There are so many spray tan solutions out there that even our heads start spinning sometimes! Each company has it’s own spin and it’s own reasons why you should choose their product. Most of those reasons are based solely on color, but color isn’t the only thing you should look into when determining what spray tan solution to use. Here are a few other factors you might not have thought to check for:
Oil
Oil-based solutions are heavier, stickier, and tackier than water-based spray tans. They can clog your pores and cause acne breakouts. They also take longer to dry, meaning your client is standing around in their skivvies–that’s kind of awkward! Worse, oil-based spray tans also tend to smudge and rub off on other surfaces, and can permanently stain clothes, bedsheets, and upholstered furniture!
Alcohol
Solutions that contain alcohol are going to dry out your skin, which causes your tan to fade faster and more unevenly than a spray tan with no alcohols.
Fragrance
Fragrances are the number 1 leading cause of allergic reactions, but they are also a key indicator of a poorly formulated product or that your company has cut corners and gone with a lesser quality DHA. When DHA is not properly formulated, or when lower grade DHA is used, it gives off an unpleasant “french fry oil” type smell, which many companies then cover up with fragrances like coconut, peaches, and black cherry. Low quality or improperly formulated DHA won’t be as effective at tanning your clients, and they will be more likely to have bad results–meaning less customer loyalty for you!
Aloe Vera
While aloe vera is a great moisturizer, it’s not great in a spray tan solution. Aloe vera is often used to counteract the drying quality of DHA; unfortunately aloe has the same problems as do other oils in a solution: long drying times, more likely to smudge, and the solution is heavier, stickier, and tackier.
Erythrulose
Erythrulose is used in many spray tan solutions as a second darkening agent, paired with DHA; however, Erythrulose has not been approved for use by the FDA. We don’t know if it’s dangerous or if it’s safe, but we aren’t willing to take that risk.
Percentages vs. Number of Coats
some companies offer only one or two products and advise that you spray more coats of solution if you want to increase the percentage. We have found that this is a terribly inefficient system because each consecutive coat acts as a barrier for the next coat. In addition, multiple coats of solution increases the length of time your client has to dry, and makes the solution stickier, tackier, and more likely to smudge or streak.
Ounces per spray tan service
With a water-based solution you should expect to use about two ounces per full body spray tan. Some oil-based products require you to use as much as double that! This should be taken into consideration when you are purchasing a “cheaper” product: how many tans are you actually paying for?
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