The ‘Clean Girl’ Glow: How the Minimalist Aesthetic Is Changing Sunless Tanning Requests

The ‘Clean Girl’ Glow: How the Minimalist Aesthetic Is Changing Sunless Tanning Requests

In this industry, we have all seen an award show red carpet or a close-up in a movie and said, “Wow, I wonder what they use for their spray tan.” I know this because I see you asking in Facebook forums all the time.

It's no different than when we watch hours of makeup tutorials of an artist recreating a look, just in spray tanning form. Those artists often wonder about the products and techniques behind flawless celebrity complexions as well. One trend that has taken the beauty world by storm is the Clean Girl aesthetic. Out with big, loud, and bold looks. In comes minimalism, perfectly curated for a polished and effortless appearance. Following those same principles, today's most sought-after tan is often the one nobody notices.

The Clean Girl aesthetic has been on the rise for years now. Subtle, almost-natural beauty standards are all the rage, but how do you get these results? By prioritizing elegance over obvious displays of glamour. Some of the trending shifts include healthy, glowing skin achieved through skincare rather than a full face of makeup, Hailey Bieber's famous “glazed donut nails,” soft, neutral fashion choices, and the rise of quiet luxury.

Let's take a second and back up to the glazed donut trend. I'm sure you've seen it somewhere. It came from taking a simple French-tip nail and covering it in a pearlescent chrome powder that makes it look elevated and glossy while staying neutral. The term has since outgrown its origin, and now anything can be a glazed donut: lips, skincare, accessories, and lately, spray tans.

Move over, “I want the darkest tan possible,” and make way for “I want a glowing, natural spray tan.”

With health and wellness at the forefront, your customers are already taking their skincare and nutrition to the next level, and a spray tan is exactly what they need to elevate their appearance. There are so many aspects to creating a natural, refreshed glow, and the contouring, color matching, and blending involved in the process make it a truly customized service.

We love the simplicity of spray tan booths, especially with the new full-body wellness the Wellfit Offers. If your customer is looking for an in-and-out service to keep their color glowing and their skin refreshed, then booths are perfect. But if your customer is looking for a luxurious tan tailored specifically to them, they need a full consultation and an artist's touch. The level of technique required to make a spray tan look natural takes practice and expertise to master.

Think about your favorite movie stars. They are not stepping into just any tanning booth to get that perfect color matched to their undertones and contoured to complement their body under bright lights and high-definition cameras. The most successful spray tan is the one people assume is natural.

So, what does this mean for your business?

Sunless tanning is such a fun industry because it is always evolving. What was once synonymous with turning orange is now the go-to solution for achieving a radiant, full-body glow. The best place to start with any customer is a color consultation and a focus on education. Walk them through all the options in your solutions and add-ons, and include before-and-after photos to showcase the difference. Bonus points if you pair their custom spray tan with a full-body skincare service from a Wellfit Booth. This is a great way to understand what your customer is looking for while building confidence in your expertise.

This shift gives the sunless industry something new and exciting to work with. It's bringing in a new generation of customers who are transfixed by social media and pop culture icons, and this is what they want to see from their spray tan. The Clean Girl glow encourages artistry, customization, and expertise while positioning sunless tanning as a beauty enhancement rather than a dramatic transformation.

The perfect tan is evolving.

The new luxury isn't looking tanned. It looks effortlessly radiant, healthy, and confident.