Today we’d like to introduce you to Alisha Galban-Gain.
Hi Alisha, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am Alisha Gain the creator of Wanderlust Glow and The Glow Sessions. I am a wife, mom, half girly girl, half tomboy, lover of Jesus, sports, animals, music, and all things beauty. I have a deep passion for people and travel.
I have been trained by the best in the business. My spray tan and contour training come from celebrity tan artist and creator of Glow by Erin – (Glow and Grow Erin’s VIP training) x 3, Perfect Glow Sunless (Spray Tan Academy) x 2 and I am master certified with Spray Tan Class by Kelly Callaghan. I have also been trained and certified on spray tanning the POC and Bi-POC communities with Maria Michelle, owner and creator of Brown Sugar Spray Tanz (heymariamichellelee). In 2020 I attended Shonna Dexter’s Association of Sunless Tanning Professionals Sunless Summit. I am a former member of Sunless Evolution by Grant Kantsios and spray tan artist-to-the-stars Jimmy Coco. I was a part of Wake Up to Level Up (WULU) 2020; as well as, a gold member at Slay the Spray 2021 where I earned a recognition award for my dedication to the sunless industry in Beauty Business Babes. I am currently evolving and onboarding with Sheila Bella and her team at Pretty Rich Bosses. I believe it is extremely important to stay educated and abreast of all the newest solutions, equipment, ingredients and trends, so that I may bring the most relevant and top tier information to my clients and trainees
I, like many people, love to be tan and have that summer glow all year round. For several years, tanning beds were my thing. When people ask how old I am, I say, “I am tanning bed years old.” I loved tanning beds. To me, they were relaxing. I loved the way I felt and looked when I was finished tanning. I even took naps in the beds. I recall when tanning bedtimes went from 30-minute sessions to 20-minute sessions and finally to 10-minute sessions. I was sad about it as that was my favorite time of day. The 10-minute sessions were conducive to my busy, fast-paced lifestyle, but did not give me that relaxation I desired. I was uneducated about the potential harm the beds were doing to my body inside and out. I was young and did not care much about skincare or cancer risks. When you’re young, sometimes you feel invincible like you are going to live forever. I finally came to my senses and started to realize the likelihood of me getting skin cancer was a real possibility. Not to mention the aging, leathery, wrinkled skin among other hazards. I stopped tanning in beds and stayed perpetually pale unless it was summertime. In my early 30’s, I began using the misting booths at tanning salons. My tans were uneven, the color was not customized to my skin tone or needs. I was the color of an Oompa Loompa and the experience was impersonal. Fast forward to my late 30’s, I began getting spray-tanned. For the most part, I liked the color I was getting. However, I knew nothing of pre-tan preparation, post-tan aftercare, do’s, don’ts, or what was in the products being used on me. I needed a tan for a bridal event and a dear friend recommended a mobile spray tan girl in my area. She was very affordable and the thought of her coming to my home was fantastic. I achieved the color that I desired but not much more – no education, information or real customer service. I never heard from her again even after reaching out.
After all of my experiences and realizing the need for a professionally trained, educated, master certified and insured spray tan artist in my area, Wanderlust Glow was born. My commitment is to provide as much education to our clients and trainees as possible about the process, products and experience.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Smooth? Hardly. But that’s the beauty of it. Pun intended. My family and I worked tirelessly in 2019 getting this business set up – from choosing a name, logo, colors, to getting our LLC, other legal documents, setting up formal training, attending ASTP’s Sunless Summit, purchasing equipment and familiarizing myself with everything spray tan. I set my official business launch date to April 1, 2020. After summit, I moved the date up to March 15, 2020. We all know what happened that week. Texas went on lockdown, in turn, halting my launch date.
I continued to build by learning social media marketing tips and letting a trained professional take over my business Instagram account. I shadowed their work and learned fairly quickly.
I also kept training virtually. Many educators in our fantastic industry extended virtual training courses on a wide variety of topics like color theory, technique, contouring, shading, marketing, email campaigns, social media and “QUARANTAN” self-tanning bundles to help people have some normalcy, just name a few.
Prior to the Texas mandated lockdown, I was spraying anyone and everyone that would let me near them. My friends and family were extremely gracious by allowing me to practice my craft. I will always say our unofficial launch date is March 15, 2020.
I have had hoses bust, spray guns break, solution leaks, solution spitting on clients, spills, etc. You name it, it has happened. I just had to roll with the punches. I learned the fixes and now I train on them.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Wanderlust Glow offers luxury spray tanning and cosmetic teeth whitening services. We are committed to providing the most flawless, beautiful, natural-looking, healthy glow. We also offer topnotch group and one-on-one spray tan certification classes. I have recently added body contouring, shading and highlighting for a more defined look.
I am most proud of helping people feel empowered and more confident. When my clients see their transformations, they leave walking taller with a touch of sass. I love that! Empowering people is my jam.
I pride Wanderlust Glow on being a body-positive, female empowered company that strives to help each person feel their very best.
I only use premium, luxury products with the cleanest ingredients that are vegan, PETA approved, gluten and paraben-free.
What sets me apart from other spray tan artists is the way I help people feel in my presence, my technique, going the extra mile and my follow-up. My clients stand in front of me in their most vulnerable state. They trust me. They trust that I will keep their stories and what they see as flaws confidential. I do just that! When my clientele steps foot into my studio they are no longer “allowed” to speak negatively about their bodies, scars, weight, etc.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My advice to new artists starting out is to always believe in yourself. Oftentimes, the people you think will stand by you don’t. That’s when you have to pull up your bootstraps and remember who you are and your why. It won’t always be easy, but it will be worth it. Don’t take things personally, get thick skin, make up your mind to succeed and DO IT! It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Find your pace, your lane and run YOUR race. We tend to compare our first chapters to someone else’s chapter 10 or highlight reel. We have to stop doing that. There is room at the top for all of us.
Always, always, always have a backup spray tan machine and spray gun. Mine was brand new when it broke on a new client. Get certified from a reputable company. A company/person with experience that have overcome obstacles, who are passionate and will not hand you the certificate and show you the door. I stand by my trainees. I am always available to help in any way that I can. There are many companies in this industry where their leadership has been invaluable to me whether I purchased their product or not. I have never felt alone. Now, I do that for others. Continuing education is extremely important as our industry is constantly evolving.
Lastly, do your research. Many people who have struggled to find their way do not like to give out their trade secrets or tips.
- Email: alisha@wanderlustglow.
com - Website: www.wanderlustglow.
com - Instagram: @wanderlustglowtanning
- Facebook: @wanderlustglowtanning
- TikTok: @wanderlustglowtanning
- Other: Booking https://
wanderlustglow.glossgenius. com/ - Phone: 469-969-9944
