Confidence in your personal appearance and business success
Tanning to boost confidence in the workplace
“What’s your reason for tanning?” is often one of the first questions a professional tanning salon consultant will ask a new customer.
People tan for various reasons, including but not limited to:
- Clearing up complexion, reducing acne and blemishes
- Reduce the look of scars and stretch marks
- Fight the winter blues
- Get a base tan to protect their skin before a vacation
- A session of uninterrupted relaxation, a ‘time to themselves’
- Fight the signs of premature aging (done so in a controlled environment with the proper skincare products)
- Confidence in appearance
The last point, Confidence in Appearance really applies to any reason which improves a physical problem which people seek to correct. Even if a tanner doesn’t necessarily have any issues, many tan solely because they are happier with the way they look when they have a healthy glow.
In an article entitled ‘The Power of Personal Appearance’ on Women’s Business Network, it states “You can’t afford to feel unproductive, uncomfortable, self-conscious, inferior or full of self-doubt. A positive personal appearance is a fast, effective way to boost self-confidence and overcome anxiety regardless of ability or acceptance.” Of course, they refer primarily to dress and grooming in this article, but the self-confidence boost applies to maintaining colour or correcting skin imperfections.
“I tan because it makes me feel good when I have a tan. I’m too pasty when I don’t,” said a man who comes into the tanning spa where I work.
Men and women of all ages come here. Some clients are over 70 years old. Indoor tanning became booming in the mid-80s, meaning some of these older tanners started in their 40s.
I found this GIF randomly, but it reminds me of tanning in the 80s.
On a side note, with the whole ‘skin cancer’ scare, some may think “Tanning for all those years must have given them skin damage?” Wrong. Those regular tanners I see and still have beautiful skin invest in high-quality skincare lotions to use inside the tanning bed, and after bathing. They also choose to tan at salons which use the highest grade bulbs in their beds and have educated employees to give them advice. A good quality tanning salon uses bulbs which have been tested to regulate the UV exposure, in order to reduce chances of sun damage.
When you tan in controlled environments and follow special skincare advice, you wont be a Stewie.
Back to personal appearance in the work place, your coworkers and clients may not necessarily care whether or not you have a glowing complexion, but psychology speaks when they say ‘a pretty face sells’.
In Psychology Today’s article ‘The truth about why beautiful people are more successful’ by Dario Maestripiepri, Ph.D, he says “It turns out that more attractive people often bring more money to their companies and therefore are more valuable employees. For example, a good-looking insurance salesperson will sell more insurance than one with below average looks.” Dario then explain this is because what he refers to as ‘the pleasure of dealing with good looking people’.
My points go against everything we try to accept in modern society with ‘loving yourself for the skin you’re in’. But research does show that attractiveness sells. I don’t just mean physical attractiveness, but self-confidence is a type of attractiveness which anyone can achieve when they feel better about their personal appearance.
Of course, we can’t all be in good shape, have naturally appealing features, or control certain aspects of our personal appearance, but we can choose what we wear, and how we groom and present ourselves. This includes hairstyles, cosmetics, and of course, having healthy-looking or glowing skin.
Some people spray-tan or tan before a function where they are going to be taking photos, and don’t want to look pale in the pictures. Well, this tells me you’re not confident with your skin tone, so why would you want to be pale on a daily basis? The answer probably is, because they just don’t care to do so. But, if you feel more confident with a bit of colour, it may help you in your business or career.
Personally, I hate the way I look with pale skin. I feel like I look like Poppin’ Fresh (The Pillsburry Dough Boy), and should be carrying a tray of crescent rolls. Not only for the pale skin part, but a tan helps define your muscles. Just look at Arny and all the bodybuilders when they compete. In 11 years, there was one year I didn’t go indoor tanning, and the confidence in my appearance dropped.
Now, if I feel like I look fat, it’s because the boyfriend and I have been drinking too many coolers after what was a productive work out. He can drink as many coolers and eat as many Pop Tarts as he wants and still look like an underpants model. The ‘Pudding Cup’ (me) over here cannot. But he doesn’t tan so I can rip on him when winter comes and he loses his summery glow.
Back to business success. A statement taken from a blog by Access Jobs Staffing Services says “Everyone who wants to make a mark on the world needs to understand the relationship between personal appearance and success.” They also talk about the correlation between personal appearance and self-confidence. Confidence in personal appearance will compensate for other insecurities, to help build confidence in other areas a persons’ work and interactions.
Most, if not all of us, feel better when we have a fresh haircut, get ‘dolled up’ and look sharp. It’s why we dress up for special occasions, parties, events, and in the corporate world, at work. So if healthy, glowing skin makes you feel better, then take it to your job.
Confidence isn’t only something to help you excel in business. It’s a trait which makes people happier and more comfortable in social settings and relationships, and people with self-confidence tend to have better mental health.
“When people tell me you look good, you look tanned, I feel better about myself,” said one of my favorite customers. He’s been tanning for almost 40 years, and is about to turn 61- you’d never guess! He listens to our advice and takes proper care of his skin.
Come into Sol’exotica on Upper Paradise in Hamilton to learn from a trained team who can help you make the right choices for a safe and beautiful tan.
Love from Lala.
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