September 2010
At a recent summer trade event, I met a couple of salon owners who told me they had once tanned without eye protection – and experienced disastrous results. Listen in while real salon owners “rat” on themselves…
Friday, August 13th, 2010
August 2010
Dr. Mark Kimpel, an Indiana University research doctor and ophthalmologist, says he really doesn’t care for the photo you see here, as it doesn’t accurately show what night vision loss is really like. He describes night vision loss this way: “When you’re driving at night, you’ll still see the yellow stripe on the road. What you won’t see is the kid on the bike.”
Monday, July 5th, 2010
July 2010
Millions of tanners are using hand towels meant to wipe sweat off their body to “protect” their faces during their sunbed session. Those using the towels think they’re protected from UV rays and preventing dreaded wrinkles. WRONG!
Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
June 2010
Why do doctors and attorneys hang their diplomas and licenses on their office walls? To indicate that they are certified professionals with proper training and education, of course. There is an easy way for your salon to reflect this same air of professionalism that will set you apart from the “party salons” across the street. Why not display some of your well-earned certificates? Read on…
Click here to view or download PDF of entire article
Tanologists at tanworld, Sioux City, IA (left)
and certified staff at Tropix Salon near Atlanta, GA (right)
Saturday, May 15th, 2010
May 2010
The tanning industry continues to step up and rescue unfortunate animals from owners who did NOT deserve them.
In my April column, I featured the stories of three members of the tanning community who personally took in abused dogs. This month, I’d like to feature Heartland Tanning – a leading industry distributor and saviors of two abandoned Pit Bulls. I’d also like to give a huge shout-out to Keli Miller, owner of Solar Tans salon in Greenville, SC who masterminded a fundraising auction to benefit abused animals … and raised $30,000! Keli, you are an inspiration to us all! Read on….
Thursday, April 15th, 2010
April 2010
I find folks in the tanning biz to have super big hearts! Chatting with a few pals in the industry, I was thrilled to realize many had rescued dogs from horrible situations. Here’s a heartwarming story from industry veteran, Joe Schuster, of 1st Resource:
“Petey (a mix of Pit Bull, German Shorthair and others) was born in the mountains of North Carolina and lived near my in-laws, chained to a tree outside of a house trailer. It was a brutal life for him with abusive owners. One summer, my father-in-law found him roadside after a vehicle had hit him, and took him to the local vet. After weeks of recovery, Petey was returned to his owners. The next summer, my father-in-law again found him after he had been shot. The vet removed a 9mm pistol slug from his shoulder and he spent many weeks recuperating with his new family – as he would not be returned to his ‘former owners’. Petey now lives with my family and our four other dogs, loves to be petted and scratched, and spends most of his time warming his body in the sun. He can do that with us for as long as he wants!” Read on….
Sunday, March 14th, 2010
March 2010
As you know, I just love tanning folks who go above and beyond – who really hear the call of someone or something in need, and just get it done. I’ve talked about Heavenly Hair of Whitinsville, MA in a previous column, but there is more to their story and I was so uplifted by their good works, I wanted to share it with all of you.
While preparing a care package to send to their local unit in Iraq in April 2009, Brenda and Steve Couture contacted some of their tanning product suppliers for donations. They wanted to send Eye Pro’s Fresh-Ease wipes, since the soldiers were out on recon missions for days at a time with no way to shower or bathe. Distributor Four Seasons, as well as lotion makers Supre Tan, Devoted Creations, Pro-Tan, Tan Inc. and Designer Skin, also donated products. Brenda wrote this in her Christmas letter to customers….Read on….
Saturday, February 27th, 2010
February 2010
A number of salon owners participated in a heated battle on the “Tan Talk” Message Board (tantalk.com) about whether it’s better to provide tanning customers with eyewear for free, or sell it to them. The thread included a lot of name-calling and repetition, so I have edited and changed some online names. Read on….
Friday, January 29th, 2010
January 2010
(From Brenda: This is an often-asked question that I thought I’d share with you.)
Dear Brenda,
With the tough economy, we have customers who buy a single pair of disposables and show them to our staff each time they come in, to save on buying a new pair of disposables on each visit. How can we stop this practice? Another problem is that some customers wear their disposables over and over. Won’t bacteria grow from re-using disposables? Thanks!
Margaret Green, Manager
Ultimate Exposure – Gold Coast Location
Chicago, IL
Dear Margaret,
Thanks for writing! I appreciate your interest in ensuring your customers are properly protecting their eyes. Yes, some tanners will show salon staff the same pair of disposable eye protection over and over to avoid having to buy a pair of goggles, and they aren’t actually wearing anything on their eyes when they tan! There are a number of ways to prevent this. Read more…..
Monday, December 28th, 2009
December 2009
Since about half of the tanning salons in the U.S. provide shared (“community”) goggles, I thought this was a great time to review your goggle cleaning procedure and ensure you’re not skipping any steps. After all, it’s cold and flu season, and you don’t want to be part of the problem by spreading the flu among your clients. Read more…
