SPECIAL TREATMENT: Spray tan artist James Harknett has created a special shade called the Doha Glow.
Harknett’s job takes him to movie sets, television shows, fashion weeks and to a list of celebrities and fashion designers, he tells Jay Jayaraj, he loves working with
For a man who loves a good tan on himself, James Harknett from W London was a stark contrast against his all-black outfit at W Doha recently.
The renowned spray tan artist was in Bliss Spa at the hotel to launch Sienna X, which is UK’s leading professional spray tan brand. Harknett is also the brand ambassador.
“I have no tan on right now. I am here to train the therapists so I can show them how to do it, the James way. I’m hoping that they can practice on me, spray my face and if you were to see me in a couple of days, I’d probably be a bit more dark,” suggests Harknett.
Indeed it is his love for the healthy look of well-being which tanning offers that led Harknett to the industry in the late 90s. The 41-year-old started off at Harvey Nichols where he learnt about the industry, became good at it and eventually ended up spray tanning.
Spray tan uses small airbrush tools to contour colour onto the skin. It was uncommon for a man to do it then but that, coupled with Harknett’s skill, made him stand out more.
“It was very new, an exciting way of tanning. It’s a big industry in the UK because our climate is very poor and you don’t see sun for six months but people like to get some colour on their skin,” he says.
His job takes him to movie sets, television shows, fashion weeks and to a list of celebrities and fashion designers whom he loves working with. About three years ago, Harknett launched himself at W London where he is well sought after.
He has four different finishes in W London which are named after cities: New York, London, Barcelona and Santa Fe, going from light to dark. For W Doha, Harknett has created a special shade called the Doha Glow.
“It’s something luxurious. I have researched the climate here and what someone at W would want. Doha Glow is a bit darker than what I would normally do. Once the tan is done, I am lacing it with glitter, it gives a glisten to the skin,” Harknett elaborates on the Doha Glow.
Harknett uses several brands including Sierra X and Skinny Tan, an Australian formula with ingredients that help break down cellulite as well.
Citing fake tan solutions as clever, Harknett says that it works with individual skin tones and looks different on each skin. His advice for fake tan seekers is to go with the colour they would in the sun naturally, depending on how much time they spend in the sun.
He adds that fake tan solution itself is organic and derived from sugarcane pulp with the main ingredient being dihyroxyacetone or DHA.
“It works very simple. When it touches the proteins on our skin, its natural reaction is go an orangey-brown colour, and that’s why since years ago, people don’t want to go orangey with a fake tan.
“They still say that but these days, companies put different pigments and ingredients to counteract the orange so it’s more natural and golden brown.
“Basically, it’s the sugar that touches the protein on our skin. It reacts and dyes the skin. It’s only laying on the first layer of dead skin cells. That’s why a tan application only lasts a week. You shed your skin cells and it fades naturally,” says Harknett.
Spray tans are not just to liven up the lighter skin tones. While many spot a tan to give the skin a healthy colour, some do it to have an even skin tone and simply to add glow.
For darker skin tones, Hartnett recommends a matching colour or a lighter glint for a flawless look by focusing on adding gleams to the arms and legs.
“I get a lot of dark skinned and Asian people that say their skin go a little yellow or grey in the winter months. I would do something subtle to give more dimension to the skin by giving it gleam. “Some with the skin condition vitiligo, get a tan for an even skin tone, too,” he says.
A tan is not restricted to only women as more and more men are taking care about their bodies. According to Harknett, 30% of his clients are men and most come in for contouring. It’s a shading technique that allows artists to create the illusion of well-defined features.
“What I do is extra shading, highlighting the abs, arms and pectorals by just shading underneath to emphasise the muscle groups.
“If you have like six packs, it looks like eight. It’s just to make all the hard work people do in the gym stand out even more. Tanned skin is toned skin so it’s like instant toning,” he says.
For customers who want to do tanning on their own, Harknett have videos, too, as he is the ambassador for Garnier Ambre Solaire. In the online videos, he shows people on how to apply a tan using products they can find at pharmacies and stores.
So what’s the trending tan? Admitting that spring/summer shows are really fun for him, Harknett says this summer seems like a lot of bold tan as compared to last season’s barely-there colour.
“Really golden brown. Especially in the UK, people are showing more skin and it’s popular during summer so they can have their colour and confidence.
“In Doha, I think it’s going to be popular all year round especially during cooler months. What’s important here is not to perspire after a tan.
“If someone walks in here for a tan, I would advise her to take a taxi home. You want to avoid water and perspiration for about six to eight hours for the colour to set in,” says Harknett, adding that mosturising the skin keeps a tan longer.
With so much going on, the spray tan artist is looking to launch himself at more W hotels around the world. He is involved in training other artists and working with different brands.
However, Harknett’s biggest dream is to have his own line of products in next 18 months to two years. At the moment, he is still in the process of collecting and putting together ideas. This line, he says, will include multifunctional cosmetics and skin finishing products.
“But if I were to do spray tanning for the rest of my working life, I would be happy because it’s what I enjoy. It’s a social job, I like talking to people, knowing about their lives and getting feedback. It’s satisfying,” says the artist who sees himself as a beauty and body care expert as well.
A full body of Sienna X tan is now available at Bliss Spa in W Doha.
How it works
A typical appointment with the artist starts with a consultation which gives him room to make his client feel comfortable. It is also to find out more about what they are looking for, their skincare regime, how they turn out in the sun, the occasion the tan is for, how much skin they are sharing and more.
“What spray tan does is very fast, like when someone is standing there I can tan them in five to 10 minutes for the whole body. It’s very quick and easy, and I make it very simple for people. They can wear as much or little as they like and it’s very fast and I dry the skin afterwards with warm air, so they can get dressed and straight go off to work or dinner,” says Harknett of his job.
BELOW:
1) GOING THE EXTRA MILE: “Some (people) with the skin condition vitiligo, get a tan for an even skin tone, too,” Harknett says.
2) ENHANCED APPEAL: The glow is the story.