wait at least 24 hours before entering.

A spray tan won’t survive a hot tub session, chlorine, heat, and jets quickly break down the color, causing fading and patchiness. To reduce damage, limit time to 10–20 minutes, moisturize before and after, rinse off with fresh water, and avoid hot tubs after a fresh tan.