Sunless Tanning Information
Sunless tanning is a practical alternative to sunbathing. Sunless tanning products, also called self-tanners or tanning extenders, can give your skin a tanned look without exposing it to ultraviolet (UV) rays. Though generally recognized as safe, sunless tanning products do carry some risks, depending on how they’re used and applied. How do sunless tanning products work?
The active ingredient in most sunless tanning products is dihydroxyacetone (DHA). DHA is the only color additive approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in sunless tanning products. When applied to your skin, DHA reacts with dead cells in the outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) to temporarily darken the skin’s appearance. The coloring doesn’t wash off, but it gradually fades as the dead skin cells slough off. In most cases, the color is completely gone after five to seven days.
Many forms of sunless tanning products are available for home-use, including lotions, creams, gels and sprays. They typically go on clear, and you might see results after about an hour. Full color appears within eight to 24 hours. Some products contain a tint, which darkens your skin right away. Besides home products, spray-on tanning is available at salons, spas and tanning businesses. These professional applications can provide an even, full-body tan. Is sunless tanning safe? Sunless tanning products are generally regarded as safe alternatives to sunbathing.
The FDA considers DHA safe when applied to your skin. Spray-on tanning or mist-on tanning from a salon or spa is typically applied to all parts of your body — including your face — to ensure an even color. This creates a potential for the product to get into and around your eyes, near your nostrils or onto your lips. The risks, if any, of inhaling or ingesting DHA are unknown, so special care is needed to be sure that your spray-on tan is safely applied. Be sure to shut your eyes and hold your breath while the tanner is applied. You may also want to request or bring along protective devices such as goggles or nose plugs.
You may have seen ads for sunless tanning pills, but these products are unsafe and aren’t approved by the FDA. Sunless tanning pills contain large amounts of the color additive canthaxanthin. When taken in large amounts, canthaxanthin settles in parts of your body, including your skin. It can turn your skin orange to brown and can cause canthaxanthin retinopathy, the formation of crystals in the retina of the eye. Tanning pills can also cause nausea, cramps and diarrhea.
Sunless tanning tips: For an even-looking tan Sunless tanning products no longer cause that orange-brown, streaky appearance. Today the products offer an even, natural-looking tan if they’re applied correctly and carefully. For best results, follow these tips:
· Choose a light- or medium-toned product, which tends to look more natural.
· Before using the product, wash and exfoliate your skin with a wash cloth or sponge to remove excess dead skin cells. Women should shave their legs for an even application.
· Apply the sunless tanning product evenly and lightly. Use less product on dry skin or thickened skin, such as over your ankles, knees and elbows. These areas tend to absorb more product.
· After you apply the product to your face and body, wash your hands with soap and water to avoid coloring your palms. Be sure to remove any product from under your fingernails. Then use a cotton ball to apply the sunless tanner to the top of each hand.
· To prevent staining your clothes, wait until the sunless tanner dries completely, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Most sunless tanning products don’t contain a sunscreen and, therefore, don’t protect your skin from the sun. If you spend time outdoors, be sure to apply a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) before going outside
Tanning Lamp Cost Basis For Tanning Beds and Booths
Tanning lamps are available in a wide range of namebrands. Each lamp has its pro's and con's. One tanning lamp may be inexpensive to purchase and one may have a much higher purchase price. Often salons will choose a tanning lamp based on purchase price.
Members are able to order lamps at a lower cost than is possible to non-members.
Cost structure on a lamp
| Lamp | Life Hrs | Price | Lamp (CPM) Cost Per Minute | ||
| #1 | 600 | $12.00 | 0.00033 | ||
| #2 | 400 | $8.00 | 0.00033 |
You will often hear of a salon buying inferior lamps and paying less for their tanning lamps. Buying an inferior tanning bed lamp to save money.
Here are the facts
- Low End Tanning Lamps DO NOT tan as well
- Low End Lamps DO NOT last as long
When you really check the numbers it is completely possible and suggested to use the best available lamp and keep your customers happy.
Member pricing will reduce the actual purchase price of the tanning lamp to wholesale tanning lamp levels and often below wholesale. This means that the actual cost for the higher end lamp will be LOWER than its cheaper competitor. This means more cash upfront. But less cash long-term. Salon conditions vary and this may not be possible but can be a long-term goal and we feel is the better path for their business.
Here are links to information about the various tanning lamp brands available today.
Tanning Lotion Information
Indoor tanning lotion is sold by indoor tanning salons to help their customers achieve the best tan possible while using a tanning bed or tanning booth. Indoor tanners that use a quality indoor tanning lotion will tan faster and get better more even results from their tanning sessions.
Salon owners constantly inform their customers about the benefits of tanning lotion use and the most recent innovations in lotion ingredients.
Tanning salon owners know that tanning lotion sales are an important part of salon revenues that can provide 15-20% of additional retail sales revenue on top of their tanning services revenue.
Tanning Lotion Suppliers
Tanning salons purchase their wholesale tanning lotion and other supplies from a tanning supplier or tanning distributor.
Tanning Lotion Manufacturers
There are several manufacturers of indoor tanning lotion. Each tanning lotion manufacturer produces indoor tanning lotions that are specifically formulated to maximize the bodies ability to tan. These manufacturers distribute their tanning lotion through wholesale tanning lotion suppliers.
Australian Gold
Designer Skin
Devoted Creations
Epifany Skin Care
Fiesta Sun
Fiji Blend
Supre
Swedish Beauty
Tanning Lotion Sales Techniques
How do tanning salons maximize their retail sales without hard-selling their customers?
As a salon owner you can hold product training sessions or seminars where employees are able to get a better understanding of the products they are selling. Employees need to know about the tanning lotions the salon offers.
Salon employees sell best when they understand and are comfortable with the tanning lotions and other items the salon has. The best sales people can effectively explain to their customers the advantage of purchasing a tanning lotion or other retail item.
Set aside a morning when all employees will attend a training session to review each product. Encourage your employees to add to the training, running contests where employees get a gift for knowing about a given product and adding to the discussion.
All employees should feel comfortable talking about everything your salon sells. If they are uncomfortable talking in an employee meeting they are unlikely to do any better behind your counter. Use this session as a feeling out meeting where you can evaluate your salon employees.
These tips are basic guidelines that most any sales person can benefit from.
- Find out what your customers goals are
- Use language that makes it easier for your customer to understand the advantages
- Personalize the purchase by explaining how you know the tanning lotion is what she needs
- Take the time to answer any questions your customer may have
- Understand that not every sale is made right away people often need to think about a decision
- Provide clear simple solutions and avoid confusing the customer with too much information
- For those that always say no, consider giving them a free packet to hook them on the results
Tanning Lotion Rebate and Incentive Programs
All the major tanning lotion manufacturers offer cash back or rebates on wholesale tanning lotion purchases. Each tanning lotion manufacturers program runs for a different period of time. Salons are expected to complete a tanning lotion rebate claim formand submit it prior to the due date with all the paperwork required.
Tanning lotion rebate and incentive programs can give salon owners additional savings on their tanning lotion buy. Review each program before the prgram starts so that if the program seems inline with your salons goals you can maximize your savings.
Just because a rebate program exists it should not be the sole reason for participation. If you sacrifice sales in favor of a rebate program you are unlikely to see a net gain in profits. Lower wholesale tanning lotion costs are not necessarily going to offset slower retail sales because you may be offering a lesser product just to get a rebate.
Benefits of using Indoor Tanning Lotion
Indoor Tanning Lotion helps moisturize the skin prior to tanning. This makes indoor tanning beds much more effective than tanning without lotion. Normally your skin can be dry, flaky and uneven. The use of a tanning lotion evens out the skins moisture and creates a healthier foundation for a successful tanning experience. Tanning lotion also reduces the drying effects that a tanning session can have again improving your results. Tanning lotion is made in many ways with various ingredients. Tanning lotion categories include accelerators, bronzers, tingles (hot), and cooling (cool).
Any combination of these base tanning lotion categories is possible. One of the best ways to determine what lotion will work for you is to consult a salon professional. People that work in these salons often have extensive experience with tanning lotions and sample each lotion type so that they have a better understanding of that lotions results. They also have access to hundreds of customer reviews as they handle their day to day duties. You should never underestimate the value of real world knowledge when selecting your next lotion. Remember it is also possible to try different lotions in packet form prior to making a larger purchase of a bottle. Each persons skin is different and each person reacts differently to specific ingredients in tanning lotions.
Tanning Lotion Benefits
