Tanning in Athens, TN
No beds here. Sunless only.
If you searched for a tanning bed in Athens, this is not that. Shea Cook Beauty is a sunless studio: every tan is hand-blended and sprayed on, with no UV. Here is the honest comparison so you can decide which one you actually want.
Side by side
Bed versus spray
Most people looking for a bed are really looking for color before something specific: a wedding, a beach trip, a set of photos. The question is which route gets you there.
How fast is it?
- Tanning bed
- Several sessions across a week or two before the color shows.
- Custom spray tan
- One 30 minute appointment. Color is there when you rinse.
What does it cost?
- Tanning bed
- A monthly membership, whether or not you go.
- Custom spray tan
- $25 to $45 per tan, paid in person, nothing recurring.
How long does it last?
- Tanning bed
- Fades gradually, but needs repeat sessions to hold.
- Custom spray tan
- 7 to 10 days from one appointment with good aftercare.
What about UV?
- Tanning bed
- UV exposure every session.
- Custom spray tan
- None. The color comes from solution on the surface of the skin.
Can I control the shade?
- Tanning bed
- Roughly, by session length.
- Custom spray tan
- Directly. Each tan is hand-blended to your skin tone.
A bed is the better fit if you want a slow base you top up all year and you do not mind the UV. A spray is the better fit if you want a specific shade on a specific date, or you would rather not tan under a lamp at all.
What a session looks like
Thirty minutes, once
You come to the studio in loose dark clothing with no lotion, deodorant, or makeup on. I mix the solution to your skin tone, spray by hand so the color lands evenly, and you leave. Depending on the formula you rinse anywhere from twenty minutes later to the next morning. There is no membership and no second visit needed to see the result.
Studio hours are weekday evenings, which is deliberate: it means you can come after work and rinse before bed.
Common questions
What people ask first
- Do you have tanning beds in Athens?
- No. Shea Cook Beauty is a sunless studio. Every tan here is a custom spray tan applied by hand, with no UV involved. If a bed is what you are after, you will want one of the tanning salons in town instead.
- Is a spray tan cheaper than a tanning bed membership?
- Usually, unless you tan constantly. A custom tan is $25, rapid is $35, and express is $45, each paid once at the appointment. A monthly bed membership bills whether or not you go, so a couple of tans a month is often the break-even point.
- Will a spray tan look orange?
- Not when the formula is matched to your skin. Orange comes from a solution that is too dark or too warm for the person wearing it. Each tan here is blended for your tone, which is the whole reason it is done by hand rather than in a booth.
- How soon before an event should I come in?
- Two to three days ahead. That gives the color time to settle into its true tone, so what you see in the mirror the morning of is what shows up in photographs.
- I already have a base tan. Can I still get sprayed?
- Yes. A lot of clients move over from beds and want to keep the depth they already have. Tell me at the appointment and I will adjust the blend so the spray reads as a continuation rather than a new color on top.
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