Sunless Tanning Application Methods
There are many proposed ways to apply sunless tanning solution, many being borrowed from other fields of interest such as spray painting and hobby art. Tanning bronzers and sunless tanners may be considered one of the easiest ways to achieve a sunless tan, however these are more temporary than a DHA tan and are prone to look splotchy, inconsistent and sometimes fake. Regular spray gun and compressor set-ups that are intended for painting tend to have difficulties with overspray, have a serious lack of control and waste a lot of material. Noticing the potential for a unit if these structure, a successor to the spray gun and compressor combo is the HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) and LVLP (Low Volume Low Pressure) sprayers. These units spray finely atomized material at a lower pressure with high air flow, creating much less overspray that wastes less material than the paint-intended spray guns. HVLPs and LVLPs are not preferred because of their nosy nature as their turbines are driven by what are essentially vacuum cleaner-type motors not commonly suitable for a salon or personal environments. Tanning booths are another tanning method that is expensive, less personal and lack quality control compared to other techniques. Booths also make it hard to avoid inhalation of the sunless solution, which can become a health issue.
The most popular method for spray tanning seems to be airbrush application. Airbrushes operate at lower pressures than spray guns giving the user more control, they generally have a cheaper initial costs and cheaper replacement parts, and they have multiple uses as well as a wider variety of options to choose from. Because this method is so often favored when approaching the techniques of spray tanning, we offer an extensive assortment of airbrushes, compressors and kits at The Tanning Store, items selected specifically for airbrush tanning. If you are a first-time technician or are looking at purchasing products for spray tanning, we do recommend checking out or Airbrush Tanning Buying Guide outlining the basics of each airbrush kit we carry. We do also realize some individuals might not favor the airbrush tanning method, and we do carry some HVLP, LVLP and Spray Gun kits and resources and have gathered some useful information about them here.
The Airbrush
The airbrush can be a versatile tool fulfilling the needs of spray tanning, airbrush makeup or temporary airbrush tattoos. However, it is important to choose a specific airbrush to use based on the job it will need to accomplish. Both single action and double action airbrushes are used in the tanning business but we do not sell single actions because of the versatility and easy operation of the dual airbrushes. Single action airbrushes are utilized because of their simple trigger mechanism, ease of cleaning and because they are less prone to clogging. Essentially, to work single action airbrushes, push the trigger down for flow and release to stop. But they are also limited by this convenience as the spread and density of the spray is controlled by the nozzle and the technician has to stop the application process to adjust either one. The spread and density of the double action airbrush are both controlled through the trigger, push the trigger down for airflow and back for solution. Synchronizing these two controls make the whole process of application easier to manage and generally quicker to finish than using a single action airbrush.
The airbrushes used for airbrush makeup and temporary tattoos have one key variation between those that may be used for spray tanning - the size of the cup. Makeup and tattoo airbrushes have a small cup fused onto the top of the airbrush that can hold about a quarter ounce of liquid, plenty for either use but not nearly enough for a full body spray tan. Although this smaller cup could be useful for touch ups, the airbrushes targeted for tanning include a cup attached to the side to hold up to 4 ounces of solution, usually double than what is needed. We have a more detailed and descriptive guide page of the similarities and differences of airbrushes here, which we recommend to glance over before buying anything.
The Compressor
The central component of the airbrush set-up is the compressor and the distinctions between them vary in system technique, lubrication, tank usage and power. A technique refers to how the system compresses air, either through a rotary, piston or diaphragm. Rotary compressors are quite expensive but quiet, piston compressors tend to be large and loud, and diaphragm compressors are the least expensive but noisy. Compressors can have an oil or oil less design and may or may not employ the use of a tank based on the job expectation of the system. The power of a compressor can range from just a few to a few hundred horsepower, producing anywhere to below 10 psi to above many thousand psi.
A number of airbrush compressor models have been developed specifically for airbrush usage. These are normally oil less, tank-less, more portable designs that are low in horsepower and somewhat quiet. Generally they are also a bit more expensive than traditional models, but the bulkiness, weight and loud operation of those cheaper compressors are usually unsupportive of a spray tanning environment. We think the following list of characteristics are desirable when choosing your spray tanning compressor.
- Air Storage Tank: This minimizes "pulsing" in the air supply since the pressure is distributed more evenly. This feature can also extend compressor life. For airbrush compressors, this is predominantly only offered on the higher-end units.
- Oil-less Design: An oil-less system requires less upkeep and prevents oil from being sprayed onto the client. These do tend to be nosier but models without tanks or auto shut-off switches, which need oil to operate smoothly, may overheat with continuous operation causing more downtime.
- Pressure Gauge / Pressure Regulator / Moisture Trap: A pressure gauge allows for more precise control of air pressure while a pressure regulator prevents surges in the airflow. A compressor with both these options is ideal for total airflow control. Some compressors even prove a bleed valve used to roughly regulate pressure. Moisture traps captures liquid buildup from the air compression process, helping to eliminate sputtering through the airbrush. This is normally not a big concern with airbrush tanning as most solutions are water-based.
- Power: Although they may make for noisier operation, a compressor with a horsepower rating of 1 or higher is not uncommon to be used for airbrush tanning. A compressor that produces 30 psi is not uncommon, especially when operating multiple airbrushes at once.
- Weight: For mobile operation, a weight under 20 pounds is desirable. It should not be much of a problem to find a unit with all the prior objectives that also meets this weight.
Additional Items
To avoid downtime, purchasing some additional equipment and spare parts are suggested. Needles and needle caps are the most common airbrush parts to fail due to wear and usage, but we also suggest having multiple bottles on hand. Our selection of common parts and accessories can be found here and as always we offer our help through the Customer Service tab.
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