Prepping for Your Spray Tan: The Ultimate Guide to Glow in Charlotte, North Carolina

So, you're thinking about getting a spray tan, perhaps in the vibrant city of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Well, buckle up because we've got the inside scoop for you!

Today's blog post is a collaboration with the fabulous Holly from No Shade Spray Tanning. We recently had a chit-chat on Instagram Live (check it out here), where she spilled the beans on everything spray tan-related.

Holly's got locations in South Park, Birkdale, Greensboro, and Wilmington – basically, she's got North Carolina covered in a sun-kissed glow.

Why No Shade Spray Tanning?

Now, let's address the elephant in the room – the spray tan industry can be a bit like the Wild West. Anyone can grab a spray tanning machine and call themselves a tan expert. But with Holly's crew, transparency is the name of the game. She lays it all out – realistic results, the solution they use, and the ongoing training her team undergoes to ensure you have the best experience. If you're scouting on social media, look for the proof in the tan – if they're showing the glow you desire, you're on the right track.

Pre-Session Details: Do's and Don'ts

Do Not:

Shower, shave, or exfoliate 24-48 hours prior to your session.

No Shade Spray Tan client

There's a myth floating around that you should shower right before your appointment. Wrong move! Showering right before doesn't allow your pores to fully close, affecting the quality of your spray tan. Hold off on the shower, shave, and exfoliation in that crucial 24-48 hour window.

Post-session Details: Lock in that Glow

Holly's spray tans are like a beauty secret – they're guaranteed to keep you glowing for a solid 7-10 days. But, of course, there are some steps you can take to ensure your tan stays put.

Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize:

Use a sulfate-free moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated. Dry, flaky skin is the enemy of a long-lasting spray tan.

Avoid Shaving and Exfoliating:

Once you're beautifully bronzed, keep the razor away. Shaving and exfoliating can strip away your tan, so let those dead skin cells do their thing naturally.

Sulfate-Free Body Wash:

Your regular body wash may not be your best friend right now. Switch to a sulfate-free option to keep that tan looking fabulous.

Say No to Soaking:

Steer clear of long baths, pools, or hot tubs. Less time in water means more time for your tan to shine.

No Shade Spray Tan Client

Connecting with Holly: Because Your Glow Matters

Want to book your spray tan session?

The best way to connect with Holly and her team is through Instagram or No Shade Spray Tanning's website. Their schedule is conveniently available online, but here's a little secret – if you don't find a timeframe that suits you, reach out! They might just work some magic to fit you into their schedule at any of their service locations.

Ready for that first spray tan? How about getting it at half the price? Use the code "Half Off" and voila – your first spray tan is a steal!

So there you have it – the lowdown on prepping for your spray tan adventure in Charlotte, North Carolina. From the do's and don'ts before your session to post-care tips that'll make your glow last, we've covered it all. Now, go ahead, book that spray tan with Holly and her team!

The Most Popular Bridal Hair & Makeup Package

Discover the Ultimate Bridal Beauty with the Southern Charm 2.0 Package by Alter Image Bridal Hair & Makeup

Your Bridal Dreams, Our Expertise: A Bridal Beauty Tale

Welcome, lovely brides-to-be! Your wedding day is approaching, and the excitement is palpable. We understand the whirlwind of emotions you're experiencing as you prepare for this special day. You deserve to feel like the best version of yourself when you walk down the aisle, and that's where we step in - your trusted bridal beauty team, Alter Image Bridal Hair & Makeup.

Tailored Bridal Beauty - Because You Deserve Perfection

Every bride is unique, and we believe your bridal look should mirror your individuality and personal style. Enter our signature bridal hair and makeup package, the Southern Charm 2.0, designed to make your bridal dreams a reality. From the trial run to the magical wedding day, we've got your back, ensuring you radiate beauty and confidence.

A Deeper Dive into the Southern Charm 2.0 Package

The Trial Run Experience - Bringing Your Vision to Life

• Comprehensive Bridal Beauty Planning: Picture a meticulous bridal beauty planning process, guided by a 2-hour trial run led by your dedicated wedding day artist.

• Hair Styling Flexibility: We believe your hair should express your essence, offering various styling options: Up, Half Up, or All Down (hair extensions purchased by you).

• Makeup Artistry: Revel in a full makeup application using Airbrush or Traditional techniques, complemented by false lashes, a gift from us to you.

• Multiple Looks, Maximum Confidence: Experiment with up to two hair looks during your trial, enabling you to discover your perfect bridal style.

Pinterest bridal hair inspo

Past Alter-Image bride during her trial run

The Wedding Day Experience - Where Magic Meets Reality

• Flawless Bridal Look: Your wedding day is the grand finale, and we're here to ensure you look nothing short of spectacular with full hair styling and makeup application that stays true to you.

• Seamless Hair Extensions: If you desire, expert integration of hair extensions (provided by you) to achieve your desired bridal hairstyle.

• Radiance All Day: Benefit from 30 minutes of complimentary touch-up services, maintaining your glow and radiance throughout your special day.

• A Subtle Glow: Enjoy a complimentary body glow application, accentuating your shoulders and chest, adding a subtle yet alluring shimmer to your bridal beauty.

• Effortless Planning, Effortless Day: Receive a detailed hair and makeup timeline, shared with your planner and photographer, ensuring a seamless and stress-free experience.

Bridal Party Additions - Because Everyone Deserves to Shine

For a complete bridal party experience, enhance the beauty of your entourage by adding additional hair and makeup services seamlessly to this comprehensive package.

Your Picture-Perfect Wedding Day Awaits

At Alter Image Bridal Hair & Makeup, we understand the importance of your wedding day. Our mission is to craft an unforgettable bridal experience that exceeds your expectations, giving life to your bridal vision. Our skilled professionals are dedicated to bringing out your natural beauty while adding a touch of sophistication and a sprinkle of sass for that extra confidence boost.

Discover Our Sought-After Locations

• Charleston, SC: The epitome of Southern charm and elegance.

• Charlotte, NC: Where modern beauty meets classic allure.

• Raleigh, NC: A blend of urban chic and timeless romance.

• Winston Salem, NC: The perfect marriage of history and contemporary style.

Act Swiftly - Dates Are in High Demand!

Embark on this bridal beauty journey with Alter Image Bridal Hair & Makeup. Our calendar is filling up fast, and availability is limited. Don't miss out on the opportunity to secure your date for a bridal

transformation that will leave you breathless.

Professional Photos by Kate Dye Photography

Your Dream Bridal Look Awaits -

Wedding at the Separk Mansion (On location Set Up)

What to Expect When Working with Our On-Location Bridal Hair & Makeup Team

You’re newly engaged and the search for your perfect hair and makeup artists has led you to us!

Your vision of a natural glam that leaves you feeling like an extra beautiful and confident version of yourself aligns perfectly with our signature style. Our signature natural glam approach is especially perfect for the bride who isn’t typically a makeup wearer but is looking to be a slightly elevated version of themself.

Fortunately for our brides who are more comfortable/familiar with a slightly more glamorous approach, we won’t shy away from you! We see you and have our contour and lashes ready!

We customize your look based on your own personal preference, so you can rest assured you won’t be walking down the aisle with something you’re unsatisfied with. 

Keep reading to see how it works!

Connection is Key!

The connection between us and our brides is most important to us especially since  Alter-Image Bridal Hair and Makeup Inc is a boutique-style agency which means we only work with and spoil less than 65 brides per year.

We prioritize your client experience because you deserve it! Instead of making our brides feel as if they are like another number on our client roster!

The Inquiry Stage

Once you submit your wedding details our office staff checks availability to ensure that your date is available with our team before we move, forward in chatting more about your wedding day details.

Once we’ve confirmed the artist(s) for your date we take you through the process of creating a sample proposal for you to view an estimated total for services based upon your personal needs for both you and your bridal party!

Building the Connection

Once your date has been confirmed within our system and a proposal has been sent through our client communication platform, we then invite you to connect via email, video, or phone communication based on your personal preference to chat about your vision for your big day!

Client Review - Sarah H.

“We had a video chat prior to the wedding to talk specifics about hair and makeup, which was great. On the day of, Jasmine was right on time, extremely professional, and an absolute pleasure to work with. Everyone felt pampered and beautiful! I couldn’t have been happier with my hair and make-up on the big day!”

The Online Booking Process

Since our company only works with a handful of brides per year dates are extremely limited and are on a first come first serve as we can not hold any dates without our

• 1. Alter-Image Bridal Agreement signed

• 2. Holding Retainer

Which officially takes your wedding date off of the market from other brides to book, meaning your date is secured!

Client Onboarding Process

We’ve broken down our check-in period to 3-4 times so that you only heard from us when you need to!

And 1 Month before the big day…

We’ve simplified the process because while you juggle your everyday life during the wedding planning process, we want to make sure that both you and your fiancé remember your engagement period and to be as peaceful as we can help it be by taking the hard work off of your plate.

CLIENT REVIEW RHIANNA J.

“Jasmine is amazing. She has been so responsive and accommodating throughout the entire process - including having to reserve a “backup” date with everyone going on right now. My trial run was fantastic and I’m so confident in having her do my hair and makeup for the actual wedding day!”

The Wedding Day

About a month and a half before your big day is when you can expect to see your wedding day timeline.

Our Owner and Lead Bridal Beauty Coordinator has been working in the bridal beauty field since 2013 and has worked and assisted on over 1,000 weddings and timelines are an absolute must to ensure that your wedding goes smoothly without any hiccups.

COMPLIMENTARY GETTING READY TIMELINE

We already know how stressful it can be to round up a group of ladies in one run for hair and makeup services, so we do it for you!

Our on-location bridal hairstylist(s) and makeup artist(s) travel to where ever it is that you are getting ready on the day of the wedding as well as your trial run for extra convenience

(so no worries about getting stuck in traffic!)

Or having to have to sit around for hours and hours to get your hair and makeup done. That’s why we have a team to move services along promptly)

CLIENT REVIEW KELLY H.

“Not only did they make my bridesmaids and I look beautiful for my wedding, but they did our hair and makeup in a timely manner and were able to accommodate a few additional services (sister-in-law, Mother's) with time to spare! These girls are extremely professional. They arrived at the house on the minute that they said they would and had the most impressive glam set-up”

Also, our bridal hair and makeup artist(s) on team Alter-Image are all professionals who hold a current state license with the board of cosmetology or Esthetics and take all of the required sanitation procedures necessary to make sure that products and tools are all sanitized and disinfected to protect both our self’s as well as our clients!

Charlotte North Carolina Wedding Photographer Spills Tips on Finding the Perfect Photographer for Your Big Day!

Finding Wedding Vendors in North Carolina

Do you find yourself asking where to start and who to get in contact with during the whirlwind of wedding planning?

In this installment of our bridal and beauty blog series, we’ll chat with professional and Charlotte, NC-based photographer Sthefanie Carriker about essential things to look for and remember when finding wedding vendors.

Guest Sthefanie Carriker

In today's interview, we have Sthefanie Carriker, a wedding photographer based out of Charlotte NC, serving the Southeast. Her couples love classic, colorful and candid portraits, value family relationships, and appreciate details and all the little in-between moments that make up their wedding day.

Photo by Sthefanie Carriker

These tips are meant to help you feel more comfortable and confident when deciding on your wedding vendors.

Use these tips when researching vendors to confidently ask questions and voice your wants/concerns for your wedding day.

Photo by Sthefanie Carriker

Things to Keep in Mind When Booking a Photographer

- Budget

- Look into and be mindful of editing styles

- Look at photographers’ gallery/portfolio

- How long a photographer has been in the industry

- Whether or not film is being used for photos

Research to Do When Researching Your Photographer(s)

- Have a Pinterest board of poses that catch your eye

- Look at activity on IG/social media to see if your styles/personalities mesh well and start connecting

- Read their reviews and don’t just choose a vendor based on their website

Photo by Sthefanie Carriker

These are just a few of the amazing tips received from our guest Sthefanie today, be sure to watch the video above for more tips on what to consider when booking your wedding photographer, and give us a follow on social media!

Click Here To connect with our Guest on Instagram

Self Care And Wedding Planning

Is wedding Planning slightly Stressing You Out?

When it comes to planning out the important details of your big day…finding the perfect wedding vendors, helping create the vision for your day….an making sure that you take care of yourself aside from wedding planning and work things can become a bit stressful to balance it all.

Let our bridal and beauty blog series be your own personal resource (and reminder) to help you stay grounded, mindful, and in the loop when it comes to finding vendors for your big day and take away some gems that you can add into yourself care routine!

Self Care & Wedding planning

In today’s video you’ll hear from Bridal Beauty Team owner Jasmine Jones Havenstrite and bridal team member Shelby share tips on Self Care While Wedding Planning

Guest Shelby Goldstein

Shelby is a bridal hair and makeup artist who is local to the Charleston, SC area and provides on location glam to brides an their bridal party as a member of the Alter-image bridal hair and makeup team.

These tips are meant to help you stay grounded mentally, protect your peace an making sure you take time out to listen to your body.

Use these tips while operating in everyday life & during the planning process of your wedding.

Hair Styling By Shelby

Hair Styling by Shelby

Photographer Sacia Matthews

Hair Styling By shelby

Find a Habit or Routine to treat yourself and unwind

A habit you might want to consider can be based around what goals you have for the wedding day

• Clear an glowing skin

• Strong an healthy hair

• Having more energy for wedding day activities

• Being present and stress-free

  Whatever your goal is find a habit that can also you relax or help you unwind as you work towards the wedding day this might look like

✔️Going to get monthly facials with your esthetician to help your skin care concerns

✔️Or D.I.Y facials at home after a long work day to relax

✔️start a yoga practice to unwind and clear your head of all the thoughts you had throughout the day

✔️Finding a day of the week to fuel yourself with energy boosting meals throughout the day so you avoid your energy crashing mid-day

These are a few tips to help you jump start a mindful way to wedding planning. While also looking and feel amazing during the process

Check out the video above for more juicy tips on self-care, skin care, and different ways to manage your energy. And don’t forget to follow us on social media.