Squeeze Tanning Products

Squeeze Tanning Products
SQUEEZING into the Top of the Industry

by Hollie Costello

As an upstart in the indoor tanning industry, Squeeze Tanning Products has flourished for five years. Today, the company not only carries the typical accelerators and intensifiers, but also hair and skincare products as well. As a leader in the indoor tanning industry, the Tampa Bay, Fla.-based company works to stay on the cutting edge of indoor tanning technology, squeezing past its competitors on its products' reputation.

Passion and Commitment

Even in the beginning, it didn't take long for Squeeze owners Randi and Ryan Hanis to recognize the unique nature of their products and that they were a hit in indoor tanning salons nationwide. When they launched Hyper-Dark UV Tantalizing lotion--a lotion for all levels of tanning--five years ago, they recognized the importance of all-around skincare, not just a darker color, and included skin moisturizing ingredients to protect the skin while tanning.

"We made a name for ourselves with our first product because we believe there is more than science to developing a successful tanning lotion," says Randi. "It has to be a passion."

That passion is shared by more than 40 employees at two locations, a 16,000-square-foot manufacturing plant and a 2,000-square-foot sales office, located in Tampa Bay.

"Most of our staff has been with us since the beginning," says Randi. "However, with the high volume of sales we have experienced since the launch of Squeeze Hyper-Dark, we slowly have added personnel."

Ryan credits the success of the company to the drive of the product development manufacturing team, which constantly is working to create the newest, and most effective, tanning accelerators on the market while keeping skin soft and subtle.

"There is a single-minded commitment from our team that brings even more advanced technology to our products than ever before," he says. "From our trademark Squeeze tube packaging to our high- performance ingredients and our newest technological breakthroughs, we try to satisfy every tanner's needs from beginner to advanced."

Products and Promotions

With the indoor tanning industry continuing to grow, the Hanises look forward to the day when they will see the Squeeze Tanning Product line in every salon. By only working through distributorships with salon owners, the company is making sure their products can carry the "salon exclusive" label and that salon owners know they are important to the survival of the company.

"Salon owners are the ones who recommend our products so we work to make sure they are not in competition with bargain beauty supply houses," says Randi. "We want salon owners to know they are important to our company."

With the launch of Sunkissed accelerator/bronzer this year, and two other accelerators in the Squeeze line, the company uses its product development team wisely; however, knowing that those who tan want more than beautiful skin, Squeeze also is developing skincare and hair care lines to complement their deep, dark tans.

"Squeeze Hyper-Dark is a perfectly balanced UV-responsive lotion for all tanners," says Randi. "It's a light creme formula that dispenses Tyro-Max, the active ingredient in all our products--for a golden result while the ingredient Comfrey Extract cools and soothes skin."

After Squeeze Hyper-Dark, the company added four tanning accelerators, starting with Juice, a non-tingle plateau-breaker with Acetyl-L-Tyrosine and unipertan. Juice gets its name because it contains high levels of vitamins B, C and E to destroy free radicals while reducing fine lines and wrinkles. The company had another great success with Juice, enjoying the popularity in the younger demographics.

"Juice is extremely popular because of its supercharge," says Randi. "The results that tanners get are unbelievable from such a reasonably priced lotion."

After Juice, Squeeze Tanning Products soon added Tingle, a high-intensity heat-activated lotion created for tanners looking to get the most from their tanning salon visit. Containing the skin-feeding ingredient Monoi Oil, as well as vitamins B and C and Chamomile extract for after-tan soothing, the company says Tingle replenishes and nourishes the skin with the necessary moisture to create and sustain dark color.

With four accelerators on the market, however, the team was not done. Tanners are not just looking for beautiful tans, Hanis reasoned, they are looking for total beauty and that includes hair and skin. So, Squeeze started a second phase of products, including a mineral salt rub and a light conditioner to protect hair from UV damage.

"Shadow UV is a light spray-on moisturizer and conditioner for hair that people can use during tanning," says Randi. The formula protects hairs roots from UV damage by infusing the follicles with vitamin E, Pro Vitamin B-5 and elder flower extract. The protectant works best with color-treated hair to save the color from fading.

In addition, salons now can sell Squeeze Tanning Products for after-tan or before-tan showers, with the introduction of Kashmere Mineral Salt Rub. According to the company, the perfectly proportioned blend of exotic oils, intermingles with rare minerals, spices and a tangerine-lavender fragrance which has made the body rub a huge seller with salons. The company encourages salons to sell the products as an after-tan exfoliant, with the large salt crystals sloughing off dead skin cells that can give skin a faded-tan look.

"The Kashmere Mineral Salt Rub also works as a moisturizer," says Randi. "So customers protect their skin as they make it soft and new-looking."

Currently, the company is researching other options for the future of its line. In addition to continuing with the skincare and hair care products, Squeeze is researching the new trends in the indoor tanning industry and capitalizing on the success of its current products.

"We try to introduce several products per year in both the tanning and the skincare industries, as well as continue to test new ingredients and formulations," says Ryan. "Hopefully, people will continue to recognize the quality of our products and realize our superior ingredients and innovative technology can increase the color of their tan."

Continuing the Legacy

Squeeze brings together a total bodycare line--tanning, haircare and skincare.

Squeeze Tanning Products is not all about new products and new ideas, they rely on customer input and salon owner's recommendations before even beginning to test the waters.

This year, with the introduction of the Sunkissed Dark Tanning Lotion with bronzer, the company has seen record reorder rates--all because they listened to their clientele.

"We looked at the trend in the indoor tanning industry, which was bronzers, and then we listened to our customers who were requesting a bronzer that would provide a more natural-looking color straight from the bed, with no streaking," says Ryan. "That is how Sunkissed came about--just from listening to the industry at large."

Ryan says the success of Squeeze can not just be attributed to a good staff, smart management and loyal customers. It also has to do with the success of the indoor tanning industry. With the creation of national organizations that promote sensible, moderate and responsible tanning--as well as encouraging the use of lotions during tanning sessions--the industry has become a more professional, more economically viable industry, says the company.

"The industry has exploded in the last five years," says Ryan. "There definitely is more concern with skincare and more of an interest in achieving the ultimate tan--that is where Squeeze comes in."

As far as Hanis is concerned, skincare and tanning go hand-in-hand. Thus, there is no question that they will continue to promote the indoor tanning industry as a relatively good alternative to the sun. Especially, Randi says, if tanners use Squeeze products.

"Our products always have been formulated with new experiences, new technology and quality skincare in mind," says Randi. "That is how the Squeeze product line delivers everything a salon needs for lotion sale success."