Sun Is Life ISSN 2329-8545 (USPS 023-149) is published monthly by Island Sun Times Inc., 5152 Commerce Rd., Flint, MI 48507. Periodicals postage is paid at Flint, MI and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Sun Is Life, 12335 N Rockwell Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73142. To authors, photographers and people featured in this publication: All materials, articles, reports and photos published in this publication are the property of Sun Is Life Magazine and cannot be used without written permission. The opinions and conclusions recited herein are those of the respective authors and not of Sun Is Life Magazine. Sun Is Life Magazine is not responsible for returning unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials. Every effort will be made however, to return rejected manuscripts, etc., if they are accompanied by sufficient first-class postage, but the publisher will not be responsible for loss of any such material.
The name “February” comes from Februarius, derived from februum, meaning “to purify” in Latin. Note that much of our content this month stems from that name and from the Roman Februalia festival that symbolizes “cleansing and new beginnings” as winter ends. The holidays are behind us, and some may have a hard time getting our mornings started. The days are still short, and the weather can deliver sleet, snow, and rain, with occasional sunny days. The northern climes are still locked into really cold weather, and our southern regions are still shivering if the temperatures fall below 50 degrees.
Our industry has been providing relief from the malaise of this month for quite a long time. Our clients flock like “lemmings to the cliff” (a metaphor, as that is just a myth), searching for the look good, feel good aspect of UV, Sunless, and Wellness. “Well, come on in. We have what you need!” Knowing that each day has more daylight than early winter can help our mental outlook. So does a sunbed. Your clients seldom come out of a sunbed slumber or relaxing red light session feeling poorly. Those refreshing minutes can provide the nudge to feel better about the day ahead or the day behind.
So, deliver it. Take this month for a fresh chance to mentally wipe the slate clean. Overcome previous roadblocks, get fired up with stronger confidence and motivation, and make sure you share it with your staff. Yes, do not forget the staff. They can be stuck in the same doldrums as your customers this month. The new beginnings can also give you renewed hope, improved mental health, and the feeling that things will get better.
So, what is in store for this issue? We are going to dig into the exploration of formulas, technologies, and research that support healthy, radiant skin and elevate results. Nadine Carter shares some great information on skin care with us. Our Salon Prose provides some great ideas on staff motivation that can be put to use immediately as the season comes into full swing. I interviewed Kristy Mazeika of Athens, Georgia, as our Salon of Distinction this month, with a visit to her recently opened second location. Spoiler alert, she is a big fan of Sun Is Life certification.
Of course, if you are one of those who enjoy our games at the back of the magazine, they are still in there to get your brain stimulated. Do not get swept up on Groundhog Day into the same monotonous flow. Break loose and make the most of our shortest month.
All the best,
Joe Schuster Editor-in-Chief
Customizable treatments for every body, every tone and every lifestyle
Smart technology guides clients through easy sessions
Automated mixing system helps to reduce waste and ensures consistent sprays
E ortless full-body application in minutes
Warm, comfortable experience
Automatic washdown cycle for easy maintenance
From the innovators behind the most trusted spray technology in the industry comes a new standard in full-body skincare. A step-by-step skincare system designed to cleanse, tone, and hydrate skin supporting full-body skin wellness in between WellFit sessions.
DEPARTMENT
More Than Skin Deep The Human Science Behind Every Service
BY ALIESHA COLVIN
In the tanning, beauty and wellness industry, we speak often about equipment, formulas, techniques, and results but at the core of every service is something deeply human: helping people feel more at home in their own skin.
Confidence does not look the same for every client.
For one person, it may mean enhancing their glow before a vacation or special event. For another, it may mean reclaiming a sense of identity after body changes, aging, illness, or seasons of selfdoubt. Our work exists where science, psychology, and compassion overlap, and how we approach that responsibility determines not only client satisfaction, but also the longterm strength of our businesses.
Every Body Has a Story
No two clients walk into a salon with the same history, the same relationship with their body, or the same expectations. A spray tan, skin treatment, or spa service may be identical in method, yet the emotional experience behind it is uniquely personal.
Clients arrive influenced by culture, social media, personal milestones, insecurities, or confidence journeys they may not voice out loud. Some view services as self-expression. Others view them as self-protection. When professionals avoid making assumptions about why a client wants a service, they create space for trust, respect, and honest conversation.
Understanding that everybody carries a story allows teams to support results in a way that feels empowering rather than corrective.
Creating Emotionally Safe Consultations
Consultations are more than technical assessments; they are moments where clients decide whether they feel safe in our care. Language plays a powerful role in that decision.
Instead of framing goals around “fixing” or “correcting,” staff can shift toward supportive, bodyneutral phrasing that emphasizes confidence and comfort. Statements such as, “Let’s talk about what helps you feel your best,” invite collaboration rather than judgment. Asking permission before touch, explaining each step, and checking in on comfort levels reinforces agency for the client.
These habits are not only compassionate, but they are also operationally smart, improving retention, referrals, and overall experience quality.
Representation as a Business Strategy
Clients feel most confident when they can see themselves reflected in the spaces where they spend their money. Inclusive marketing is not simply a branding choice; it is a trust-building strategy.
When salons display imagery that features a range of body types, ages, skin tones, and identities, they communicate a powerful message: “You are welcome here.” Likewise, celebrating realistic results rather than filtered perfection helps clients develop healthy expectations and stronger emotional connections to their outcomes. Environments that normalize different bodies do more than inspire confidence, they expand audiences and strengthen loyalty across demographics.
Educating With Science, Not Shame
This month’s February theme of Skin Care Science reminds us that knowledge is one of the most valuable tools we can offer. However, science becomes most meaningful when it is delivered without shamebased language.
Rather than focusing on “problem areas,” professionals can explain how services support skin health, hydration, barrier repair, or even mood and relaxation. Education framed around care reinforces that clients are investing in their wellbeing, not apologizing for their bodies. When teams emphasize benefits rooted in research and technique — while maintaining warmth and humanity — clients leave feeling informed, respected, and motivated to continue consistent care.
Reading Comfort Cues and Offering Choice
Body comfort is highly individual, and small gestures can significantly shape a client’s experience. Offering size inclusive robe and towel options, providing privacy moments during preparation, and explaining positioning before adjustments all support autonomy and dignity. Some clients may prefer minimal conversation, while others find reassurance in connection and encouragement. Training teams to read nonverbal cues, ask gentle clarifying questions, and adapt to varying comfort levels creates smoother appointments and deeper trust.
These practices are compassionate in nature AND they directly support business outcomes through stronger relationships, recurring visits, and positive word-of-mouth.
Celebrating Outcomes Beyond Appearance
Results matter, but the definition of a “successful” appointment extends far beyond the mirror. Confidence can look like relaxation after a stressful week, relief after feeling seen and respected, or renewed motivation to care for one’s skin and body. When professionals celebrate emotional outcomes alongside visual ones, they affirm that beauty and wellness are not about striving for perfection, but about nurturing self-connection. A client who leaves saying, “I feel like myself again,” reflects an experience rooted in care, trust, and meaningful service; the very qualities that sustain longterm business success.
Where Science Meets Compassion
Skin-care science gives our industry its tools, technologies, and credibility. Compassionate service gives those tools purpose.
By honoring the individuality of every body and supporting clients in the skin they live in, not the one they feel pressured to chase, salons and wellness spaces become environments of growth, confidence, and belonging. The future of our industry is not only results-driven, but relationshipdriven. When we merge evidencebased practice with empathy and respect, we create experiences that are not just transformative on the surface, but meaningful at every level.
7 Questions With Leslie Westfall
How education, system, and trust turned passion into a lasting salon business
BY STAFF WRITER
Leslie Westfall is a serial entrepreneur, mentor, and salon industry leader with 17 years of experience. She owns Studio 636 Sun Spray Spa in O’Fallon, Missouri and is the founder of the Tanning Salon Owners Network, a Facebook community dedicated to helping salon owners grow and succeed.
Leslie is also the founder of the industry-known “Beauty Bar” concept. It was built from her skills and passion for coordinating retail displays and finding innovative ways to elevate guest purchasing experiences and retail sales beyond just tanning lotion.
Mentored by some of the most respected leaders in the industry, Leslie shares her knowledge with the salon community, speaks at tanning expos and helps mentor other salon owners to achieve their business goals.
Known for her entrepreneurial drive and passion for creating unforgettable client experiences, Leslie is on a mission to build meaningful businesses, a lasting legacy, and help others discover their purpose.
1
“When did you realize, ‘Oh wow, this is more than a job, this is my calling,’ and what was happening in your business that day?”
I realized it the moment I started creating real impact, creating experiences, and genuinely enjoying educating others down to the science
of the sun, spray and spa industry. I remember standing in my business, spending hours educating clients, literally hours. They would tell me how knowledgeable I was and how much I had helped them, and I could truly see it in the way they showed up during their daily visits at my spa. The best part was when they referred friends and shared how much I had done for them.
That’s when it clicked.
I wasn’t just providing a service. I was creating a space where people felt seen, heard, healed and restored with an unforgettable experience. I wanted each guest to “discover the difference” at my spa, Studio 636.
As my passion for education grew, I created a salon owners networking group on Facebook and spent years sharing knowledge, resources, and real-life experiences. I’ve even mentored a few owners. I wanted to help other owners grow, avoid mistakes and feel less alone in this industry. Watching so many salon owners succeed and thrive because of what I shared confirmed it for me and made it clear that this wasn’t just my career or my job. It’s my passion, my identity, and that’s a calling.
2
“If you could go back and whisper one piece of advice into your younger salon‐owner’s ear, what would you say that could save other owners years of trial and error?”
I would say: Build systems before you burn out. Passion will get you started, but structure will sustain you. Protect your energy and stop trying to do everything yourself. Delegation isn’t a weakness, it’s leadership.
Learn your numbers early. EFTs EFTs EFTs.
3
“You are known for your media presence, what type of post or content has brought the most bookings and retail sales, not just likes, and why do you think it worked so well?”
Raw, educational content wins every time.
Behind-the-scenes videos, honest conversations, and explaining the why behind services consistently convert.
People don’t book perfection. They book trust.
When clients feel like they already know you, booking becomes a nobrainer and regular.
My Beauty Bar has always gotten clients’ attention and driven retail sales. Upload images of good product displays and those items will sell.
4
“What are your favorite simple ways to move someone from ‘I saw your page’ to ‘I booked my first appointment’?”
Clear calls to action, educational posts that answer common questions, and always adding an incentive like a coupon or a free add-on experience are simple but powerful ways to get someone to book.
I also believe in speaking directly to your ideal client. When someone feels like your content is made just for them, addressing their questions, concerns, or goals, booking becomes a natural next step rather than a decision they have to think twice about.
“What service, add on, or small change has had the biggest impact on your bottom line, and how can other owners decide what to focus on first in their own business?”
For me, the biggest impact came from high-margin add-ons, product bundles, and retail education. Teaching my team to confidently recommend products and add-ons without it feeling like a hard sell created a massive boost in both revenue and client satisfaction, which then drove retention and repeat purchases.
Other owners should start by looking at what’s already working in their business. Check your reports. Which services have the highest client visits? Then identify which products, upgrades, or add-ons naturally complement those services.
Maybe it’s a red-light bundle, or adding a few extra minutes to a spa session and offering it as an advanced session for five to ten dollars more, plus bundle options.
Small tweaks, consistent education, and intentional upsells can dramatically improve your bottom line without overcomplicating operations.
“Looking ahead three to five years, what trends in beauty, wellness, or tech do you think salon and spa owners should pay attention to now so they are not left scrambling later?”
Personalized wellness, non-invasive treatments, AI-driven marketing, automation, and content-led branding are trends shaping the future of the industry.
The owners who thrive will be the
ones who combine exceptional client experiences with strategic, techsavvy business practices.
“What is the perfect day for Leslie?”
My perfect day starts with gratitude. I wake up thankful, pray, journal, and enjoy my energy drink. I find so much joy in serving my partner and my three beautiful kids.
Then I tackle the day head-on, crushing my to-do list and running all my businesses with purpose, creating unforgettable experiences for every client I serve.
In the evening, I treat myself to a spa session at Studio 636, then come home to love on my family, ending the day fulfilled, accomplished, and grateful for the life I’m building on my terms and the legacy I get to leave behind, shaped by my daily choices.
Skin Care Science
The Innovation, Women Entrepreneurs & The Future of Sunless Tanning
BY NADINE CARTER
This month’s focus on Skin Care Science offers the perfect moment to reaffirm why we launched National Spray Tanning Day, a national calendar holiday designed to celebrate our tanning community while advancing education, innovation, and healthier skin focused formulations.
The sunless tanning industry is in the midst of a scientific renaissance, experiencing a remarkable evolution driven by advanced skin care science, healthier ingredient systems, and a deeper commitment to serving every skin tone with precision and inclusivity. Once viewed primarily as a cosmetic bronzing service, professional spray tanning has transformed into a full body skin wellness ritual, one capable of enhancing undertones, improving radiance, protecting the skin barrier,
increasing hydration, and delivering an effortless, camera ready glow for every skin tone. Today’s most advanced systems integrate skin science, ingredient transparency, customizable technologies, and a deeper commitment to inclusivity. At the center of that transformation is our company, INNOVÉ Beauty & Wellness, the team behind the iconic Norvell® and Mystic® brands, both deeply rooted in skin health, high purity ingredients, and tech enabled precision.
At the heart of this evolution are women entrepreneurs, who are the backbone of the sunless tanning industry, from salon owners and tanning studio founders to mobile spray tan artists, educators, chemists, and skin wellness professionals. Many of these leaders are women, with a growing number of women of color
who are expanding representation within the industry. Together, they are expanding what modern tanning represents, redefining who spray tans, how spray tanning is performed, and why Skin Care Science now plays a critical role in achieving natural, healthy looking results.
As the industry enters 2026, Skin Care Science becomes more important than ever. This February issue recognizes the growing sophistication of formulations, the commitment to safe and effective ingredients, and the unified celebration of National Spray Tanning Day, now officially recognized on March 6. This new date marks the beginning of tanning season and aligns perfectly with International Women’s Day, honoring the professionals who power the sunless industry.
Education: The Science Of DHA: Safe, Healthy, And Formulated For All Skin Tones
DHA (dihydroxyacetone) is the cornerstone of every sunless tanning formula. Derived from sugar, DHA works by interacting with amino acids on the skin’s outermost layer, creating a temporary bronze through the Maillard Reaction. Unlike UV tanning, DHA does not penetrate living skin cells. It remains on the stratum corneum, making it one of the safest cosmetic alternatives to sun exposure.
Innové Beauty & Wellness uses only high purity, cosmetic grade DHA across our Norvell® and Mystic® product lines. These solutions are developed under high quality and safety controls to ensure:
• Radiant, flawless color results across all skin tones
• Healthier even fade patterns that mimic natural skin
• Advanced purification and odor neutralizing ingredients like Ordenone® that virtually eliminate odor
• Improved viscosity and spray behavior for both automated booth and handheld applications
• Balanced undertone enhancement for truer to you color
For consumers with deeper or melanin rich skin, undertone accuracy is especially important. Formulations include buffering extracts, moisturizers, and pH balancing systems that help keep development predictable and even, avoiding dullness or ashy tones.
The Formula Story: Key Ingredients In NORVELL®
Norvell has long been known as the sunless brand trusted most by professionals, educators, and mobile artists. Its self tanning formulas use a multi dimensional hydration and skin conditioning system designed to optimize DHA performance while supporting the skin barrier.
Below is the ingredient science that powers Norvell’s signature results:
1. The Matrix: Hydrating, Firming Skin Conditioning Actives
DHA develops best on hydrated skin, as dryness can cause patchiness, dark spots, and premature fading. To help improve skin and support optimal results, Norvell products are skin care infused with our NATURAL COLOR COMPLEX™:
• PREVENTS & PROTECTS: Antioxidant rich Vitamin E and Tomato Fruit Extract help reduce wrinkles and guard against premature signs of aging.
• TIGHTENS & FIRMS: Vitamin C helps stimulate collagen to boost skin elasticity, firmness, and tone.
• SMOOTHS & HYDRATES: Aloe Vera Barbadensis Leaf Juice locks in moisture and helps reduce fading for a longer lasting radiant tan.
Together, these ingredients create the Norvell Glow, a long lasting, hydrated, radiant finish that transforms a sunless session into a multitasking beauty treatment delivering nourishment, smoothness, and luminous color.
2. Anti Orange Technology
All products are designed to counter unwanted orange undertones for the
most natural looking tan. The best selling Venetian Collection is expertly crafted with VIO 7™, a unique blend of anti orange bronzer pigments.
• Violet and green undertone correctors balance warmth to prevent brassiness
• pH optimization ensures solutions react correctly with amino acids for natural, believable color
This system is especially valuable for clients with fair or cool undertones, where improper DHA interaction can skew yellow or orange.
To align with the category’s shift to skin wellness, Norvell formulations are:
• Paraben and gluten free
• Non comedogenic
• Sulfate and cruelty free
• 100 percent vegan
• Nut allergy free and do not contain phthalates, synthetic fragrance, petrochemicals, GMOs, or triclosan
This clean, conscious approach ensures every Norvell formula supports skin wellness while meeting the highest professional standards.
4. Rapid Development Options
In 2016, Norvell revolutionized the industry by launching the first ever RAPID express format spray tan solution, allowing clients to indulge in the Norvell color they love with the convenience of rinsing sooner to achieve the same great look.
• Perfect for busy schedules, no sticky residue or long wait times
• Customizable colors, choose from light, medium, or dark tanning results based on rinse time (1, 2, or 3 hours)
• Ideal for events, travel, or bridal tanning schedules
Customizable
Color Science: THE MYSTIC® Tan Experience
WELLFIT® powered by Mystic®
booths allow clients to choose up to 12 tones from a curated shade library that includes:
• Warm bronzes
• Cool tones
• Golden blends
This versatility is especially important for melanin rich and medium to deep skin tones, where one size fits all bronzers often appear flat or unnatural. Mystic solves this by:
• Offering undertone balancing bronzers
• Utilizing warm and cool modifiers to refine the finish
• Delivering ultra fine spray patterns
The result is a glow that looks like natural skin, never masked or overdone.
Scent & Sensory Enhancements
The booth also integrates an aroma add in system, transforming a traditional tan into a wellness inspired experience. The scents, combined with skin loving ingredients, create a sensory moment that keeps clients returning.
This blend of cosmetic science and skin wellness is why INNOVÉ recognizes spray tanning as “full body makeup,” a new beauty trend that enhances natural skin by covering scars and stretch marks while, most importantly, creating an even tone complexion with minimal effort and maximum payoff. Think long lasting facial foundation for the body.
Women Entrepreneurs: The Artistry Behind The Science
Women led salons and independent mobile spray tan artists are elevating
sunless tanning into a respected craft rooted in education and skin science. These women are:
• Offering inclusive beauty solutions
• Leading local education about DHA safety
• Expanding representation among diverse skin tones
• Building thriving beauty businesses through mobile services
• Innovating with color theory, body contouring, and prep science
Mobile artists, in particular, continue reshaping the accessibility of professional tanning by bringing tailored, science backed services into private homes, group celebrations, and bridal suites. Location owners are providing wellness experiences. Both have opened the industry to new clients and new body confidence journeys.
The Official New Date To Celebrate The Owners And Artists
This year marks an important milestone. National Spray Tanning Day officially moves to March 6, a
change that strengthens industry wide visibility and signals the unofficial start of tanning season. The new date aligns perfectly with International Women’s Day on March 8, shining a spotlight on the entrepreneurial women in the market.
The refreshed National Spray Tanning Day celebration is designed to:
• Build stronger industry unity
• Honor women owned salons and mobile artistry
• Celebrate skin wellness for every skin tone
• Reinforce safe DHA usage
• Kick off tanning season with education and fresh client engagement
As tanning season begins, this is the ideal moment to help clients understand how skin prep, hydration, and aftercare influence DHA development. When clients treat spray tanning as part of their skin care regimen, not a separate beauty step, results improve dramatically.
Spray tanning is no longer just
an aesthetic. It is a ritual of empowerment, inclusivity, and wellness. March 6 gives the industry a moment to amplify that message and highlight:
• Women led business stories
• Skin care driven sunless education
• Advanced DHA science
• Healthy, inclusive tanning practices
• A celebration of diverse skin tones
• Before and after transformations
This one unified moment allows the industry to speak with a single, powerful voice.
The Future Of Sunless Tanning Is Inclusive, Radiant & Science Driven
With consumer demand rising and advancements in skin care science accelerating, spray tanning now sits at the intersection of beauty tech, skin wellness, and women led innovation. Innové Beauty & Wellness continues advancing the category through Norvell’s clinically informed formulations and Mystic’s customizable booth technology.
As the industry’s top trusted name, we set the standard for innovation, safety, and customer satisfaction, backed by years of expertise and proven success.
Our advanced VersaSpa spray system delivers whole-body skincare in minutes, leaving skin refreshed, radiant, & visibly improved.
“I’ve
completed 50+ sessions, it’s so easy to follow” – Tenley, Spa Owner
Clean, Covered, & Compliant
Understanding laws, sanitation protocols, and why many salons are rethinking reusable goggles
BY STAFF WRITER
Why Salons Provide Eyewear
Convenience for both clients and staff is usually the first reason salons give for providing eyewear to tanners. The next reason is that state laws require it. Some salons provide disposable eyewear like Pro-Views or Wink-Ease, others keep goggles in the rooms for use, and some have borrowable pairs stored behind the counter or in an easy to access central location. While everyone agrees eyewear is necessary protection and is required under FDA law in 21 CFR 1040.20, the “why” behind each salon’s approach can vary.
Understanding State Laws and Regulations
While federal law under 21 CFR 1040.20 requires the use of protective eyewear during UV tanning, implementation varies by state. Some states, including Texas, Pennsylvania, and New York, require salons to provide protective eyewear at no charge, while others, such as Kentucky, require tanners to have their own eyewear or require salons to offer disposable options. New Hampshire prohibits multi-user goggles altogether and requires disposable eyewear, though not necessarily at no cost. Salons may sell FDA-compliant eyewear and
should encourage clients to maintain their own personal set, but clients cannot be required to purchase eyewear as a condition of service. For example, Texas statute specifies that protective eyewear must be located in the immediate area of each tanning device and provided without charge. Because state laws and enforcement interpretations change, salon owners must stay current on their specific state requirements regarding eyewear provision, sanitation, and client access.
The Invisible Elephant in the Room, Germs
The elephant in the room is invisible germs. Sharing goggles and how they
are stored and disinfected must align with proper protocols for handling shared eyewear. Goggles sitting on counters, beds, or in a community bucket are easily contaminated simply by being out in the open. Once those goggles are used or even just touched, it opens the door to contamination. Providing disposable pairs is a good alternative. Whether required by law or offered as a courtesy, eliminates the cleaning steps for that pair and helps ease client concerns about whether the goggles are truly clean.
How Reusable Goggles Become Contaminated
For salons that keep reusable eyewear on beds, contamination can happen quickly. As soon as a client touches them, even if they only move them aside, or as soon as the bed turns on and blows stale air and dust around, those goggles are no longer clean. How many times has staff assumed used goggles were clean and just spritzed them with cleaner and quickly wiped them off? How many times have they simply been placed back on the bed?
This raises an important question, is it really worth the time, liability, and cost to offer shareable goggles when there are mandatory disinfection steps?
Required Disinfection Protocol for Reusable Eyewear
1. In a properly labeled soak jar, mix a fresh daily batch of disinfectant solution and verify its strength with test strips.
2. Pre clean debris from goggles with water and a toothbrush, paying attention to hard to reach areas.
3. Soak the pre cleaned goggles for the full contact time required to disinfect, often ten minutes, then dry with a clean towel. Clean hands are a must, and rubber gloves are recommended.
4. Store disinfected goggles in a clean, sealed container that is clearly labeled as disinfected.
5. Ensure that anytime that container is opened, the operator’s hands are clean.
6. Maintain a separate, sealed container labeled for used goggles to avoid cross contamination.
Disposable Eyewear as a Practical Alternative
As mentioned, most states allow customers to purchase their own goggles. If they forget their eyewear and do not wish to purchase another pair, offering a one time use disposable option keeps you
compliant with eyewear requirements and ensures you always have clean, sealed pairs available. Many salons have found success attaching enclosed case type eyewear to lotion bottles, either included in the price or with a small price increase to cover the cost. Single sessions can take this approach with disposable goggles paired with a packet purchase. Since eyewear, much like toothbrushes, should be replaced regularly, this is a simple way to encourage fresh, safe eyewear and add to retail sales.
Training, Consistency, and Client Confidence
Popular eyewear brands and disinfectant companies offer online training that covers proper use, storage, and disinfection protocols. This type of training should be part of new hire onboarding and refreshed at least yearly for all staff. Consistent education, clear procedures and smart choices about disposable versus reusable eyewear help keep clients safe, salons compliant, and everyone more confident about eye protection. Imagine going to a hotel and picking from a community tub of toothbrushes with a big bright label that says “disinfected.” Would you use one of those, or would you purchase a new one if you forgot to bring your own? For more best practices on FDA compliant eyewear and more, take Sun is LIfe certification at www.sunislife.com
One Product Does Not Fit Every Light
A Smarter Way to Pair Lotions with Tanning, Hybrid, and Light Therapy Services
BY KRISTIN LEE SMITHERS, CLT
So many products are on the market today; Many are labeled “light activated,” “LED friendly,” “works with all light hues,” or “safe for hybrid.” These products can look completely different from one another: dark versus clear, heavily scented versus fragrance free, natural versus highly cosmetic, matte versus shimmer, with added tingle, bronzers, or skincare actives.
As more sun spas add red, near infrared, and blue light services, or include red light in hybrid tanning equipment, the line between “tanning lotion” and “light care” has become blurry. Different services require different product categories because the goal is different, and the way light interacts with the skin is different.
Reality Check
From a light therapy perspective, hybrid tanning beds that include red light are still tanning units first. Dedicated red, near infrared, blue, and other light therapy services are something else entirely. That distinction matters, because the product you choose should match the primary goal of the session.
• Tanning Goal: Support UV-driven color development and surface cosmetics.
• Hybrid Goal: Support UV tanning while not working against the added light component.
• True light therapy goal: Optimize photobiomodulation (PBM), meaning you are trying to deliver usable light into tissue to influence cellular signaling, circulation support, inflammation balance, and collagen activity, without interfering at the surface.
How Light Behaves in the Skin
Red and near infrared light can travel deeper into the skin, where they interact with tiny structures inside cells, especially mitochondria. This interaction can influence circulation, inflammation signaling, and collagen activity. Blue light for acne is generally more superficial and is commonly used to target bacterial byproducts in and around pores.
Before any of these benefits can happen, the light has to pass through whatever is sitting on top of the skin.
What Topicals Can Do
A topical product on the skin can:
• Mostly let light pass through
• Support what the light is trying to do once it reaches tissue
• Steal, scatter, or distort the light at the surface
No ingredient inside a lotion cancels basic optics. If a product looks very dark, very tinted, or very shimmery, that appearance comes from colorants and particles that interact with light, including the same wavelengths you are trying to deliver.
Category 1: Dark Bronzers That Can Still Play Nicely with Hybrid Light
Traditional tanning lotions and cosmetic bronzers are designed to change how the skin looks at the surface. They often include:
• Natural and cosmetic colorants such as caramel, plant-based extracts, dyes, and iron oxides
• Shimmer and pearl systems using mica or mineral powders to reflect and scatter light for a cosmetic glow
These are not bad ingredients. They are doing exactly what tanning clients expect: instant color, depth, and a polished finish.
From a light therapy perspective,
cosmetic colorants absorb portions of visible light at the surface. Pearl and shimmer particles can reflect and scatter part of the beam before it ever reaches deeper layers.
Can you use these lotions in a hybrid unit that includes red light? Yes. Are they the first choice on bare skin right before a dedicated light therapy session? No.
Category 2: Hybrid Lotions
Hybrid lotions are clearly built for tanning, but they are also designed for equipment that includes red light. They often feature added hydrators, antioxidants, peptides, and skin condition support. You may see familiar skincare ingredients on labels, such as coenzyme Q10 or copper peptides.
What makes them a smart choice is not the marketing phrase, but the intent of the formulation. These products are typically created to support tanning results while aligning with hybrid equipment use. They are often less shimmery and less heavily pigmented than traditional bronzers, and they are positioned to support both color development and skin feel.
This is the best category to use when you are working with a combined UV plus red light unit.
An important nuance is that “hybrid safe” does not automatically mean “optimized for pure light therapy.” Hybrid lotions are still tanning products first. Their primary job is to help the tan and leave the skin feeling good, not to precisely control how many red, near infrared, or blue photons reach a specific depth.
Category 3: Dedicated Light Care Enhancers
When a client chooses a room dedicated to red, near infrared, blue, or other light therapy services, the priorities change.
The goal is not a deeper tan. The goal is photobiomodulation, supporting cellular activity in ways that may promote tissue repair, ease discomfort, and support inflammation balance. In this setting, product selection should be based on one main question:
Will this product help the skin receive light cleanly and respond well afterward, without adding surface interference?
These products are a different category altogether. They are usually:
• Clear or lightly opaque
• Non bronzing
• Non shimmery
• Built around hydration, barrier support, peptides, and antioxidants
They do not try to change the color of the skin. Instead, they create a comfortable, hydrated, supported environment so tissue can make the most of the light, and so the skin continues to benefit after the session.
Light Friendly Ingredient Families
Hydrators and barrier builders
• Aloe, glycerin, panthenol
• Hyaluronic acid
• Ceramides and gentle plant oils
Repair and firmness support
• Marine extracts and algae complexes
• Signal peptides and collagensupport peptides
Antioxidants
• Vitamin C and E
• Coenzyme Q10
• Polyphenol-rich plant extracts, resveratrol
A Simple Decision Guide for Staff
Use this as your “quick filter” at the counter:
If the session is UV tanning, with or without bronzers
• Choose the tanning product that matches the client’s color goal and skin type.
• Bronzers and cosmetic finish are appropriate here.
If the session is a hybrid UV plus red light unit
• Choose products that are formulated and approved for hybrid use.
• Favor less shimmer and less heavy pigment when possible. This is still a tanning session first.
If the session is dedicated light therapy
• Skip dark bronzers and shimmer.
• If anything is applied, keep it clear, non bronzing, and light care focused.
• Prioritize hydration, barrier support, peptides, and antioxidants.
• Consider recommending an application after the session if you want the cleanest possible skin surface during treatment.
One Line That Works Well at the Counter
“If your goal today is color, we will use a bronzing lotion that plays nicely with the bed. If your goal is pure light therapy, we want your skin clean, untinted, and non shimmery, and we will finish with a light care concentrate that helps your skin keep using the benefits after you leave.”
Why This Matters for Business, Not Just Science
When your product recommendations match the service goal, three good things happen:
1. Clients get more consistent outcomes. Less confusion means better satisfaction.
2. Staff confidence goes up. They are not guessing, they are matching a category to a service.
3. Retail becomes easier to explain. You are not selling “more,” you are selling “correct.”
In an industry where marketing language can blur lines, your spa can stand out by being simple, honest, and precise. The service determines the category. The category determines the product.
Built on Education
Why Kristy Mazeika Credits Training and Systems for Her Salon Success
BY STAFF WRITER
Some people study their way into an industry. Others find it by accident, then build something lasting through consistency, curiosity, and care. Kristy Mazeika is firmly in that second category. After completing Sun Is Life certification, Kristy became eligible for our Salon of Distinction feature, and her story reflects what happens when education, leadership, and community connection meet real operational discipline.
Kristy’s path began in Watkinsville, Georgia, just outside Athens, where she took a job as a bed cleaner at a local tanning salon. “That’s exactly how it happened for me,” she said. “I started working as a bed cleaner at a local tanning salon. I fell in love with the industry. It was a fun job.” Over time, she worked her way up to manager of one location. After seven years, the owner, whose salon was connected to a gym in Athens, decided to step away. The timing was intense. Kristy had just had her second child in 2017 and had planned to take time to be a stay-at-home mom. Instead, opportunity arrived. “He basically gave me a price that I could not say no to,” she said. Kristy and her husband purchased the business and rebranded it as Tan Athens.
Today, she operates two locations: Tan Athens, near the University of Georgia, and a second salon she built from the ground up, Oconee Tan & Wellness in Bogart, Georgia.
For many owners, the leap from one location to two is the hardest move to make, and Kristy’s decision was not impulsive. She described a moment many operators recognize. Once her team did not need her physically present every day, she felt the pull
to build something new. “It kind of got to a point where the employees didn’t need me there as much,” she said. “That was awesome because the training and everything we’d been through was working. Then I was like, ‘Okay, I need something else.’ I’ve
always wanted to have a salon that I built and created and designed.”
The second location started as an idea in 2023. Family issues slowed the timeline, but by the end of 2024 she found a spot, signed a lease, and began a full build-out in a brand-new shopping center. “It was literally dirt when we came in here,” she said. That blank slate became Oconee Tan & Wellness, intentionally designed to match the local market.
The two locations serve very different client bases. Tan Athens sits about four miles from campus and pulls a strong student population. “I would say Athens is probably 60% to 65% students,” Kristy explained. It is also next to Athens Health and Fitness, so the gym crowd adds steady traffic. Oconee, by contrast, is a smaller, more rural county with a different rhythm. She sees high school students, moms dropping kids off at school, and a community that responds to wellness and comfort as much as color. The shopping center includes HotWorx and a personal training gym, which keeps that fitness pipeline strong in both markets.
One of Kristy’s strengths is that she does not treat tanning, sunless, and wellness as separate worlds. She watches how clients actually behave,
then builds services that match. At Tan Athens, the business started as mostly UV tanning beds, with a spray booth added shortly before she purchased the salon. As she watched student trends shift, she adapted. “What most of the college kids were doing was leaning more towards sunless than UV,” she said. Tan Athens added a second booth, custom spray options, and expanded sunless offerings based on demand.
When Kristy built Oconee, she went further. She and her husband attended Four Seasons and Heartland expos and listened closely to where experienced operators believed the market was headed. “Everything’s going towards wellness,” she recalled hearing. “You’ve got to incorporate red light. You’ve got to incorporate infrared.” So she did. Oconee Tan & Wellness includes UV units, two sunless booths, a custom spray room, a red light panel, and an infrared sauna. She credits KBL and Eric Haynes for helping design the layout and build an experience aligned with an upscale, wellness-driven clientele. “We knew this clientele was going to be a little more bougie, upscale,” she said. “I think we did exactly what they wanted because it’s working.”
She had already tested that wellness direction before opening Oconee. After attending an expo, she told
her husband they needed red light equipment, then brought a poly unit into Tan Athens. The client response confirmed the move. “Customers were so intrigued and were just wanting the information and the knowledge,” she said. That early momentum shaped the design choices for the second salon, and now the wellness expansion continues. She recently purchased another red light panel for Tan Athens, with her husband prepping the room for installation.
Of course, equipment and offerings are only part of the story. Expansion depends on people, and Kristy has been intentional about building a team that can grow with her. Knowing she would need to be physically present at the new salon, she began hiring and training early. “I started hiring new employees in January because I knew we were going to open our next location,” she said. Even though construction delayed opening until June, that early hiring created a stronger staffing pipeline. She trained employees at Tan Athens so she could shift some of her core team to Oconee without weakening the original location.
Today, her delegation is structured and deliberate. She has management in place at Tan Athens and maintains daily communication. “I can trust
her,” Kristy said. “We are in contact every single day. It is amazing.” Her schedule reflects handson leadership without constant micromanagement: two days at Oconee, two days at Tan Athens, and Fridays split between both.
Her low turnover, she believes, comes from investment and respect. “We pour a lot into our employees,” she said. “One of my biggest things is I treat every single one of my employees the same way I would want to be treated.” She prioritizes one-on-one meetings, team dinners, and relationship-building beyond the clock. “We’re honestly just like a big family,” she added.
That leadership approach ties directly into one of the most important tools she uses: training grounded in factual information. Kristy emphasized that Sun Is Life certification has been key for both her and her team, especially with onboarding. “Their first six training shifts are all in my office,” she said. “We’re learning how you tan, why the skin tans, and all the backend and all the information they need to understand on how to sell an actual membership that a customer needs and wants.” Her point was clear. The goal is not to extract the most money, but to listen, match needs, and build trust. “Having the right tools and training truly helps the employee sound like they know what they’re talking about and make them confident in it,” she said. “Because if you’re not confident in it, you’re not going to sell anything.”
Kristy also shared how that same mindset plays out in conflict resolution, a reality every owner faces. In a college-heavy market like Athens, she sometimes deals with situations involving parents and credit cards on file. She described a recent call from a mother who noticed ongoing drafts and was
upset. Kristy listened, stayed empathetic, and explained the situation calmly, including the legal reality that the daughter was over 18 in Georgia. She offered to cancel the membership with proper protocol and redirected the family dynamic back where it belonged.
At the front desk, she is equally careful about how staff handles declined cards. “You never want to make them feel like it’s their fault or embarrassed,” she said. She avoids discussing declines in front of other customers and frames the moment as problem-solving. “Listen, make them feel seen and try to help them in the best way possible,” she explained, “but also don’t let them run you over.”
Looking into 2026, Kristy’s goals are practical and location-specific. For Tan Athens, she wants to begin upgrading older UV units, install the new red light panel, and deepen staff education around wellness so clients understand how wellness fits alongside UV. For Oconee, she wants to expand community involvement and respond to a growing demand she did not initially expect: mobile spray tanning. “I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from moms about homecoming or prom,” she said, and requests for at-home sprays for groups, cheer competitions, and events. Her plan is to build that mobile offering while continuing to grow a welcoming, consistent insalon experience.
Kristy’s story is not about overnight success. It is about showing up, learning the science, listening to market signals, training with intention, and building a team that can carry the brand forward. That is what makes Tan Athens and Oconee Tan & Wellness a Salon of Distinction, and why we are excited to follow what she builds next.
When Headlines Ignore the Science
What recent tanning bed studies leave out about melanoma risk, data quality, and responsible UV use
BY JOE SCHUSTER
Anti tanning zealots usually line up at this time of year to point at the UV indoor tanning industry as the leading cause of skin cancer. If you were not aware of all of the facts, you might easily be swept up in the hysteria. One so “health” magazine referred to new research in a recent issue that confirms correlation. https://www.allure.com/ story/tanning-bed-cancer-risk-dnastudy
Some the statements within the article:
• This new research suggests that tanning bed usage actually triples the risk of skin cancer—a 200% increase.
• “If you’ve used a tanning bed at any point in time, you’ve increased your risk of melanoma, the deadliest form of cancer”.
• “Just one session in a tanning bed could increase the risk by 20 %”.
Historically, responses directed at these magazines have little effect, as many of their advertisers are SPF companies. In fact, an SPF ad was embedded in this particular article. Salons have however, appreciated having a counter message in our magazine on hand for staff and clients that have read the article and question the validity.
I searched and found the actual study that was referenced. Let’s take a look.
I sought to confirm this study with their method of data collection. In this case, the research relied on the self reporting of tanning bed usage and outdoor sun exposure. Questions
framed with “to the best of your recollection” and “Tell us about your entire history of sun exposure and indoor tanning”. Is that really scientific? Well, for their purposes, apparently so. As professional salons are aware, the effect of indoor UV tanning is based on time of exposure, lamp type, hours of usage on the lamp, UVA/UVB ratio and intensity and skin type. Their research is suspect as there is a baseline established and never a reference to any of these significant factors.
There are many holes in their report, but I noticed that they never listed ALL of the risk factors of melanoma. But I will.
• Personal history of skin cancer
• Family history of skin cancer
• Risk of melanoma increases with age in males who make up the majority of incidence
• Weakened immune system
• Light color skin, eyes and hair
• Nevi (moles)
• Over exposure and sunburn with natural sunlight or UV indoor tanning.
Young women being at high risk from sunbeds due to increased melanoma and skin cancer rates, with early use (before 25-35) dramatically raising risk is another popular statement that surfaces. What is missing? Well, the fact that melanoma has a significant latency period with past overexposures potentially causing issues some 30-40 years later in life. With that in mind, if it takes 30-40 years how can sunbed use be attributed to a rise in the rates of 25-35 year olds? For more factual information, take Sun is Life training at www.sunislife.com
From Winging it to Winning with Software
BY STAFF WRITER
Recently, a poll was conducted in the Tanning Salon Owners Network on Facebook. The group itself has over 4,000 members, and 112 salon owners responded.
The question was straightforward: What tanning salon software do you use?
Although answers were somewhat varied, the pattern was crystal clear. Once the votes were in, it became obvious that most salons are running on strategy, not sticky notes, files, and memory. Only a tiny fraction reported using no software at all, while the overwhelming majority rely on a dedicated tanning salon system every single day.
In other words, a few owners are still winging it. Most have built their salon around, or incorporated, software that tracks, protects, and grows their business. The difference matters.
Poll Results:
Tan-Link: 34%
Tan Track: 25%
Helios: 12%
Salon Touch: 12%
SunLync: 8%
Insight: 3%
Touch n Tan: 3%
Sunease: 0%
None: 3%
The takeaway? 97% of owners in this poll are using some kind of software to run their salons and only 3% are still trying to do everything without it.
An obvious pattern emerges. Software should no longer just be an option. It is part of the basic equipment list, right alongside your beds, booths, and spa units.
No Software Is Costing More Than It Saves
Most owners who avoid software share similar reasons. “It is too expensive.” “My staff is not tech savvy”. “We’re just a small location”. “I keep track of everything just fine”.
On paper, that may sound like it saves time and money. In reality, it drains both in ways that are hard to see until you compare life with and without software handling day-today operations.
What You Are Missing Out On
Money on memberships and drafts
Missed renewals, forgotten freezes, expired cards that no one notices, and EFTs (electronic fund transfers) that should be updated all show up as silent revenue extinguishers. Software catches declined cards, tracks owed balances and prompts staff to fix issues at check-in.
Control over packages and sessions
Paper tan cards, sticky notes and Excel files are easy to forget or misread. A tanning-specific system will not let a client tan longer than
their skin type allows, will not allow more visits than they paid for and will not let them access units not included in their package.
Accurate exposure and age tracking For regulated states, this is huge. Software logs every UV session, time, and unit, tracks client ages, flags underage guests and helps prove compliance if you are ever audited.
Time at the front desk
A manual process turns every sale or check-in into a mini project. Software places clients into the correct membership, adds upgrades and products in seconds, processes payment and sends them to the room all within one system.
When salon owners say they cannot afford software, what they often mean is, “I cannot see the money that I am already losing without it.”
Why Tanning-Specific Software Beats Generic Point of Sale Systems
Could you use a basic retail point of sale or a simple spa booking app? Technically, yes. Realistically, it will never think like a tanning salon.
Some apps appear convenient until you try to run UV services through them. Without integration with T-Max or in-bed controls, they
cannot send actual minutes to the unit. To work around this, owners create separate packages for every minute increment. Staff scroll through long menus, guess which option is correct, and manually start the bed. The software is simply counting check-ins without exposure control.
Many basic booking apps also fail when it comes to compliance. They may hold an appointment, but they do not generate a proper UV log showing date, unit, time, age, and operator. In a regulated industry, this is risky.
Built for the Reality of a Tanning Salon
Tanning-specific software is designed for real-world salon operations.
Bed and room control
Time is sent directly to T-Max or the unit itself. Maximum exposure times are enforced. Twenty-fourhours between sessions rules are applied. Rooms can be locked during cleaning or maintenance. Staff are not guessing whether a client should tan, how much time is left, or what was set.
UV, spray, and spa combined
Many salons now offer UV, hybrid, red light, saunas, pods, massage
chairs and more. Tanning software allows memberships to combine all services without manual adjustments at every visit.
Lamp life and maintenance tracking
Track hours per bed, log service dates and see when lamps are nearing the end of their usable life instead of relying on client comments such as “those lamps feel weaker.”
Salon-specific reporting
Rather than generic sales totals, you can view bed utilization, EFT revenue, retention, upgrades per visit, product ratios and detailed exposure logs that are ready if compliance questions arise.
On paper, the difference between a generic POS and tanning software looks small. In daily operations, it is the difference between a cute calendar and a true control center.
Turning Information Into Strategy
Software is what moves a salon from “I think we are busy” to “I know exactly what is happening.”
With solid data, owners can see:
• Which beds and spa units earn their keep
• True peak days and times for smarter staffing
• Which memberships deliver profit and which give away value
• Which staff excel at upgrades and retail, and who needs support
• When clients drop off so reactivation offers can be timed effectively
Instead of guessing, owners can adjust hours, pricing or promotions based on facts.
Protecting the Business as Services Expand
As salons add wellness and light therapy services, documentation becomes just as important as sales numbers.
Software allows you to:
• Store intake forms and releases in client profiles
• Add health notes and contraindications that alert staff
• Document eyewear warnings and safety education
• Track exact unit, time, and settings for every visit
In the past, these details lived on clipboards that were discarded when full. Today, digital records can be the difference between a quick answer and a serious issue.
Creating a Big Spa Experience at Any Size
Clients expect smooth, modern experiences. They want to:
• Book, reschedule and cancel from their phone
• Receive text or email reminders
• Keep cards on file
• Sign forms digitally
• Feel recognized no matter who is at the desk
Salon software makes this possible even for single-location salons. When the front desk runs smoothly, clients notice and return.
Common Objections
If you are still in the “none” group from the poll, you likely have concerns.
“Switching is scary.”
The first few weeks require focus, but most owners find their days become easier once data is entered . Many later say they wish they had switched years earlier.
“My staff is not tech savvy.” Modern tanning software is built for busy front desks. Clear screens, simple buttons and short training sessions usually get teams comfortable quickly.
“The cost is hard to justify.”
Most systems are monthly subscriptions. A small number of recovered EFTs, declines or upgrades often cover the cost. The real question becomes, “What does this help me keep and gain?”
A Simple Starting Plan
If you are software-free, start here:
• Write a must-have list including bed control, exposure logs, EFT billing, text reminders, online booking, and your preferred processor
• Talk to other owners about why they chose their system
• Schedule demos and ask reps to walk through your actual memberships
• Plan time for clean data entry
• Launch during a calmer period, not peak season
Beds, booths and wellness pods are becoming more advanced every year. The software that runs your salon should be just as smart.
You could continue winging it with paper, basic apps and memory or step into a strategic system where your numbers, your logs and your client experience work together. In this poll, 97 percent of owners have already chosen a strategy.
Every few weeks, it feels like there is a new headline that reinforces the same message: sunlight is dangerous and tanning is the villain. The recent coverage of a melanoma “hotspot” in fifteen Pennsylvania counties could have gone that way too.
Look a little closer at the actual data and a very different story appears. It’s one that fits perfectly with a wellness based view of skin health.
A new study from November 2025 in Journal of Clinical Oncology/ Clinical Cancer Informatics looked at melanoma rates in adults over 50 across Pennsylvania. The study mapped those rates against agricultural land use, herbicide
When the Sun Is Not the Whole Story
From “The Sun Is the Villain” to Whole Environment Thinking in Skin Cancer Prevention
BY KRISTIN LEE SMITHERS, CLT
treated acreage, ultraviolet radiation, and community level social factors.
What set these counties apart was not simply sunshine. It was what was happening on the land.
Cluster counties had almost three times more cultivated cropland and more than double the herbicide treated acreage than non cluster counties. On average, almost 20% of land was cultivated in the cluster compared with 7% percent elsewhere and 17% percent of the land surface was treated with herbicides compared with about 7% outside the cluster.
The team built models that adjusted for ultraviolet radiation and social
vulnerability. Counties with more cultivated land and more herbicide treated land still had significantly higher melanoma incidence in older adults. Simply put, once you account for UV levels, agricultural practices remain strongly associated with melanoma patterns across the state.
For years, public messaging has focused almost entirely on avoiding sunlight, demonizing intentional tanning, and warning people away from indoor tanning equipment. UV overexposure is a true risk factor and chronic sunburns are not wellness choices. The point of this study was not to lead people away from that fact but invite us to expand the conversation.
From “Blame The Sun” To “Understand The Whole Environment”
The Penn State authors and the news outlets covering their work emphasize that agricultural chemicals and land use patterns are now clearly part of the melanoma picture. These products are designed to disrupt biology. Laboratory and epidemiologic data have linked several pesticide and herbicide exposures to oxidative stress, immune disruption, and increased photosensitivity, all of which can make skin cells more vulnerable to damage.
These compounds also do not just settle in the fields. They drift in spray plumes, settle into household dust, and move through air and water into nearby homes and communities. A person who has never set foot in a spray rig can still be breathing and absorbing small amounts over many years simply because they live near intensely farmed land.
The authors talk about a “One Health” perspective. In that framework, skin cancer risk is not just about personal behavior under the sun. It is about the intersection of environment, chemicals, UV exposure patterns, genetics, access to care, vitamin D status, immune health, and more. For wellness focused tanning, spa, and light therapy businesses, that bigger picture is where transformation happens.
What this means for wellness centered salons and spas
Those in the indoor tanning salon and spa industry have lived in the crosshairs of the old narrative. Clients are told to fear your services while overlooking chemical
exposures happening in their homes, neighborhoods, workplaces, or water. This study does not give us permission to ignore improper exposure to UV, and it certainly does not prove that herbicides “cause” melanoma on their own.
It does provide a more honest, holistic way to talk about skin health. In day to day practice, this can look like:
Educate in layers
• UV, especially burning, chronic overexposure, or infrequent sporadic exposure, is one piece of melanoma risk.
• Environmental exposures, such as agricultural chemicals, are another documented piece.
lens, your goal is not to push people into higher levels of UV exposure. It’s to move them away from often unplanned exposures towards a more respectful, measured use of sunlight and sunbeds.
• Our goal is to prevent sunburn and honor skin type limits.
• Encourage seasonal preconditioning for those who will be exposed to outdoor UV and maintain moderate levels throughout the year.
• Integrate red and near infrared light options that support skin and systemic wellness within general wellness claim boundaries.
are sprayed regularly?”
• “Has any doctor ever talked with you about how the environment, plus sunlight, plus family history all fit together for your skin?”
Encourage clients with higher concern to see a dermatologist and to bring the study as a starting point for a deeper discussion.
Use your voice carefully and credibly
From a compliance and ethics standpoint, it is important to stay within what the study actually shows.
neighborhoods are all woven into the fabric of skin cancer risk, right along with the abuse of sunlight.
It’s an opportunity for our industry. We can either keep accepting a simplistic “sun equals cancer” story, or we can embrace a more complete narrative that honors light as a tool, respects its risks, and refuses to ignore the environmental factors our clients cannot see.
The more we ground our conversations in this kind of evidence, the more we can help clients move from fear toward informed, empowered choices about their skin, their environment, and their overall wellness.
Tired of
Managing Payroll, HR,
and Hiring
Alone?
How Smart Salon Owners Are Reclaiming Time (And Their Sanity)
Disconnected systems and poor support are out. Reliable tools and real help are in.
Running a salon should be about people, not paperwork
We hear this often from salon owners: “We were nervous to make a change because of how bad things had gone before.” Many had a provider that overpromised but underdelivered. When problems came up, there was no one to call, no follow-up, and no real help. Some even faced serious issues like taxes not being filed correctly.
We talk to salon owners every day who felt stuck, stressed, and unsure of what to do next. Many of them trusted a provider that promised to make things easier but ended up making things harder.
When problems came up—like payroll mistakes, system errors, or even missed tax filings—they had no one to call. The person who sold them the service stopped answering, and support was slow or unhelpful. These owners were left to fix big problems alone. Some waited on hold for hours or had to explain the same issue to different people. It was frustrating and unfair.
Here’s what we hear most:
Most salon systems are hard to use and don’t work well together. You waste time entering the same info again and again. Support is often missing. You need tools that are simple, connected, and backed by real people who are there when you need help.
“Our biggest frustration was the lack of customer service and follow-up. We experienced a wide variety of issues that even ranged to our taxes not being filed properly. The salesperson who previously sold the deal ended up being nowhere to be found.”
Glo Tanning CEO, Onyi Odunukwe
. Hiring and Onboarding Still Involves Binders and aperwork
1. Hiring and Onboarding Still Involves Binders and Paperwork
3 You’re Still the One Making Sure Everyone
Correctly
The Five Biggest Time-Wasters For Tanning Salon Owners (And What To Do About Them)
Hiring in salons happens a lot Whether it’s a busy season or omeone just left, you ’ re probably bringing in new people ften. If you ’ re still using paper packets, printing forms, and ollecting signatures in person, it can slow everything down Mistakes happen more often and managers spend extra ime doing tasks that could be easier
1. Hiring And Onboarding Still Involves Binders And Paperwork
Hiring in salons happens a lot Whether it’s a busy season or someone just left, you ’ re probably bringing in new people often If you ’ re still using paper packets, printing forms, and collecting signatures in person, it can slow everything down Mistakes happen more often and managers spend extra time doing tasks that could be easier.
Payroll can be stressful when you ’ re doing it all yourself. You may be checking timecards, making sure special rates are correct, or fixing problems before payday This can take hours each pay period and leaves room for mistakes
The Five Biggest Time-Wasters for Tanning Salon Owners (And What to Do About Them)
Hiring in salons is a regular occurrence. Whether it’s a busy season or someone just left, you’re probably bringing in new people on a somewhat regular basis.
The Five Biggest Time-Wasters for Tanning Salon Owners (And What to Do About Them)
Payroll can be stressful when you ’ re doing it all yourself You may be checking timecards, making sure special rates are correct, or fixing problems before payday This can take hours each pay period and leaves room for mistakes.
double-checking numbers, or fixing small mistakes that take too much time. When systems don’t share information, it slows everyone down.
est Practice: Many salons now use digital tools for hiring nd onboarding These tools let new hires apply online, fill ut forms, and complete tasks from their phones. This means everything is ready before their first day It saves me, lowers the chance of errors, and helps new team members feel ready to work right away.
Best Practice :
Best Practice: Many salons now use digital tools for hiring and onboarding These tools let new hires apply online, fill out forms, and complete tasks from their phones This means everything is ready before their first day It saves time, lowers the chance of errors, and helps new team members feel ready to work right away.
4. You’re Fielding Every PTO Request And Shift Swap
Best Practice: Many salons switch to payroll systems that handle these tasks for them These systems can apply the right pay rates, catch errors, and handle taxes without extra work It gives you peace of mind and saves time
1 Hiring and Onboarding Still Involves Binders and Paperwork
1 Hiring and Onboarding Still Involves Binders and Paperwork
Best Practice: Many salons switch to payroll systems that handle these tasks for them These systems can apply the right pay rates, catch errors, and handle taxes without extra work It gives you peace of mind and saves time
3 You’re Still the One Making Sure Everyone Gets Paid Correctly
3 You’re Still the One Making Sure Everyone Gets Paid Correctly
Hiring in salons happens a lot Whether it’s a busy season or someone just left, you ’ re probably bringing in new people often If you ’ re still using paper packets, printing forms, and collecting signatures in person, it can slow everything down Mistakes happen more often and managers spend extra time doing tasks that could be easier
Hiring in salons happens a lot Whether it’s a busy season or someone just left, you ’ re probably bringing in new people often If you ’ re still using paper packets, printing forms, and collecting signatures in person, it can slow everything down Mistakes happen more often and managers spend extra time doing tasks that could be easier
2 Your Systems Don’t Talk to Each Other
If you’re still using paper packets, printing forms, and collecting signatures in person, it can slow everything down. Mistakes happen more often and managers spend extra time doing tasks that could be easier.
Best Practice:
2 Your Systems Don’t Talk to Each Other
If your scheduling app, payroll provider, time clock, and point-of-sale system don’t connect, you might be doing the same work more than once That could mean retyping hours, checking numbers again, or fixing small mistakes that take too much time. When systems don’t share information, it slows everyone down
f your scheduling app, payroll provider, time clock, and oint-of-sale system don’t connect, you might be doing the ame work more than once. That could mean retyping ours, checking numbers again, or fixing small mistakes that ake too much time When systems don’t share information, t slows everyone down.
Using one connected system or linking your tools can make a big difference. When data flows between platforms, you don’t have to re-enter it. This saves time and makes sure pay, hours, and records are more accurate.
Best Practice: Many salons now use digital tools for hiring and onboarding These tools let new hires apply online, fill out forms, and complete tasks from their phones This means everything is ready before their first day It saves time, lowers the chance of errors, and helps new team members feel ready to work right away
Many salons now use digital tools for hiring and onboarding. These tools let new hires apply online, fill out forms, and complete tasks seamlessly from their phones. This means everything is ready before their first day. It saves time, lowers the chance of errors, and helps new team members feel ready to work right away.
Best Practice: Many salons now use digital tools for hiring and onboarding These tools let new hires apply online, fill out forms, and complete tasks from their phones This means everything is ready before their first day It saves time, lowers the chance of errors, and helps new team members feel ready to work right away
2 Your Systems Don’t Talk to Each Other
3 You’re Still the One Making Sure Everyone Gets Paid Correctly
Payroll can be stressful when you ’ re doing it all yourself You may be checking timecards, making sure special rates are correct, or fixing problems before payday This can take hours each pay period and leaves room for mistakes
Payroll can be stressful when you ’ re doing it all yourself You may be checking timecards, making sure special rates are correct, or fixing problems before payday This can take hours each pay period and leaves room for mistakes
1 Hiring and Onboarding Still Involves Binders and Paperwork
4. You’re Fielding Every PTO Request and Shift Swap.
4 You’re Fielding Every PTO Request and Shift Swap
Handling every time-off request and shift change by hand takes a lot of time It also slows down your day when you have to answer every question or update every schedule yourself
Payroll can be stressful when you ’ re doing it all yourself You may be checking timecards, making sure special rates are correct, or fixing problems before payday This can take hours each pay period and leaves room for mistakes
As a manager, you get it. It seems easy to be the one in charge of approving PTO at first glance. Handling every time-off request and shift change by hand takes a lot of time. It also slows down your day when you have to answer every question or update every schedule yourself.
Handling every time-off request and shift change by hand takes a lot of time It also slows down your day when you have to answer every question or update every schedule yourself
Best Practice: Many salons switch to payroll systems that handle these tasks for them These systems can apply the right pay rates, catch errors, and handle taxes without extra work. It gives you peace of mind and saves time.
Best Practice: Many salons switch to payroll systems that handle these tasks for them These systems can apply the right pay rates, catch errors, and handle taxes without extra work It gives you peace of mind and saves time
Hiring in salons happens a lot Whether it’s a busy season or someone just left, you ’ re probably bringing in new people often If you ’ re still using paper packets, printing forms, and collecting signatures in person, it can slow everything down Mistakes happen more often and managers spend extra time doing tasks that could be easier
3. You’re Still The Only One Making Sure Everyone Gets Paid Correctly
Best Practice:
4 You’re Fielding Every PTO Request and Shift Swap
4 You’re Fielding Every PTO Request and Shift Swap
Best Practice: Many salons switch to payroll systems that handle these tasks for them These systems can apply the right pay rates, catch errors, and handle taxes without extra work It gives you peace of mind and saves time
Best Practice: Self-service tools let employees make requests and see their schedules from their phones. Managers still approve changes, but they don’t have to be involved in every small detail This gives staff more control while helping managers focus on bigger tasks
Best Practice: Many salons now use digital tools for hiring and onboarding These tools let new hires apply online, fill out forms, and complete tasks from their phones This means everything is ready before their first day It saves time, lowers the chance of errors, and helps new team members feel ready to work right away
2 Your Systems Don’t Talk to Each Other
2 Your Systems Don’t Talk to Each Other
Best Practice: Using one connected system or linking your tools can make a big difference When data flows between platforms, you don’t have to re-enter it This saves time and makes sure pay, hours, and records are more accurate
Best Practice: Using one connected system or linking your ools can make a big difference When data flows between latforms, you don’t have to re-enter it This saves time and makes sure pay, hours, and records are more accurate.
4 You’re Fielding Every PTO Request and Shift Swap
Payroll can be stressful when you’re doing it all yourself. You may be checking timecards, making sure special rates are correct, or fixing problems right before payday. This can take hours each pay period and leaves room for mistakes—or even major legal issues.
If your scheduling app, payroll provider, time clock, and point-of-sale system don’t connect, you might be doing the same work more than once That could mean retyping hours, checking numbers again, or fixing small mistakes that take too much time When systems don’t share information, it slows everyone down
Best Practice:
2. Your Systems Don’t Talk To Each Other
Best Practice: Self-service tools let employees make requests and see their schedules from their phones Managers still approve changes, but they don’t have to be involved in every small detail This gives staff more control while helping managers focus on bigger tasks.
Handling every time-off request and shift change by hand takes a lot of time It also slows down your day when you have to answer every question or update every schedule yourself
Handling every time-off request and shift change by hand takes a lot of time It also slows down your day when you have to answer every question or update every schedule yourself
Self-service tools let employees make requests and see their schedules from their phones. Managers still approve changes, but they don’t have to be involved in every small detail. This gives staff more control while helping managers focus on bigger tasks.
Handling every time-off request and shift change by hand takes a lot of time It also slows down your day when you have to answer every question or update every schedule yourself
If your scheduling app, payroll provider, time clock, and point-of-sale system don’t connect, you might be doing the same work more than once That could mean retyping hours, checking numbers again, or fixing small mistakes that take too much time When systems don’t share information, it slows everyone down
5 When Something Goes Wrong, Support is Nowhere to Be Found
Best Practice: Self-service tools let employees make requests and see their schedules from their phones Managers still approve changes, but they don’t have to be involved in every small detail This gives staff more control while helping managers focus on bigger tasks
Best Practice: Self-service tools let employees make requests and see their schedules from their phones Managers still approve changes, but they don’t have to be involved in every small detail This gives staff more control while helping managers focus on bigger tasks
5. When Something Goes Wrong, Support is Nowhere to Be Found
5. When Something Goes Wrong, Support Is Nowhere To Be Found
If your scheduling app, payroll provider, time clock, and point-of-sale system don’t connect, you might be doing the same work more than once That could mean retyping hours, checking numbers again, or fixing small mistakes that take too much time When systems don’t share information, it slows everyone down
Best Practice: Using one connected system or linking your tools can make a big difference When data flows between platforms, you don’t have to re-enter it This saves time and makes sure pay, hours, and records are more accurate
If your scheduling app, payroll provider, time clock, and pointof-sale system don’t connect to each other, you’re probably doing the same work more than once. That could mean retyping hours,
Best Practice: Using one connected system or linking your tools can make a big difference When data flows between platforms, you don’t have to re-enter it This saves time and makes sure pay, hours, and records are more accurate
When a problem comes up, getting help should be easy But if you ’ re waiting on hold or explaining your issue to different people, it just adds more stress
Best Practice: Self-service tools let employees make requests and see their schedules from their phones Managers still approve changes, but they don’t have to be involved in every small detail This gives staff more control while helping managers focus on bigger tasks
When a problem comes up, getting help should be easy But if you ’ re waiting on hold or explaining your issue to different people, it just adds more stress.
5 When Something Goes Wrong, Support is Nowhere to Be Found
5 When Something Goes Wrong, Support is Nowhere to Be Found
Best Practice: Using one connected system or linking your tools can make a big difference When data flows between platforms, you don’t have to re-enter it This saves time and makes sure pay, hours, and records are more accurate
Most salons switch to payroll systems that handle these tasks for them. These systems can apply the right pay rates, catch errors, and handle taxes without extra work. It gives you peace of mind and saves time.
Or call 800-863-8013 to
Best Practice: A dedicated support rep who knows your setup can fix issues faster You don’t have to repeat yourself, and problems get solved quickly so you can stay focused on your business.
5 When Something Goes Wrong, Support is Nowhere to Be Found
When a problem comes up, getting help should be easy. But if you’re waiting on hold or explaining your issue to different people, it just adds more stress.
When a problem comes up, getting help should be easy But if you ’ re waiting on hold or explaining your issue to different people, it just adds more stress
When a problem comes up, getting help should be easy But if you ’ re waiting on hold or explaining your issue to different people, it just adds more stress
When a problem comes up, getting help should be easy But if you ’ re waiting on hold or explaining your issue to different people, it just adds more stress
Best Practice:
Best Practice: A dedicated support rep who knows your setup can fix issues faster You don’t have to repeat yourself, and problems get solved quickly so you can stay focused on your business.
Best Practice: A dedicated support rep who knows your setup can fix issues faster You don’t have to repeat yourself, and problems get solved quickly so you can stay focused on your business
Best Practice: A dedicated support rep who knows your setup can fix issues faster You don’t have to repeat yourself, and problems get solved quickly so you can stay focused on your business
A dedicated support rep who knows your setup can fix issues faster. You don’t have to repeat yourself, and problems get solved quickly so you can stay focused on your business.
Best Practice: A dedicated support rep who knows your setup can fix issues faster You don’t have to repeat yourself, and problems get solved quickly so you can stay focused on your business
The Five Biggest Time-Wasters for Tanning Salon Owners (And What to Do About Them)
How To Keep Your Staff Going In the Winter Time
BY JOE SCHUSTER
As we kick off the season, the winter months can be harsh and motivating salon staff is key. It’s a topic that also surfaces quite often on industry social media forums. Your clients may also be suffering from the same malaise. It’s cold, wet and dreary in most of the country. They want to “look good, feel good”, so let’s make it happen! This month, I separated our Salon Pros into 6 teams and asked different questions of each. These are some very insightful responses that salons can put to use immediately.
How Do You Motivate Your Staff On A Daily/Weekly/ Monthly Basis?
Nikki Capps, Tantalizing Tanning
“Over 16 years creating culture is a big part of what we do at Tantalizing wellness spa. A culture of trust, accountability, productivity, grace and fun. In today’s world keeping employees is difficult to say the
least. Many aren’t just motivated by money, they want to feel needed, appreciated and a part of something bigger. However, while not having to put forth too much extra work. I struggled with this for many years thinking “well if you don’t want to work harder, then how can you feel a part of the company?” I realized that wasn’t the case, talking to your staff and watching how they interact with clients. If they use the services, you can tell if they have what we call “the spirit of Tantalizing”. This means they truly care about the health and well being of our clients and company, always wanting to learn how to help others and grow in the knowledge of our industry. Our monthly staff meetings and other group events, gives them an opportunity to come together as a group and feel that comrade that you don’t get being in a salon alone. Contests are also a great way to motivate staff. We also give them ISA (in store credit) based on their product sales average every other week. Our goal for staff is to earn enough salon credit to buy the products they want without spending their pay checks.”
move my office to the front desk so I can work alongside them, connect, and keep energy and morale up. I also focus on flexibility—understanding that life happens—and when possible, I allow mental health days and adaptable schedules so my team feels trusted and cared for as people, not just employees.
Emily Sigmon, Carolina Tan & Wellness
“Motivating my staff is something I approach intentionally on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, because I truly believe a supported team is a successful team. On a daily level, I stay present. During slower times, I’ll often
Weekly and monthly motivation comes from consistency, communication, and appreciation. I’ve had each team member complete a professional “love languages” quiz and a likesand-dislikes form so I can recognize and motivate them in ways that truly resonate. Some team members thrive on public praise, while others prefer quiet acknowledgment, and knowing the difference has been a game changer in helping each person feel seen and valued. I hold one-onone meetings with each employee quarterly, always outside of the salon. Whether it’s coffee, dessert, or dinner, whatever they choose, it creates
a relaxed, open space for honest conversations about goals, growth, and how I can better support them. Longterm motivation is reinforced through growth opportunities and rewards. Commission increases with longevity and I make it a priority to invest in my team by bringing some or all of them to industry events so they can learn, feel inspired, and see the bigger picture of our industry together.
At the end of the day, motivation isn’t about one big gesture. It’s about showing up consistently, listening, and creating an environment where each person feels appreciated in the way that matters most to them.”
How
Do You Make Your Salon A Great
Environment
To Work In And Avoid It Being A Place Where They Dread Coming In?
Michelle Walters, Island Glo Tanning and Beauty
“As a business owner, I can confidently say that I believe we’ve built something really special here. But instead of only sharing my perspective, I wanted to pause and ask the people who live it every day— our staff. Over the past week, I asked team members what truly makes this a great place to work. Their answers were thoughtful, honest, and incredibly affirming. What stood
out most is that our culture isn’t built on one big thing—it’s built on many small, intentional actions that happen every single day.
Here’s what they shared, and what each of these values means in action.
1. A Consistently Positive Environment
A positive environment doesn’t mean every day is perfect—it means every day is respectful, encouraging, and solution-focused. Our staff shared that walking into work feels uplifting, not draining. Positivity is modeled from leadership and carried throughout the team. We celebrate effort, not just outcomes, and we choose encouragement over criticism. This creates a space where people feel safe to grow, learn, and be themselves.
2. Celebrating the Small Daily Wins
Big goals are important, but the small daily wins are what keep momentum alive. Whether it’s hitting a personal sales goal, helping a teammate, receiving a kind customer review, or simply showing up and
doing your best—we recognize it. Celebrating these moments reminds our staff that their work matters every single day, not just at the end of the month.
3. High-Fives and Recognition When Goals Are Met
Recognition is a huge part of our culture. When one of our five key descriptions or expectations is met, we make it known. A high-five, shoutout, or message of appreciation goes a long way. This reinforces positive behaviors, builds confidence, and shows that leadership is paying attention and genuinely appreciates the effort being put in.
4. Flexibility for Real Life (Especially for Parents)
Life doesn’t stop just because you’re scheduled to work—and we understand that. Our staff deeply values the flexibility we offer, especially for team members with young children. Whether it’s picking a child up from daycare or bringing them to the salon to sit safely in the break room during a scheduling
hiccup, we lead with compassion. Supporting our team as whole humans—not just employees—creates loyalty, trust, and peace of mind.
5. Open, Ongoing Communication at All Levels
Clear and consistent communication was one of the most mentioned strengths. From daily updates to management check-ins, our team knows they’re informed, heard, and supported. Communication flows both ways, and questions or concerns are always welcomed. This transparency removes uncertainty and helps everyone feel aligned and confident in their role.
6. Endless Support From Leadership
Support doesn’t end with training— it’s ongoing. Our staff knows they are never expected to figure things out alone. Whether it’s professional development, problem-solving, emotional support, or guidance on a tough day, leadership is present and accessible. That level of support builds confidence and helps each team member reach their full potential.
7. A Culture of Integrity, Honesty, and Respect
One of the strongest values we uphold is maintaining a workplace free of backstabbing, ill will, or negativity. There is zero tolerance for behavior that undermines trust or teamwork. Instead, we promote honesty, integrity, and direct communication. This creates a safe and supportive environment where people feel respected and protected—and where collaboration thrives.
Remember owners, a great work environment doesn’t happen by accident. It’s created through daily choices, thoughtful leadership, and a genuine commitment to people. Hearing these reflections from our
staff reaffirmed that the culture we’ve built is not only strong—but meaningful. We are proud of the environment we’ve created, and even more proud of the team that helps shape it every single day.”
Vic Perrin, Total Tan
“There were a number of reasons why I purchased my first tanning salon in 2016. Of course money was at the top of the list, but I’d have never considered taking on this venture if I didn’t think it would be fun. Now, nine years later, there has never been a single day I didn’t look forward to “going to work”. I absolutely love it. I love it because I have the greatest staff and the greatest clients and I make sure they all know it. We ALL have fun! From our side of the counter we’re not pushy, condescending, argumentative or unengaged. I challenge myself and encourage my team to get to know our clients as best we can, to make them feel comfortable, respected and appreciated. We welcome, teach, explain and suggest our products and services. We have candy and free coffee everyday, randomly surprise our best clients with gifts and hand out free packets quite often. In turn, our clients love just hanging out with us! Not a day goes by without someone just stopping in for coffee and conversation with whomever happens to be on duty.
I empower my staff to treat each client and every issue that may arise as if it is their salon. They don’t fear making a mistake or feel like they are working under a microscope. I do however, keep an eye on my operation and address concerns effectively, privately and with compassion. My staff is my work family and I owe it to them to feel important, needed and cared for. If my staff doesn’t have fun at work then I’ve not been to my abilities as an owner. I get compliments about my team every week and ALWAYS let
them know it. The best compliment I personally ever received was when a client asked if I was hiring. After I said not at this time, she responded “That’s ok, I don’t really need a job. This just seems like such a fun place to work!”
Do You Have “Greeters” Or Staff That Can Sell?
“We don’t use traditional greeters or sales staff. Instead, our team members are considered Sales Consultants. Every team member is hired with the goal of becoming a Sales Consultant. During peak season, we may bring on entry-level team members with the clear intention of advancing them by the end of the season. We follow a defined career progression of - Bed Tech, Junior Consultant, Consultant I, Consultant II, Assistant Manager, and Manager which supports growth, accountability, and longterm retention. All of our employees go through a training certification program and we do continued
Patty Warren, Image Sun Tanning
education provided by various industry experts; particularly New Sunshine webinars. Each consultant uses their education, training, and product knowledge to guide clients through their options and help them select the ideal package and/ or products that align with their current goals - whether that’s UV or sunless tanning, wellness, or skin care support. Our focus is on building trust and long-term relationships, not transactional selling.”
Andrea Pelascini, Beach Bums Tanning
“Great question! I find both equally important for a successful salon. Unlike most salons I have chosen to operate and work the salon solely on my own 99% of the time. With that being said I am 100% a “greeter”. Welcoming my clients by name is a must for me. I enjoy building relationships first and when necessary I put my sales skills to work.”
Have You Provided Your Staff All Of The “Tools” For Them To Be Successful?
Victoria Cordes, Bear Naked Tanning
“How we have provided our staff with all the “tools” to be successful is by ensuring they are properly trained, educated in more than just our systems and operations but how tanning works, the science behind
redlight, why you should use this lotion over that lotion (thanks Devoted On Demand), they are supported, and never left to figure things out alone. We invest in them, encourage them to communicate openly and give them confidence to shine!”
Christine Nelson, Glo Tanning
“I make sure my staff have the tools they need to succeed — and I don’t just mean a smile and a sales pitch. Every new hire is required to complete the Sun is Life Course within their first 30 days, and they also watch the Devoted 5 Star clips to learn sales techniques and get familiar with the lotions and products we carry. To make training meaningful, I have our longest-term, most trusted employees lead it, because they know the business inside and out.
We also keep things fun and motivating with incentives, like contests for who sells a product first or who sells the most in a set timeframe. On top of that, staff earn an hourly wage plus commissions, so there’s real reward for effort. But we’re serious about training: if someone isn’t watching the clips or learning the products, they’re pulled off sales and lose commission opportunities until they complete the requirements. In short, we give them the tools, the guidance, and the motivation to succeed — and make sure they use them.”
What Would It Take Your Staff To Get Promoted Or Receive A Raise?
Lori Vandewall, The Beach House
What Would It Take For One Of Your Staff To Be Removed Or Fired?
Shay Ellen, The SunShack & Co “Performance Issues:
• Sales Targets Not Met: Consistently failing to meet sales quotas can significantly impact the salon’s revenue. Salespeople play a crucial role in driving profits, and when targets aren’t met, it raises concerns about effectiveness.
compromises professionalism and safety, endangering both staff and clients.
“An employee that adopts our “Anatomy of an A Player” is someone that will find themselves in a position to be promoted or receive a raise. The elements of our “A Player” are as follows: Committed to delivering a five-star experience to our clients, consistently executing sales strategies and exceeding personal KPI’s and sales goals, and someone that adopts our corporate vision and embraces our mission statement. Our sales team has the opportunity to give themselves a raise monthly by earning commissions, bonuses and incentives. Each month I offer a different incentive to my team for goals that we want to achieve. I also follow up by calculating their “hourly rate” for that month by dividing their total monthly pay by hours worked. This gives the employee feedback on what they actually earned per hour for that month. The employees that I find to be the most successful are those that are creating genuine relationships with our clients, and those that spend extra time learning features and benefits of our products and services while focusing on selling our “best seller,” the Cabana Club.”
• Poor Customer Satisfaction: Negative feedback or low customer satisfaction ratings can tarnish the salon’s reputation. Exceptional customer service is vital in our industry, and any decline in this area can lead to serious consequences.
Unethical Behavior
• Dishonesty: Misrepresentation of services or products, as well as falsifying sales records, undermines trust within the team and with customers.
• Theft or Fraud: Any form of stealing from the register or manipulating sales figures is unacceptable. Such actions not only harm the business but can also create a toxic atmosphere.
Inappropriate Conduct
• Harassment or Discrimination: Any form of harassment towards customers or colleagues is intolerable. Violating company policies on discrimination can lead to a hostile work environment and legal repercussions.
• Substance Abuse: Being under the influence while at work
Violation of Company Policies
• Dress Code Violations
• Attendance Issues
• Failure to Follow Procedures
Negative Team Dynamics
• Poor Team Collaboration: Failing to work effectively with colleagues can create friction and hinder the salon’s overall performance. Teamwork is essential for a harmonious workplace.
• Creating a Hostile Work Environment: Gossip or negative behavior that affects morale can lead to a toxic atmosphere, making it difficult for everyone to thrive.
While letting someone go is never an easy decision, it is sometimes necessary to ensure the overall health and success of our salon. Maintaining high standards in performance, ethics, conduct, and teamwork is essential for creating a positive environment that benefits both employees and clients alike.”
2026 NU TOUR
JANUARY-MARCH
Heartland: Kansas City, MO
Dallas, TX
Tan International: Phoenix, AZ Nashville, TN
APRIL-JUNE
Uvalux: Toronto, CAN
Chicago, IL
Cleveland, OH
Heartland: Kansas City, MO
JULY-SEPTEMBER
Orlando, FL
Charlotte, NC
Heartland, Kansas, MO
OCTOBER-DECEMBER
Tan International, Phoenix, AZ
Four Seasons, Nashville, TN
URI Show, Columbus, OH
WINE DOWN WEDN ESDAYS
the experts
Joe Schuster
In addition to serving as our Editor in Chief, he’s also one of our contributing writers and serves as the Director and Instructor for our Sun is LIfe certification and training.
Aliesha Colvin
Executive Director of Sun is Life Magazine, Aliesha Colvin, has spent over a decade in the beauty world and the last three of those helping shape the tanning industry’s creative side. Outside of the office, she channels her energy into her photography business and her social media communities –where she platforms others loving the skin they’re in.
Amara Omoregie
Amara Omoregie has two decades of experience with revenue operations, sales, and marketing. She’s helped companies, ranging from startups to Fortune 500s, generate millions of dollars in capital by using her CMO approach of building brands from the inside - out. She is currently the Chief Marketing Officer of Glo Tanning.
Kristin Smithers, the Red Light Queen™, is a Board Certified Light Therapist through the Board of Advanced Natural Health Sciences. A lifetime SPIE member and WALT member, she’s been active in the tanning industry since 2016 and a salon owner since 2019, blending science with real-world results.
Quinn Cooper
Quinn Cooper has been a professional in the tanning industry for years, showing his passion for wellness at every turn. He is a proud Senior Account Executive of SUN IS LIFE as well as being a salon owner himself.
Nadine Carter is the Internal VP of Marketing at Innove’ Sunless Tanning. Her love of tanning culture as well as encyclopedic knowledge of tanning technology makes her an asset to any project she’s involved in.
Kristin Smithers
Nadine Carter
EXPERIENCE
y -where
Indulge yourself in unparalleled comfort with our exclusive promotion on the Fujimi Luxury Massage Chairs! Introducing the EP9000MAX and EP7000S models, designed to bring the spa experience right to your home or business. Elevate your relaxation with advanced 3D massage technology, customizable settings, and heated therapy options for a truly transformative experience. Enjoy soothing massages with a sleek design, zero gravity recline, and a variety of invigorating programs to relieve tension and rejuvenate your body. Don’t miss this opportunity, take advantage with the information provided below.
