Why Hybrid Technology is the Most Significant Equipment Innovation in Decades
While the look of our latest and greatest equipment is certainly futuristic, it’s what’s “under the hood” that represents the most significant development in tanning technology in decades — or perhaps even since commercial tanning equipment was first created. The future is now! These units are already drawing in countless new customers and driving upgrades to the highest membership levels in salons around the country, with the appeal of tanning beds like nothing clients have ever seen before. Hear what business owners and equipment manufacturers have to say…
The KBL 7900 model now combines the most advanced UV tanning technology with beautyBooster hyperRed LED red light lamps to provide a more skin care-focused tanning session. In combination with the ability to adjust UV lamp output based on the consumer’s individual needs, tanners can enjoy a completely customized tanning session with the added beauty benefits of red light exposure.
BeautyBooster hyperRed is KBL’s proprietary name for the LED red light lamps in this unit. These lights “promote beautiful long-lasting skin colour and a silky smooth skin feel and appearance,” with three levels of intensity, and they will operate when the face tanner is off.
“I think the tanning industry has been kind of looked at as UV only, and now we can incorporate more beauty and skin care. It’s another element and feature within our product to attract new prospective tanners. It’s not all about UV anymore; it’s about UV and skin care.”
The Ergoline Prestige 1600 features a unique combination of UV and Red Light in harmony to deliver a new level of tanning and skin care results. Bringing SmartSun Lamp Technology to the market for the first time, Ergoline has combined trusted performance from 38 UV lamps along with 14 Smart Sun lamps, which are a perfect combination of UV and Red Light in the same lamp. The effect of this holistic environment creates synergistic effects between Red Light and UV, providing a more natural looking tan.
What is the Personal Sunstyle and the difference between session choices?
Choose your session, from sensitive to intense. Personal Sunstyle creates the ideal customization, allowing customers to reduce UV while maintaining the benefits of full-body Red Light. Obtain beautiful colour, all while choosing the session that is best for you.
- Level 1: Sensitive, 70% UV Output/ 100% Red Light
- Level 2: Medium, 85% UV Output/ 100% Red Light
- Level 3: Intense, 100% UV Output/ 100% Red Light
In the bigger picture, these types of hybrid sunbeds could represent even more for the indoor tanning industry. With the tide already seeming to turn in favour of improved perceptions of the effects of UV light, the enhanced skin care capabilities signify another substantial way to appeal to people who still hold misconceptions about tanning or have been too concerned about potentially aging their skin in the past. With a significant focus on sunless customers in her business, one salon owner has already seen the impact on customers that usually favour spray tans.
“For people that don’t love UV, I can put them in at that 50 percent intensity level for five minutes to get them the red light as well. It is 100 percent a spa experience and not just about UV. There are a lot of people going to doctors and aestheticians for red light, and that’s the same as what we offer. I think you have an opportunity to reach out to a different segment of consumers and recapture some customers that may have shied away from tanning because of negative press.”
These are the most technologically advanced tanning units ever created, through and through. The addition of red light certainly does not mean that they’ve sacrificed tanning power or other features. Even for a client who might care less about the hybrid technology, the visual appeal, tanning results and comfort features are much different than what they’re used to.
Discover How Red Light Can Benefit Your Business… Get Started with Blush Lamps!
Due to a high demand of red light therapy, UVALUX launched ‘Blush Lamps’ in Spring of 2021. Blush Lamps are a great way for tanning, health, fitness, and beauty centres to join the wellness movement. They make a great addition to many business models! Offering a new service gets your clients excited to come back to see you. By introducing these new Blush Lamps you can gauge if your clients are interested in red light before you invest in higher-end red light and/or hybrid equipment.
With a combination of UV and Red light, Blush Lamps are sun lamps with skincare in mind. These ‘softer’ sun sessions are compassionate to your skin. By stimulating more oxygen and increasing blood flow, each session helps improve your overall appearance. They help produce longer, gentler results and the UVB helps boost both melanin and Vitamin D production whilst also providing red light benefits.
- What units can Blush lamps go into? Any equipment that takes a 100/160 watt F71 lamp. Doesn’t matter if it’s a laydown or stand up. It’s an ideal lamp for that piece of equipment that is not being used as often as you would like.
- Is this better or comparable to red light units or hybrid equipment on the market? No – but it is a nice introduction to the technology to see if your customers have interest. If you are looking for red light only equipment we recommend looking at our Ergoline Beauty Angel or other red light options. Salons with a Beauty Angel have introduced their clients to a wellness concept, and for many, it’s their most popular unit.
- Can my clients use their UV tanning lotion during a session with these lamps? Yes however we do recommend offering one of our Hybrid products specifically formulated to maximize both UV and red light results.
Introduce a New Kind of Tanning Spa Experience with Red Light Therapy
Word of mouth tends to be king in business promotion, and even more so when you truly give people something worth talking about. Many business owners acknowledge that they’re mostly just bringing in the equipment and letting nature take its course — and it’s working wonderfully! When new showpieces were on their way, one owner took a creative approach to building hype:
“I would tease little aspects of the bed on social media for a couple weeks before they were installed, but never mentioned exactly what was coming until it was there.”
Taking every client to see the new unit might also be enough in most cases. Just make sure all staff members are properly trained to talk about the beds and answer any questions that might come up. Outside of the simple task of promoting your new equipment with digital marketing, it truly does seem that the units speak for themselves. In the salon, you just need to make sure you’re making them highly visible, communicating the features and benefits properly, and making sure as many people as possible give it that first try. You want to show every person that comes in your ‘new kind of tanning.’
“There’s a percentage of customers that come through the door that aren’t using UV because of the perception. Those are people going in sunless units. I think there lies the biggest opportunity of speaking to those people and explaining to them that sunbeds have moved forward in a great way. ‘They also have red light, and we know skin care is important to you. Our machines are different now, and it’s more about limited UV, controlled, with red light output. Convert some of those sunless tanners over, and then there’s the word of mouth that sunbeds are not what they were before — getting new clientele in just realizing it’s not only about UV.”
The alternative is failing to give your clients anything new to be excited about, and leaving the door open for your competitors to draw them away with better options. You’ve already come this far and invested so much money in building your business and client base — why would you risk letting your business become stale and outdated, when this type of equipment has a proven track record of thrilling clients and boosting traffic and revenue?
Want to Know More About Red Light Therapy?
Red light therapy, known also as Photobiomodulation, refers to the non-invasive practice of using red and near infrared wavelengths to penetrate the skin. Originally tested as a strategy for growing plants in space, red light therapy has been recognized since the 1990s for its untapped potential, and the subsequent years have brought more testing and wider applications.
Today’s evidence proves red light produces a biochemical effect on mitochondria. The mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell, controlling energy production; to promote mitochondrial function is to improve muscle growth and repair.
Beyond the production of cellular energy, the reduction of inflammation and the treatment of lactic acid, red light therapy has proven effective for skin rejuvenation, improved sleep, wound healing, arthritis, and fibrosis. Years of research has shown the benefits are hard to overstate.
