With recent drops in both equipment prices and solution costs, this has opened up a whole new profit avenue for Day Spas, Makeup Artists, and home based businesses around the world. Though this industry seems like a new one, it has actually been around for a number of years. The main coloring agent in most of today's sunless tanners is the skin safe, ingredient, Dihydroxyacetone. This is usually derived from plant based sources such as sugar beets. It is commonly abbreviated DHA.
Current product formulations and enhancements have created a new generation of Self tanners, which minimize the risks of orange hues formerly associated with drug store sunless tanners from years past. DHA has been in use since for over 40 years and obtained FDA approval as a skin safe coloring agent, for consumer use, roughly 30 years ago. Since that time it has been safely used in thousands of cosmetic products worldwide, as an alternative to a UV based tan.
A DHA based tan looks very similar in color to a standard brown UV based suntan. But you are able to achieve the equivalent color, of many hours of intense UV exposure, in a single product application. The products are called "sunless" because they do not utilize UV or Sun exposure to create the tanned color. Many lighter skin types find they can get much darker with a DHA based sunless tanner, then they can with UV exposure.
With proper product application and appropriate skincare, you will find your sunless tan can easily last 5 to 10 days, and fades similarly to a UV based Suntan. To "tan" again, you simply reapply the tanning product, and within a few hours, you can have a Summer Season tan, - year round.
DHA can be applied in a variety of ways.
Home applied lotions, gels, creams, sprays, wipes and mousse
Automated spray mist in a sunless tanning solution spray booth
Applied by hand, using air spray equipment with a professional Spray Tanning Technician
Small home user equipment options, allowing the consumer to spray themselves in the privacy of their home
Each option has advantages that may make one or the other better for each person.
Many people are interested in becoming Profession Spray Tanning Technicians, because of the low start up costs for this type of small business model. It can also be easily run from your home, or an established salon or Spa facility.
A technician can get started for as little as $300, for a small mobile airbrush and compressor, with an entry level supply package. For a higher end equipment package, suitable for large volume establishments, options can range as high as $2000 to $3000 range
When you consider each client will pay you an average of $20 to $30 per spray tan session, plus additional "after care" items, it is very easy to begin to see dollar signs in the air. Repeat clients generally are re-sprayed every 7 to 10 days.
But before jumping in, one must be prepared to do a lot of personal research, so you don't sink all your savings into a venture that you may not be well suited for.
No mater how profitable the market, or how good your location, this industry takes a lot of hard work to get established and build a repeat clientele. Many of your customers may come in only for "one time" special occasion tans.
Like any service orientated industry, to survive in this business, you will need to build a large satisfied customer base of repeat clientele. This takes time, and positive client referrals. A lot of creative marketing will be involved on your end. You will also need a basic understanding of the sunless tanning products, how they work, and how the client's skin health will affect the tans outcome. Don't underestimate the benefits of local advertising and a large dose of patience.
You will spend a lot of time educating your new customers on what a sunless tan is, and is not. Many clients don't even know WHAT a sunless tan is.
Your clients will rely on your application skills, and advice, to make them look stunning, and as anyone in the beauty care industry knows, this can sometimes be an intimidating task.
This industry is not an overnight million dollar money maker. You will not be able to hang your sign, and be trampled by clients the next day. It is a true service industry, and you must enjoy working with all types of people day to day to succeed.
You will find many clients prefer to be sprayed in the evenings after work, or on weekends. So flexibility in appointment scheduling is a benefit.
But with some realistic expectations, and an understanding of what is involved, you can become a success in this field.
Start by educating yourself as much as possible, and networking with other Industry peers. You will soon find that you have the assurance to confidently spray your customers, producing beautiful results every time.
Good training options in this field are currently very limited, but there are some excellent resources available.
One option, that has proven beneficial to many beginner technicians, is the training manual. "Airbrush Tanning, Secrets of the Pro's". It is in use by many industry tanning professionals worldwide. This volume contains many of the forms, tips, and materials used by established professionals in the Airbrush Tanning field. Contact information for purchasing options, is available through the website listing, at the end of this article.
The internet also has some free resources available, which will be invaluable to helping the fledgling technician get started. These are not as exhaustive or complete as the manual, but are still full of many great tips. And also give you an avenue to ask questions of other industry professionals, who are already successful.
For the technician who is also interested in the Airbrush Body Paint and the Temporary Tattoo industry, http://www.airbrushbodyart.com has a very helpful messageboard, geared toward body painting and artwork
For the right person, this can be a very satisfying industry to work in. When a client, who has never been able to tan before, leaves you facility in tears, over her beautiful sunless tan, you know you have preformed a job well done.
Those are the days you love going to work!
Vicki Mayhew is a professional consultant for the Sunless Tanning industry. She has accumulated over 20 years of experience in the sunless tanning field, and currently volunteers on the consumer non-profit advocacy messageboard http://www.sunless.com .
Vicki has authored many on-line articles, including feature articles on Sunless.com. She is also credited with over 17000 messageboard posts, assisting messageboard users, both professional and consumer in their sunless tanning adventures.
She is also co-author of the Industry training manual "Airbrush Tanning Secrets of the Pro's, currently available for sale, and distributed worldwide. ( http://www.airbrushtantips.com )
» left by kimberly from ohi (1 year 335 days ago.)
thank you, i read everything! Respond to this comment
» left by Vicki Mayhew (1 year 335 days ago.)
you are welcome, glad it helped you. Respond to this comment
» left by rosalie m. escobedo from new orleans, la (1 year 303 days ago.)
Any idea where to purchase the equipment from? Is there a better type of equipment?
» left by sarah from winterville ga (1 year 66 days ago.)
you can purchase tanning equiptment at (well i tried to give u the e-mail address but it wont let me, if you e-mailme i will let u know where to buy the products) this website is helpful on letting you know wich equiptment you will need depending on what you are trying to do!
» left by Vicki (1 year 303 days ago.)
There are a number of decent equipment options, depending on your needs. Currently in the Airbrush Tanning Industry HVLP and LVLP seem to be the most popular. But depending on your needs and budget, Airbrush units can also be a good and cheaper options. Some people also use standard hardware store type hvlp equipment, but that has some issues with it, such as more over spray, more noise etc.
I have two web links that detail more info on how to pick specific equipment, but I am unable to post those links directly here. They are posted on the website I moderate, which is listed at the base of the article above. in the FAQs on the Airbrush messageboards)
You can also ask more specific questions direct to me, or other Pros in the Spray tanning Industry on that messageboard. I also have a 100 page trade manual for sale that covers detailed info in this area.
» left by Carina from California (1 year 220 days ago.)
Thanks for info....Although I was wondering in the state of California do you have to have an esthetician license.? Respond to this comment
» left by Vicki Mayhew (1 year 219 days ago.)
as of 2007 - NO. But regulations are changing all the time, You should contact your state Cosmotology board to obtain the most current information. Respond to this comment
» left by shorty from columbus oh (244 days 14 hours ago.)
do u need a license in oh to open a airbrush tanning/tattoo/nail salon. do u know where i can get quality equipment and solution, i love airbrush tans but can never find the right person to airbrush me so me and my fiance want to start are own salon offerring airbrush tanning/tattoos/nails any advice would be appreciated thanks happy valentine
» left by neyda from los angeles Ca. (93 days 8 hours ago.)
Hi ! Im an esthetician/Make-Up Artist/ Massage Therapist and I really want to add Airbrush tanning to my services! I just relocated to L.A. Were would I get training for it and purchase equiptment as well??? thnx! Neyda...
I don't live in LA so cannot provide training locations locally. Many companies sell equipment online, and some offer training at their locations. A Google search will provide many options. At the sunless message boards I moderate, in the Airbrush Tanning Board under FAQ, you will find articles with info on how to pick good equipment, and lists of companies to purchase from.
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