Why Your Clients Turn Orange (And How to Stop Losing Money Over It)
It's not your technique. It's your formula.
You did everything right.
Perfect application. Even coverage. Your client walked out glowing.
Then day two hit. And suddenly they're texting you photos of their orange-tinted arms asking what went wrong.
Here's the truth nobody in this industry wants to say out loud: it's not you. It's your formula.
And until you understand why clients turn orange—and why some formulas can't fix it no matter how good your technique is—you'll keep losing money to callbacks, refunds, and clients who don't come back.
Let's break down the science, call out the industry's lazy formulation, and talk about what actually works.
The Real Reason Tans Turn Orange
Spray tans work through a reaction between DHA (dihydroxyacetone) and the amino acids in your skin. When they interact, they create melanoidins—pigments that darken the skin.
Sounds simple. It's not.
Because here's what most formulas get wrong: DHA doesn't develop the same way on every skin type, tone, or pH level.
And timing? That's where things get tricky.
Here's why your clients turn orange:
1. Overdevelopment (The Silent Killer)
DHA continues to develop as long as it's on the skin. Most formulas hit peak color around 8-10 hours—but if your client showers late, sleeps in the solution, or the formula doesn't have built-in development control, that color keeps going.
And going.
Past peak development, DHA doesn't just get darker. It oxidizes. And oxidized DHA pulls orange.
This is why your client looked perfect at hour 8 and Oompa Loompa by hour 12. The formula couldn't stop itself.
2. Cheap or unstable DHA
Low-quality DHA oxidizes quickly—especially when exposed to heat, light, or time. Oxidized DHA = orange undertones. If your formula uses bargain-bin DHA or doesn't stabilize it properly, you're starting with a losing hand.
Even worse? Unstable DHA doesn't just oxidize in the bottle. It oxidizes on the skin during development. So even if your client showers at the right time, they can still turn orange if the DHA quality is trash.
3. Wrong pH balance
DHA develops differently depending on skin pH. If your formula's pH isn't optimized for a range of skin types, it'll pull warm (orange) on some clients and cool (ashy) on others. One-size-fits-all pH = one-size-fits-nobody results.
4. Lack of color correctors
Quality formulas use violet or green undertones to neutralize the orange that DHA naturally wants to pull. If your solution doesn't have built-in color correction, you're just hoping your client's skin chemistry cooperates. Spoiler: it won't.
5. Inadequate skin prep
Dead skin cells, lotions, oils, and product buildup all interfere with how DHA develops. But even perfect prep won't save you if your formula can't handle normal skin variation.
6. Formulated for light skin only
Most spray tan formulas were designed with lighter skin tones in mind. They assume a specific undertone, a specific pH range, a specific skin texture. Deeper skin tones? Mature skin? Skin with higher oil content? That's where formulas break. And orange happens.
The bottom line: if your formula can't adapt to real skin—and can't control its own development time—your technique doesn't matter.
"But I'm Doing Everything Right"
You are.
You're exfoliating clients. Using barrier cream. Applying evenly. Following every rule the industry taught you.
And your clients are still turning orange.
Because the formula is the problem.
Here's what most spray tan brands won't admit: they're using the same base formulas that have been around for decades. Slightly tweaked. Repackaged. Marketed with new buzzwords.
But fundamentally? Same DHA. Same pH issues. Same lack of color science.
They're not solving the orange problem. They're just hoping you'll blame yourself when it happens.
And you do. You think it's your prep. Your technique. Your timing.
It's not. It's a formulation failure dressed up as user error.
Why Most Brands Don't Fix It
Fixing the orange problem requires:
High-grade, stabilized DHA (expensive)
Advanced pH balancing (complex)
Color-correcting technology (requires actual R&D)
Testing on diverse skin tones (takes time and intention)
Most brands don't want to invest in that. It's easier to:
Slap "premium" on a basic formula
Market to pros who don't know better
Blame technique when clients complain
They profit from your reputation taking the hit.
You're the one fielding angry texts. Offering refunds. Watching clients ghost you because their tan didn't turn out.
Meanwhile, the formula company keeps selling you the same underperforming product with a new label.
What Actually Prevents Orange Tans
Let's talk about what works. Not marketing promises. Actual formulation.
Stable, High-Quality DHA
DHA that's properly stabilized won't oxidize and pull orange over time. It develops true-to-tone from the jump and stays that way through the full wear.
Optimized pH for Diverse Skin
A formula that accounts for varying skin pH levels will develop consistently across clients—not orange on some, ashy on others, perfect on the lucky few.
Built-In Color Correction
Violet and green undertones neutralize the warm pull that DHA naturally creates. Without them, you're relying on luck.
Formulated for Depth First
Deeper skin tones have different undertones, different melanin levels, different surface textures. Formulas that treat them as an afterthought will always fail. You need solutions built with depth as the baseline—not the exception.
Hydration + Skin Barrier Support
DHA develops more evenly on hydrated, healthy skin. Formulas with built-in skin-conditioning ingredients create a better canvas for color development.
Alt Sun has all of this. Most formulas have none of it.
The Cost of Orange Tans (It's Not Just the Refund)
Let's do the math.
One orange tan costs you:
Time spent fielding complaints and rebooking
The cost of a redo (product + labor)
Lost trust with that client
Lost referrals they would've sent your way
The mental energy of wondering if your next client will turn orange too
Now multiply that by every client who doesn't come back. Every artist who switches to a competitor with a better formula. Every Instagram story you didn't get because your work didn't photograph well.
Orange tans don't just cost you one appointment. They cost you your reputation.
And in this industry? Your reputation is everything.
"I've Tried Other 'Premium' Formulas. They All Do the Same Thing."
Because they're all using the same playbook.
Premium packaging. Influencer endorsements. Buzzwords like "organic" and "clean" and "luxury."
But the formulation? Still basic. Still prone to oxidation. Still not built for the full spectrum of skin tones, types, and pH levels you encounter as a working artist.
Alt Sun didn't enter this industry to rebrand the same tired formula.
We built from scratch. For endurance. For depth. For pros who are tired of playing defense every time a client walks out the door.
Our DHA is stabilized to prevent oxidation. Our pH is optimized for range. Our color correction is built in—not an afterthought. And we formulated for deeper skin tones first, so every shade develops true.
Translation: your clients don't turn orange. And you stop losing money over it.
What Changes When You Switch
Here's what artists tell us after they make the switch to Alt Sun:
"I'm not holding my breath anymore."
No more wondering if this client will be the one who texts you on day two with orange arms.
"My clients actually look the same in photos as they do in person."
No more Instagram filters trying to correct what your formula couldn't.
"I'm booking out further because people are referring me."
When your work lasts and looks natural, people talk. And they book.
"I stopped offering refunds for color issues."
Because color issues stopped happening.
"I raised my prices."
When your results are consistent, you can charge what you're actually worth.
That's what happens when your formula can keep up with your talent.
The Formula Your Reputation Deserves
You didn't get into spray tanning to spend half your time explaining why clients turned orange.
You got into it because you're good at it. Because you have an eye for color and contour. Because you can make someone feel like the best version of themselves.
You deserve a formula that matches your skill level.
Alt Sun Solutions:
Stabilized DHA that won't oxidize into orange territory
pH-optimized for consistent results across all skin types
Built-in color correction so you're not fighting warm undertones
Formulated for depth first, so deeper tones develop true—not ashy, not orange
7-10 day wear that fades evenly, not in patches
No callbacks. No refunds. No apologies.
Just work that lasts and clients who keep coming back.
Stop Losing Money to Bad Formulas
Your technique isn't the problem.
Your client's skin isn't the problem.
The formula is the problem.
And the longer you stick with a solution that turns clients orange, the longer you're paying for someone else's lazy formulation with your reputation.
Alt Sun was built by someone who got tired of taking the fall for bad chemistry.
We don't do cheap DHA. We don't cut corners. We don't formulate for one skin tone and hope it works on the rest.
We do endurance. We do credibility. We do results that don't fade—or turn orange—by day three.
Because your clients don't want to turn orange.
And you shouldn't have to keep explaining why they did.
Freedom looks good on you. Endurance makes it last.
— ALT SUN
Ready to stop losing clients to orange tans?
Alt Sun Pro Solutions: Built for endurance. Formulated for every shade. Made for pros who are done playing defense.
