I have just opened a Facebook page, I've already lost 6 potential clients (lots for me) by not having a darker % than 14% and also by explaining that we will choose a % suitable for skin type. Now I know hey say the fade of will be bad we know this but then people will see my tans patchy and over tanned, which isn't happening! So do you lose these clients also or do we keep the customer happy? :s it's really pickling me lol x

I'm really fair skinned and I love self tanning and getting spray tans and I would never ever go somewhere where they dictated what % I could have as I know they would give 8 mabey 10 at a push!!!
I'm not yet trained in tanning but I can apply self tan really well on myself with a natural looking couler for me but for me it's still not dark enough so when I want to be really brown for a special occasion i want a professional to do it as I wouldn't trust myself applying a really dark tan, so if I payed £20 and got given the same as I could at home I'd be really mad!!!
And as long as you explain to them that it will go patchy, they will explain to there friends and others that it was there choice and you warned them.

I'm sooo sorry for the really long reply and I hope you find it helpful rather then just moanie. :-)

I know what you mean, my best friend is soooo pale & she wants the 14% which I'm really reluctant to do, I'm not slating people liking to be dark because I love it lol, but I'm soooo new to this and haven't been advertising for long, I've read my manual 5000 times over and the highest % I was trained to use was 12%! I understand what you mean and this is where I get confused, clients want what I was trained not to do lol xxxx

Personally I don't feel like its 'dictating' it's being professional and consulting a client on they're skin type how much DHA they're skin can handle, I suppose I'll build a happy client base up soon, (I hope)
xxx

I'm pale as and 12% on me looks natural. I know this because I tan easily, just choose not too. I have seen a few tans on here that look overdone so guess that's what you mean. Why not offer them a 12 and the option to respray darker next time if it's not dark enough.

Yeah thanks that is part of the consultation so if you were to tell me you tan well I would go higher but not for the fair easy burners, it's just going against what I've learnt but it seems like everyone just wants a dark tan regardless of outcome x

I tell clients that I advise and suggest what in my opinion would look best with their skin tone but I have clients who request to go darker so I add booster drops and if they want to be orange and are happy then they are my happy clients rather than someone elses!

all you can do is advise people what is best. i always ask my clients "when you wake up and look in the mirror in the morning what would you like to see?, an afternoon in the garden, a week in spain, a fortnight in the bahamas?" that way i can gauge it. like has already been said people are paying you for a service and if they dont ge what they are expecting they will go elsewhere. if someone fair skin wants the towie look, i just warn them it may be too dark for their skin tone and may fade awful (there is als the chance she will look stunning and will fade really nice but i never say that, jus t prepare them for te worst lol)

Guidance is all you can offer - after all it will fade off eventually. My biggest bugbear is actually when I have gone to the hairdressers and asked for subtle golden highlights. As I have copper red hair they always tell me I have to have bleach (as tint won't lift my hair, although it does! ) - bleach looks awful and chavvy on my hair. I even had one put bleach on despite telling her I did not want it - they had to redo my hair afterwards and I never went back there for hilights. Sometimes the client knows what they want and will get it regardless.

'are happy then they are my happy clients rather than someone elses!'

Very very true!

Thanks for the advice I'm going to order a 16% beach bum I think and hope this is dark enough, maybe get a sample of the nouvatan 20% too, i really appreciate the comments I was just worried about going against what my training provider suggested xxx

I carry up to 20% and have the palest clients wanting the 20% - my view and what I tell them is: "If you want to rock the tangerine I have no problem - but don't tell people it's my work as it's not what I would recommend!" And I do warn them about the patchy fade off too but they do insist... I've converted one to a lower DHA and she now looks rocking lol but for special things she still wants that 20% GAAAAH lol means it needs doing the day before in case of patchy fade as it'll look terrible with her pale skin

I carry everything from and 8% to a 20% but the average colour is still a 10%....
Thats what most of us should wear but often thats not what people want....
If your client wants to be darker than you would reccomend then explain the why's and wherefors of spray tans and let them choose or not to choose your advice....
When you get to 16's and above the colour difference is only marginal anyway.
If you have a client who really looks after their skin, follows all the preparation advice, they may find that a 16% or 18% may just behave or it may look like ****!
I have a client that has a 20% for dance comps and looks a dream everytime and it fades really well.... She is a very good advert for me but it doesnt mean all my clients can get away with it....
Go with how you were trained until you are more confident.... Have fun experimenting with all those lovely colours out there.
xx

Definitely don't understand when people 'rock the tangerine' look haha x
Thanks for the answers they're really helpful to me I'm definitely going to take your advice as to be honest I can't afford to lose the clients & it's about 70% of people that I have around at the mo all want to be darker than advised because I'm young and it's the group of friends that have spread the word I just hope some people come around that want 8%'s as my bottles still full lol x

Whenever I have this problem I always ask is it for a night out or are you wanting it to last if it's more for the night out I do agree to do it but explain what could happen with fade off.
All you can do is offer your advice hun if they want to take it leave it up to the,
Mostly they take my advice but know they can go darker on future appointments of its not quite dark enough hth xx