History of Tanning Salons

Tanning wasn't popular until the 1920s when Coco Chanel came back from vacation after staying out in the sun and F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel Tender as the Night portrayed characters lying on the beach sunning themselves. But soon having a tan was in high demand with people trying to spend as much time as possible outdoors during the summer months.

But people began to get frustrated that they could only tan in the summer on nice days, and in the 1980s, tanning salons began to emerge. People loved the fact that they could visit a salon and get tan no matter what the weather outside.

In the 1990s tanning salons became even more powerful and more innovative equipment was created. Better beds and booths have shortened tanning session times and spray tanning booths were invented for those people wishing to avoid UV rays altogether.

Despite some bad press, it doesn't appear that the popularity of tanning beds is slowing down, and now is the best time ever to own a tanning salon.

Eye Protection While Tanning

You should always wear goggles over your eyes when tanning in a tanning bed. The Food and Drug Administration make wearing eye protection mandatory and will ask to see your protection before allowing you in the bed.

The good news salons will offer, either for free or sale, various forms of eye protection. Tanning salons also often offer various designs so you can choose the type you want. Many people don't like wearing goggles with an elastic band because they cause tan lines. The goggles without an elastic are fine for when laying down in a bed, though some people are still bothered by the tan line that could appear across their noses. An option to remedy this is the globe shaped goggles, which are two separate cup shaped lenses that you place over your eyes, eliminating all chance of tan lines.

Beware of salons that claim their beds are so innovative that you don't need eye protection. Also, closing your eyes, wearing sunglasses, or placing cotton balls over your eyes should never be substituted for tanning bed eye protection.

Moisturization is Essential to the Perfect Tan

It is extremely important to keep skin moisturized any time you are tanning. Moist skin tans much better than dry skin. Moisture will also make skin softer and will keep it from forming wrinkles as quickly as dry skin.

A good moisturizer will not only add moisture to the skin, but it will also add some oils to the skin. If you have severely dry skin, a moisturizer with additional oils will be best for you. However, some people don't like having a greasy feeling on their face and body so make sure you purchase a product you feel comfortable using.

Moisturizers should also include sodium PCA, or sodium pyrollidone carboxylic acid, which is an efficient natural moisturizing factor that includes a lot of water to keep your skin soft. Other moisturizing factors that are not natural include sodium isethionate, glycerin and panthenol.

Vitamins are also important to the health of skin. Without vitamins, you skin will be susceptible to oxidative damage from pollutants that can deplete the antioxidant system. Moisturizing lotions that include vitamin E or tocopheryl acetate are the best to fight this damage. Vitamin C is also included in good moisturizers because it works together with the vitamin E. Scientists have actually found that these vitamins are more powerful together than alone.

There are many important ingredients that should be included in a moisturizing tanning lotion so you can get the best possible tan and keep your skin as healthy as possible. It is always a good idea to use a moisturizing lotion while tanning and also to apply it throughout the day.

How Long the Tanning Process Will Take

The tanning process may take a while and should not be rushed due to the possibility of burning. When tanning in a tanning bed, you should always follow the guidelines for length of time you should be in the bed. After your first time tanning, you may not notice any difference in your skin's coloring. This is normal and it may take up to 48 hours for melanogenisis to begin. Each time you use a tanning bed, you can increase the length of time you spend tanning, but many businesses will not let you tan for more than 30 minutes in a bed, depending on the type of bed and strength of the lights. You should never tan more than once in a 24 hour time period, and it is generally recommended that you allow 48 hours to pass in between sessions in a tanning bed.

How Often Tanning Salons Should Change Tanning Bed Lamps

Tanning bed lamps need to be changed before they actually burn out. The reason for this is that, the closer they are to burning out, the less UV light they emit and the less effective they become.

If you're using 1,000 hour lamps, they should be changed after 800 hours in order for you to keep your beds as effective as possible. If you're using 800 hour lamps, you should change them after 700 hours. A good rule of thumb is to change the lamps after they use up 80% of their life expectancy. The bulbs for face lamps don't last as long as the bulbs in tanning beds, and need to be changed more often.

How to Prepare For a Spray Tan that Lasts

Before you go to get a spray tan, you should make sure that your skin in clean. Shower before your session and use a non-moisturizing mild soap. Also, try not to use any moisturizers, lotions, or makeup before a spray tan as these may block your pores and prevent the tanning solution from interacting with your skin. It's always a good idea to use an exfoliator on your skin before going to a spray tanning booth.

Buying a HomeTanning Bed

All tanning beds may not be equal in price at all times of the year. However, rather than there being a best time to purchase a tanning bed, there is more notably a worst time.

The worst time to purchase a tanning bed is when everyone else wants one, which is throughout the months of February to May. These months make up the worst time to purchase a home tanning bed, not necessarily due to price, but more having to do with demand and the fact that many products will be out of stock and service will probably be slow.

Tanning bed dealers go through a slow period mostly in September and October so you may be able to find some good deals and the service may be up to a week faster than it will be in February through May.

Buying a Tanning Salon Franchise

Another option for entering the tanning salon business is to purchase a franchise. A tanning salon franchise will help you open your business with more guidance and less risk. Most tanning salon franchises will help you choose a business for your salon, which will be extremely important when it comes to attracting customers.

You should research the tanning salon franchises you know of and visit some of the locations to see if you like what the salons have to offer. Speak directly with the salons' owners to find out what they like about their job and what they find difficult about it. Also, ask them about the financial benefits as this is obviously an important part of your decision of whether or not to purchase a franchise.

Next, request information from the particular franchise you're interested in and find out what the start-up costs and initial investments are. Most franchises also offer training so that you will have guidance in understanding the business and will not be left to run to salon completely on your own.

Tanning Body Stickers

Fun and handy accessories to use while in a tanning bed are tanning body stickers. These stickers serve two purposes for tanners. Not only can the customer see how well the bed is working to darken their skin, they can also have a little fun.

The stickers come in many different shapes and designs and can be placed anywhere on the body. These stickers act as a sun block and prevent UV light from reaching the skin. Therefore, when you're done with your session in the tanning bed, you can remove the sticker and see how tan your skin got by examining how clear the sticker's image shows up.

Also, many people use the stickers as a way to decorate their skin. They're cheaper and less permanent than tattoos and there is a wide variety of designs to choose from such as hearts, bunnies and short phrases. The stickers are pretty cheap to purchase and some tanning salons even give them away free to customers.

Minimizing Tanning Risks

Tanning in a professional facility today minimizes risk of getting sunburns. This is because the government regulates commercial tanning salons in the United States and in most Canadian provinces.

In the United States, exposure times for every tanning session are derived from a schedule present on every piece of equipment that takes into account the tanner's skin type and the intensity of the equipment. An attendant is always available with knowledge about tanning and how to use the tanning bed.

Regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, the schedule also takes into account how long an individual has been tanning, increasing exposure times gradually to minimize the possibility of burning. That kind of control is impossible outdoors, where variables including seasonality, time of day, weather conditions, reflective surfaces and altitude. Those factors make outdoor tanning a random act and sunburn prevention more difficult.

To truly regulate a tan, short regular intervals in a tanning bed works best.

Types of Home Tanning Beds

Tanning beds take the form of two designs. The first type of tanning bed is the horizontal bed or capsule. This one is more familiar to clients. The second is the stand up vertical chamber. This one is often called a tanning booth. Both rely on the same principle of trying to mimic the effects of the sun. They emit UV rays in order to tan the skin.

The vertical chambers tend to be much stronger than the horizontal lay-down units. They will produce an all-around tan while at the same time eliminating pressure points that would occur on your underside.

Replacement Tanning Bed Bulbs

No sun? No problem. With tanning lamps and replacement bulbs for tanning beds, you can get the tan you want. Tanning bulbs emit UV-A and UV-B rays. You will feel the difference when your tanning bed is equipped with the highest quality sun tanning lamps in the indoor tanning industry. Find a reputable full service carrier of tanning bed parts and supplies.

The tanning bed company should carry the finest tanning lamps and the most powerful tanning bed bulbs to give you a bronzed, even tanned skin. Check with your owner manual to find the exact bulbs and wattage you need. The customer service at your retail tanning bed company should be able to help you find the bulbs you need.