With 13 years in the tanning industry and 10 as a Norvell Sunless trainer, Laurie Retzlaff is something of a smarty-pants when it comes to sunless. As a sales manager for Stay Tan North, her passion is helping people start and grow their sunless business — she even spent a few years building her own on the side. She gives us a glimpse into what Norvell training has to offer, and provides some popular tips for giving great tans.

Q: What do you cover in a typical training?

A: Often, we start with a basic review of how spray tanning got started and has advanced over the last 10 years. It’s bigger than what people thought it was going to be. We discuss what DHA is, how it works and what you need to do to prepare. People will learn how to teach their clients about before and after care. There’s some discussion of Norvell products, what they do, selling points, retail pricing and usage. Lastly, we work hands-on to train attendees on technique.

Q: What challenges do technicians face when learning to spray?

A: Their biggest fear is turning someone orange. In the 90s, all the big cosmetic companies had their own home applications, but DHA wasn’t perfected at the time, and people got bad color as a result. Now, we have gone through the trial and error. We know to exfoliate the skin and prepare it with pH balancing spray to make it a better tan.

A lot of people don’t understand that it’s going to be a teaching process. There is education behind giving a good spray tan and earning repeat customers who understand the purpose of these products. You are color-treating skin just like many of your clients color-treat their hair: I know I have been told what products I should be using to make sure my color stays longer. This is the same thing.

Click here to read the entire article in the latest issue of Smart Tan Magazine online.