There are two topics I am going to touch on today in my blog. It's been a while since I have posted, and that is mainly due to it being "Peak Season" in Australia. Firstly, I love being in Facebook groups, but it's hard to see the misinformation that is given in a lot of the groups, and it's hard to see other people taking what they say as "Gospel". One Facebook group in particular (that I am not a part of), but was sent screenshots of a particular post in this group by numerous people, has prompted me to write this post. There was so much incorrect information that was given out by a spray tanner that I was embarrassed for her.
Instead of taking onboard what others had to say, she had to belittle the others who commented and she came across as condescending and patronising to those who had a different opinion (actually the correct information). I know that sometimes it's hard to interpret the tone of the text when people write in posts, and I know I had to look at the way that I write in posts a while ago, because people were interpreting it very differently to how I was trying to come across, but incorrect information will always be incorrect information no matter how it is written. I want to address a few comments that I saw in the screenshots that were sent to me that were incorrectly made by a spray tanner. Unfortunately I saw that some people had "liked" and "loved" her comments, so I wanted to make sure that the misinformation wasn't spreading which would lead to more people thinking incorrectly and learning incorrect information.
The first comment I am going to work through is:
𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝟭 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝟭 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗛𝗔 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗻 . 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟭𝟬% 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀. 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘇𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗛𝗔, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘇𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀.
Let's look at the first statement..
ALL YOU NEED IS ONE SOLUTION..
We all know that one solution will not suit absolutely everybody, just like the same makeup doesn't suit everybody, the same clothes don't suit everybody and the same medicine won't help everybody the same way. It is virtually impossible to create a solution that is going to be perfect on every single person. We all have different skin tones, undertones. We need different %'s for different depths of results when leaving it on for the required time of 2-8 hours. Different solutions will give different results on the same person... especially different base coloured solutions.
THERE'S ONLY ABOUT 1 TEASPOON OF DHA ADDED TO SOLUTIONS PER GALLON. THEY ALL END UP AROUND THE 10% REGARDLESS. SELLING GOBS OF DIFFERENT PERCENTAGES IS SIMPLY A SELLING FEATURE.
This has to be probably the most ridiculous statement I have ever read in a Facebook post.... and I've seen a lot of posts.
There is definitely more than 1 teaspoon placed in a spray tan formulation, regardless of what % the solution is... and they definitely DON'T end up around the 10% regardless.
Without giving away too much of the process... the formulation is created and the DHA is added in last. This is how you get the correct "weight" or amount of DHA in the formulation.
For example... lets try and make this simple... If there was 1,000 kilograms of solution that has been made up (excluding the DHA), and you wanted to make a 10% DHA solution you would add in 100 kilograms of DHA to create a 10% solution (10% of 1,000 is 100). If you wanted a 15% DHA solution you would add in 150 kilograms of DHA (15% of 1,000 is 150)... SIMPLE!
So for a 10% DHA solution in a 1 litre bottle (1,000mls), 100mls of the solution is made up of DHA. For a 15% DHA solution in a 1 litre bottle (1,000mls), 150mls of the solution is made up of DHA.
Definitely not just a teaspoon of DHA in any solution...
THE PERCENTAGE REALLY STANDS FOR WHAT PERCENTAGE OF BRONZER IS ADDED TO THE SOLUTION NOT THE DHA, AND WHICH WE ALL KNOW THE BRONZER HAS WASHED OFF AFTER THE FIRST OR FIRST COUPLE OF SHOWERS.
Actually I take back my comment about the previous comment being the most ridiculous comment as this one definitely takes the cake.
When you look at an ingredients list of a spray tan solution, the regulations state that the ingredients list needs to be added in chronological order with the highest amount ingredient listed first (normally water), and the least amount listed last (normally the bronzers in the solution).
Here is an example ingredients list below:
Please note that this is not the ingredients list of Colour Me Bronze Professional. I wanted to use a different Brand to show an unbiased ingredients list.
As you can see the bronzers (CI numbers) are listed last, meaning that they contain the least amount in the formulation.
The Colour Me Bronze Professional spray tan solution range has been formulated with extra light bronzers... so having a solution Branded as 16% DHA means that there is 16% DHA in the formuation. I would HATE to see a solution with 16% bronzers in it... that would be HORRID!
Just to confirm the percentage listed on the bottle of a spray tan solution IS NOT the amount of bronzer added to the solution. The percentage stands for the amount of DHA that has been formulated into the solution.
And another thing... if the percentage really stood for the percentage of bronzer in the solution, how does that work with solutions that don't contain bronzers... ie clear solutions? They are marketed with different DHA %'s as well... Food for thought! ;-)
DHA WORKS ON TIME ON THE SKIN, THAT'S WHAT DECIDES ITS LEVEL OF DARKNESS. 6 TO 8 HOURS IS A LIGHTER TAN, IN 12 HOURS 75% OF THE COLOUR HAPPENS AND 24 HOURS IS ITS FULL ACCELERATING PERIOD. EACH AND EVERY SKIN TONE YOU START WITH WILL GO A DIFFERENT COLOUR, NO 2 WILL BE THE SAME.
DHA does work on time on the skin, but there is an "absorption time" and also a "development time" that we need to take into consideration.
The "absorption time" is anywhere up until 8 hours after application... After that it is just "dead" solution sitting on the skin. The only thing that will keep working after the 8 hour mark is that the bronzers will keep staining the skin, but they will wash off after the second/third day leaving the TRUE solution result after this time. Clients will notice a huge drop in colour by the third day, which can lead to complaints that their tan didn't last long or just "washed away" after a couple of days.
The "development" time is anywhere up until 24 hours (sometimes 36 hours if Erythrulose has been formulated into the solutions) after being sprayed.
Yes, the longer you leave it on the skin the darker the result will go, but the higher the percentage of DHA the darker the person will go leaving it on longer as well...
The DHA% plays an important part in the outcome of the spray tan result.
It's true that every person will result in a slightly different result... but that is because we are not spraying on a "colour" on a client.. we are spraying on a solution that enables the skin to colour... the development and the outcome of the tan depends on how well the solution reacts with the amino acids in the acid mantle of the skin. If the pH of the acid mantle is higher or lower than what it should be at (around pH 5.5), then this will create a different result also.
6-8 hours will NOT give you just a light result...
With ANY solution (this includes those classified as a rapid as well) this is what result you will get:
2 hours before rinsing will give you a minimal result (I like to say light result) for that particular solution...
4-6 hours will give you a medium result for that solution
8 hours will give you the darkest result possible for that solution.
Put it this way... If you sprayed a client with a 10% DHA solution and left it on for 2 hours, the result would be a lot lighter than if that same client was sprayed with a 15% DHA solution and left it on for 2 hours... so that just proves that this person's "theory" is incorrect.
Leaving a solution on the skin for 24 hours might have been the way to do it years ago when solutions were formulated and manufactured back in the late 1990's.. but not these days. I remember being told to keep the solution on my skin for 24 hours when I first used to get sprayed years and years ago... but things have evolved since. The DHA has become more refined, and formulations have evolved to the point where this is no longer required anymore.
If this person wants to keep thinking back to the prehistoric times of spray tanning so be it... but things develop and change and improve for the better, which spray tan solutions have, an no longer require a solution to be on the skin for that long a time.
IT'S A SHAME TO ME THAT THESE COMPANIES COMPLICATE IT SO MUCH FOR THE TECHS. PLEASE TRY TO KEEP THINGS SIMPLE AS WE SAID IT WILL MAKE YOUR JOB AS A SPRAY TAN ARTIST MUCH MORE ENJOYABLE AND ALLOW YOU TO CONCENTRATE ON YOUR TECHNIQUES RATHER THAN WHICH SOLUTION TO CHOOSE
How boring would applying one solution to the skin all the time be? I would hate that... You shouldn't need to keep things simple to concentrate on your tanning technique. The tanning technique should just come naturally to you. You shouldn't have to concentrate on it to get it right.
Having varying solutions and creating different mixes is just being creative with your choices and your business.
I'm pretty sure that a client would love to have a colour chosen or mixed for them specifically, rather than just have a generic "one solution" sprayed on them.
The clients experience with you at your business is also about the customer service. What you can do for your client. How you make them feel special, how you mix up the colour that best suits them, specifically suited to them... not what best suits the spray tanners convenience.
I know for a fact with spray tanning over 35,000 people in my spray tan career so far, and over 10,000 people since the release of my spray tan Brand that base colours and DHA%'s make a huge difference.
My clients know that they make a difference also... they see the difference when they get the different mixes sprayed on them.
Unfortunately it's people like the one that made the comments above that is ruining the spray tanning industry by teaching people incorrect information. I just wish they wouldn't.
Now... let's move onto my next topic for this blog
COPY CATS
It always amuses me when I see a certain person in Facebook groups proclaiming that they are being copied with everything that they do.... from their advertising to their training courses. I'm always of the belief:
It can be frustrating when people do copy your work and ideas, but I often query those who go on too much about it.
Don't get me wrong, I've had a whinge about it from time to time, and I'm about to do it again below, but it's those who continuously go on and about it when the issue is well and truly over, and are doing it to try to put the blame on somebody else, or try to turn others against people, are the ones who are normally doing it themselves.
It's ok to state something once if you are annoyed at something... we all do it!... but I've seen people, one in particular go on and on for years now about the same issue... trying to bring it up any way they can to try and belittle their competition, and one person in particular, and it's ridiculous, and now I have caught them doing the same thing... being a copy cat.
It's really frustrating when you come up with some great text about your Brand, and you see identical wording on a newly released Brand. Come on!!! You "apparently" formulated your own Brand, well WHY DIDN'T YOU COME UP WITH YOUR OWN WORDING THEN!!!
Let's look at some comparisons side by side. I won't state who this other newly released "Brand" is, but it's frustrated the hell out of me seeing descriptions copied.
Here are just a couple of examples from what I have seen:
Unique blend?... We will come to that a little later...
When I was reading their description I kept thinking that it sounded like the way I write, and when I compared them side by side I was astounded at the similarities... This blatant copying of wording is coming from somebody that apparently doesn't copy anybody and has people copying her all of the time. Go figure!
Another thing I wanted to show you was a comparison in ingredients lists... I know ingredients lists like the back of my hand, and when I looked at this person's ingredients list for her solution I knew that I had seen it somewhere before... I'm not going to name the original Brand so have just named it "Main Brand". You may look at it and go "oh they are different"... "one has more ingredients than the other", but they are similar enough to know that it's not an original or unique solution... I think that it is a mixture of two of that same Brands solutions together to combine and make their "original" blend, as I know the other ingredients that are not in that "Main Brands" ingredients lists are in another of their solutions.
It's rare for a Brand to use the Orange 4 colourant, and also a couple of other ingredients listed which is what alerted me and made me shake my memory bank and prompted me to seek what it could be a copy of...
Apart of them being super close in formulation.. too close for my liking, there is no such thing as Eco Cert DHA. I wish people would stop using that as a selling point when EcoCert doesn't have a DHA. Please get to know your ingredients lists so it's easy to pick "copies" of other Brands... You will soon see how many "copies" or there actually are of other solutions. It's just sad to see that somebody that venomously tries to state that she is being copied and put down others for "copying" her is doing exactly the same thing to others...
For further information on the above or if you have any questions you can post below, or email me at kim@colourmebronze.com.au if you want to comment without publicizing your name. Until next time! :-)