Airbrush Tanning, Spray Tanning Equipment

I can share my experience with other solutions on the market and what you will explain to your clients as to what sets Tan Naturelle apart from the others. Most solutions are sticky, they take forever to dry because most use aloe and other ingredients to moisturize. They didn’t balance the solution with a drying agent to shorten dry time. Being sticky for hours after your spray with most solutions is not uncommon. When formulating my solution I decided to balance the moisturizing ingredients with the agents that dry the tan faster to produce a result that allow clients to dress shortly after their session.

*This will vary according to body type:

When spraying different skin types you will recognize that they respond differently when drying. Younger skin will require much more dry time than mature skin. Their pores are very small and absorb at a much slower rate. You might want to consider using a fan for your younger clients if you notice they are not drying quickly.

Technique: We will go over technique during the spray. You will learn that as solutions vary with skin type, technique also varies with skin type.

Remember to ask your client to move their hands but they don’t have to hold them all the way up at this point because it will become incredibly cumbersome.

Always start facing your client on the top of their thigh working your way down to the foot without spraying the foot**. You will want to taper off at the ankle. I spray the client in quarters all the way around to the back then ask them to turn back to face me and begin on the other leg. Do not attempt to spray the inner thigh until you have sprayed the front, side, and back of the leg. If the thighs touch at or near the top I always continue to the upper body and avoid that area until almost finished. Your client will make the mistake of closing her legs while working on the upper extremities then you will have to blend and touch up. If the thighs don’t touch at all proceed to spraying the inner thigh by asking them to open their leg in the “Egyptian stance”. Shadows are always on the inner thigh so it is important to ask them to do this.

Standing directly in front of your client, start spraying under the base of the chin going straight down the tummy. Make about 3 passes total, 1 to the left of the middle, 1 to the right of the middle. You can turn the client and repeat at the base of the neck down their back. If your client is nude make sure to spray all the way down to where you began at the top of the thigh. You are ready to spray the top of the arms now.

Go back to the top of the base of the neck then spray all the way down the arm**. Depending on body type, I go straight to the base of the neck working down toward the wrist, tapering at the wrist just as I did with the feet. Always come back to the starting point to make another pass with solution. After years of spray tanning I can spray in many different patterns but as a beginner, I recommend sticking with the same basic pattern until you are more efficient. You may think you remember where you have sprayed but its best to air on the side of caution. The tanning puffs will allow you to blend if you spray onto your previous pattern.

Once you have sprayed the top and side of the arm, use the tanning puff to blend under the arm if a line accumulates. This is tricky because you don’t want to spray under the pit of the arm and down to the back of the wrist just yet. Just like the tops of the thighs the customer will forget and press the arm back by their side then you have white armpits.

Face: ask your client on the count of 3 to hold their breath, close their eyes, and don’t squint. There are many different patterns for the face but remember to stick with that pattern. As a beginner I recommend a circle pattern. Start at the temple and spray around the side of the face on both sides then down the middle. You will want to repeat this 2 to 3 times depending on desired level of color from your client.

Go back to spray their inner thigh if you avoided that area in the beginning. Remember the number of passes on the leg will be the number of passes for the inner thigh. If you aren’t comfortable with the lines just blend with tanning puff.

Go back to the top of the arm and spray from under the armpit down to the wrist. Don’t forget to taper the spray at the wrist to avoid a line at the base. Blending in this area is smart even if you think you tapered it correctly.

Now you are ready to spray the hands and feet. Ask your client to hold their hands out to the side (to avoid overspray on the knees and feet). Begin in an X pattern… then straight down the middle of the hand. Stop to blend then repeat if desired.

Ears: Don’t go out of your way to spray your client’s ears. The light spray that they caught while spraying along the side of the face is enough. If you think that they didn’t catch enough spray or are uneven, lightly spray them and follow with blending.

Elbows and Knees: Spray will gather on these areas if they haven’t been exfoliated. In some cases you may notice after spraying the legs the knees are darker. Just blend until they look even with the leg. If your client has scaly knees you may want to add a little lotion. Follow the same step for elbows.

**Instructions on spraying hands and feet non-stop:

**When you spray the top of the arm from the base of the bottom of the neck continue straight down the hand and over the finger tips then repeat this for the side of the hands as well. Make sure to blend with your tanning puff working in side to side motions until hands are even.

Repeat this same technique when spraying the feet. I usually spray all the way down the leg and past the toes and side to side. Stop, blend, then spray X pattern, then blend again.

Make sure to have baby wipes on hand at all times. ALWAYS wipe the client’s palm down to the finger tip after the session. You will find that clients will call you occasionally claiming they wound up with a brown hand. If you point out to them that you are cleaning their palm and explain that they cannot touch their body until the solution dries you will avoid many common mistakes. Even though the solution is dry and they can get dressed they must avoid pressing their hand against their body or face until showering.

Most salons use barrier cream. If you wipe the palms, around the base of the toes, and sides of the feet it is not necessary.

· I always make 2 passes on clients considering that 1 spray.

· If your client desires a deeper color, apply another application. Depending on your salon you may want to charge for extra solution. Most salons use 2.5 ounce on average per spray.

· Always check lighting to ensure shadows are eliminated. When using a tanning tent, you will definitely experience shadows unless direct lighting is available.

Questions you will be asked by your clients:

How long does it last?

Most people answer by saying “About a week, sometimes longer”. I always try to be as candid with my clients as possible. You will find that the more information you give them the more comfortable they will be. The longevity of the tan depends on several variables. If the client cares for their tan properly it will last them longer. Depends on how quickly the skin exfoliates? If they do not use scrub while showering and pat dry instead of rubbing. Using touch-ups and extenders will make a difference. Most important tip to give your client is moisture, moisture, moisture. If they moisturize morning and night every day (after day 1) the tan will last much longer.

Can I still use the tanning bed or lay in the sun?

Of course, DHA does not block UVA/UVB rays.

Can I get into the jacuzzi or pool?

Please inform your clients that chlorine will break down the spray tan quickly. If they plan on extended time in the pool or hot tub they might want to reconsider spraying. Make sure to be upfront with them about this so you don’t get a phone call asking why you didn’t inform them when they said they were going on vacation, etc. They will quickly ask for a refund. If you cover your bases in the beginning, you will avoid any call backs.

What should I wear?

The day of their session they should dress comfortably with dark clothing that is not too clingy. No socks, no tennis shoes, preferably sandles.