'99 good to glow
Sunless Tanners Benefit Salon Owners and Clients
by Heather Gonwa
In recent years, self-tanners have become mainstream, crossing industry lines as the public has come to realize the benefits of a natural-looking tan without the sun. Savvy salon owners also have realized that sunless tanning products can strengthen their tanning and retail business by contributing to a philosophy of total suncare and skincare for their clients.
Improving on a Good Thing
Sunless tanning products have improved dramatically in recent years and no longer produce the orangy, streaky, unnatural-looking results of yesteryear's Man-Tan type products. Today's self-tanners feature streakless formulas that are easier to apply, faster-absorbing and nicer-smelling than products of the past.
According to Phillip Teal, division manager for Body Drench, higher-quality sunless products have resulted from a vast improvement in the active ingredient in self-tanners, dihydroxyacetone (DHA).
"As raw-material manufacturers have become more knowledgeable, they have developed an extremely improved grade of DHA that reacts better with the skin to produce a more natural color," he says. "We are getting a more pure product from our suppliers, which then allows us to be able to adjust the percentage in the product, allowing our sunless products to offer a truer color."
Teal adds that not only is the raw material in sunless tanners critical, but also the carrier, which must be inclusive of a high degree of skin moisturizers. "We are now able to match the self-action tanning raw material with moisturizing raw materials to produce a vastly improved product," he notes.
In addition to improvements to DHA itself, many higher-end companies have begun combining DHA with natural ingredients to help create an even more natural-looking, golden tan.
"Customers should look for self-tanning products formulated with natural ingredients besides DHA, as the DHA alone in a formulation will make it more orange," says Barbara Ocampo, public relations manager for California Tan. "For example, California Tan's Summer Illusion self-tanner is formulated with walnut extract, while Emerald Bay's Mahakanni Self Tanner contains Mahakanni extract from Singapore. Natural ingredients offer tanners a more natural brown, bronze result rather than an orange tone."
Australian Gold also is utilizing natural ingredients in its sunless tanners to create a streakless, natural-looking product that nourishes and moisturizes skin. Additionally, the company has joined other high-end lotion manufacturers in adding an SPF 15 to one of its self-tanners to protect against incidental sun exposure.
"We have found natural ingredients that mimic quite well the appearance of a real tan whereas 10 or 12 years ago, the product created a sort of orange or unnatural tint on the skin," says David Landau, marketing and communications representative for Australian Gold. "Technology has advanced sunless tanners to the point where they are very natural-looking."
John Abat International's Sunless Tanning Lotion creates a natural-looking tan with a natural formula of vitamin E, aloe vera and botanical oils. Inge Glees, director of marketing for the company, says educating customers about improvements in sunless tanners and the benefits they can receive from using them will result in additional revenues for a salon.
"Because positive word-of-mouth still plays a very critical role in increasing a salon's customer base, a comprehensive salon with a knowledgeable, capable sales staff will be a successful, profitable establishment," says Glees.
Purpose Behind the Product
While a popular, if misguided, view of many salon owners is that sunless tanning products will compete with their indoor tanning business and therefore they should not carry them in their salon, in reality the opposite is true. Business-savvy salon owners understand that their retail sales will skyrocket if they present themselves as total suncare and skincare specialists, able to fulfill every related need of their clients.
"Salons tend to be afraid of sunless tanners, but they need not be," notes Teal. "Salon owners think those products are going to take business away from them, when in fact they will complement their business. A combination of a tanning bed session and a sunless tan provides a very beautiful color. Salons should consider a sunless tanner a friend to their product mix, as opposed to being an enemy to their tanning bed sessions."
The uses for sunless products are endless, especially for indoor tanners. For instance, self-tanners can be used to even out areas such as pressure points where a tanner lays on a bed, hard-to-tan parts like the neck or under the arms, or for the "raccooning" that sometimes develops from wearing eye protection.
Sunless tanners also are beneficial for tanners who prefer not to tan their face in a bed, for disguising tan lines that result from wearing a swimsuit or for blending in white spots or other areas that may not have gotten as dark as the rest of the body.
"Salon owners need to understand that there is a real purpose for sunless tanning products, and that is to even out a tan or to enhance an existing tan," explains Landau. "The whole idea behind sunless tanning is to receive the benefits of a tan without having to spend time in a bed or outside in the sun. So if a client is away on vacation or on a business trip and can't get to the salon, a sunless tanner is a good way to maintain his or her tan. Many people also benefit from a self-tanner for the face area, where it is difficult to achieve a golden-brown color, or to add more of a brownish-bronze tint to their tan as opposed to a reddish color."
Industry experts agree that sunless tanning products give salon owners an additional avenue of revenue as they add to a salon's product mix to provide clients with options to suit their every suncare and skincare need.
"Self-tanners are convenient for achieving or evening out a tan in two to three hours--for example, if a client is going out that night and doesn't have time to tan but needs some immediate color," says Ocampo.
John Alexander, vice president of sales and marketing for Supre, adds, "If a client is going away and will not have a chance to get in a tanning bed, a sunless product provides a wonderful alternative to maintain or help blend an existing tan."
Ken Dion, president and CEO of Power Tan Corp., agrees that sunless tanners provide a myriad of uses and benefits for tanners of all types. "If a customer is going to a wedding or other event and needs a tan fairly quickly but doesn't have time to tan indoors or outdoors, I would recommend a self-tanner," he says. "In addition, there are people who will not tan indoors or outdoors but want a tan, so a sunless product provides them that benefit."
Making the Sale
Selling self-tanners is much like selling indoor tanning products in that to be successful, salon owners and their employees must get to know their clients and what their needs are, and must be creative in producing appealing displays that will attract customers.
Ocampo suggests that since most tanners purchase their indoor tanning products in a salon, those products can be packaged together with a sunless tanning product to create a summer promotion.
"A salon owner selling sunless products in the summertime simply needs to be creative," adds Alexander. "For example, combine a self-tanner, an SPF, a shower gel, a moisturizing lotion and perhaps a pair of sunglasses to create a basket as a summer vacation-getaway deal. Another idea is to create a travel display for businesspeople who travel on business and need a sunless tanning product to maintain their color while they are away."
Once you are aware of your clients' needs and have displayed your sunless tanning products attractively, how do you entice your customers to buy the products when they commonly are priced less expensively in mass-market discount stores? In most cases it's a matter of educating the client.
"The ingredients that most mass retailers use in their products cannot even closely compare to the quality of ingredients that manufacturers such as Supre use in theirs," notes Alexander. "It goes back to the saying, 'you get what you pay for.'"
According to Dion, customers who rely on a salon as their total skincare and suncare specialist will buy their products from the salon, as long as it is reasonable to do so. "A salon should be known as an expert in tanning products and tanning in general, and needs to offer a sunless product that is not available in mass retail and that is priced competitively with mass-merchandised products."
Landau agrees: "Salons should take care of their clients' total needs by being a one-stop tanning and skincare supplier. We recommend suggestive selling--try to figure out what each individual tanner's needs are by asking a lot of questions and then try to match products to those needs."
John Abat International, which manufactures a range of products to fulfill all of a tanner's needs including sunless tanning, also believes in a philosophy of total suncare and skincare. "In today's competitive marketplace, salons must enhance the basic services they provide by being a complete resource for their clients' tanning needs," says Glees. "A salon must make its clients aware that it not only is a place to tan, but also the place to get expert advice on the specific care of their tanned skin. Receiving such expert counsel results in a clientele that is confident in the salon's expertise and facilities."
In the end, deciding whether to offer sunless tanning products in your salon comes down to one simple question: Do you want to provide your clients with everything they need to attain a beautiful tan and healthy skin? If a customer can't find the products they need and desire in your salon, they simply will have to go elsewhere to find them.
"Salon owners have to ask themselves, what is their philosophy on the lotion sales portion of their business?" says Teal. "Is it just to sell lotions for one tanning session or is it a philosophy of total suncare, which would include indoor tanning sessions, sunless tanning and outdoor tanning? Their clients want to look good--they don't want to have tan lines, they don't want to look like they got sunburned outside, and they want to look like they have well-conditioned skin. That's going to take an indoor tanning lotion, a sunless tanning product and an outdoor SPF."
The following self-tanning products are available from industry manufacturers.
California Tan
California Tan presents its Summer Illusion™ Step-3 Sunless Tanning Creme Gel. According to the company, Summer Illusion is a creme-gel self-tanner made with walnut extract, a natural bronzing agent, and DHA (dihydroxyacetone) to provide a dark, rich sunless tan. The non-streaking formula delivers beautiful, bronze results within three to four hours of application and complements any skin tone with an even, natural-looking tan, says the company. In addition, Summer Illusion dries quickly like a gel, while providing the moisturization of a creme. California Tan also offers Self Action self-tanner for the face.
For more information contact
California Tan
270 N. Canon Drive, Suite 1297
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(800) SUN-CARE
John Abat International™
John Abat International™ (formerly Swedish Beauty) announces that its Sunless Tanning Lotion creates a natural-looking tan without exposure to the sun or UV light and is ideal for those with a minimum amount of time to invest in a tan at the beach or salon, especially during those hectic days prior to going on vacation or traveling.
According to the company, Sunless Tanning Lotion's dye-free, moisturizing, vitamin E-rich formula, containing natural botanical oils, also is perfect to even out or darken a salon or outdoor tan. The natural formula of vitamin E, aloe vera and botanical oils moisturizes skin, leaving it soft and supple while providing a natural, golden glow that is long-lasting, says the company. In addition, Sunless Tanning Lotion contains no artificial colors and is scented with a fresh and soothing fragrance of lavender in a milky-textured lotion to allow even application for a streakless golden tan that gradually fades like a natural tan.
For more information contact
John Abat International
7879 E. Beck Lane
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
(800) 532-9035
Power Tan Corp.
Power Tan Corp. presents a two-in-one self-tanner for the body that provides a bronzed, sun-kissed look without the wait. According to the company, its Self Action with Bronzer provides immediate color when applied, then goes to work as a self-tanner to create a long-lasting, natural-looking tan. The product is perfect for perking up a fading tan or for adding color to a pale or sallow complexion, and the self-tanning properties of the dual-action formula start to work immediately to create a beautiful, streakless tan that lasts for days, says Power Tan.
Additionally, the company offers Self Action Facial with SPF 15, a gentle self-tanning lotion that creates a natural, streak-free, sun-kissed glow for the face without the sun. The double-duty self-tanner also contains a combination of fruit and alpha hydroxy acids to gently and naturally slough away dead skin cells, leaving skin smooth and soft, notes Power Tan.
For more information contact
Power Tan Corp.
4841 N. Scottsdale Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
(800) 949-4745
Australian Gold
Australian Gold presents its Sunless Tan self-tanner in three streakless formulas that provide a natural-looking, golden tan without the sun. According to the company, the formulas are enriched with soothing natural aloe extract to moisturize while working with a client's skin tone to even or enhance an existing tan, or develop one, in just two to three hours. In addition, all three formulas contain no dyes and are hypoallergenic. The Sunless Tan spray formula features a convenient non-aerosol bottle that can be used at any angle, while the Sunless Tan creamy lotion formula helps achieve a golden tan that would make even the most serious tanner envious, says the company. Sunless Tan also is available in an SPF 15 dark-tanning, fast-drying lotion formula with UVA and UVB protection. The product provides a sun-drenched look without the sun and protects skin from incidental sun exposure, notes Australian Gold.
For more information contact
Australian Gold
6270 Corporate Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46278
(800) 448-3218
Body Drench
Body Drench introduces Molten Dark Self Action Tanning Spray. According to the company, fast-drying Molten Dark combines fission technology with the latest in self-tanning technology to provide light, sunless tanning in a flash. Double-action self-tanning ingredients deliver a darker, more natural color while selected hydrating botanicals and vitamin-complexed proteins leave skin sparkling and supple, says the company.
Body Drench also offers Dark Instant Self Action Tanning Lotion with Bronzer, which incorporates instant color agents in a specialized formula that allows a tanner to see the bronzing effects while the base tanning ingredient develops. In addition, Self Action Tan Sunless Tanning Formula is a moisturizing lotion formula that produces the healthy-looking glow of a natural tan without UV exposure, notes the company.
For more information contact
Body Drench
7400 E. Tierra Buena Lane
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
(800) 722-2639
Supre
Supre announces that its Selftan sunless tanning products, available in lotion and spray, were developed to safely and gradually produce a rich, healthy golden tan without sun exposure. According to the company, the natural color develops in three to four hours and gradually fades like a regular tan. The Selftan formulas were designed to eliminate the streaking or spotting commonly associated with self-action tanning products and are formulated with aloe vera, vitamins E and A, and allantoin to help provide additional moisture to skin and help diminish environmentally triggered oxidants before they can affect skin's appearance, says Supre.
For more information contact
Supre
15770 Dallas Parkway, Suite 700
Dallas, TX 75248
(800) 825-7020
MOST Products
MOST Products presents its Signature M Sunless Tanning formula that provides a natural-looking, uniform tan without UV exposure or the orange color associated with many sunless tanners. According to MOST, its special formulation keeps skin moisturized and fresh-smelling during the sunless tanning process. The product can be used in conjunction with a tanning program to help even out skin tone, blend hard-to-tan areas and keep color from fading between sessions, or alone for a natural sunless tan, says the company. The formula is available in a lotion or in a mist featuring a unique 360-degree sprayer that delivers a uniform pattern from any bottle position.
For more information contact
MOST Products
326 W. Kalamazoo Ave.
Kalamazoo, MI 49007
(800) 331-6678
Touch of Bali™
Touch of Bali™ delivers a sunless tan with Mahakanni Quick Drying Spray Self Tanner. According to the company, Mahakanni Spray Self Tanner's light mist offers the ease of a spray with immediate application and faster drying time. Made with the exotic Mahakanni extract, the product mimics the tanning results of eumelanin, the brown-black pigment found in skin, to help develop a natural-looking brown tan, says Touch of Bali. In addition, the extra-dark formula will not streak or turn orange as it develops a long-lasting tan in two to three hours after application. Mahakanni Self Tanner also is available in a lotion formula.
For more information contact
Touch of Bali
P.O. Box 360
Sun City, CA 92586
(888) 4-BALI-TAN
South Beach Sun Co.
South Beach Sun Co. introduces its Brazen! Sunless Carrot Oil. According to the company, the highly effective self-tanning product is naturally loaded with more than 600 antioxidants that deeply nourish the skin and help prevent premature aging, wrinkling and peeling. South Beach Sun prides itself on using only the highest quality ingredients and superior formulations, and avoids unhealthy filler ingredients such as mineral oil, notes the company.
For more information contact
South Beach Sun Co.
1602 Alton Road, Suite 63
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(800) 585-9074
Sun Laboratories
Sun Laboratories has created four self-tanning products with botanically extracted ingredients such as aloe vera gel, panthenol and soybean oil to provide the richest, most natural-looking tan possible without the harmful effects of the sun. According to Sun Labs, its Luxurious Tanning Milk offers the lightest of its three tanning shades, Tan Overnight provides an instant medium-shade tan, and Ultra Dark is the darkest and most daring of its self-tanners. In addition, Strictly Faces is designed specifically for the face with SPF 15. The gentle product is safe for sensitive skin, fights off the aging effects of the sun and reduces wrinkles with active alpha hydroxy acids, says the company.
For more information contact
Sun Laboratories
20550 Prairie St.
Chatsworth, CA 91311
(800) 333-6003
VesPro Life Sciences, LLC
VesPro Life Sciences, LLC introduces Baja Bronze™, the only tablet the Food and Drug Administration allows to be called a tanning aid. According to the company, other so-called tanning supplements actually are dyes that color the skin but have nothing to do with the actual tanning process. Baja Bronze speeds the process of real tanning by assisting the body in the formation of melanin. The product dramatically decreases the time required for tanning, thus decreasing exposure to harmful rays, says the company. Made from 100-percent natural-source nutritional ingredients, each Baja Bronze tablet is a combination of minerals, vitamins and a powdered extract of the desert yucca plant; however, the product contains no sugar, dye, food coloring, starch, beta-carotene or canthaxanthin.
For more information contact
VesPro Life Sciences, LLC
9716 Rosehill Road
Lenexa, KS 66215
(800) 438-4894
