At just five years old, is already the market leader in tanning in both Australia and New Zealand and it’s rapidly gaining traction in the UK and US. With an ever-evolving product range, most recently the new Self Tan Eraser and suncare range, we thought it was about time we caught up with one of the brains behind the brand, Blair James.
It’s hard to imagine a world without Bondi Sands (I’m sure every fake tan junkie can agree!) – how did it all begin?
My roots have always been in tanning. I owned a beauty salon for several years prior to Bondi Sands and spray tans were a huge part of the business, so much so that during the busy periods I had to turn customers away as we were fully booked. I’d need to suggest at-home alternatives to customers but the overwhelming response was that the result was substandard. I saw a gap for a tanning product that provided a salon quality tan at home and jumped at it.
How long did it take to create and perfect Bondi Sands’ winning formula?
As with any of our products there’s years of planning that goes into it. The core tanning range has come a long way since inception. Originally our formula was a spray tan solution that we used in my salon, which we then converted to a self-tan formulation. All up it took three years till we started selling into retailers.
I was surprised to learn Bondi Sands was actually born and produced in Melbourne and continues to be - why did you choose to name the tan after the iconic Sydney beach?
From day one our goal has always been international. We wanted to portray Australia’s relaxed beach culture and the idea you could achieve that quintessential Aussie ‘beach babe’ look through a bottle. It seemed like an obvious decision to name the brand after Australia’s most iconic beach.
How has social media changed the game for you?
Social media has played a huge role in our brand awareness. As a new brand the marketing budget was tight and social media enabled us to reach our target audience around the world on a small budget. From the beginning our approach has been to form long term relationships with influencers, not just one-off posts. Now we have our own healthy following, our seeding programs are like partnerships – we both leverage each other’s followings. Social media is always at the front of minds at every stage of the process, even product development. It was really important that our suncare range was aesthetically pleasing and ‘instagrammable’.
What’s in the pipeline for Bondi Sands?
We’re not only expanding in a global sense but also the range offering, constantly. We want to lead the way in tanning so we’re always looking at what we can bring out next. In the past few months alone, we’ve launched a , and now suncare range and we’re not slowing down anytime soon. We’re currently looking into newer formulations for a wash off tan.
Explore the Bondi Sands Suncare Range
With a signature summer fragrance and vibrant 'insta-worthy' packaging, the new suncare range is sure to be a must-have this season. The range comprises a , , , and - a world first in suncare. The new innovation is a spray on SPF 15 sunscreen, which contains self-tanning ingredients to help develop a natural glow while staying protected from harsh UV rays.
