Erin and Rob Callahan. Photo: Sigrid Dabelstein Photo
A spray tanning salon puts skin care and wellness first.
When Erin Callahan decided to open her own franchise of goGlow, a sunless tanning salon, she wasn’t just starting a business—she was creating a confidence-boosting experience. “We are going to change the world, one goGlow at a time,” Callahan says. “People just feel so good after they leave.” Callahan had tried lots of traditional spray tan services, especially for her daughters, while they were participating in beauty pageants. She loved their experience with goGlow at its original location in Edina.
A few years ago, as Callahan was hoping to make a career pivot, she came across the opportunity to open her own goGlow location. She believed in the process so wholeheartedly that it was a no-brainer and opened her Woodbury salon in late March. “It’s more than just a spray tan,” Callahan says. “It really is a skin care treatment for people.”
That focus on skin health is at the heart of the goGlow process. The tanning sprays are packed with nourishing ingredients, including hyaluronic acid, and each client’s spray is custom-colored to complement their skin tone and their desired tan level. “We want to deliver exactly what the client wants, making sure everything’s tailored to what they need for their event or lifestyle,” Callahan says. Even as winter approaches, goGlow stays busy—some clients are getting ready to show more skin during vacations to warmer climes, while others are preparing for formal parties.
A goGlow tan typically lasts seven to 10 days (some up to two weeks with proper care). Callahan and her staff provide lots of education on how to prep for a tanning session and to care for skin afterward. In addition to drinking plenty of water, clients should use a rich moisturizer. (goGlow stocks a line of body butters and other products designed specifically for spray tans.) They should also follow the pretan instructions, including when and how to exfoliate, when to wax or shave and when to briefly stop using soaps and suds to help the tan adhere best.
So, what does a typical goGlow appointment look like? After booking online, you’ll arrive at the salon and discuss your color needs with your technician. The studio offers two primary services: a traditional tan and a rapid tan. The rapid formula can be rinsed off sooner (within three to five hours). The traditional formula needs to stay on skin for at least 12 hours before you rinse. The salon provides complimentary disposable undergarments and hairnets, and you can choose to keep covered any body parts you’d like. The entire process takes around 20 minutes.
While some clients stop by just once in a while for special events, many are making goGlow part of their regular skin care routines. “We’re seeing spray tanning become more of a lifestyle,” Callahan says, as people forgo suntanning in favor of safer, UV-protective color. Woodbury client Michelle Skinner had been getting goGlow tans in Edina for a decade—she says the commute from Woodbury was worth it. Now, she can get some “sun” closer to home. “My formula is stored in their system. I get the same results every time, the staff makes me feel comfortable while spraying, the tan lasts and they choose better ingredients,” Skinner says.
Like Skinner, most clients walk out with a little summer color and a lot of confidence and body positivity. “We want everybody to feel good about who they are, no matter their size, shape, color,” Callahan says.
