Offering More Than Sunless
Giving Customers A “Certified” Experience

by Rick Mattoon

LIKE MANY SERVICE-ORIENTED BUSINESSES, the day spa industry offers many opportunities for diversification into related areas. In just the last few years, many spas have expanded into areas well beyond the basics of physical and mental enhancements. The industry has seen an escalation of baby boomers demanding more cosmetic-related treatments. One of the fastest-growing cosmetic treatments to hit the market in the last decade may very well be sunless tanning. Spas looking to gain a competitive edge on others offering sunless tanning need to develop a professional sunless program administered by a key staff member properly trained in the application of sunless solution.

Sunless tanning has increased in popularity over the last year. Those seeking a beautiful, golden tan may not have the time or patience necessary for dealing with the untamed nature of the sun’s tanning rays. Compare that to the controlled elements of sunless tanning. Sunless is just now being paid its due. In the 1970s, the Food and Drug Administration added the sunless component dihydroxyacetone (DHA) to its list of approved cosmetic ingredients. Spa and tanning providers quickly recognized the benefits of DHA’s cosmetic reaction with the outermost layer of the skin to develop a brown or tan coloring.

In place of the traditional sunless lotions that promise a golden tan from a bottle, technology now offers spas a more advanced and convenient application process using stand-up spray booths and handheld spray systems. Although the popularity of sunless booths is growing across the country, considering the staffing luxury of some spas and the more personable environment, the handheld spray system seems to be a good fit for spas.

The Professional Sunless Touch

Like any professional skill, airbrush-tanning application is an ability enhanced by time, practice and training. To assist in providing a competitive edge to spas offering sunless airbrushing, the National Tanning Training Institute (NTTI) offers its Sunless Airbrush Technician Course, the industry’s only online program specifically designed for the airbrush technician.

Based on research and testing done by some of the leading manufacturers of sunless spray systems, the NTTI course covers several aspects of the sunless application process. Once a sunless technician becomes familiar with the spray system being used, it’s then time to concentrate on the actual application of the solution. Here are some important points covered in the course:

• The sunless technician should wear gloves while applying the solution. Constant overspray and residue may stain hands.
• No matter the body part, the technician should work from the top to the bottom while holding the airbrush 6 to 8 inches from the surface of the skin for a more even spray.
• The airbrush should be held perpendicular to the surface of the skin being sprayed and should not be tilted back and fourth while spraying. An even and relaxed speed across the surface of the skin should be maintained. Slow movement can result in solution buildup while fast movement can cause lightly covered areas.
• The airbrush should be moved in an arc while the technician sprays in a circular motion following the contour of the client’s face or body part. This movement creates the most even coverage while reducing overspray.

And for those hard-to-spray areas:

• Have customers hold their arms out while spraying the sides of the body.
• Have them bend slightly at the knees and elbow when spraying those areas to avoid buildup in the folds of the skin.
• When spraying clients with heavier builds, have them hold their arms over their heads to raise breasts and improve access to areas of the skin in folds.

In July, the FDA released a statement on DHA, which came as a reminder to sunless airbrush technicians that care should be used when applying sunless solution. Technicians should remember that the solution should only be applied to external parts of the body, while direct contact of the lips or any body surface covered by mucous membrane should be avoided.

Spa staff should take extra care in assuring proper ventilation during the sunless session. Clients also should try to avoid direct application of the product into the eye area, and should use a lip balm or other barrier product on the lips and in the nostrils.

Preparing Clients For Sunless Success

One of the primary factors that add to a successful sunless experience is client preparation. That’s why NTTI’s course shows technicians how to help clients get the most of their sunless sessions. No matter what sunless solution or spray system is used, clients’ preparation prior to their sunless sessions can mean the difference between sunless success and failure.

Remember, the skin replaces itself naturally about every 28 days. That means that 25 percent of the skin is exfoliated each week, causing UV and sunless tans to wear away. Typically, sunless spray tans affect only the top 25 percent of the skin. If a client can slow or stabilize the natural exfoliation process by using a tan extending program, he or she may be able to maintain the sunless tan longer.

Here is a program technicians may wish to suggest to their sunless clients:

• Exfoliating with a salt scrub or other appropriate product is recommended the day before a sunless tan. Removing loose, dead, dry skin cells that prevent even application of sunless solution will improve and extend tanning results.
• Before sunless tanning, skin should be clean and dry with no soap residue to interfere with the solution.
• Deodorants or perfumes should not be applied to the skin prior to tanning. Shaving is recommended the day before tanning. Makeup also should be removed before the tanning process.
• Jewelry should be removed just before the tanning process.
• An older, dark-colored bathing suit should be warn while being sprayed. Similar loose-fitting clothes should be worn home immediately after the tanning session.
• For first-time tanners with naturally light or pale skin, a pH-balancing product should be applied to the skin prior to tanning. A balanced pH level often provides a browner, more natural-looking color.
• Barrier creams should be applied to areas that tend to attract too much sunless color during the tanning process. These areas include cuticles, knees, elbows, hands and feet. Barrier creams may also be applied to tattoos to keep the color of the body art vibrant after the tanning process.

It is generally recommended that after about five weeks of sunless tanning the client take a break to allow the skin to completely lose its sunless tan. This helps eliminate patchiness or uneven areas of wear caused by normal contact with clothing and other surfaces that can accelerate the exfoliation process. Although healthy, well moisturized skin generally retains the sunless tan longer, sunless spray results will vary from one client to another.

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