Vegan and Cruelty-Free Tanning Products with Body Spritz

Did you know that being tan is associated with good health and status in many different cultures? Tanning became popular because back in the 19th century, the rich had money for leisure and travel. When they come back after their vacations, they would have tan, glowing skin.

Today, because of our Ozone layer's damage, tanning under the sun can expose our skin to UVA and UVB rays. These can damage our skin cells and promote skin cancer. That is why many opt for tanning beds and self-tanning products. There are many self-tanning products available on the market, but most of them aren't eco-friendly; This did not sit well with Edward and Elsa, and they knew they had to do something about it. That's when Body Spritz, an Australia-based, vegan, and cruelty-free tanning brand, was formed.

Read on as Edward, one of the founders, shares with us more about the brand and their commitment to saving The Great Barrier Reef through it:

"My name is Edward and I'm one of the founders of Bodyspritz! We're based on the North Shore of Sydney and we sell very, very good tanning products. All products are made with natural ingredients, nourish and hydrate your skin and are 100% vegan and cruelty free."

"We started because we were sick of seeing big tanning and sunscreen brands not giving back to the very core of their marketing and brand - the ocean and environment. I used to work in a bar where these brands promoted their products, and the amount of plastic waste was huge! I didn't understand why they couldn't make their products eco-friendly, so we started Bodyspritz. We're very proud to have our Eco Packaging Alliance with noissue and give 10% of each sale to The Great Barrier Reef Foundation.

It is our vision to keep true to our customers in every aspect of how we do business. Whether it be from the ingredients we source, the packaging we use, how we give back to the country and community that has fostered us, or coming out with new products that they know they can trust. It's very important because it's hard to run a business with no purpose or passion, it would be very boring if we had no connection to our customers or a bigger goal in mind than just making a living!"

"When we started out the business, getting our financing sorted was hard, but we always knew if we made a great product and could get people on board with our mission, we would be able to make it work. One specific example that comes to mind is sending out some products to Instagram influencers to promote and get our name out there. Unfortunately, the girls took the products, but never posted and stopped replying to us. It was a bit disheartening, but we had our bigger goal, so pushed through the little disappointments and got back on with it!

My best advice to someone starting a business is to start with products that don't cost that much. Firstly, you can buy more stock without spending heaps of money. Secondly, to get your name out there, you will need to get people to promote it. If your product costs a lot, then you will be limited in how many people you can give it to for free. If it costs less, then you can get more exposure for a smaller price. As for people ripping you off, if you can't afford to lose it, don't give it away! Stay focused on the bigger goal and don't let the little things get you down."

"We love making products that people can use in their everyday life. Knowing that a product we sent out won't just be tossed in a cupboard, but regularly used to achieve a great tan that hydrates and maintains healthy skin inspires us to move forward. We also love being part of amazing projects with The Great Barrier Reef Foundation. Our customers know that when they buy any of our products, their money is going towards some amazing projects that are helping rebuild our precious reef and that is really rewarding.

Sustainability is a huge part of who we are at Bodyspritz. Being so closely affiliated with the beach, ocean, and its environmental sustainability is (literally) the air we breathe. There's been a huge change in consumer choices recently and people are very conscious of the brands they're buying off. It's a relief knowing that our brand wouldn't survive long term if we weren't protecting the environment. I'm really happy to see a huge movement towards a greener, cleaner future."

"All our packaging from stickers to mail bags to tissue paper are all eco-friendly (thanks to noissue!). This means less waste going to landfill and a cleaner environment for all creatures big and small, human and non-human to live in. Our customers love receiving their parcels that illustrate the packaging won't damage the environment. It's a really nice unboxing experience that adds to the enjoyment of getting their favourite product in the mail!

We needed custom packaging because we couldn't find eco-friendly mailers anywhere! So we stumbled upon noissue, then we saw all the other amazing products on offer, such as the tape, stickers, and tissue paper which we couldn't say no to! The packaging has been an integral part of our business and we couldn't offer the same eco-conscious purchase without it.

Working with noissue has been a dream come true! We are able to fully customise all of our packaging to suit our brand and to have it produced in a way that helps the environment is incredible. When we first started, the packages that were available from noissue were really affordable and the quantities were very reasonable. Try and find custom packaging with a MOQ this low, I bet you can't! The online design platform made the process very easy - what could have taken us a few days, was all done in an afternoon."

"Just a thought we'd like to share to everyone, good things come to those who tan!"

Body Spritz Fun Fact:

"If I were given one superpower that can help better the situation of the planet, I want it to be the ability to control the elements. So that as a business, I can use it to re-freeze all the melting ice and clean the air!"

Find more of Body Spritz here:

Website: www.bodyspritz.co

Instagram: @bodyspritz

'How I Got Started' feature