Best Professional Spray Tan Solutions in 2026: DHA by Brand

Quick answer: how to choose a professional spray tan solution

There is no single best professional spray tan solution. You choose by two things: how much DHA the formula has, which sets how deep the color goes, and its undertone, which sets whether the result looks golden, chocolate or orange. Match both to the client's skin, and always test before you commit to a gallon.

One thing to know before you compare brands: only some of them publish a DHA percentage. In October 2026, Sjolie states it on every product page. Norvell, MineTan and ProTan describe their dark formulas without giving a number on the pages we checked. So the comparison table below lists exact percentages only where the maker states them.

What DHA is, and what the FDA says about using it

Every professional spray tan solution is built on dihydroxyacetone (DHA), a color additive that reacts with the outer layer of the skin to darken it. It fades as that layer sheds, over days.

The FDA's rules matter in a booth or a mobile setup, because spray is exactly where they apply:

• DHA is approved for external application to the body.
• It is not permitted for use in the area of the eye.
• The approved use excludes the lips and any surface covered by mucous membrane.
• The FDA says all-over spray use in tanning booths has not been approved, because it is hard to avoid exposure for which DHA is not approved, including inhalation and ingestion.
• It advises clients to request measures to protect their eyes and mucous membranes and prevent inhalation.

In practice: give every client eye protection, lip balm, nose filters or a mask, and a clear instruction to hold their breath while you spray their face. The American Cancer Society also notes that most sunless tanners do not contain sunscreen, so tell clients to keep using it. These are the points to cover in your consultation. Our consultation form guide covers what to ask before any service.

Choosing DHA percentage by skin type

Use the Fitzpatrick scale as a starting framework, then adjust for undertone and the client's history.

• Types I and II (very fair to fair): Start at the low end. Sjolie's lowest professional option is Original N°6 Light at 6% DHA. It also makes a Clear N°9 Medium (9% DHA) with no guide color, which suits a client who wants to see the result only after development.
• Type III (light to medium): The widest group. A 9% to 12% formula covers most of them, and the undertone matters more here than anywhere else.
• Type IV (olive): 12% is a common starting point.
• Types V and VI (dark to deep): Sjolie positions Original N°14 Dark Depth, 14% DHA, for skin types V and VI.

Higher is not automatically better. Too much DHA on fair skin reads orange, and too little on deep skin barely shows, so the percentage is only half the choice. Treat all of the above as advice for where to begin, not a guarantee. The same percentage develops differently between brands, and between clients.

Olive vs violet: the undertone choice

Undertone is the part many pros skip. Sjolie describes the split this way on its product pages:

• Olive undertone (Original line): Suited to cool-toned complexions. Original N°14 is described as built for cool-toned clients who want the deepest color.
• Violet undertone (Luxe line): Made for warm or neutral undertones, with a deep chocolate-brown finish. Luxe N°12 Dark is described for skin types IV and V.

If a tan keeps pulling too warm on a client, try the other undertone before you change the percentage.

Sjolie solutions compared (specs checked October 2026)

These figures come straight from Sjolie's own product pages. The stated development time is 8 hours for standard formulas.

Solution	DHA	Line and undertone	Development and wear
Original N°6 Light	6%	Original, olive	8-hour development
Original N°9 Medium	9%	Original, olive	8-hour development
Original N°12 Dark	12%	Original, olive	8-hour development
Original N°14 Dark Depth	14%	Original, olive	8-hour development, lasts up to 10 days
Luxe N°9 Medium	9%	Luxe, violet	8-hour development
Luxe N°12 Dark	12%	Luxe, violet	8-hour development, up to 7 days
Original Rapid	18%	Original, olive	1 to 5 hour rinse
Luxe Rapid	18%	Luxe, violet	1 to 5 hour rinse
Clear N°9 Medium	9%	Clear, no guide color	8-hour development

The rapid formulas are the strongest on the table at 18%, with a shorter window before the client rinses. They suit event-day and mobile appointments where an overnight development is not possible.

The other brands, and what they publish

Norvell. Its Dark collection page says its professional dark solution "blends a higher concentration of DHA" and delivers classic warm undertones, and that it is a good fit for fairer skin types who want a deep tan. It does not give a percentage. For more depth, Norvell recommends adding its DHA Boost Drops to the solution rather than applying multiple coats.

MineTan. Its Double Dark Pro Spray Mist combines three tan actives: erythrulose, DHA and bronzers. MineTan lists it as lasting 7 to 10 days, with no DHA percentage stated. If a client or a school rule needs an erythrulose-free solution, read the ingredient list first. Sjolie's Luxe N°12 page says its formula is free of erythrulose.

ProTan. ProTan Competition Color is sold for bodybuilding and stage tans. The retailer SprayTanSupplies describes the line as dark competition coatings, and no DHA percentage appeared on the pages we checked. It is a specialty product for athletes under stage lights, not an everyday salon choice.

When a maker does not publish a number, ask your rep for the safety data sheet, read the label, and do a patch test before you tell a client what to expect. A claim like "14% DHA" is only as good as the label it comes from.

Where to buy professional spray tan supplies

Each of these describes itself on its own site as of October 2026:

• Sjolie direct at sjoliespraytan.com: sells the lines above, and lists a free-samples request and a wholesale application.
• The Sunless Store (thesunlessstore.com): based in Fort Worth, Texas, serving sunless professionals since 2002, and offers new customers two free 4 oz solution samples (you pay flat-rate shipping).
• SprayTanSupplies (spraytansupplies.com): wholesale spray tan supplies since 2005, including the ProTan Competition line.
• Ultraviolet Resources (uriworld.com): a wholesale distributor with over 40 years in the tanning industry, shipping across North America. Its focus is tanning lamps and products, so check that it stocks the solution you want.

Sample before you buy in bulk. A gallon of the wrong undertone costs far more than two 4 oz bottles.

Keep a record of what worked

The fastest way to get repeat color right is to write down the solution, the DHA level and the development time you used, then check it at the next visit. In Primzy, the Formulas tab saves a product mix, processing time and notes, and you can attach it to a client you have completed a booking with. Clients never see it. Whatever tool you use, the habit matters more than the app.

Pricing the extras is the next question. Our guide on how to price beauty services walks through it, and deposit and no-show policies protect the appointments that a rushed rapid-tan schedule makes harder to rebook. To keep clients coming back between events, see how to get clients to rebook. If you are choosing software for the whole business, there is a roundup for spray tan artists.

Set up your online booking page and let clients book their next tan without messaging you.

Sources

Checked October 25, 2026. Prices and product details change, so confirm on the maker's page before you order.

• FDA, "Sunless Tanners & Bronzers", content current as of October 15, 2024
• American Cancer Society, "Tanning Pills and Products", last revised September 1, 2026
• Sjolie spray tan solutions and the product pages linked in the table
• Norvell Tanning, Dark collection
• MineTan, Double Dark Pro Spray Mist
• The Sunless Store, SprayTanSupplies and Ultraviolet Resources, each describing itself on its own site