Xtan Sunless Care Guide 2026: Prep, Rinse and Aftercare Steps for a Longer-Looking Tan

The tan looked perfect when you left the tent. Then came the first rinse, a scrub with the wrong body wash, a towel rubbed a little too hard, and by day four your elbows and ankles were telling a patchy story. Most spray tans don't fail in the booth. They fail in the 48 hours either side of it.

Xtan Sunless, the Temecula, California brand behind the Obsidian and Bronzite solutions, sells a full prep-and-aftercare line and prints step-by-step directions on every product page. GlowTrials collected those instructions in October 2026 and arranged them in the order you'd actually use them, from scrubbing off the old tan to washing your mitt afterward.

Step 1: Clear the Canvas (the Day Before)

Lift the old tan with Remover Spray

Xtan's directions: shake the bottle, spray the Remover directly onto the tanned area, wait 2 to 3 minutes (or 5 for stubborn areas), then wipe with a damp cloth or the X-Tan Remover Glove in circular motions. Repeat as needed and rinse with warm water. The brand lists white lily, white peony, hyaluronic acid, Kakadu plum and green tea among its key ingredients.

Buff with the mitt or glove

The Moroccan Exfoliating Mitt is a natural-fiber mitt with a no-slip wristband. Use it in the shower on wet skin, rubbing in upward circular motions, and go over elbows, knees and ankles until the old tan is gone. The Remover Glove works the same way, with firm upward motions and extra time on elbows, knees and feet. Xtan says not to use either on open cuts or wounds.

Step 2: Prep the Skin (Right Before Spraying)

Stardust Prep Spray

Xtan calls this a pH-balancing pre-tan step, with witch hazel, aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, panthenol and wheat amino acids as key actives. Lightly shake the bottle, then mist it over the entire body immediately before the tanning solution or self-tanner, holding a steady, even distance. If it looks visibly wet on the skin, dab gently with a clean towel and press it in; otherwise let it dry fully before tanning. It can go on with an HVLP gun or a spray bottle.

Protect Barrier Cream

The barrier cream stops dry and problem areas from soaking up too much color. Pump a dime-sized amount onto the hands and apply it to palms, nails, toenails, elbows, knees, heels, sun spots, darker stretch marks and any dry patches. After the spray tan, wipe it off the palms, nails and toenails only, and leave it everywhere else until the first rinse. It's for external use only.

Shop Xtan Prep and Aftercare →

Step 3: Finish While the Tan Is Fresh

Fix drips with the Blending Brush

The dual-head Blending Brush has a sponge head for dabbing and a brush head for broader strokes. Use it during or right after application to correct drips and streaks. For a stubborn spot, Xtan suggests a light spray of Remover, a 3 to 5 second wait, then blotting with the sponge head to lift the excess and blend.

Set with Manifesting Powder

This talc-free finishing powder, made with arrowroot and tapioca starch, is meant to cut tackiness. Let the skin settle for 1 to 2 minutes after tanning, then sweep the powder on with the Blending Brush, focusing on the underarms, inner thighs, backs of the knees and under the glutes.

Mist on Stardust Post-Tan Seal

Apply it immediately after the spray tan with a clean HVLP gun or spray bottle, as an even mist over the whole body, held 6 to 8 inches from the skin. Let it dry naturally, and don't rub or pat. Key ingredients include aloe, jojoba oil, meadowfoam seed oil, Kakadu plum, vitamin E and caffeine.

The Xtan Care Kit at a Glance

Four products from the routine above, with the prices we saw in October 2026.

Prices change often; the brand's site always shows the current price.

Step 4: Time the First Rinse

The single most important aftercare decision is when the first warm rinse happens, and Xtan's solutions differ a lot:

Product	DHA / base	Rinse timing	Full development
Obsidian X Dark/Rapid	14%, cool violet	2 h light, 4 h medium, 6 h dark, 8 h+ very dark	24 hours
Bronzite Rapid	Up to 14%, neutral brown	2 h light, 3 h medium, 4 h dark	24 hours
Bronzite Medium	9%, neutral brown	8 hours, as the brand advises	48 hours
Sunless Tanning Mousse (7 oz)	Brown base	8 hours or more for medium to dark	Gradual

Ask your artist which solution they used, and set a phone alarm for the rinse.

Step 5: Everyday Care Until the Next Appointment

Sunless Safe Body Wash

Xtan's 8 oz body wash is formulated to cleanse without stripping a sunless tan, and the brand lists hyaluronic acid, aloe, cucumber extract, willow bark extract and vitamins A, B6, C, D3 and E. Use a small amount in your hand or on a soft, non-abrasive wash towel, lather, and rinse thoroughly. It's sold at $22 for one bottle.

Sunless Safe Shimmer Body Lotion

An 8 oz shimmer lotion ($19.99) you can wear alone, layer over a spray tan or mix with your solution for extra glow. The brand lists it as paraben-free, cruelty-free and suitable for all skin tones.

See Today's Xtan Sunless Offers →

Step 6: Look After the Tools

• Moroccan Mitt and Remover Glove: machine wash with a gentle detergent after each use and air dry only. The brand notes new gloves may show marks from packaging.
• Self Tanning Mitt: velour outside with a waterproof inner lining; wash it after each use.
• Blending Brush: clean with gentle soap and water after each use, and artists should disinfect it between clients.
• Solutions: the Bronzite pages say to store them at room temperature away from direct sunlight.
• Cordless Airbrush Gun: don't leave solution in the cup longer than needed, and run gun cleaner through after each use rather than taking it apart.

Before You Buy

Xtan's refund policy allows returns of unused, unopened items within 7 days of delivery, minus a 20% restocking fee and shipping, and sale items can't be refunded. Products unsealed after delivery can't come back for hygiene reasons, so buy prep and aftercare sizes you'll use. Code SHIPFREE gives free US ground shipping on orders of $300 or more, excluding equipment and bundled packages.

The Bottom Line

A longer-looking tan comes down to a short, repeatable routine: remove and exfoliate the day before, prep and protect right before, seal and powder right after, rinse on time, then wash gently. Xtan sells a product for every one of those steps and spells out how to use each. Start with the mitt, prep spray and seal, and check our Xtan Sunless deals page before you order.

How we wrote this: GlowTrials researched Xtan Sunless using its official website, product directions, ingredient lists, prices and published policies in October 2026. We haven't personally tested these products. We describe how the brand says to use each product, not what it does for your skin. We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you.