ETS Tanning Bed Blog

How to Get a Deeper Tan

If you’re a regular in the tanning beds, but aren’t getting any darker you may have hit what tanning professionals call a “tanning plateau.” You want to get a deeper tan, but it’s just not happening, so what do you do next?

Try a New Indoor Tanning Lotion

If you feel like you’ve hit your tanning plateau and you’re already using a good indoor lotion, then maybe it’s time to switch your product.

This post is for all the tanning industry business owners out there who may be hesitant or reluctant to try a new marketing strategy or product offering. It’s about a book that’s drastically affected the way I look at and approach both my business and my life – Who Moved My Cheese by Dr. Spencer Johnson.

It’s a short story, but it’s a powerful one. So powerful that the book remained on the New York Times bestseller list for five years after it was first published.

The story is a parable about two mice, “Sniff” and “Scurry” and two little people, “Hem” and “Haw.” These characters live in a maze where cheese is set out for them. Well, one day that cheese is moved. The complacent “Hem” and “Haw” keep going back to the same place, looking for the cheese. Meanwhile, “Sniff” and “Scurry” decide to venture out, finding new cheese.

Last year, one of our biggest customers was having a lot of staffing and technical issues. They went through a period of turnover with their management and they were having a hard time training their people on using and maintaining the beds. Basically, they needed help.

ETS to the Rescue

We did as much as we could over the phones, but eventually we realized that more was needed. So, we decided to fly one of our best ETS Certified Service Technicians down to their salon. He went down and did some extensive, hands-on and in-person, one-on-one training. It was exactly what the client needed.

Because we were working with a chain, he visited each salon in the area over three days and did education sessions on lamps, paneling of lamps, changing lamps, bed cleaning and really just basic tanning bed maintenance. He taught them everything from the simple stuff like not touching the bulbs when you change the high-pressure lamps to more complex tips like how to troubleshoot a daisy chain of tanning beds.

A tanning bed tan can actually be better and more exact than a sun tan achieved outside. Why? Because when you’re out in the sun, you can’t control how much ultraviolet (UV) light your skin is absorbing. However, when you opt for a tanning bed tan, you can actually regulate and control your UV exposure.

As a result, you can gradually increase your UV exposure over time in a controlled environment. This lets you take charge of your tan’s deepness while also minimizing the risk of burns. Here’s how:

Knowing Your UV Rays for a Better Tan

Tanning beds are designed, essentially, to imitate the sun. The sun emits three types of UV rays; UV-C, which is the most harmful; UV-B, which begins the tanning process; and UV-A, which completes the tanning process.

One question that our sales people get a lot is “should I buy new or used tanning beds?” For many home tanners, used beds can mean significant savings. However, there are a few things to consider when buying a used tanning bed :

1. Ballast Life

A ballast is a device designed to limit the amount of current in an electric circuit. In a tanning bed, ballasts are used to control the amount of power needed to start and operate the lamps. And, like other tanning bed components (the bulbs, acrylic, etc), they have a finite life span.

Oh, the bikini tan line – that dreaded tanning side effect that curses beach goers everywhere. So, how do you get rid of it or avoid it all together? You guessed it, by using indoor tanning beds.

The best way to avoid a bikini tan line is to tan indoors in the nude. Tanning salons are very secure, you can usually lock the door and they’re also very hygienic. Most people tan in the nude, the salons expect it and they provide towels and sometimes robes for your comfort. Also, a salon is required to sanitize tanning beds after every use, so they’re clean.

Safe Indoor Tanning

Home tanning beds are quickly becoming a popular purchase for tan-lovers. But, too often, people jump at the cheapest bed possible thinking they don’t need an industrial-strength bed for basic home use.

Or, they buy an ultra-powerful bed that can’t be plugged into a standard home outlet and find themselves scrambling for an electrician.

In order to get the most out of your home tanning bed investment, we’ve provided 3 essential tips for buying the perfect home tanning system.