Spray tanning has had some bad press recently. From outdated studies coming out of America suggesting a rather tenuous link between fake tan and cancer*, to a recent article in the Daily Mail linking fake tan with fertility problems, it seems as though spray tanning is having its obligatory media thrashing - something which comes, I suppose, from the industry's steady growth and emergence into the main stream.

While such articles are enough to strike fear into the hearts of most spray tan technicians, it's important to make a distinction between the service you offer and those which these articles are really targeting. The most recent Daily Mail article (published 23/07/12), for example, details a rather terrifying-looking cocktail of chemicals found in some solutions. If you already use one of the few brands that focuses upon the most natural products possible, however, then view this as an opportunity to tell people how your business is different.

People are always going to want a tan, and the only real alternative to fake tanning - exposure to UVA/UVB rays - will always pose a cancer risk and prematurely age the skin. Spray tanning will only continue to grow, but consumers - now increasingly armed with information - will be looking for the safest options. It's up to you to explain the benefits of your treatment and your products over the competition. Which positive skin conditioning ingredients do your tanning solutions contain? Is your product paraben-free, vegan-friendly, eco-certified, and so on, and if it is, why is this important to you - and why should it be important to your client?

In addition to stocking a natural product such as Fresh Indulgence, there are a number of steps you can take to further protect yourself and your clients:

  • Always spray in a well-ventilated room. Extractor fans are only necessary if performing several tans all in the same room with no windows (i.e. some salon environments) - in almost every case, an open window is the best ventilation you can get.