Archive for December, 2011
Maid of Honor to the Rescue
The weekend before my best friend got married I, as one of my duties as maid of honor, arranged her bachelorette party. She wanted a low key event, so I settled on a beach weekend in Miami. We had a great time sipping drinks on the beach and relaxing in the sun.
Even though I brought enough sunscreen for an army, not everyone took full advantage. As a result, several of the bridesmaids had ugly tan lines that would not go well with our strapless dresses. To keep the bride from freaking out, I made appointments for the bride and bridesmaids at a salon that specializes in airbrush tanning systems. The salon got us all squared away; we had fantastic glows and no tan visible tan lines in any of the wedding pictures.
Christmas in Florida
For Christmas, my aunt and uncle surprised me with roundtrip plane tickets to visit them in Florida. This is a real treat since it is freezing cold this time of year where I live. I’ll be staying with them for the first week of the New Year.
Before I jet down to Florida, I’ll need to make several preparations. First, I need to dig out my summer clothes since it is still in the mid to upper 70s in Florida. Second, I need to swing by the salon and make use of their airbrush tanning system. I do not want to look like Casper the friendly ghost while ringing in the New Year!
Cleanliness is Key
It seems like every month there is some story on the news about a salon that has infected clients with nasty diseases because of unclean supplies. When you are in the beauty business cleanliness is key! I run my own salon and I make sure that every inch of the place is cleaned thoroughly, every day. I don’t want my customers to ever feel uncomfortable.
The airbrush tanning supplies in particular are cleaned on a regular basis. If a staff member has a messy station or hasn’t cleaned out their tanning tools properly, they are fired immediately. Clients appreciate this zero tolerance policy. They know that their health will never be compromised in my salon.
Vanity of Male Swimmers
In high school I was a member of the varsity swim team. I was not a stellar athlete, but I still earned a spot on the team (most likely because they needed to flesh out the women’s team). The men’s team, however, was stacked with young men who also swam in an extremely competitive local club.
These are the male swimmers who shave all of their body hair before competition to cut down on friction in the water. Some of these guys were also incredibly vain; though, I can’t say that I blame them entirely- those jammers leave nothing to the imagination. I suspect that some of them went so far as to have airbrush tanning solution applied before big meets. Either that or they didn’t mind braving the winter weather to soak up some rays.
Leasing Tanning Equipment
We’ve often discussed how to go about opening your own spray tanning business. Here’s a tip to cut down on your initial overhead: rent instead of buying. Ideally, you should buy your own equipment, but if money is tight, then renting is a good option.
Put in an application with an airbrush tanning equipment rental company. They’ll check your credit history and your business to make sure you’ll be able to keep up with monthly payments. If you’re approved, the proper equipment will be delivered to your store. You may even find that the company periodically updates its inventory, which is nice because then you have access to the latest and greatest tanning technology.
Workout Reward
Like many people, I hate sweating. A shirt that sticks to your back or has pit stains is a total turn-off. Unfortunately, I know that in order to look good you need to sweat. I told myself I had to get over it, join a gym, and commit to working out.
It’s been two months now and I’m starting to see pay-off. Yes, my body looks better, but I also find that I have a lot more energy now. To keep myself motivated, I give myself little treats. A big one for me has been if I go to the gym every day for two weeks I treat myself to airbrush tanning. Having a healthy glow makes my new body look even better!
Cashing in on Holiday Parties
You may think that cooler weather is bad for the tanning business, but I’ve found the opposite to be true. Yes, my spray tanning salon is generally busier in the summer, but I get plenty of business during the month of December. The reason? Holiday parties.
Even in this economy, a lot of companies still spring for a nice dinner or cocktail event where it is expected that employees and their spouses will get dressed up. Plenty of women come into my salon or have me bring tanning tents to their houses so they can get a great looking glow to go with their slinky, sequin party dresses. These holiday parties do wonders for bolstering my cool weather business!
Beware of Snow Glare
Over Christmas break I’m heading out to Colorado to spend a week skiing and snowboarding with friends. Last year I got very painful sunburns on my face and lips due to snow glare. The cool weather and ample layers of clothing made me falsely believe that I was protected from the sun’s rays.
Quite the opposite was true. It turns out that high altitudes and glare from white highly reflective snow makes a person more susceptible to the sun’s rays. This year, I’ll be wearing sunscreen and lip balm with SPF 10. If need be, I’ll bring along a tanning tent and some spray tan solution to even out any color I pick up out on the slopes.
Maintenance For A Sunless Tan
Whether you are a man or a woman tanning is very popular. A glowing tan makes you look younger and let’s face it a hint of color makes everyone look good. The reality is that sunbathing isn’t always available depending on were you live. There are alternatives to sun bathing. For instance, there always tanning salons that you can choose to go to as well as sunless tanning products that are available. Both of these options take a little maintenance.
When you decide to do a sunless tan you want to make sure that you moisturize your entire body especially after showers. Also hydrating is important as well. You want to make sure that you are drinking 8-10 glasses of water a day. Applying sunscreen is also necessary. Of course reapplying the lotion when you notice your tan fading is a given as well.
Applying Sunless Tanning Lotion to the Face
Applying sunless tanning lotion to the face and neck can be worrisome. Mistakes on the rest of the body can be easily hidden with clothing, but if you mess up the application on your face there’s no way to hide it. Here are some tips on proper sunless tanning lotion face application:
Before applying the sunless tanning lotion, make sure to fully exfoliate your facial skin. Next, place a dime size amount of sunless tanning lotion on to your hand. Using your finger, dab a bit of lotion around your face to ensure the product is evenly distributed. Finally, use your fingertips to gently blend and massage the lotion into your skin. Just as you would with applying make-up, pay special attention to blending along the jaw line and hairline.