Glow Getter: Courtney Claghorn, Founder of Sugared + Bronzed
Courtney Claghorn
If you live in (or have ever visited) Los Angeles, NYC, or Philadelphia, you’ve likely spotted at least one of Courtney Claghorn’s Sugared + Bronzed locations. The beige and pale blue exteriors and serene, beachy interiors provoke a quick mental vacation right before you walk out of your appointment looking like you’ve been on vacation. The Chicago-native came up with the concept — which includes sugar hair removal and airbrush tans under one roof — when she was still working her former full-time job and would spray tan clients on her lunch break or in the evenings.
Fast forward (almost) 10 years, the founder and chairwoman has opened 10 locations across the east and west coasts, employs over 200 people, and recently launched a line of self tanning and sugaring products to use at home. Luckily, she’s taken the time to give us a closer look at her journey, as well as offer some advice to those wishing to follow a similar path.
How many years have you been in the industry? 10 years (Sugared + Bronzed’s anniversary is in November).
What inspired the decision to feature sugaring and tanning as your two services? We initially launched the business with custom airbrush tanning as the sole service, but quickly realized that many clients scheduled their waxing or sugaring appointment immediately prior to their spray tan. After doing a bit of research and realizing that there was an immense amount of synergy between the two services (both operationally and logistically), we felt as though bringing the complementary beauty services under one roof would be valuable to our clients. Sugaring is not only the more natural and less abrasive alternative to waxing, but also contributes to the longevity of a sunless tan (if done immediately beforehand). The at-home maintenance of the two treatments is also incredibly similar (both involve exfoliating and moisturizing regimens) and airbrush tans are quite obviously the safer alternative to the sun or tanning beds.
About how many people do you employ across the ten locations? 220
How did you arrive at the perfect formula for airbrush tanning? We have continued to improve our formula over the years, most recently, we introduced the FlexExpress formula, which took several rounds of iterations and testing. We really wanted to develop a formula that gave people more flexibility with their post-tan shower time, which was very different from widely used “standard” and “express” formulas that forced people to limit their shower to a small window of time. With the understanding that our clients’ lives are extremely busy, we wanted to create a formula that allowed a spray tan to fit into anyone’s day, rather than making people create their day’s schedule around a spray tan.
How did you arrive at the perfect formula for sugaring? With sugar paste, consistency and tackiness is the most important part of each type of paste (soft, medium, and firm). We found that a lot of sugar pastes on the market would arrive in a slightly different form each time (despite ordering from the same vendor). This was a big concern for our sugaristas (the people who provide the service) as it hindered their ability to sugar to the best of their ability. We worked with incredibly smart engineers that sent us many samples and we gathered a wide array of feedback from our sugaristas with each batch until the feedback was as consistent as the paste.
How would you describe your brand's aesthetic? The interior design of our stores incorporate a variety of tiles and mosaic art work with a natural and beachy color palette of blues, browns and soft greys. The overall vibe is intended to be reminiscent of a Mediterranean oasis, inspired by the idyllic features of Italian, French, and Greek coastal towns. The aesthetic itself is simple and clean, yet fun and inviting. Our amazing staff is highly influential in creating the welcoming and familial atmosphere that we hope clients feel immediately upon entering any one of our stores.
What has been the most challenging part of being an entrepreneur? The most rewarding/exciting part? The most challenging part has most certainly been the feeling of the unknown in every aspect of growth. Although I have an undergraduate degree in business, there are a lot of things that are not (or cannot) be taught in a classroom. Things like construction management, HR laws, and digital marketing are constantly evolving, due to both external and internal factors. The most rewarding part has been job creation, contribution towards staff members’ continuing education, and creating career path opportunities.
Best piece of advice you’ve ever received (in business or in life)? Someone once quoted the famous line of “this too shall pass” and at the time I didn’t appreciate it, but I have learned to appreciate it more and more over the years. There are a lot of tough moments in business (and in life) and sometimes it’s hard to take a step back (especially when you’re in the thick of it), but it’s actually one of the best things you can do. It’s important to remember that no problem will last forever and there will be a light at the end of the tunnel, even if you can’t see it in the moment.
Your absolute favorite product or service you offer? Oh gosh, that’s a tough one. I obviously am a huge fan of both sugaring and spray tans, but I definitely have a little more pep in my step when I wake up with a fresh tan.
One instance when you should see a spray tan artist vs. using a self-tanner?: I’d always recommend a spray tan pre-vacation or big event if you have the time (and we’re not in quarantine), but self tanner is a great tool to extend the life of a spray tan (especially while on vacation) and can also be essential in a pinch. If I have the chance to plan ahead of time, I get an airbrush tan, but if I feel inspired to throw on a short dress for a last minute dinner and my legs are pale, I whip out the S+B Bronzing Mousse before I even whip out the dress.
What advice would you give to new entrepreneurs (especially during these unprecedented times)? Starting small is better than never starting at all. When I started S+B, I was still working my office job and was tanning clients on my lunch break or afterwork. I didn’t know if the business would take off, but it was low risk and allowed me to actually put the idea into action. So many people have great ideas that never come to fruition because of finances, analysis paralysis, fear, etc. I am not saying that I didn’t have any of these concerns (I actually had all of them), but finding a way (even the smallest way) to get the ball rolling is the most important step for an entrepreneur to take.
What is one thing that you know now that you wish you would’ve known when starting out? Ignorance is bliss in many ways, so although there is probably a lot I wish I knew, I fear that if I actually knew a lot of it I would have been much more apprehensive about starting a business. That being said, I do wish that I had known to file our business name for a registered trademark before launching the business. SUGARED + BRONZED is our registered trademark today, but let’s just say that it wasn’t particularly an easy (or cheap) process to get there and that could have been avoided if we filed the right paperwork in the beginning.