What to consider when looking at introducing tanning services to your salon.
Giving your client a perfect spray tan may seem an impossible feat, but the key is all in the tools you use. If you’re thinking about offering tanning services in your salon we’ve got the first tool you’ll need — information. Melissa Young of Glebe’s Melissa Young Beauty sat down with us to talk about why equipment is so important to spray tan salons and just what equipment you need.
When Melissa was asked what piece of equipment she can’t live without her answer was instantaneous — ventilation —which keeps your clients and staff free from damaging chemicals.
“Without proper ventilation you build up a misty room with too much over spray,” she explained. “It’s not a good breathing environment for the therapist or client. Although my room does contain ventilation, I also use a double extraction tower which works great!”
A foot protector that your clients can wear is also a necessity. “It’s a must,” Melissa agreed. “Especially when you have a few spray tans in a row, over spray builds up and you do not want your clients to leave your salon with brown feet!”
Melissa has built her business around a HVLP 700 spray machine that can offer multiple products. A lot of her success comes from her broad range of beauty treatments, so she recommends looking into spray tanning before you miss out on what is becoming a large slice of the beauty pie. As well as equipment, Melissa prioritises two main things in achieving salon success, education and high quality products.
“Make sure you do proper training,” she advised. “Although spray tans seem like an easy treatment, I have seen a lot of bad tans over my time as a therapist. Ask yourself this question, how would you feel with a spray tan that looked fake and blotchy?” As for products, she maintains you should only use products on your clients that you would use on yourself. Develop a screening process worthy of your own skin.
If you’re thinking about starting a spray tanning service in your salon, don’t let fear or under confidence stop you. Just make sure you have the right products, knowledge and equipment for your clients before you begin.
By Shannon Gaitz