Hi all.
When I started researching professional spray tans I really struggled to find genuine reviews so I thought I'd make a point of reviewing all of the ones I have tried so that it may be helpful to others when they are either just starting or wanting to move forward with something new.
First off look for a company that does a good deal with the machine, tent and solution altogether. Do a breif search on the internet to get a gauge of reviews but bare in mind that if the company is fairly new there wont be that much out there.
Next try contacting the company either by email or by phone. I email the majority of the time as I am constantly out and about and can get emails everywhere, if you are lucky they might even call you back, this is a massive bonus as it saves you money and it connects you to the supplier. I know of some people that order their supplies through ebay shops and they always end up getting stuck with no product when they really need it as shipping hasn't been reliable. Personally I don't feel its worth the risk.
If you already have your tanning equipment you can go ahead and order some samples, some companies may charge and some may not it really depends but it wont be a huge charge if any. Again beware here, you do not want to be stuck with a lot of samples that you wont use. My advice is to get a colour to suit your skin tone and one other that you can try on an existing client or family member. If in doubt stick to a 10% as it is pretty much the mid colour, you can go in with a light application for fairer skin tones or go heavier for darker skin tones.
Always do a patch test of corse. You can never tell if any of the ingredients will react with your skin, chances are you will be fine but its always best to do a test first, this also shows you the end colour result. Get someone to help spray you. My husband helps me he is getting good at it now. You can then give a fair mark on ,colour, smell, longevity, how it wears eg. if it goes patchy. When you have given it a good test run between yourself and any willing guinea pigs you can then give a fair recommendation to clients or decide not to go with that particular company.
What I use...
I found a company based here in the UK called Fresh Indulgence that do fantastic offers on the whole package. I chose the TS50 machine with the helia gun. It is a pro machine and the gun has 3 different spray settings vertical, horizontal and airbrush, with 1-8 spray density. I chose this particular machiene because of the versatility of having the different spray patterns, not all bodies are the same adjustments can be made without compromising on the quality of the tan. In the package I received 3 1ltr bottles of tanning solution. Fresh indulgence have 3 different types of tanning solution catering for every skin tone. Revive is for more sensitive skins with anti ageing ingredients that leave skin feeling so soft and replenished, Caribbean which is a lovely mocha colour that makes you look like you live in the Caribbean, this one smells devine and is packed with skincare ingredients and the electric is a quick developing tan perfect for those on the go. They also sell retail products that can be a profit booster for your company. The customer service from this company is second to none, no call is to small and the delivery is superb I rarely wait more that 24 hours for my order. I cannot recommend them enough.
I do have another brand that I use but not as regularly and I continue to try out new brands all the time as things change in the industry constantly and developments in the formula of different tans are all different. I will be posting reviews of each tan brand over the next few weeks.
I really hope that this was even just a little bit helpful to some of you.
Lots of love
Mrs G xxxx
