It should come as no surprise that spray tan solution is an integral part of a spray tan business. Many would argue that it is the most important part in fact. Here are ten things to understand and look for when determining which solution is best for your spray tan business.
1. Find a spray tan solution that DOES NOT contain Aloe Vera.
Aloe Vera and tanning solutions don’t mix. Most spray tan solutions contain Aloe Vera, but don’t be fooled into thinking it is good for sunless tanners. Solutions containing Aloe Vera are thick and sticky and increase drying time. Clients do not want to wait around standing in front of a fan before they can get dressed to leave. Your business is dependent on the speed at which you can service your clients. Aloe Vera in your spray tan solution can clog pores, cause acne breakouts and leaves a sticky residue on walls and floors. It can also clog spray guns and increase the chance of a solution staining your client’s bed linen and clothing.
2. Remember: The fewer the number of ingredients the better.
Many sunless tanning manufacturers add lots of extra ingredients that don’t contribute to the performance of the tan. Experts agree that every additional ingredient increases the chance of an allergic reaction. You can’t afford to risk your clients’ health or your salon’s reputation. Aviva Labs sunless solutions contain only 13 ingredients. We have counted as many as 33 ingredients in competitors’ solutions. How many ingredients does your current solution have?
3. Make sure you know what’s in your spray tan solution.
Have you read the ingredients in your current sunless solution? We suggest that you never use products that do not have clear indications of the ingredients they use.
4. Buy spray tan solution only from a reputable source to insure its consistency.
Would you be surprised to hear that just a few companies manufacture the majority of sunless tanning solution? Most brands are actually just resellers who privately label under their own name. If they find a cheaper manufacturer, they often switch suppliers. This means a brand can vary wildly in quality, consistency, color and performance. One month you might have a solution that works relatively well, but the next batch has a color guide that looks completely different.
Aviva Labs is the manufacturer. We own and operate our own Research & Development lab and manufacturing facility under strict quality control standards, meaning consistent and reliable products every time.
5. Avoid spray tan solutions containing alcohol.
Spray tan manufacturers who use Aloe Vera know they have a problem with slow drying times. In order to speed it up they usually turn to alcohol. Unfortunately alcohol causes dry, itchy skin. This is not only very uncomfortable for your clients but it can affect the resulting tan as well.
6. Don’t use just one DHA concentration in a spray tan solution on all your customers.
Many sunless tanning brands offer only one DHA concentration. Whether your clients are very pale or naturally dark-skinned, you have no choice but to spray them all with the same solution. Your lighter clients may turn orange, your darker clients may not get enough color and you lose both types of clients. For example, if your spray tan solution only comes in a 10% DHA concentration, your very fair-skinned clients may turn orange.
7. Keep in mind that a quality bronzer is crucial to the resulting DHA tan.
The bronzer (or color guide) included in a spray tan solution allows you to see where you have sprayed your client while also giving them an instant tan. Most importantly, it determines how the resulting DHA tan will look. The bronzer shows when the client looks dark so that you stop spraying them. At this point they will have enough DHA on their skin that when they wash the bronzer off in 6-8 hours (or 30 to 90 minutes with a rapid tan solution) they will have a long lasting DHA tan. Make sure your clients don’t experience the “Post-Shower Letdown” disappointment. They think their instant tan looks nice but the resulting DHA tan after they shower doesn’t look good. It’s either too light or too orange. This is because the manufacturer made the bronzer either too dark or too light. There must be a careful balance between the bronzer concentration and the DHA concentration.
8. Find a spray tanning manufacturer that is known for healthy, skin-friendly products.
Again, the fewer the number of ingredients in your spray tan solution the better. Also, do they offer natural spray tanning or organic sunless tanners? The more you know about the spray tan solution you put on your clients’ bodies, the better. Find a company that is completely comfortable with giving you this information.
9. Beware of a spray tan solution containing Erythulose which is not FDA approved.
Many brands of sunless tanning solution contain erythrulose, an additive claimed to increase the duration of the tan. However, the only FDA-approved ingredient for sunless tanning is DHA. Our in-house comparative tests repeatedly demonstrated that erythrulose provides no significant difference in the tan’s application or performance.
10. Offering clients’ a choice of shades and premium spray tan solutions increases client retention.
It is a common mistake to believe that all tanning solutions have the same developing time. For those that don’t have time to wait the normal 6-8 hours to shower offer may be happier with a rapid spray tan solution that allows them to shower off in an little as 30 minutes. Does your spray tan solution come in shades for cool skin tones and warm skin tones? Offering your clients a choice shows your interest in their happiness of their resulting tan.
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