Changing from an airbrush to hvlp good or bad move

kizzycat · **Changing from an airbrush to hvlp good or bad move -** 25-02-05, 09:15 PM

Hi again

I have been thinking and I dont think that my little compressor and airbrush is going to do me for mobile tanning parties. I am thinking of getting an hvlp but the only thing that worries me is that i had the girl in the showroom turn the solglo hvlp on and could not beleive the difference. first of all how noisy it was but second of all how much air came out. i dont think there is anything like that amount of air pressure coming out of my little gun. I have done about 10 tans now and i am really pleased with the results. I have been using coco bay (which i have not heard of mentioned in this site) but i did a couple last night and although they went a lovely colour, one girl looked like i had done her hands with a different colour. they had all moisturised too. another thing i could not understand was that i did my friend with the regular solution and she went a lovely colour nice and deep but the second time i did her she was not as dark, then the third time i did her with the darker solution and she still was not as brown as what she was the first time and i sprayed her the same every occasion. anyway i think i have asked too many questions for everyone to answer lol do you think it will be hard doing mobile with hvlp, is there more overspray than with airbrush and do you have to stand further back and do you need to wipe the body? phew definately no more questions ( well for now anyway lol)

Lily · 26-02-05, 05:13 PM

Hiya

Yes there is far more overpray with an HVLP sprayer than an airbrush, High Volume Low Pressure, i wouldnt recommend using these systems IMHO, but that's just me, they are designed for spray painting fences after all.

Amanda

dizzydupe · 26-02-05, 11:05 PM

I think Lily is probably referring to the Earlex HVLP system when talking about "spraying fences". However no air brush systems were invented for tanning either, they have all been adapted to suit. There are lots of different HVLP systems out there. I havent used an air brush but I do use the HVLP, in fact the Earlex one, there is some overspray as there is with the air brush system. The advantage with the HVLP is that the application is much quicker. I have had an air brush tan applied by someone else which took sooo much longer and the application was not brilliant, she wore a mask and had quite a bit of fluid lying on the floor at the end, but maybe she didnt have the machine set up properly. You need to investigate all the different options out there, try looking at www.sunless.com for info. Good luck!
Liz

Bud · 27-02-05, 10:47 AM

Right! Here's my EPIC answer to your q's - hope you're still awake at the end...!

Quote:

Originally Posted by kizzycat

I dont think that my little compressor and airbrush is going to do me for mobile tanning parties.
I found that the compressor and airbrush i was supplied with by st tropez took far too long (40mins) to complete a tan - bad enough in the salon, but for tanning parties - it would be one heck of an all-nighter!! So, I would say it depends on how long it's taking you at the mo - if it takes a reasonable amount of time, then I can't think of any other reasons why you shouldn't stick with it, as you say you've been pleased with the results so far.

HVLP: first of all how noisy it was but second of all how much air came out. i dont think there is anything like that amount of air pressure coming out of my little gun.
My hvlp is VERY noisy - I wish it wasn't, but to me it's worth it for how much quicker it takes me to do one tan (now 10mins!) An d yes! A LOT of air comes out, this also makes it very cold, somthing that some clients don't like, but then agai, they all say that they much prefer 10mins of feeling chilly, to 40mins or standing starkers i front of a stranger!! When you went to the showroom, did they demo a tan on you, or just switch the machine on - maybe worth testing how it feels from a client's POV if you haven't already?

but i did a couple last night and although they went a lovely colour, one girl looked like i had done her hands with a different colour. they had all moisturised too.
The only thing i can think (and not a very likely thing, at that!!) is that some products e.g. perfume and deoderant, make the tan turn a different colour, so maybe she had something on her hands from earlier in the day (something that disagreed with the tan?). Was it a guide colour in the initial application of the tan that was a different colour, or the colour her hands turned after the tan had developed?? Maybe she had really dry hands and needed more moisturiser to stop her skin absorbing the tan and looking darker? When applying it is sometimes easy to spray too much tan on the hands, they really only need a light coating to look natural... If none of these sound like possibilities...I'm foxed!!

another thing i could not understand was that i did my friend with the regular solution and she went a lovely colour nice and deep but the second time i did her she was not as dark, then the third time i did her with the darker solution and she still was not as brown as what she was the first time and i sprayed her the same every occasion.
I have found the biggest difference in result, is caused by prep of client before they come to the appointment. For months i was spraying my fair-skinned friend, only for her to turn far too dark - we put this down to the way the tan reacts to her skin, and nothing more.
However, after many appointments held at the end of her long working day, one time she came to me on a saturday morning, straight from her shower, all freshly scrubbed and exfoliated. The tan was perfect for her!
I am pretty sure that the active ingredient in fake tans (DHA) works by reacting with the bacteria present on skin and the oxygen it is exposed to, thus turning brown (i understand DHA is a fruit-derived sugar, and therefore turns brown in the same way an apple does when cut into and left for a period of time????) Anyhoo, my science and understanding maybe a little off kilter, but I know that for me, if i want to be the darkest i can be, i am best tanning myself at my dirtiest (nice!!), and vice-versa! So... check with your friend on her prep for each application, and conduct some experiements yourself!

do you think it will be hard doing mobile with hvlp,
personally, no! I would always take my hvlp, for how quick and easy it is to use (the coverage is far superior, you don't need to be so meticulous and accurate as with an airbrush, which increases your chances of missing bits!)
HOWEVER, i would make sure that you take with you a portable booth, or some thing that will protect the clients room, as the overspray is slightly harder to control.

is there more overspray than with airbrush and do you have to stand further back and do you need to wipe the body?
At first, I produced a lot more overspray with my hvlp, but i have measured the amount of solution i use now and it's exactly the same as my airbrush, so with practise you should pruduce no more overspray!
More solution does come out (well it comes out more quickly anyway) so be careful to build up a very light even coat of solution on the skin - product overload, equals scaley-skin when it starts to fade!
Yes, you have to stand further back.
Shouldn't ever need to wioe - i wipe less now that with airbrush. Takes a while to refine your application skills, so sometimes you'll need to wipe the odd drip, but you'll find that the amount of air coming out, actually starts the tan drying as you're applying!!

phew! hope this is of help - and i haven't waffled too much - i just recognise a lot of these q's as ones i had when i was experimenting with different products - so thought i'd take a couple of mins to share my opinions!
pm me if i have made no sense anywhere!!!

good luck!

x

kizzycat · 27-02-05, 01:46 PM

Wow Thanks for taking soooooooo much time to answer my questions, it really is appreciated. I think i can put the darker hands down to them having very dry hands. I think i will stick with my airbrush for the time being as i am a bit frightened at how much mess i am going to make in peoples homes with an hvlp.

How soon before you have a spray tan should you have moisturised? (I have been telling them to shower exfoliate and moisturise 8 hours before but surely all the moisturiser will have been absorbed by the skin by this time and have went dry again. if someone came to me for example with dry hands wanting a spray tan or a dry patch on their face could they put moisturiser on immmediately before a tan or 10 mins? God I have so many questions buzzing around in my little head, you will be sick of me

Thanks for all your help

smirf · 28-02-05, 10:51 AM

Hi

i use 2 use the st tropez airport booth.
I got the client 2 exfoliate the night b4 but not 2 moisturise as most moisturisers contain AHA's. The AHA's can react with the tan. on the day we told them not 2 wear any make up, deoderant, perfume, moisturiser ect...

When it come 2 having there tan i would give them the st tropez wipes 2 wipe there face & underarms incase they had make-up, moisturiser or deoderant on. (these contained no AHA's) i would then put a blob of moisturiser on there nails 2 protect them. i would moisturise there feet. ancles, knees, hands elbows and any dry patches. (the st tropez moisturiser doesnt contain AhA's)

When putting the moisturiser on the night b4 it would already absorb in2 the skin & not work as well

Lily · 28-02-05, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dizzydupe

I think Lily is probably referring to the Earlex HVLP system when talking about "spraying fences". However no air brush systems were invented for tanning either, they have all been adapted to suit. There are lots of different HVLP systems out there. I havent used an air brush but I do use the HVLP, in fact the Earlex one, there is some overspray as there is with the air brush system. The advantage with the HVLP is that the application is much quicker. I have had an air brush tan applied by someone else which took sooo much longer and the application was not brilliant, she wore a mask and had quite a bit of fluid lying on the floor at the end, but maybe she didnt have the machine set up properly. You need to investigate all the different options out there, try looking at www.sunless.com for info. Good luck!
Liz

Hiya
Yes you are right all airbrushing systems wernt invented for spary tanning, but the earlex system which is a HVLP which is High Volume Low Pressure means that you have to put quite alot of liquid in the resevoir for it to suck it up and out of the needle, also filtration or really lack of it with HVLP Sprayers. The HVLP's dont really have edaquate filtration and basically they suck air in from around the enviroment then blow back out through the needle.

As far as moisturising goes i ask my clients to do it 24 hours prior to tanning, then after they have washed it off, i turn my product flow quite low when doing hands so they wont go too dark!!

Amanda

sugarbabe · 28-02-05, 01:26 PM

I use both systems!! I do the HVLP all over body, arms and legs, then I use my airbrush on the hands and face - no good if you are mobile, but loads quicker if you have your own place.

I have practiced with my HVLP and find there is minimal overspray, it seems to drop to the floor rather than floating in the atmosphere like the airbrush overspray.

Because of the extra air blowing through I find my clients are virtually dry in less than a couple of minutes, and managed four ladies in 40 minutes the other day - and that included stripping off, getting redressed, paying and booking up their next appointment!!!!

TOPCAT1008 · **Hvlp -** 16-03-05, 08:19 PM

Hi , this is the first time i have used this site - it is great !! I changed from airbrush tanning to HVLP tanning two months ago, and I would not go back - it is so quick and a lot easier than airbrushing. Donk know how I ever managed to airbrush for two years.
I have my machine outside the room - had a hole drilled for the hose to go through - and it is not noisy for the client as the machine isnt in the same place. I think this helps as I can manage to speak to the client when tanning them, as I could hardly do this with the noise of the machine. Hope this helps you.

Spray 2 Go · 22-03-05, 08:05 PM

I have to say there are many different types of HVLP machines, many are designed for spraying fences and can be purchased from B&Q, but anyone standing too close may end up suffering from "passive tanning!" We have seen so many at the Professional BEauty Show in Excel a few weeks ago which were horrendous with the amount of overspray they were giving out! If you are going to purchase a cheaper unit, make sure you have adequate ventilation / extraction and the correct vapour masks.

The TC3 has been designed in the USA especially for the Tanning industry and the overspray is minimal, you certainly dont have clouds of mist flying everywhere as you do with an airbrush and compressor unit - I have worked very closely with both and they are worlds apart.

If anyone wants any further information about any aspect of airbrush or Spray Tanning, please feel free to email me and I will be happy to help.

There is so much on the market right now, just take time to do your homework and remember quality pays in the end!

Tickled Pink! · 23-03-05, 12:08 PM

earlex (the company who make the hvlp commonly bought in argos for about £60) now make one specifically for tanning....
i don't know anything about it but this one is designed for spraying bodies not fences