Ok, here is the thing: If they can pull their sh*t together and learn some actual skills and tricks on how to spray tan, they could have a good thing here.
Pros:
1. Price. I have spray tanned in Los Angeles many times, and recently had someone come to my home in Atlanta over this past year. Both charged more than RAW is charging.
2. Prep. the prep is full coverage as opposed to a quick squirt and you're expected to spread it across your body.
3. very cute studio with some retail in front
Cons: these are all about the actual skill of tanning so these are critical
1. I had read a review about someone having white lines under their butt cheeks and now I know this person knew exactly what they were talking about. EVERY good tanning person I've ever been to knows to tell the person to bend forward when doing the back end for anyone over a size 0 or over the age of 12 because your butt covers some of the upper leg and you end up with a white streak if you don't.
2. they had me stand on a towel but you do move around as they tan you. I asked her if the residual product on the towel would be on the bottom of my feet and her response was the towel absorbs most but who sees the bottom of your feet? well, I'm probably tanning to go somewhere warm, which means I'll be on a lounge chair on a beach with my feet up so EVERYONE and I'd rather they not see orange soles. I went into the bathroom immediately after to wash my feet because I KNEW they were going to turn orange.
3. there were drip marks on both elbows when she left me to dry. Good thing I saw them because I wiped them off with the only thing available - the towel on the floor that I was standing on.
4. leave a robe in the room for a person to undress and wait for the tanner to come get started. The door opening, especially the first one off the lobby, is very unnerving.
5. If I booked with Brook, don't put me with Kasey - which is what happened today. I've not been to either of them, this was my first visit to RAW, but I'm hoping Brook is better since I'm coming back next week to see her (she got some good reviews so I was hoping to have her do my tan) before a trip to FL.
Tips I've learned from great tanners over my years: put lotion on people's palms and around their nail beds on hands and feet, use sticky feet pads so feet soles don't get product on them, have someone bend forward when doing their back end, use a large makeup brush (rather than a paper towel) to soften the lines at wrists and ankles for a more natural look, look for drips and IMMEDIATELY fix those. If you can get your staff trained on these tips, I'm happy to come back and be a regular. I'll give Brook a try next week but that will decide if I continue. read more