Spray tanning is not just about DHA percentage or choosing the “right” solution off the shelf. Even high-quality, well-formulated spray tan solutions can produce different results depending on a client’s natural undertone, skin chemistry, and how their skin develops color with DHA.

That is where bronzer drops come in.

Bronzer drops are a professional customization tool that allow spray tan artists to correct undertones, fine-tune results, and visually guide the tan toward a true brown finish. When used intentionally, they allow artists to customize nearly any spray tan solution on the market without changing depth, reformulating, or carrying multiple solutions for every possible scenario.

Rather than adding darkness for the sake of appearance, bronzer drops are formulated to correct undertone using color theory.

What Bronzer Drops Actually Do in Spray Tanning

Bronzer drops serve two important functions during a spray tan service.

The first is instant guide color. This provides the artist with clear visual feedback during application, making it easier to see coverage, blending, and saturation. Improved visibility helps prevent over-application and missed areas, resulting in a more controlled and consistent service.

The second, and more critical role, is undertone correction. Bronzer drops affect visual tone and guide color during application. They do not alter the chemical development of DHA.

Bronzer is temporary and will rinse away over the course of the first few showers. DHA, on the other hand, develops color through a chemical reaction with amino acids in the outermost layer of the skin. These two systems function independently.

While bronzer does not influence DHA development or fade behavior, it plays an important role during the service itself. By improving visual balance and visibility, bronzer helps artists apply solution more intentionally and consistently.

Bronzer is not used to increase the depth that DHA provides. That function belongs to DHA. Bronzer exists to balance tone.

Why Undertone Matters More Than Solution Choice Alone

Every client’s skin carries a natural undertone that influences how a spray tan ultimately appears. Even two clients using the same solution at the same DHA percentage can end up with noticeably different visual results.

Cool undertones are naturally pink or red in the skin and are most commonly seen in fair skin types. Warm undertones are naturally yellow or golden and are more common in medium to deeper skin tones. Neutral undertones sit between warm and cool and are often assumed to appear balanced, but they can still present as flat, muted, or uneven in tone.

Undertone itself does not change based on the solution used. What changes is how visible that undertone becomes once color develops.

Olive- and violet-based solutions contain pre-balanced bronzers designed to guide undertone in a general direction. Bronzer drops allow artists to further refine that correction by adjusting intensity and balance on a per-client basis.

This allows the artist to respond to the skin in front of them in real time, rather than relying solely on the undertone listed on a bottle.

How Bronze Boss® Bronzer Drops Work

Bronzer drops work through color theory. Specifically, they rely on complementary colors on the color wheel. When opposing tones are paired correctly, they neutralize one another, allowing the result to settle into a balanced brown.

In spray tanning, the goal is never to introduce green, purple, or blue tones into the skin. The goal is to offset existing undertones just enough that DHA can develop and appear as a natural-looking brown. Bronzer drops make that possible by correcting undertone at the application stage rather than relying on trial and error after development.

Olive, violet, and indigo each occupy a different position on the color wheel, which is why they correct different undertones.

Cool undertones are naturally pink or red in the skin and are most commonly seen in fair skin types. If left uncorrected, these undertones can cause spray tans to appear warm once DHA develops. Olive bronzer is best suited for these clients because it counterbalances red and pink tones, softening that underlying redness and guiding the tan toward a more neutral brown result.

Warm undertones are naturally yellow or golden and are more common in medium to deeper skin types. These clients can develop tans that appear brassy or golden if warmth is not balanced. Violet bronzer is complementary to yellow, allowing it to neutralize excess warmth and refine the tone so the tan appears richer and more natural rather than yellow-based.

Neutral undertones sit between warm and cool and are often assumed to be balanced by default. In reality, neutral clients can still develop tans that appear flat or muddy. Indigo bronzer is best suited for neutral undertones because it adds depth without pushing the color warmer or cooler. This makes indigo the most versatile option and allows it to be used across a wide range of skin tones depending on the client’s desired result.

Each bronzer is selected for its undertone-correcting properties. Its role is to balance tone and guide the result toward brown. By correcting undertone at the visual level, olive, violet, and indigo bronzer drops help the final tan be perceived as a consistent, natural brown finish.

Why Use Bronzer Drops If Color-Based Solutions Already Exist?

Choosing a color-based solution is a starting point, not a final answer.

Base solutions are pre-balanced by the manufacturer for a general undertone category. Bronzer drops allow artists to fine-tune that balance for the individual client without changing solutions or altering depth.

Two clients with the same undertone can still develop very differently due to differences in skin condition, prep, barrier health, and protein availability. A single solution cannot account for that level of variability.

Bronzer drops provide precision. They allow artists to correct undertone drift without lowering DHA or over-applying product. Instead of asking which solution to use, the artist is responding to what the skin actually needs.

Customizing Any Spray Tan Solution With Bronzer Drops

Bronzer drops can be added to nearly any professional spray tan solution, regardless of brand or DHA percentage.

The number of drops used determines both the intensity of the instant guide color and the strength of undertone correction. Smaller amounts provide subtle correction and a lighter guide color, while larger amounts increase visible intensity and correction strength during application.

Bronzer may deepen the visible color initially, but it does not increase the final depth created by DHA. It simply means stronger visual guidance and more undertone balancing while applying the solution.

The most effective approach is to start conservatively and build gradually. Once an ideal ratio is identified for a client, documenting that ratio allows for consistent, repeatable results from appointment to appointment.