Eye Pro, Inc.

February 2019 – EYE PRO, Inc., world leader in disposable eye protection for indoor tanning and makers of Ultra Gold WINK-EASE, Lash Room WINK-EASE and WINK-EASE Dark, works with salons to keep clients educated about protecting their vision.

“Salons have an uphill battle in educating tanners on the importance of eye protection. Many clients won’t wear eyewear to avoid tan lines around their eyes,” says Brenda Fishbaugh, EYE PRO president. “We work with your staff to provide tips to share so tanners can avoid the dreaded ‘raccoon eyes’ and wear their eye protection every time they tan,” explains Fishbaugh, a 28-year tanning industry veteran.

It’s so important for tanners to tan with a clean face, and remove all lotions and makeup, as SPF products will cause large raccoon eyes.  Even men’s facial moisturizers can contain SPF and prevent their faces from tanning. “One tip we stress is to be sure to remove those products completely BEFORE you tan,” explains Jackie DeWald, EYE PRO Office Manager. “Another quick tip is to move your eye protection slightly during the session, which will diminish any possible tan line.  We also like to suggest applying a dab of bronzing lotion on the eyelid and under the eye after tanning to help minimize any possible lines eye protection might leave,” enthuses DeWald.
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Last month, I wrote about what a state tanning inspector might look for during a visit to your salon. I was astonished to learn that in addition to state or city inspections, tanning insurance coverage now requires an inspection, as well! I asked Natalea Platt of Insurtec, a leading tanning insurance company, to walk us through what an insurance inspection might look like, and how it differs from a regulatory inspection.

Natalea surprised me by telling me that the inspectors aren’t there to inspect your beds and electrical setup, per se. The electrical service will be checked to make sure the supply to each tanning system is correct. Inspectors will also check the cords and cables around the tanning beds for trip hazards and normal wear and tear, such as an exposed wire on a power cord. Although the inspectors probably won’t check sunbed fans, it’s a good idea for you to inspect them; they could start a fire if they overheat due to being dirty and not properly lubricated. “Our insurance inspectors want to prevent the most common causes of damage and lawsuits,” explains this insurance veteran. “Inspectors will check your furnace and water heater area to see if you are storing combustible materials next to the furnace, water heater or washers and dryers. That’s a huge cause of fires, so the safe choice is to not have anything in your utility room.”

Another no-no is taping a breaker in your electrical box. “That’s a fire waiting to happen,” Platt informs. “And, are your fire extinguishers up to date?Do you know your city and state law on fire extinguishers? They may need to be inspected by the fire department. But we really want you to evacuate in the case of a fire and not mess around trying to find and operate a fire extinguisher.”

I was astounded to learn that water damage is another big insurance claim. “We insist that every spray-tan booth has a water shut-off valve,” Platt adds. “It is important to shut off the water valve to each spray-tan booth and your washing machine, every night. This way, if a pipe breaks, your salon isn’t flooded. Pedicure chairs also have to have a shut-off valve, as a leak can flood a salon overnight.”

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January 2018 – EYE PRO, Inc., world leader in disposable eye protection for indoor tanning and makers of Ultra Gold WINK-EASE, Lash Room WINK-EASE and WINK-EASE Dark, is offering salons an easy and effective way to help SHOW tanners why eye protection is critical.   

“Salon owners have expressed their frustration about how tanners don’t seem to understand the importance of eye protection,” says Brenda Fishbaugh, EYE PRO president. “While many salon staff learn about the importance of wearing eye protection as part of a certification such as ‘Sun Is Life’, salon owners still look for ways to help staff translate those hours of study into a quick 30-second message when the tanner walks through the door,” continued Fishbaugh.   Continue Reading »

State inspections are usually a surprise, and planned to catch you and your team off-guard. I asked Diane Hannig, Owner of Sinfully Good Body and Soul in Ohio, what inspectors have looked for in her dozen salon inspections. “Ohio is a very tough state,” explains Hannig. “The first thing they want to see are your equipment manuals, along with your lamp-compatibility chart. This is a Federal law, so you need to have the manual where your staff can find it if you aren’t at the salon.” 

Hannig says that after she shows inspectors her well-organized three-ring binders with all her electrical and bed technical info, they always walk around the salon and poke into every nook and cranny, spending extra care in the bathroom to ensure it is sanitary. During their visit, the inspectors will not allow the salon staff to follow them. They want to see towels stored away, not out in the open where they pick up airborne contaminants. This was new to me! “They do not want to see bed-cleaning solution left in the room,” Hannig adds. “They want to see clean towels every time for wiping down each bed, so that sweat and body fluids aren’t being shared with the next tanner.” She says the inspectors want to see a log of when we made up each batch of cleaning solution. Each bed cleaner brand requires fresh solution to be mixed every 24 hours, so inspectors want to see your log and who is mixing it. “They will test it with litmus strips and expect you to have litmus strips in your mixing station,” Hannig shares. In addition, inspectors may ask to see your Standard Procedures Manual and Staff Training Manual. What are your policies for pregnant tanners, people under-18,tanners who won’t wear eyewear, and what to do in an emergency? This all needs to be in a manual for staff reference after they are trained.

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December 2018, MANCHESTER, UK – Brenda Fishbaugh, President of Eye Pro, Inc., world leader in disposable eye protection for indoor tanning and makers of Ultra Gold WINK-EASE, Lash Room WINK- EASE and WINK-EASE Dark, had the recent privilege of being the featured speaker on the importance of protective eyewear at SHINE2018 in Manchester, United Kingdom in November.

“Presented by The Sunbed Association (TSA), SHINE2018 brings together industry experts from around the world to offer the latest trends, developments and insights,” explained Brenda Fishbaugh, Eye Pro President. “It’s wonderful to have the opportunity to meet with so many tanning studios throughout the UK and Ireland, because the approach to eyewear, internationally, is very different than it is in the U.S.,” Fishbaugh continued. “Speaking directly with the salon owners provides me a better understanding of how to best create eye protection educational materials to suit their learning style and customer base. Continue Reading »

In 2005, I met Luella Gustafson, owner of salons in Iowa. She explained that she created a most unusual event to promote eye protection. I’ve shared Luella’s unorthodox idea with many salon operators, and they always applaud her creativity.

First, what is Crappy Eyewear Week? During that week, Luella offers her salon guests the option to turn in their worn-out goggles and get 40% off their next eyewear purchase. She explained, “My tanners didn’t realize they need to clean and periodically replace their goggles. When we offer them a big discount to get a new pair, they examine their goggles and see how filthy they really are. We have them toss it into a big fishbowl, which contains some really disgusting goggles, and they get clean, new eyewear!”

“I have held ‘Crappy Eyewear Week’ at my own salons and at facilities I have managed,” she continues. “We put fishbowls on the counter at each salon and promote Crappy Eyewear Week every two months.”

Of course, I had to ask, “Why do you call it Crappy Eyewear Week and not Eyewear Awareness Week or something more tasteful?” Luella said, “Crappy Eyewear Week is FUN and we get a giggle out of everyone! We show them the really crappy eyewear in the fishbowl and we generate a lot of engagement.

A woman recently brought in some goggles that her dog had chewed. Why would you put those near your eyes, with jagged edges and dog slobber on them?” Luella’s collection also includes many goggles ringed in thick mascara, white goggles that are no longer anywhere near white, and some with missing lenses and broken nose bridges.

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November 2018 – EYE PRO, Inc., world leader in disposable eye protection for indoor tanning and makers of Ultra Gold WINK-EASE, Lash Room WINK-EASE and WINK-EASE Dark, wants to make sure salons and tanners understand the dangers of not wearing proper eye protection when tanning.  

“Many salons don’t realize that an average tanning salon has less than 50% of their tanners wearing eye protection,” explained Brenda Fishbaugh, EYE PRO president. “A salon that aggressively sells eyewear and pushes eye protection safety could easily approach 70%! This leaves a lot of room for a salon to increase eyewear sales.”  

“Eyewear sales can be quick and easy earnings and a great way to increase revenue – during season or even in slow months,” Fishbaugh continued. “Explaining the importance of wearing eye protection while tanning doesn’t require the same loads of explanation on why this lotion is better than that lotion, or why an EFT is a great idea.”  

Fishbaugh has found that some salon staff don’t even wear eye protection. “A salon team won’t push eyewear if they don’t believe in it, or understand it’s the federal law for EVERY state,”  says Fishbaugh. She agrees it’s a battle for salon owners to educate tanners on the importance of eye protection. “Consider having your employees complete the Eye Protection Module in the online ‘Sun Is Life’ program,” she suggests.  “The fun, inexpensive and youth-oriented training involves role-playing situations of what to do when a customer says they don’t want eye protection or won’t spend money on goggles.”   Continue Reading »

Having spent 27 years in the tan biz, I can say that most salons don’t know the regulations for tanning in their state. I’m going to cover state eyewear regulations; but if you don’t have a copy of your state tanning laws and are following them, email Brenda@WinkEase.com and I’ll send you the latest version.

Did you know that in Kentucky, salon operators can NOT offer tan- ners shared goggles – those used by multiple people and sanitized by staff after each use. Kentucky tanners are required to have their own eyewear, or the salon must provide disposable eye protection (it is not required to be provided for free.)

Salons in New Hampshire are also prohibited from offering shared goggles. Goggles cannot be altered in any manner that changes it from the manufacturer’s intended use, such as removing elastic straps that are included in the product packaging. The salon must sell tanners eyewear or provide disposable eye protection.

Iowa is my favorite: eyewear can- not be reused, it can’t be altered, and your staff must ask to see a tanner’s eyewear before they enter a tanning room. In addition, the salon must provide disposable eyewear in the tanning rooms at all times with a sign posted stating that it’s available and must be worn (whew!) I consider Iowa’s law to be excellent! It ensures that the tanner shows that they have eyewear, but still has access to clean eyewear in the tanning room.

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October 2018 – Eye Pro, Inc., world leader in disposable eye protection for indoor tanning and makers of Ultra Gold WINK-EASE, Lash Room WINK-EASE and WINK-EASE Dark, is offering fun ads for salons to use to promote their pro-tanning presence on social media.

“With today’s world driven so much by social media, we want to help support the salons and our industry in any way we can,” stated Eye Pro President, Brenda Fishbaugh. “We have created a ton of fun and positive tanning memes – some that are seasonal, and ALL offered at no cost to the salons – which may be posted on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to help promote tanning during the holiday season.”

“Social media has changed the way businesses communicate and relate with their clients and memes are a way to make a fun, positive, immediate connection,” suggests Jackie DeWald, Eye Pro Office Manager. “Whether the theme is Halloween, a warm weather getaway from the cold, a celebration or party or the Christmas holidays, staying in front of and current with salon tanners is always important.” Continue Reading »

Beach Bum Tanning & Airbrush Spa is the leading tanning salon chain on the East Coast, with over 40 stores in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Virginia and West Virginia. Beach Bum is one of the first salons estab- lished, having been in business for over 30 years. And, most of their management team has been with Beach Bum for over a decade.

I spoke to the beautiful and hardworking Vanessa Pace, Director of Operations, con- cerning Beach Bum’s eyewear policies. She’s been very involved in Beach Bum’s growth into airbrush tanning, infrared services and lash extensions, in addition to UV tanning.

“At Beach Bum Tanning, cleanliness and sanitation are critical. Since we expect our guests to ‘get naked’, we focus on keeping our salons spotless!” Pace enthuses.

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