How to Add Spray Tanning to Your Beauty Business (And Why It's One of the Easiest Ways to Increase Your Revenue)

If you are an esthetician, lash artist, makeup artist, or any other beauty professional, you are already sitting on an untapped revenue stream and it might be simpler to access than you think.

Spray tanning is one of the most underrated add-on services in the beauty industry. It requires no advanced licensing, the learning curve is manageable, and once you are trained and confident, it adds real money to your bottom line without requiring a huge investment in equipment or space.

Let me break down exactly why this works and how you can get started.

Why Beauty Professionals Are Perfectly Positioned to Offer Spray Tans

Here is the thing about spray tanning, it is a confidence service. Clients who book spray tans want to feel good. They are heading into a wedding, a vacation, a photo shoot, or just want to feel their best walking into Monday morning.

As a beauty professional you already have the relationship, the trust, and the space. Adding spray tanning means your clients do not have to go somewhere else to get that pre-event glow, they can get everything done with you. That is a win for them and a significant win for your revenue!

Who This Is For

Estheticians: You already understand skin, undertones, skin conditions, prep, and aftercare. That knowledge translates directly into spray tanning and honestly gives you a leg up. You will be able to customize tans in a way that a less experienced artist cannot.

Lash and brow artists: Your clients are already coming to you before big events. A bride getting her lashes done two days before her wedding is a perfect spray tan client. You are already part of her pre-event routine and now you can be even more of it.

Makeup artists: This one is almost a no-brainer. If you are doing someone's makeup for a wedding, photo shoot, or special event, a spray tan done a day or two before is the perfect complement. You can become a one-stop shop for the full look.

The Math Is Hard to Ignore

Let's say you charge $65 for a spray tan. If you add just five spray tans per week to your existing schedule, that is $325 a week or roughly $1,300 a month in additional revenue. At ten tans a week you are looking at over $2,600 a month.

That is new money coming in from clients you already have — without having to build an entirely new clientele from scratch.

The startup investment is also relatively low. A quality spray tan machine, solution, and a pop-up tent can run anywhere from a few hundred to around a thousand dollars depending on what you choose. Most professionals recoup that investment within their first month of offering the service.

What the Learning Curve Actually Looks Like

One of the biggest misconceptions about spray tanning is that it is complicated to learn. It is not.

The fundamentals: understanding DHA percentages, skin undertones, development times, how to customize a tan for different skin types, and how to deliver a great client experience — can all be learned in a solid training program.

What takes practice is technique and confidence. That is why hands-on training matters. Reading about spray tanning is helpful but actually getting behind the gun, learning how to move, how to position the client, and how to troubleshoot in real time is what separates a good artist from a great one.

Most of my students walk out of training feeling genuinely confident and ready to take clients. That is the goal every single time.

What to Look for in a Spray Tan Training Program

Not all training programs are created equal. Here is what I would recommend looking for:

• Hands-on practice with real models, not just demonstrations
• Coverage of both technique and business — knowing how to spray tan is only half of it
• A trainer with real, active experience in the industry (not just someone who learned and immediately started teaching)
• A curriculum that covers solution knowledge, client consultations, client experience, and how to handle common issues
• Support after training — someone you can reach out to when questions come up once you are on your own

How I Can Help You Get Started

I have been spray tanning professionally for over five years and have built a business with two locations and a team in the Seattle area. I now offer both online and in-person training for beauty professionals who want to add spray tanning to their services.

Free Online Training Course: A 3.5-hour in-depth course you can take at your own pace covering technique, solutions, client experience, business, and marketing. Comes with a free 81-page training guide and access to my certification quiz so you can earn your official certificate of completion. WATCH ONLINE TRAINING 

In-Person Training in the Seattle Area: A full hands-on training day with live models, personalized coaching, and real-time feedback. You will leave with the confidence and skills to start taking clients right away. APPLY HERE

1:1 Strategy Calls: Already spray tanning but want to refine your technique, grow your clientele, or figure out how to integrate it into your existing business? I offer 1:1 strategy calls where we can dig into exactly what you need. SCHEDULE CALL

If you have been thinking about adding spray tanning to your menu and just have not pulled the trigger yet, I would love to help you get there. Feel free to reach out anytime! 

xoxo

Erin