While it’s evident that well-equipped operators can experience unprecedented success in today’s tanning market, a lingering concern for the industry’s long-term future is the possibility that there’s not enough interest in tanning from younger consumers to sustain our businesses the way Gen-Xers and Millennials have.

Currently, most salons aren’t overly concerned about the scope of their 18-24-year-old segment of tanners. In many cases, that demographic makes up a small percentage of a salon’s customer base and has for many years. More than half of Smart Tan survey respondents said that age range accounts for only around 10 percent of their customers. Beyond that, it stands to reason that these young adults tend to have less disposable income than older consumers and thus are spending less on tanning and products, so their current financial contribution is even less significant.

The primary concern lies not in generating additional revenue from existing or future young adult customers. Instead, the crux of the matter revolves around whether a sufficient number of individuals from this generation will engage with the tanning market in the future, thereby ensuring the sustainability of our businesses over the next 10, 20, and even 30-plus years. As these young consumers mature both in age and financial capacity, their patronage will become far less dispensable.

Sixty percent of survey respondents say that 35-44 is currently the largest age segment of their customer base. These are people that grew up in the “golden era” of tanning, in the late ’90 and early 2000s when everybody wanted to be tan, and they wanted their tans to be dark. Current 18–24-year-olds, even 18-30-year-olds, grew up in a different era. Anti-tanning messages were driven into their heads from a young age, and the government and media’s hard push against tanning eventually took not just indoor tanning but having a dark tan out of style to a degree.

Our businesses have evolved with the times alongside consumer preferences and habits. Today’s consumers are interested in more than a tan, and they understand that there can be too much of a good thing. Salons understand that as well and do better than ever at preaching moderation and smart tanning practices, while also offering tanning equipment and other services that provide results and benefits that are about more than the tan.

Over the past 10-plus years, the trend of less young adults tanning has been clear. But, just recently, there are signs of a significant shift in perspectives and habits. Media reports from major mainstream outlets indicate that being tan is currently experiencing renewed popularity among young people.

The social media era also has instilled a new level of vanity in society, which, for better or worse, is good for our businesses. And that sentiment goes beyond the physical effects of a tan. Today’s young people are also seeking social media-worthy experiences. Tanning used to be “cool” because everybody did it. Now, when tanning is cool, it’s because it’s done in chic, spa-like environments with futuristic equipment. While it’s true that many young people can’t afford the experience that many salons provide today, far more of them will be able to as they mature. And, if we know anything about this generation, it’s that they’re going to want to seek experiences that are seen as high-end and exclusive so they can show off what they’re doing to all their friends and followers.

That element certainly bodes well for the long-term prospects of tanning businesses.

Good News

A long-form article from the Washington Post in March 2024, suggested that “tanning mania has returned,” and kicked off a string of media reports on the tanning habits of young adults. Of course, we’ve come to expect that most mainstream media attention will come with a negative slant toward UV exposure, but the trends being reported are valid, nonetheless.

“For a while, the tan as we had come to know it — bold, audacious and unashamed — seemed to fade out of fashion, replaced with SPF and 10-step skin care routines. Then, Instagram and TikTok gave the tan new life,” Washington Post reporter Anne Branigin wrote.

As the article and a follow-up segment from Good Morning America that explored “the renewed popularity of tanning” note, the hashtag #tanning has now been used more than 4 billion times on TikTok.

Then, the New York Post took a more localized look at the trend, albeit in the largest market in North America. Headlined by the statement “Sun-obsessed Gen Z is behind the Big Apple’s tanning craze,” that article gave a more honest and reflective view of young people’s UV and spray tanning habits rather than conjuring a narrative that it’s all about self-tanning products.

“We’re seeing younger and younger people,” Win Gruber, the owner of Upper East Side Tan told the New York Post.

The article continues, “[Gruber] said Gen Zers — born between 1997 and 2013 — now make up much of his clientele, along with people over 40 […]. Gruber said his younger clients are often drawn to the salon’s signature ‘Manhattan Cocktail,’ where they bake in a tanning bed before getting a spray tan.”

Multiple other salon operators with similar sentiments were quoted in the article along with similar analysis of the rationale for an increase in UV tanning as the other reports: “Sun-obsessed Gen Zers are being driven to tanning beds through social media, where they see glamorous influencers promoting the sun-kissed life on TikTok.”

While the salon operators Smart Tan surveyed and spoke with have not experienced such a tanning craze among young adults, this could be a sign of things to come in other areas, as trends tend to emerge out of major markets like New York first. While we’re still seeing the lasting effects of the ultra-aggressive anti-tanning that conditioned young consumers, the tide could be starting to turn in other ways that have little to do with vanity.

“In 2006, the WHO attacked us big time, and their big target was the minds of young people,” says veteran Canadian salon owner Steve Williams. “They psychologically conditioned a whole generation to veer in the other direction. We still have customers in the age category now, but we’d have a far more robust market if they weren’t influenced in that way.

“The positive viewpoint is that in the last four years, there’s a lot more out in the open about the misinformation and deception of the medical community and pharmaceutical industry. More and more people are looking for natural and holistic solutions, and tanning is one of those. It’s natural, our bodies are designed for it, and there’s overwhelming evidence to support it. Salons opening up to more aspects of wellbeing other than tanning opens the conversation. If we approach things in the right direction, there’s a lot of hope.”

Again, our market doesn’t so much need 18-24-year-old consumers to visit us in mass. What we do need is the generation of current and future 18-24-year-olds to be as open to tanning as older generations are by the time they reach the age where they become the demographic that our businesses are more dependent upon.

In recent years, we’ve seen perceptions of UV exposure and indoor tanning evolve, with a commonsense perspective beginning to prevail. But it seems that may be the case more so with older consumers who are more inquisitive about what they’re told to believe and remember the days when the sun wasn’t supposedly bad for you. Younger consumers grew up entirely in the era of sun scare in their most impressionable years. As they come of age and gain a broader perspective, common sense will likely prevail to a large degree.

“I think they will eventually get into it,” says another veteran salon owner, Alex Freidrichsen. “If you go on a beach vacation, you have to tan. You can’t just put on 50-block. We just need to continue to keep educating younger people.”

Then, there’s the impact of social media. Social media is a double-edged sword when it comes to this matter. TikTok seems to be making having a tan more popular, but it’s questionable whether it’s making indoor tanning more popular. Several salon operators pointed out that the propagation of negative information about tanning on social media is having a negative effect on young adult consumers. But, dealing with negative misinformation is old news in this industry, and it seems likely that the positive impact of social media outweighs the negative.

“This season has attracted more of a younger crowd than it has in recent years,” says Kenzie Sessums, manager of an independent salon in Eugene, Oregon. “We have seen some big influencers talk about tanning and red light therapy on their social media. While it comes with backlash, people are seeing results they want, which we feel is helping to bring them back.”

As we look to capitalize on the renewed popularity of being tan, many of the same ways that tanning businesses are now positioning themselves to appeal to the general population should also benefit us when it comes to younger consumers.

Open the Door

Wellness and spa services have become a major reason why many tanning businesses are more successful than ever, but UV tanning is and will continue to be the primary breadwinner. Nonetheless, additional services are important tools in our industry’s arsenal because of more than the direct revenue they provide.

Additional non-tanning services also open the door for tanning businesses to bring in new customers are expose them to modern tanning technology and education. That’s part of why Smart Tan developed the SmartSun Therapy brand. Smart Tan took the industry’s most effective and profitable red light therapy equipment and branded it to reinforce the reality that red light is a natural wavelength that comes from the sun, just like UV.

“The one thing I believe salons can definitely do, and I’m doing, is expanding a little more in the direction of adding photobiomodulation options. A lot of people are starting to bring in additional items that have a photobiomodulation effect on the body because that’s what tanning is. Once people start to understand that red light makes them feel better, understand hybrid lamps, and understand the need for vitamin D, the stigma starts to disappear. When they start feeling better, they say forget what they’re saying, I’m going to listen to these guys,” Williams says.

As we’ll discuss in more detail later in this article, another even more noticeable trend with young adult consumers is their obsession with skin care. This is another development that has emerged largely from social media, with hordes of young influencers – really anybody and everybody – sharing their skin care routines and favorite products. That also means that red light therapy should be appealing more to younger consumers as well.

“Red light is becoming more popular, and I think because gyms have introduced red light as part of memberships, people want it and would rather do it in a salon setting because we have better options. We’ve really updated our red light machines. We went from older lay down red light to a Beauty Angel and got a hybrid which has been really popular because people like to be in the salon for a shorter amount of time,” Sessums says.

In general, diversification is undoubtedly a significant factor that will continue to play an important role in the future of the tanning industry and will also make our businesses more appealing to younger consumers. It’s about more than the services themselves but also about the way our businesses are positioned. The “tanning spa” brand and environment of today is inherently more appealing to a younger crowd that values appearances and Instagram-worthy experiences.

Possibly more than ever, young people are preoccupied with what’s cool or trendy. That’s part of the TikTok effect or broader social media effect. It’s all about what other people are doing. The simple reality is that there’s nothing cool about old-school tanning beds these days. But new tanning equipment is definitely cool. Seriously, if you check out the new open-air all-LED unit on page 49, there’s little question about that.

But young people can’t afford high-end equipment and services, right? Well, some of them can and some can’t, just like other age segments. You can’t change what you’re doing based on those who can’t. And, of course, the beauty of the traditional tanning salon equipment mix is that it offers something for everyone and every budget.

Plus, if our only concern is that young people can’t afford to tan these days, then the future of our industry should be secure. This generation will come of age just like the ones before and move into the full-fledged workforce and have money to tan. The greater concern is that many of them might not want to. So, even if someone can’t afford to utilize new technology, it’s good for them to see what’s out there and know what the tanning industry has to offer when they’re ready.

The Place to Be

Looking beyond equipment, a trendy salon environment is a key factor in making tanning “cool” again.

Sessums is not only the manager of a salon in a large college town but also, at 23 years old, a member of Gen-Z herself. Since starting at the salon and rising to a management position, Tanner’s Paradise has not only steadily upgraded its equipment but also recreated its look to appeal more to the college crowd. An avid reader of Smart Tan Magazine, Sessums has seen photos of many successful salons around the country that provide inspiration for her and the business.

“We’ve updated quite a few beds. We made a huge room with marble tiles that really plays up the experience. When people walk in, that’s the first thing people see. They’re like, ‘What is that bed? I want to try it.’ Then it’s a better experience with short sessions and deeper color,” she says.

“I like to take inspiration from the salons in the magazine. We’ve been doing a lot of updates with flooring and doors, modernizing and making everything sleeker. People seeing modern touches is a big thing. I know there’s definitely still room for improvement, seeing what we can do to add in more elements that appeal to my age group. Something I’ve noticed is I love to see a salon that has the neon sign, or they have cool room numbers or a sleek desk. People want that spa type of feel.”

Kimberly Ammons, owner of a long-time Texas salon, is in the process of building out a whole new salon location. She says a focus on the younger generation’s preference is what’s guiding much of her decision-making as far as not just equipment but design and décor.

“I was going to put in the same equipment I had. But now the younger generation definitely is into beauty and red light and lotions with all of the skin care, and I’m going to order new equipment,” she says.

“The space will be way different. My old location had this beachy scene. The new one, I’m doing neon lights. Everything is black, then it has neon lights built into the walls. I’m going to have a drink station with healthy snacks. There will be a selfie station with a mirror where they can take pictures. With the technology and that age range, they take pictures and send them, and that’s how they communicate. That’s free marketing if you have the right stuff in place to use.”

When responding to the Smart Tan survey on this subject, Ammons asked her daughter and some other young women in the age range in question for their perspectives. “My daughter uses the word aesthetic. ’It has to look aesthetic, Mom,’” she says.

“There was one question on there: What do they care about? Price or experience? I figured it would be price, but none of them said price. They will pay more for that cool experience.”

Healthy Skin is In

“…And they don’t want wrinkles. They have a full skin-care routine,” Ammons continued. Skin care is in, and that’s something else tanning businesses provide and can utilize to appeal to the younger generation.

These young consumers are more familiar than anyone with skin care ingredients and purposes, and they’re desensitized to the cost of high-end skin care products. If you can teach your community through marketing that you have all of these great skin care products at better prices than stores like Ulta or Sephora, you can use retail sales to help introduce new people to your business.

“It’s good to keep not just tanning products but also beauty products in stock. Just because you have a customer who doesn’t want to tan doesn’t mean you can’t have them as a customer to buy products. The intensifiers and stuff don’t have to be used just for tanning. The products are huge, and it’s really important to be educated. Sometimes my customers would tell me what some ingredients were. They know all of the ingredients and what they can accomplish.” Ammons says.

And those who do tan are not likely to skimp on quality skin care.

“I have noticed that the ones under 20 are buying good lotion now. Fifteen years ago, they would just buy the cheapest stuff you have. They’re at least understanding the importance of good skin care when you tell them. We have people that are 18 that are buying $90 or $100 bottles of lotion,” Freidrichsen says.

The obsession with skin care also means it’s all the more important to educate as much as possible and preach moderation and smart tanning practices.

“Salons must make sure they are providing correct information and education. Long gone are the days of laying out on the trampoline covered in baby oil for hours. The new generation is all about skin care, so the salons that show they care just as much will be the ones that succeed. We just have to figure out how to communicate through social media,” Ammons says. “I don’t think they’re beyond teaching. Once someone gets in a tanning bed, it’s hard not to just love it.”

But, for those who are totally averse to UV, tanning businesses still have plenty of options to help them get the tan they desire. We want people to come around to UV tanning. We believe in it as a service, or we wouldn’t be selling it. But, at the end of the day, if people want a tan, we want to be the ones selling it to them, in whatever form they want it.

Continuing to focus on in-salon spray tans is obviously a key factor with the younger generations, but the “TikTok effect” seems to be making self-tanning products more popular than ever. It’s also important to keep marketing your self-tanning and assortment of sunless care products via social media and other channels to show them you have products that are the same or better than the ones their favorite TikTok influencers are using. And, the best part is, when they buy them from you, they come with free expertise and advise.

Moving Forward

For better or worse, it’s crucial to acknowledge the shifting dynamics within our consumer base, particularly among younger demographics. While concerns persist about their engagement with tanning practices, evidence of a redefined perception of the tan as a fashionable statement is certainly encouraging.

As we adapt to these emerging trends, it’s clear that the future of our businesses hinges not only on providing cutting-edge technology and services but also on cultivating environments that resonate with the preferences of today’s young adults.

Embracing modern aesthetics, offering diverse wellness experiences, and prioritizing skin care education are pivotal steps in developing connections with younger consumers. By leveraging this newfound momentum and capitalizing on the intersection of social media trends and evolving consumer attitudes, we can build a strong base of customers that will help sustain our businesses for decades to come.