How to Educate Clients on Self-Tan

According to Sunescape’s recent survey, 8 out of 10 Australian women have experienced DIY tanning disasters – here are some tips for clients who commit regular tan faux pas.

As the winter chills arrive, more women are resorting to fake-tan to retain their summer glow. The Sunescape survey was conducted with 600 Australian women over the age of 18. Results show that more than 87% use fake tan (60% use it outside of summer) but 82% confess to having experienced DIY disasters. 1 in 4 admitted they ‘seriously suck’ at applying fake tan.

From the survey, women identified their biggest tanning fears:

22% – Patchy application 

The biggest fake tan phobia was patchy application – this can be easily avoided with the right preparation advice. It’s important to educate clients on how key preparation is in achieving an even tan, “skin must be thoroughly exfoliated, clean and free from any perfume, oils, lotions and deodorant before application,” said Lisa Williams, co-founder of Sunescape.

21% – The dreaded orange glow 

The key to looking less ‘oompa loompa’ depends on the formula of the fake tan. While you can’t tell if a tan will offer an orange glow by looking at it, it’s a good idea to encourage clients to try different tans through patch testing. “Simply apply a small amount of the tan somewhere inconspicuous, like the inside of the arm, to see if the colour is suitable,” Lisa said.

17% – The obviously fake tan

“Surprisingly, while many tanning blunders can be avoided by using an applicator mitt, nearly 50% of respondents didn’t even know what a tanning mitt was,” said Lisa. “Applying fake tan with your bare hands is a recipe for disaster so tell your clients to invest in a self tan applicator mitt. Tanning mitts allow you to make quick sweeping motions while you blend the tan, making it super simple to avoid streaking and patchiness”

For more information on Sunescape visit www.sunescape.com.au