In a city known for its beautiful, glamorous people — whether they’re visiting or living there — it’s quite a fete to become the go-to celebrity spray tan artist in Miami. And that’s exactly who Mel of Best Miami Tan is. Mel’s spray tan gun has been on the other side of celebrities like JLo and Olivia Culpo, and her tans have graced the covers of magazines like Sports Illustrated, countless red carpets, and wedding altars. And that’s just her work itself. In addition to mobile appointments, she also owns and operates Best Miami Tan; a luxury tanning studio in the Coral Gables neighborhood of Miami.

To find out about how Mel reacted when she received THE call to tan JLo, as well as some game-changing advice for fellow spray tan artists as well as beauty professionals in general, read on for our exclusive interview.

Years in the industry?: 6 years

How did you get started?: I started off as a makeup artist in the South Florida beauty industry. I launched my sunless tanning career as a sales rep for a popular tanning brand. I sold professional solutions and at-home tanning products to tanning salons in Florida. I was amazed when I learned about the tanning industry and its growth potential and shortly after decided to open Best Miami Tan. 

Favorite memory from a tanning appointment/event?: THE JLO CALL!  It was December 23 around 9pm . I was almost done at the studio when I received the call to tan JLo and Alex Rodriguez at midnight. I was so excited my husband had to drive me (I like to call him my driver). We now have a pact that he drives me when I have VIP's so I don't stress. 

Can you recall a time you faced a (tanning) challenge and how you overcame it?: Oh gosh, the biggest challenge I've had in my tanning history has definitely been locking myself out of my studio at 6am while waiting for a celebrity client. It was December 31 and I wanted to get there extra early to clean and make everything perfect and boom!  Locked myself out. Thankfully she was the sweetest and followed me to my house two blocks away where I had my back-up equipment. Lesson learned! Always have a back-up plan because you never know what's going to happen. 

Favorite product or piece of equipment?: My favorite piece of equipment is my Lazy Susan my clients stand on while I tan them. The extractor is so loud I was having to scream or hand signal to clients to turn around so this makes it easy to just spin them with my foot. (I  would have to say my clients are a little spoiled with it as well. I had a client tell me she tanned in another city and was upset they didn't have one. [lol]) Note: It’s very important to hold your clients hand while getting on and off. 

Tips for achieving a tan that translates into photographs well?: Prepping the skin is always key. Dry skin will look darker and patchy in photographs if you don't exfoliate properly. 

One instance when you should see a spray tan artist vs. using a self-tanner?: A wedding! This is not a time to do it yourself. Trust the experts. 

Best piece of advice you’ve ever received?: Be patient at perfecting your craft. You learn something new with every tan. Tan those you see everyday for free so you can analyze the tan, how it fades, and [see] what you could've done better. 

What advice would you give to new artists?:  Don’t treat your competition like your enemy. Whenever I see or hear of a new tanner around me, I always introduce myself and tell them where i'm located. Invite them to lunch if they're ever in the area. You'd be surprised how many times that person will call you to chat or even send you clients if they're not available.