Best Spray Tan Tent - SunSpray By Kathryn

Spray Tanning Tent Buying Guide

Welcome to the section of my blog where I review what spray tan equipment I currently use or have used in the past in my spray tan business. I give you my professional opinion as a working spray tan artist in a high volume shop.

The features I like or don’t like.

I hope that these reviews will help you in your search for the best spray tan equipment for your business, giving you a system that you can work off of for all future shopping.

And because shopping for new toys is FUN!

The complete guide to choosing the best spray tan tent sunspray blog

This post contains affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may make a commission. Read my full disclosure here.

Hi, I’m Kathryn owner at SunSpray by Kathryn and if we haven’t met before and you would like to get to know me a little bit and check out who I am and what I do…..(Answer: Lots of spray tans!!!!) Then head over to my about page so we can get to know each other better.

Already know all about me and are ready to dive in, then skip down to get into the details!!

How To Start A Spray Tan Business

If you are just starting your spray tan business and are not sure what spray tan equipment you need or what features you are shopping for, no worries, I have you covered.

Start here on my How to choose the best spray tan equipment page where I walk you through EXACTLY what features you should be looking for in your new spray tan equipment.

This will get you up to speed on how the basics work and then you will have the confidence to make an educated choice.

My Spray Tan Equipment Reviews:

Today we are talking about spray tan TENTS and how to find the best one for your business.

What Your Spray Tan Tent Does

A spray tan tent is a pop-up tent that helps to contain the overspray from your spray tan gun when you are applying the spray tan solution to your clients’ skin.

Your client stands inside of the tent while you are applying their tan. The 3 sides of the tent capture the overspray not letting it float all over the room you are spraying in.

The tent also provides your client with a bit of privacy.

If you have your equipment set correctly and are using a top-quality spray tan gun then there should be minimal overspray. But there is always some extra spray tan solution that isn’t hitting the body and floats around the room a bit.

We really want to contain this as much as possible so there is less clean up.

If you are a mobile spray tanning business and going into people’s homes or offices, it requires a good quality spray tan tent to make sure any overspray is kept off of your clients’ floors, walls or furniture.

The same holds true if you are using your spray tan equipment for spraying at your own home. You don’t want any extra spray tan solution to end up covering your things.

Spray Tan Tent Features

A spray tan tent is made out of polyester/nylon material with a flexible wire frame that holds it up.

They come in different sizes and different levels of quality.
Some have an opening in the back for an extraction fan.
Most have a clear top to let in extra light making it easier to see where you are spraying.
Come with a carrying bag
Are available in different colors — the most popular being black, brown and hot pink
There are accessories available for your spray tan tents such as extraction fans and lighting

Cheap Spray Tan Tent

When you are purchasing your spray tan equipment buying quality is always important. You want to invest in items that are going to last and perform well. I have had several spray tan tents in my long career as a spray tan artist and business owner. Some of them have been great and others have fallen apart within a few uses.

Cheap spray tan tents have issues with:

Being flimsy-when you spray they move with the air of your spray tan gun and sway back and forth so that you have to hold onto the side so they don’t hit your clients’ skin and mess up their still wet tan.
Having poorly sewn seams-since most spray tan tents are made from a nylon type of material it is easy for the seams to pull apart and fray. This makes for holes in the tent not keeping the overspray from your spray gun contained.
Low-quality zippers-many spray tan tents have a zippered flap in the back of the tent for an extraction fan. This is a fan that helps to pull the spray tan solution overspray into a filter further keeping your space clean. If the zipper is of poor quality it will break and not seal properly leaving the back of the tent open for the spray tan mist to go through.
Weak wire supports-the wireframing is a flexible wire that can coil to fold up the tent but also has to be strong enough to keep the tent upright while it is in use. It the wire is too thin it will bend and kink and also not support the tent properly so that you can spray without helping to secure the tent upright.
Thin fabric-if the fabric of the spray tan tent is too cheaply made it can rip and split. The fabric that is used to make the spray tan tents is not the type of fabric that you can sew the edges together and create a thin seam. Once it rips the tent is no longer any good.
Stains –low-quality fabric also tends to stain and look horrible after a short time. You want to make sure that your spray tan tent looks appealing for your client to want to step into it.

Sizes Spray Tan Tents Come In

Spray tan tents do come in different sizes.

There are small ones that are easy to travel with the standard tents that can be easily portable but are large enough to be comfortable and the extra-large spray tan tents that would be more appropriate to stay in a room set up permanently in a salon or spa situation.

Spray Tan Tent Amazon

Shop this spray tan tent on Amazon

The tent is 4 X 4 and 6 1/2 feet tall.
Folds compactly and comes with a carrying bag.
Has a logo imprinted on it
Extraction fan opening in the rear

I like the bronze coloring (similar to the color of the tanning solution overspray) so it won’t show as quickly if the walls start to get a little dirty. As spray tan business owners we are always trying to keep our spray environment looking it top condition to give our customers a great experience, so I do always consider how things will start to look after use.

Norvell Spray Tan Tent

Shop this Norvell spray tan tent on Amazon

The Norvell Spray Tanning Tent is ideal for Home, Spa or Mobile spray tanning.

Extra Large Size
4′ 4″ feet wide x 4 feet deep and 7′ 2″ high
Made of durable nylon
Weighs approximately 8 pounds
Clear windows for maximum lighting
Rear opening for Overspray Reduction Fan
Heavy-duty vinyl bottom protects the floor from overspray

The light color on this spray tan tent makes it easier to see when you are spraying. Add a light kit (listed down below) and it will be really easy to see your client and give them a great spray tan.

Extra Large Spray Tan Tent

Shop this spray tan tent on Amazon

Extra large size
Folds compactly and comes with a travel bag
NO logo on the tent itself which is a nice feature for your personal branding
Opening for extraction fan in the rear
Comes in black, bronze and hot pink

I love how this tent does NOT have a spray tan manufacturing logo on it. It will fit in nicely with a glam beauty decor or a more serene organic look depending on your spray tan business vibe and what color you choose.

Spray Tanning Wall Hanging Backdrop Tent

Shop this spray tan backdrop on Amazon

This is a curtain style of spray tanning backdrop. It’s less bulky than a spray tanning tent and more open to your client. Which is very nice. But you will have to be more careful about where the overspray is going. I would NOT use this style of a backdrop for mobile tanning.

Curtain measures 7 ft 10 in by 4 ft with a 3 ft 4 in half oval base.
Folds compactly
12 in carrying bag, under 2 lbs.
Easy setup
Included mounting clips or hook it to a shower curtain.
Rear extraction fan opening: 28″ by 20″ zippered opening

Spray Tan Tent Lighting

Even though the tops of most spray tan tents are clear to let the light in most spray tan tents are very dark inside making it hard to see what you are doing.

Being able to see clearly what you are doing when you are spraying your client is critical to providing a good spray tan!

Here are a couple of great options for lighting the interior of your spray tan tent.

Clip-On Light For Spray Tanning

This is a small lightweight option for clip-on lighting in your spray tan tent.

Rechargeable Clip-on Light

Shop this clip-on light on Amazon

I love this little light. It’s lightweight flexible and rechargeable!! Really important when you are doing a spray tan party and need your light source to last for hours. Two of these adjustable lights clipped on either side of your tent where you can position them to see exactly where you need is so helpful. Perfect fix to illuminate a dark spray tan tent.

LED Lights For Your Spray Tan Tent

A super easy and effective fix for lighting your spray tan tent are LED lighting strips.

My friend Susan over at Bronze Mobile Spray Tanning made a video on exactly how she did this.

This project will work with any brand of spray tan tent

These are the products you will need for this easy project:

1 Inch Self Adhesive Hook and Loop – 5 Yard Set – Black Sticky Back Tape Fastener

Waterproof LED Strip Lights 16.4 feet long

Surface Cleaner Alcohol Wipes

Wipe the spray tan tent with the alcohol wipes to remove all oils and residue. Then adhere the velcro tape to the inside edge of the tent opening. Then stick the LED lighting to the velcro. This allows you to remove the light strip for washing of your spray tan tent when you need to.

Check out Susan’s video for all the details and to see how well this works to light the interior of your spray tan tent.

Thanks, Susan for sharing your genius idea with us!!!

Spray Tan Tent And Machine

Often spray tan equipment comes in a kit with the tanning tent included. This is a nice way to get started as all the basic pieces are already bundled together for you. After you get started with your business you may find that you need an extra tent to keep in your car for mobile or travel. You can always order one separately. Check out the spray tan equipment kit below for a great complete option to get started with your spray tan business.

Spray Tan Kit Amazon

Spray Tan Kit Machine and Tent Combo Amazon Link

Shop this spray tan tent and machine on Amazon

Tent size 4 X 4 X 7
Folds compactly and comes with a carrying case
20 x 20 velcro extraction fan opening in the rear
NO logo on the tent
Comes in bronze, black and hot pink
Paired with the Maxi Mist Lite Plus

I love this spray tan tent and machine pairing. The Maxi Mist Lite Plus is a GREAT spray tan machine to get you started in your spray tan business or for a lightweight mobile option. Check out below a little bit about the spray tan machine specs:

Designed for light salon or mobile use – 10 + uses a day
Beginner friendly, easy to use, virtually clog-free design
1 Spray head with three 5 oz cups, 2 lids
Powerful 300 watts single-stage turbine, 75 DB
Perfect for mobile use at 5 lbs weight
CE, EU, ECAL Certifications
6.5 ft air hose
On-Board Spray Gun Storage
Spare parts kit and Spray Tan Solution package included
Detailed Instruction Manual, and Maximist Tech Support access

If you haven’t checked out my reviews on the MaxiMist line of spray tan equipment products yet, then you will want to click through on the links below. If you are just getting started researching products for your spray tan business then head over to my equipment page to read up on ALL the details to consider when choosing the best spray tan equipment for your new business.

Related Articles:

How To Clean A Popup Spray Tan Tent

Cleaning a spray tan tent can be a challenge as the fabric is thin and sometimes the spray tan solution really gets into the fabric making it look very dirty. Also, the floor of the tent will get covered with a layer of spray tan solution.

This is not something that your clients are going to want to stand in. And honestly, it’s a safety issue. Spray tan solution can be very slippery when on tile or other slick surfaces such as the heavy bottom of your spray tan tent.

Cleaning Your Tent In Between Clients

To clean your spray tan tent in between clients you can use a mild cleanser (NOT BLEACH BASED) to spray and wipe the inside of your tent down.

Especially the floor of the spray tan tent. No one wants crazy feet from walking in old spray tan solution on the floor of your tent and you DON’T want anyone to slip.

PRO TIP: Remember to have a fresh towel for each client to stand on while you are spraying them. This keeps their feet off the floor of your spray tan tent (no crazy feet), gives them a clean spot to stand (which they will appreciate) and lets you pop the towel into the washing machine easily (which you will appreciate)

How to clean a spray tan tent sunspray blog

Best Way To Clean A Spray Tan Tent

Sometimes you really need to deep clean your spray tan tent. The spray tan solution can soak into the nylon fabric and wiping it out is not going to remove it.

If this has happened to your tanning tent you can do what I do several times a year and take your tent outside on a nice day and give it a gentle bath with the hose and some mild cleanser.

I use the rain or gentle hose setting so that I am not putting pressure on the wet fabric of my tent and take a soft cloth or sponge and wipe out all the sunless tanning overspray.

Give the tent a good rinse so there is no soap left in the fabric and let the sun dry it off before you bring it inside again.

This really gets all the old tanning solution out of the fabric and off the clear plastic so that it doesn’t stain and discolor the tent.

Then I am good to go for a while with just wiping the floor down in between client sessions.

How To Put Down A Pop Up Spray Tan Tent

Figuring out how to fold your spray tan tent back up, when you first get it, can be quite a challenge and they all have their little quirks. But once you practice a few times it will be super easy and you will be popping your tanning tent up and down with ease.

Thank goodness we have YouTube now and lots of great videos on how to fold up your spray tan tent!

Here is a really simple one.

I understand your frustration with dismantling your spray tan tent. I had my own struggles getting mine back in the bag when I first got it. Just remember that there are plenty of great tutorials out there and that you can always look up how to fold a spray tan tent up if you forget.

I hope this was helpful information for you to consider when you are shopping for either your first spray tan tent or a new one for your business or home use.

Please keep in mind that I am NOT a spray tan equipment distributor nor am I trying to sell you on any brand. This is how I evaluate each piece of equipment before I purchase it and bring it onboard into my busy sunless tanning business. Equipment, solution and retail products that are listed come with my personal opinion as a spray tan business owner: the good, the bad and the ugly. You must evaluate what is going to work best for your business.

As a small business owner, I can’t stock all the amazing products that are available in the world of sunless tanning but I can give you my professional opinion.

Spray Tan Business Pros:

Do you have a mobile spray tanning business, home-based spray tan business, or are you looking to start one? Then check out my tools of the trade area of this website for help in setting up your own airbrush spray tanning business.

Professional advice on choosing the best spray tan equipment
Spray tan equipment and product reviews
Spray tanning business resources to help you learn and gro
Wholesale self-tanning mousse

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kathrynannswope

Hi, I'm Kathryn! I'm here to help you have the best spray tan experience possible. I spend my days creating beautiful sunless tans in my Northwest Ohio spray tan studio and sharing everything I know about how to get the perfect spray tan and how to build a boutique spray tan business here on my spray tan blog.