kkbird

My wife just bought out a Salon and acquired all the lotion stock. We are overwelmed with all the different names on the bottles such as "bronzer, accelerater, and so on. Is there a good site out there that explains the differences and perhaps the main tanning ingredients?
We want to clear out the stock we have and only carry one or two product lines to keep it simple. I can see the customer being confused and walking out without buying anything.

Soakinuptherays

Two Basic Types of Indoor Tanning Products
Soakin’ Up The Rays, Inc. manufacturers two broad types of indoor tanning products . Natural indoor tanning products and Effect tanning products . Natural products contain no special effect ingredients, but instead focus on delivering the best Moisturization, Magnification and Skin Conditioning ingredients possible at the lower possible price. Effect indoor tanning formulas contain expensive effect ingredients designed to produce a result such as Tingling, Bronzing, Cooling or a combination of these effects. Those effects have both physical and psychological effects for tanners.

Natural Indoor Tanning Products :
This type of indoor tanning formulas do not feature any Bronzing, Tingling, or Cooling effects. We believe that this type of indoor tanning products are the best products for tanners to use because they focus on the bodies natural tanning process. How do they focus on your natural tanning process? Natural indoor tanning products feature the most Moisturization, Magnification and Skin Conditioning ingredients possible at the lower possible price. because they do not contain expensive ingredients to cause an artificial effect. The “strength” or product “step” is determined by the amount and variety of tyrosine contained within the indoor tanning product.
Effect Indoor Tanning Products :
Other types of indoor tanning products are formulated to contain ingredients designed to produce a sensational effect like Tingling, Bronzing, Cooling, Shimmering or a combination of these effects when applied to your skin before Soakin’ Up The Rays ®. These ingredients create both a physical and psychological effect for the tanner.

Tingling Products:
Physical Effect:
Tingling or tingle products use ingredients to cause a mild to severe skin irritation as well as a reddening of the skin during your tanning session. So when the tanner gets out of the tanning bed, they see an "instant result" of skin redness and feel a tingling or burning sensation on their skin. The belief is that tingling products stimulate micro-circulation to increase oxygen supply to the skin making your skin tan better.

Psychological Effect:
Redness “ Instantly” After Tanning”
Remember when you were a teenager and you would coming home from the beach or the lake after being in the sun all day? You were sun burned bright red and your skin was already starting to sting. But you knew you were going to be tan, even if for a short time, from your time in the sun. Too many tanners think that sun overexposure results in tan skin, but sun burning and tanning are not the same thing. Indoor tanning salons work to tan the skin without burning.

Most tanners will not have a dramatic visible difference from when they started the tanning session and when it ends with a regular tanning lotion. Basically, tingling products provide a simulated sunburn! Tingling products act to satisfy the mental need to see and feel “instant results” after their tanning session. The effects of tingling products fade in a few hours. So the psychological benefit of Tingling products is to provide that “instant result” that many tanners crave.

Bronzing Products:
Physical Effect:
Bronzing products use ingredients to have their tan immediately. By using sunless tanning ingredients within indoor tanning products , tanners will see immediate results from their tanning sessions from the sunless tanning ingredients before their skin has time to darken naturally from exposure to UV light.

Psychological Effect:
Tanning “Immediately” After Tanning”
How many new tanners assume that all they have to do is visit a salon once for a super dark tan? Bronzer products were created to make that a reality! By using sunless tanning effect ingredients within indoor tanning products , tanner get that “tan” in 6-12 hours. That way customers that must be “Tan” in the next day or two can get instant tanning results that night. The goal then is happier tanners seeing “immediate results” from your salon.

Are Bronzer Products Streaking Your Customers?
The biggest problem with bronzer tanning products is that if they are not properly applied they can give a streaky appearance to tanners or “color” areas of your body that do not normally tan. Some products have a higher percentage of sunless tanning or bronzer elements than other products, so depending on your initial skin color, some products may be too dark or not dark enough to give you the results you desire. I believe it is critical that you stock at least one or two bronzing type products for your customers that want the instant results they provide.


Develop your own chart of “darkness” for your bronzer products.
Every bronzing product has a different level of bronzing effect. When a tanner uses a bronzer that has a much darker effect than the persons current tan level, and if the bronzer is not applied perfectly, the tanner will notice streaking. The only way to judge the strength of “Darkness” of each bronzer is to try them on yourself.

On a lighter area of your under arm put a finger tip wide application of several bronzers noting which order you applied them on your arm. Wait 24 hours and note the darkness of each. Use those notes when recommending which bronzer a customer should use. A lighter tan customer should use lighter bronzer and a dark tanner should use a stronger bronzer to avoid streaking.

How to Reduce Staining Your Hands from Bronzing Products!
All day long your hands are losing moisture and becoming dry. So when you put a lotion in your hand, your body reacts by rapidly absorbing the available moisture. If that lotion contains a bronzer, your hands will absorb a lot of the bronzer, staining your hands extra dark. The best way to stop this is to use a moist towellete to wet your hands before tanning. That way your hands soak up water and will not absorb the lotion with bronzer as quickly. I then suggest you rewipe your hands with a clean towellette to further remove the bronzer from your hands.

Cooling Products:
Physical Effect:
Cooling products use ingredients to cause a cool effect on your skin after application. The goal is to reduce the overheated feeling some tanners get during their tanning time. Some tanners will like this effect as the opposite of tingling products or just something different. Lunch time tanners will like this type of product because it reduces the “heat” of a tanning session.

Psychological Effect:
Lunch time tanners will like this type of product because it reduces the “heat” of a tanning session allowing them to return to work without looking like or feeling less like they have been tanning. That will give them confidence to tan more.

Shimmering Products:
Physical Effect:
Shimmering products use ingredients to give the skin a sparkling glow after tanning! By using almost near microscopic ingredient designed to reflect light giving your tanned skin a natural radiance.

Psychological Effect:
The tanners skin looks glowing and makes the tanner feel great about themselves!

Combination Products:
Simply combine the Physical and Psychological benefits of different effect products into one formula

After Exposure Therapy Products: “Tanning Moisturizers”
For years, tanning salons have sold moisturizers to help the tanning process. The problem is that moisturizers are sold everywhere including Wal-Mart. Not all moisturizers are designed to help you tan. Some of these non-tanning moisturizers may have Natural and/or chemical sun blocks that will block your bodies UV light absorption during your tanning session, or skin bleachers and skin exfoliates designed to increase skin shedding and whitening to minimize wrinkles and blemishes.

Tanners need to use tanning specific moisturizers. After Exposure Therapy Products are a new type of indoor tanning product formulated for use between your tanning sessions. Tanning experts widely believe that your melanocytes are actively tanning up to 48 hours after your last tanning session. After Exposure Therapy Products are designed to provide your skin with moisturization and skin conditioning ingredients critical for advanced tanning during the after exposure period.

Tanning is naturally drying to the skin causing it to shed, flake and peel. I recommend that tanners use an After Exposure Therapy after their daily shower and before bed to get their tan darker than ever before and keep it longer.

Matching Tanning Products for Types of Tanning Equipment
Soakin’ Up The rays, inc. has formulated indoor tanning products to optimizes a tanners experience and results
to specific types of tanning equipments.

Maximum Tanning Results from Low Pressure Equipment!
With low pressure tanning equipment, we need to help maximize the UV rays reaching your skin. In order to maximize those rays, we have formulated our unique Hybrid formulas to be as magnifying as possible. That magnification property of these Hybrid formulas give the tanner the extra boost they need to achieve their best personal tanning results from low pressure tanning equipment.

Hybrid Tanning Products :
For years, we have recommended that tanners use oils to get their darkest tan. Apply a non-tingling/non-bronzing Plateau Buster ™ like Ultimate Results ™ before you leave the house in the morning. Then at the salon apply an overcoat of a true oil-tanning product. This way you get the maximum moisturization and skin-conditioning ingredients matched with the maximum magnification properties of the oil product.

Soakin’ Up The Rays, Inc. has released the first Oil-Based Tanning Lotion, or Hybrid Tanning Product, ever in the indoor tanning industry. This new super revolutionary formula combines the benefits of a moisturizing tanning lotion and the super magnification properties of a tanning oil, utilizing the skin conditioning properties of both and also providing easy clean up for tanning salon owners. “The best of both worlds!”

Maximum Tanning Results from High Pressure/High Intensity Tanning Equipment!!
With high pressure/high intensity tanning equipment, we need to help tanners resist the intense heat and drying effects of the high pressure tanning experience. In order to maximize those high pressure tanning sessions, we have formulated our unique High Pressure formula to be as cooling and mositurizing as possible. That cooling and moisturizing properties of this High Pressure formula give the tanner the extra comfort and skin conditioning boost they need to achieve their best personal tanning results from high pressure tanning equipment.

High Pressure/High Intensity Tanning Products :
For years, we have been working with some the leading experts in high pressure tanning equipment to specifically match an indoor tanning formula to optimize the tanner’s unique high pressure tanning experience to get their darkest tan. This year we have released the first product specifically formulated for high pressure/high intensity tanning. Unlike low pressure where we use oils to create fantastic magnification to “draw the power” of the lamps of a low pressure bed to your skin. high pressure/high intensity sessions have very intense lamps, these powerful lamps create a lot of heat, even with advanced air conditioning and fans often the tanning experience is uncomfortably hot. We utilize super cooling agents within the High Pressure formula to counter the heat the tanner’s skin is feeling. The second phase of our unique High Pressure formula is deep moisturization to counter the intensity of the high pressure/high intensity lamps that can create an extra drying to tanner’s skin. This way you get the maximum moisturization and skin-conditioning ingredients of our High Pressure/VHR formula matched with the maximum cooling properties to make you able to withstand the heat of high pressure/high intensity tanning sessions. Soakin’ Up The Rays, Inc. has released the first High Pressure Tanning Lotion, ever in the indoor tanning industry. This new super revolutionary formula combines the benefits of a premium moisturization and super cooling properties in one tanning product. Our goal is optimize your tanning time for your maximum personal tanning results no matter what type of equipment you use.

Mist Tanning Products :
These are liquid tanning formulas designed to be applied to the body with a mist spray pump. Mist products offer an advantage because they are quick and easy to apply to your entire body requiring less time to rub into the skin. These product can be based with natural aloe Vera mixture or dry oil mist complex with tanning ingredients that give you a quick sheen of magnification and skin conditioning elements plus some moisturizing properties.

Are mist tanning products as effective as using a lotion?
No, but for quick total body application it is better than going without a tanning product! Mist products lack the additional thick and rich Moisturization of a lotion so the long-term effectiveness is not the same.

The problem with Mist Tanning Products !
The typical way a tanner applies a mist products seems to be to spray a large cloud of product into the air then run naked through the cloud several times before getting into the tanning bed. The spray applicator on mist products make them very easy to apply but not all the product reaches the tanners body. The spray gets on the wall, the tanning bed, the floor, and everywhere else in the tanning room. Many tanning salon owner chose not to sell mist product because of the mess.

Gel Products:
Based with Aloe Vera Gel or Dry Oil Complex both offer more magnification then mist or lotion but are more drying to the skin then the other two product types. The aloe vera gel prism is designed to amplify the rays while delivering skin conditioning ingredients like Tyrosine, Riboflavin, vitamins, and other ingredients to the tanner's skin. A premium clear gel to lets the rays shine through the magnification prism for the maximum magnification without using an oil. Gel can be easier to apply for tanners with a lot of hair.

What is the Drawback of using a Tanning Gel Product?
Gel are drying to the skin. Why? Gels dry the skin because the water in the gel binds with water present in your skin and when heat from the bed evaporates the water in the gel on your skin it also evaporates some of the water in your skin as well because of the linking of water molecules.

Oil Products:
Natural Tanning Oils offer the maximum UV magnification in indoor tanning products . Much better than tanning lotions, gels, or mist products, Natural Tanning Oils were the first natural tanning product on beaches and tanning beds. Tanning oil products not only increase magnification but Moisturization and skin conditioning elements as well. Several manufacturers are blending in tingling elements into their oils for “Instant Results”.

Are oil tanning products as effective as using a lotion?
No, but for maximum magnification or in combined use with a tanning lotion, tanning oil products are very effective tanning products . Tanning oil products lack the additional thick and rich moisturization of a lotion, so the long-term effectiveness is not the same.

The problem with Oil Tanning Products !
Oil products give you a great thick covering of magnifying oil but the mess and residue in the bed is very hard to clean up. Many tanning salon owner chose not to sell oil product because of the mess.

need to achieve their best personal tanning results from low pressure tanning equipment.


The basic steps of indoor tanning products :

Steps for Tanning Products ?
The basic concept is that tanners should start with one step of product and continue to use it until their tan reaches a specific level of darkness, then switch to a more advanced step of tanning product repeating the process to stronger and stronger steps of tanning products . Every different company has their own names for each step, so my terminology may be different from others. With Soakin’ Up The Rays (R) product line for 2002, the least expensive product is a step 1, as product “effectiveness” rises so does the product price. Some companies have a large variety of pricing within each step. The best thing to do is to try the products and read the information provided by other companies on their steps and products. But keep one thing in mind; comparing apples to apples is not possible!

Soakin’ Up The Rays, Inc. Step Breakdown:
Step One: Tan Builder - One Tyrosine Complex in the formula
Step Two: Intensifier - Two Tyrosine Complexes in the formula
Step Three: Ultimate Intensifier - Three Tyrosine Complexes in the formula
Step Four: Plateau Buster ™ - Four Tyrosine Complexes in the formula
Every Step: After Exposure Therapy - One Tyrosine Complex in the formula

Comparing apples to apples is not possible!
The first thing you need to understand is that there are no industry wide recognized regulations or standards that control what names are used on tanning products . So name-to-name comparisons are not a comparison of any standard of likeness, similar product strengths or formulas i.e.: "intensifier to intensifier". A matching title does not mean they are the same in anyway other than the name on the bottle.

So why talk about steps at all?
Steps make sense, most companies including mine, break products into steps. It is the easy way to explain to tanners the differences between tanning products .

From a Soakin’ Up The Rays, Inc. customer’s perspective about product steps:
Gene of Sunseekers - Lancaster, PA
“Some lotion lines divide their products into rigid steps or levels. The step race has led to ridiculous claims of steps five, six and seven. Realize that this is mostly a marketing ploy and has little basis in science. It forces you to buy double and triple the inventory. You and your employees then need to effectively differentiate among an ever-expanding array of products. Many times you are forced into selling an inexpensive step 1 product to a beginner when you just know the client will pay more for a stronger up-market product. Furthermore, how many times has a beginning tanner ignored your carefully rehearsed step procedure and demanded the step 2 product anyway, believing it to be the stronger lotion.”


” Soakin’ Up The Rays, Inc.. wants to simplify your life and give you maximum sales flexibility. That’s why all their products (except tinglers) are multi-stage products. It gives you the opportunity to sell any product to anyone regardless of their previous tanning exposures. Their products are categorized by strength and tanning effectiveness and not by arbitrary steps. They make every attempt to make each product unique to simplify your sales effort. As your tanner spends more for a Soakin’ Up The Rays ® lotion, that person will get more intense levels of tanning/skin conditioning agents. The tanner’s skin will use the ingredients as needed.
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Greg Klesius
Soakin' Up The Rays, Inc.

Your top selling product, is whatever you want it to be![ This Message was edited by: Soakinuptherays on 2003-12-24 08:40 ]

kkbird

Awesome Post Soakin! Thank You so much! This was exactly the information we were looking for. We are checking with a distributor now on this product line.

DJA

Excellent post! Simple, plain, and to the point. I hope to be opening in mid January. I'd love a product catalog on your complete line. Thanks! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

pam

Thanks Greg. That is really good info to have on hand.

Pam

Soakinuptherays

Soakin Up The Rays ® and Infusions (TM) is only sold directly to tanning salon via Soakin' Up The Rays, Inc. @ 800-935-7625. We offer distributor level discounts directly to salon owners and our direct sales gives us the ability to limit (if not eliminate) internet diversion of our brands.

We have 2 written informational booklets about indoor tanning industry and indoor tanning products that we provide free to tanning salon owners. This information is from Lotion University (TM) 101

pam

We have these booklets in our salon. They are great reference material not only for SUR lotions but for understanding more about lotions in general. I need to get them out again for our new employees.

Pam

ZumaBeach

soak up the rays--send me the info--and a product list---thanks

Neon Beach

He is not around too often, might wanna PM him.

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dilworth

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