No.1 for Interviews - Sandra McLumpha
Sandra McLumpha

Fake Bake entrepreneur Sandra McLumpha chats to Nadine Hawkins about her global takeover of the Fake Bake brand, her plans for the future and the ‘Save Your Skin’ campaign.

Sandra McLumpha is clearly an astute business woman who is not afraid of taking risks. She sold her beauty salon to invest in an American fake tan called Fake Bake. She grew the business from her back bedroom into a successful business and has recently bought out the American originators of the brand in a multi-million pound deal.

How did you get into the beauty sector?
I went straight into the industry after leaving school and started off as an apprentice to Ian Carmichael who is the Queen’s hairdresser. I eventually opened my own beauty and tanning salon which was hard work but really good fun. The salon had an amazing atmosphere and we always had clients popping in for a coffee or a glass of wine. Once a month we all used to have a girls night out when about 25 of us would hit the town.

What attracted you to the fake tan industry?
Obviously working in the beauty industry tanning is a big factor, however a few years ago the media were starting to highlight the dangers of sunbathing and using sunbeds. I experienced this personally when my mum had a melanoma removed from her face. It put everything in perspective for me, I realised that we go away on holiday for two weeks and literally fry in the sun to come back with a bit of colour which fades so quickly. It also made me realise that if we were willing to risk our health for a tan we needed a safe viable alternative. At that point in time I personally felt that there was a poor selection of products on the market. They either had a dreadful smell, were really expensive or only suited certain skin types. They were also really
difficult to apply. There was a stigma attached to fake tan – people had difficulty applying it which left them covered in streaks. I began to research the industry as a whole and tested the options that were available, I got hold of some Fake Bake and tried it on people with fair skin. I was really impressed with the results so I flew out to America to meet the originators and find out more about the ingredients.

How did you fund buying over the UK franchise?
When I returned home I sold my salon and bought the franchise, I was a single mum to two children and was working from a back bedroom. I would put the kids to bed and would be up to three or four in the morning arranging deliveries, speaking to the American team and finalising a business strategy. It was a tiring time but I knew I had to make it work – it helped that I believed in my product and what I was trying to achieve.

So in light of your family’s experience you must support the proposed legislation to prevent under 16’s using sunbeds?
One hundred per cent! We are in the process of rolling out the ‘Save Your Skin’ campaign where we have been visiting local schools to make them aware of the dangers of the sun and sunbeds and to ensure they realise that there is a safe alternative out there. People never think that cancer can happen to them but it’s a very real threat – if you use sunbeds you have a 75 per cent greater chance of getting skin cancer. We need to do more to educate people in this country as the message is simply not getting through – I am just back from a photo shoot abroad and the models wouldn’t stand in the sun for five minutes because they are so aware of the damage it can cause.

Are sunbeds more dangerous than the natural sun?
Definitely, sunbed’s are far stronger as you get the same colour after 10 minutes on a sunbed as you would from a day in the sun.

The media has recently highlighted the use of harmful chemicals being used in cosmetics – is there anything in fake tan that we should be worried about?
We are in the process of removing the small quantities of parabens found in the tanning products and replacing them with an organic preservative. All cosmetics need preservatives to safeguard the shelf life of the product but we want our product to
contain 100 per cent natural ingredients. We can’t highlight the dangers of sunbathing on one hand and advocate the use of fake tan that contains chemicals on the other. We work closely with our laboratory in Dallas, who also produce La Prairie, to ensure we are always steps ahead.

How do you cope as a mother of two young children?
Obviously my kids are my priority and I work hard for their future. I admire mums that stay home with their kids but I was in a position where I had no choice but to go out and work.

What does the company and its success mean to you?
It means everything, I took a risk all those years ago to become the UK distributor and now I am taking another risk – I have to get my head round the global market but I like a challenge, I am one of those people who work better under stress. I am always thinking what next.

 

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