MineTan is excited to feature and collaborate with Maria Michelle’lee, a BIPOC Spray Tanning Educator and overall Beauty in Diversity Expert. Maria shares her helpful experience and tips over the subject that both her and the Mine Professional team are passionate about. Stayed tuned for future collaborations with Maria, in hopes to bring more awareness and education about BIPOC spray tanning.

Sunless Tanning Is For Us Too

With all that has gone on in the world today, it was only a matter of time for this change to come, or so you think. The truth is black and brown people have been getting spray tans for a long time, but with all the misinformation, many people kept this little glow session on the low. However, if you think about it, many people of color that take part in events such as fitness competitions, celebrities on red carpets, or high-level photoshoots have had the sunless tan experience.

Whether it’s a tinted body glow product or a bronzed glow from a spray tan gun, nothing gets the melanin poppin’ in a healthier way, than that of a sunless tan… and I am here for all of it. 

As a Professional Spray Tan Artist for over 15 years, I have seen every shade of brown come through my tent, and all I have to say is, spray tans look good on us too.

Here are a few reasons why people of color get a spray tan:

• Even skin tone – This helps the grey and yellow undertones we see during the fall and winter months.
• Adds depth to our melanin – When getting a spray tan it adds depth to our skin, giving us a more done and contoured look while having a natural, luxurious and healthy glow.
• It is a safer option than basking in the sun – Prevents sun damage and sunburns. Just because we can’t see the sunburn on most darker skin tones, doesn’t mean we can’t feel the sunburn.

Here is something else as a Spray Tan Professional you may also want to know

The sun is no respecter of race, therefore even those with deeper melanin can get skin cancer. As a matter of fact, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, the BIPOC community has a higher risk of being diagnosed with late-stage cancer than non-people of color, due to misdiagnoses or late-stage findings. Let me put this into a real-life perspective for you. The late great reggae singer Bob Marley died of skin cancer, where the melanoma was discovered on his toe.

For more information about this topic, please visit the sources below:

• https://www.aad.org/diseases/skin-cancer/skin-cancer-people-of-color
• https://www.skincancer.org/blog/bob-marley-should-not-have-died-from-melanoma/

For most people with darker skin tones, the melanoma findings are in places you wouldn’t expect, such as the bottoms of feet, palms of the hands, and inside the nose. The education of sunscreen is very important to share with all your clients, but be sure to express this level of importance with those with darker skin tones too, as many of us still believe the false narrative that “we were made for the sun”.

Let’s talk about spray tan solutions and what is best for your MineTan clients

Oh my goodness, can I just say this line up solutions is beautiful, light in weight and fast drying. This is a wonderful line and darker skin tones would enjoy the MineTan Pro line. 

Since there are many shades of black and brown people and beautiful mixed races, my suggestion would be the Medium Dark Pro Spray Mist for medium skin tones and the Double Dark Pro Spray Mist or Absolute Pro Spray Mist for darker skin tones. For a beautiful, hydrating glow on these skin tones, try the Coconut Water Pro Spray Mist. I wanted to test Absolute on my daughter as her melanin is deeper and that’s where the true test comes in. It seemed very dark at first, but then it toned down and matched very well. There isn’t a sticky or tacky feeling afterwards, which is always good. I love how you can be selective as to how long the solutions can stay on before you rinse. However, on darker skin tones 5 hours seems to give the best results, only because melanin can absorb more of the DHA.

I also highly encourage that artists mix and play within the MineTan Professional product line. Connect with your clients that have rich melanin and become a mixologist by creating custom glow cocktails. Trust me, they will love the personalized experience.

Yes, beautiful people, the world is changing, and we have so much work to do. If I have learned anything from this amazing industry, it’s the fact that beauty comes from a place of diversity and there are many shades of melanin to create that beauty from.

Till next time,

Maria Michelle’Lee

Diversity In Beauty Expert and DEI Consultant

About Maria Michelle’lee

Maria Michelle’lee is a Diversity in Beauty Expert, who educates industry members on how to become diverse and inclusive in the beauty industry.

As a 3x Certified Master Spray Tan Artist who specializes in spray tanning people of colour, she has been in the sunless industry, spanning over ten years, and is the content creator of the People of Colour Spray Tan Course.

Feel free to connect with Maria at: www.mariamichellelee.ca