Elle Creahg and Jaclyn Lloyd run Casa Soleil – an automated tanning service in Sydney’s Bondi.
Opening the unique salon was motivated by the duo’s uncompromising stance around the importance of achieving a tan safely and without the harsh ingredients commonly found in spray tan formulas.
Hannah Gay spoke to the women on the various ways Casa Soleil is meeting (and exceeding) the expectations of their clients:
Hannah Gay: In what year did you open Casa Soleil?
Elle Creahg and Jaclyn Lloyd: “2022.”
HG: Tell us about your backgrounds and what led you to opening/managing this business.
EC & JL: “Casa Soleil is a wellness concept brand pioneering sun‐safe tanning in Australia, where the incidence of skin cancer is the highest per capita globally.
Our mission is to not only remove friction and disrupt the industry with scale and convenience, but also to bring awareness to skin disease and educate on the dangers of sunbaking, whilst promoting body confidence and wellness. We believe a beautiful tan should never come at the cost of harmful UV exposure.
We are passionate about sun-safety, with skin cancer having affected people close to us both. Staying well protected from the sun is a non-negotiable if you care about your skin, but a confidence boosting, sun-kissed glow can still be achieved – no damage necessary! Sunless tanning is often fraught with inconvenience, and modern life is busier than ever meaning no one has time to waste. That’s why Casa Soleil’s convenience is paramount. With both of us working in busy corporate environments, speed and automation were key to our concept with the added benefit of ultimate privacy and bookings anytime to suit busy schedules and seamlessly integrate into one’s wellness routine.
We both love the beautiful sunless glow our booths deliver and perceive it as integral to overall wellness. Health is wealth, and a sunless glow instills body confidence and is proven to lift your mood! But it’s not just wellness on the outside – what’s on the inside matters deeply to us also, which is why it’s so important to us that all our products are free from harmful toxins, vegan, cruelty-free, and use organic ingredients to leave you glowing with goodness all year round.”
HG: What skills have you brought on in opening Casa Soleil from your work as an economist and lawyer?
EC: “Mathematical aptitude and numeracy, knowledge of social sciences and an understanding of intricate systems, combined with being comfortable with uncertainty and used to solving complex problems come in handy when starting a new business – from imagination and fledgling concept, to action and implementation.”
JL: “Working in property development, leases, insurances and council approvals were front of mind!”
HG: Describe your work ethic as business owners.
EC & JL: “We approach the business with unwavering passion – to spread our message about sun-safe sunless tanning and deliver a convenient and frictionless service. There really is no excuse to not tan the only safe way with your answer to sun without the damage – Casa Soleil. [This is our solution] amidst a resurgence in the popularity of tanning in the sun by removing the pain points of a traditional sunless tan (“spray tan”), or at-home product.
The Casa Soleil tan features:
- No spray tan smell
- No orange tones
- A streak-free airbrushed look
- No awkward naked moments
- Being tanned and dry in less than 5 minutes
- A paraben and cruelty free, eco-certified formula
- No nasties
- and a range of shades and base colours customisable to a multitude of skin tones.
We hope to educate that there is a better/safer way [to tan], and to eliminate the barriers that would typically stop someone choosing a sunless tan over a real tan (as well as all the downsides of harmful UV rays). With our convenient 5-minute service, we are seeking to educate on the dangers of skin cancer and how to achieve a confidence boosting glow without the harmful effects of the sun.”
HG: Your business motto is ‘Tan Safe’ – what does this mean to you?
EC & JL: “Australia unfortunately has the highest skin cancer rate in the world – one person is diagnosed every half hour. This is devastating to us and part of our mission is to help educate and drive awareness to minimise this statistic. 95% of melanomas are being caused by overexposure to the sun. We hope that the “Tan Safe” motto can help in our advocacy that aims to shift the dial on sunbaking that is so costly to our skin’s health!
Staying well protected from the sun is a non-negotiable if you care about your skin, but a confidence-boosting, sun-kissed glow can still be achieved at Casa Soleil – no damage necessary!”
HG: Describe the look and feel of your space.
EC & JL: “We were fortunate to secure our foundation store in a heritage building with high pressed metal ceilings. Painted a crisp white, with hand painted artwork by By Stephanie invoking the warm and vibrant energy of summer, one’s mood is instantly lifted on entry. Our design is evocative of a jet-set Mediterranean lifestyle, retaining a timeless and chic feel that embodies the simplicity and beauty of a bygone era, with a focus on body confidence, lifestyle, health, and overall wellness.”
“Our design is evocative of a jet-set Mediterranean lifestyle, retaining a timeless and chic feel that embodies the simplicity and beauty of a bygone era.”
HG: You use a non-toxic, sustainable tanning product in your machines. Why was it important to you to work with a brand that was formulated in this way?
EC & JL: “We believe in being good to the Earth, ourselves and others, and reducing our environmental impact is a key part of that. For us, using toxic ingredients was never an option. Embracing sustainable business practices and caring for not only our skin, but also our planet is something we hold at the core of our business’ ethos.
Not only is sunless tanning a way to achieve a confidence boosting glow without harmful UV rays, but UV rays are also responsible for 80% of skin ageing (UVA rays penetrate deep into the dermis, where they damage the collagen and elastin fibres reducing skin elasticity and appearance). Our formula is packed with anti-ageing ingredients and collagen boosters to instantly firm and detoxify skin.”
“Embracing sustainable business practices and caring for not only our skin, but also our planet is something we hold at the core of our business’ ethos.”
HG: How many employees do you have?
EC & JL: “None – unless you count us!”
What’s in store next for your business?
EC & JL: “Scale – prepare to see us pop up near you soon! And stay tuned for some exciting, sun safe products on Casa Soleil’s journey from sunless tanning services to lifestyle brand.”
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