Like many great companies, Kona Tanning Company was born in the kitchen, when newlyweds Katie and Kenny began mixing ingredients to find the best shade for Katie's redheaded complexion. What they found was the best color around, lasting twice as long as anything else they tried, and didn't stink! The year was 2005, and it would have been impossible for the Quinns to predict what was about to happen next.
Katie studied the application technique through the eyes of a body makeup artist, manipulating shadows as she airbrushed, masking and blending flaws. Next she mastered the art of enhancing the body's natural definition and curves, even creating some from scratch. Katie then studied drawing the human body with charcoal, paying particular attention to highlights and lowlights, muscle groups, frames, and the fluidity of the body's movement. Because of this approach to airbrush tanning, Katie has worked on some of the greatest bodies in the fitness industry, in Hollywood, and in fashion. Most recently Katie added Victoria's Secret to her fashion resume, working on the Pink campaign in New York in 2009, and the famous Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows at the US Lexington Armory in 2009-2011. Until 2010, Katie was staff Beauty Director at Amour Creole Fashion Magazine, and you will find her boutique riddled with hard to find editor favorites, certain to make you, too, brag about your age.
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| Owners of Kona Tanning Company, Kenny and Katie Quinn |
A Note From Kona Katie
Years ago, with skin cancer risks growing, and severely pale skin in my genes, I decided to give the much-talked about spray tanning a try. I went to booth after booth, and although the tans gave me color, it didn't look natural, it was horrifyingly uneven, and the smell was terrible! Next I tried airbrushing. It was a delight! My technician and I became fast friends, but I was afraid the formula still pointed to a sign on my forehead that flashed "THIS IS A FAKE TAN." I assumed it was as good as airbrushed tans get, and adjusted my beauty regimen to include "repairs" after the tan. After my favorite tanning technician got married and moved away, I purchased my own equipment, my husband learned the technique, and we began purchasing different tanning solutions with the hope of finding a better color for me. Some were too orange, some were too green, and some were too red! Some looked natural, but the smell was nauseating. Others looked natural, the smell could potentially be masked, but the tan was blotchy and only lasted a couple of days. I was so frustrated, I kept asking "Doesn't anyone make a tanning solution that looks natural, doesn't stink, and lasts longer than a few days?" That's when Kenny and I put on our chemist's hats and got to work mixing and adding ingredients, using my brave sister-in-law, Tracy, as our guinea pig. We duplicated the qualities we loved from each product into our own, and after a year of testing and researching, WE FOUND IT. The perfect mix.
I was able to maintain my secret faux glow for just a month before my friends caught on that it was fake, and began asking to be tanned as well. Soon, their friends and co-workers were requesting the tans, and before we knew it our home bathroom became a mini tanning empire. Word spread, and the next step was to open a shop to accommodate more clients! We began getting calls from models, photographers and even celebrity agents! Clients from all over the world began calling to book appointments for their upcoming visit to California, and all asked about the "miracle glow" they heard so much about. This is when we knew we had something special. Kona Tanning Company was born, and we decided to name the company after experiencing the magic and enchantment of the Hawaiian Islands, where we were married, barefoot on the beach. We really wanted to bring some of that "Hawaiiana" fantasy feel into our everyday lives, and into the lives of our clients and friends.
Through word of mouth, we have been able to maintain many beautiful people's deepest, darkest secret while also keeping the "friend of a friend," personal service we cherish.
When you arrive at Kona Tanning Company, be ready to relax and have fun. And you might make a friend or two while you're at it!
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