Our Experts – Profile On Drew Warner

UNITED STATES – SUNLESS TANNING

All Things Tanning Special Guest Tanning Expert | Author | Aviva Labs Public Relations Director

I have always had a passion for helping others, and for education. Throughout my undergrad I was a both a tutor and a teacher’s assistant at several different high schools. I have also been an avid supporter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for many years, participating in fundraisers and benefit walks to help raise money and awareness for such an important cause. I was, however, a late bloomer when it came to skin health and sunless tanning.

Growing up, I vacationed every year with my family at the beaches in Maine, and every year I came home with a sunburn. I thought it was all in good fun, and just part of the experience. That was until the year I used a “water-proof” sunblock, and ended up in the hospital with severe burns and sun poisoning. The doctor told me, point blank, that I had probably just given my future self skin cancer. That was my wake up call. That was the day I started researching what I could do to prevent my skin from worsening, and how I could help others avoid the mistakes that I had made.

That’s what first drew me to Aviva when I saw they were hiring. I was immediately impressed by their dedication to spreading awareness and helping the spray tan industry grow, and the more I read about their products the more impressed I became! According to Mitch, Aviva’s company president, it was my cover letter that got me the job.

At first, my job was simple; I was told to write as many articles as I could, in order to start debunking the worst of the myths surrounding spray tanning. I quickly found that it wasn’t that easy. The more articles I wrote, the more tips and tricks I shared, the more misinformation I found. I joined forums, talked for hours with as many salons and spas as I could get on the phone, created the Aviva Journal, and started sharing everything I’d learned on social media.

Now, I’ve created a whole new spray tan training program and incorporated everything I know into that course, from advanced spray tan techniques and marketing, to growing a spray tan business from a small mobile startup to an award winning salon. But there is always more to learn. I know I’ll never run out of articles to write or tips to share, and I always feel so lucky, and so grateful that I’ve been able to give back to a community that has welcomed me with such open arms. It has made such a positive impact on my life, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds!

– Drew Warner