When Rick Norvell first started mixing tanning formulas in his Tennessee garage, he wasn’t chasing fame or luxury. He wasn’t trying to build a national brand, either.
He was searching for something deeper: a way to help people feel good in their own skin.
Today, Norvell is the founder of Norvell Skin Solutions, one of the most influential brands in the sunless tanning, or spray tanning, industry. His products are used by salons statewide, featured in competitions and television and trusted by beauty professionals across the country. But for Norvell, the mission has always been more emotional than commercial.
Spray tanning has grown into a major beauty sector in the U.S., generating more than $2 billion annually, with an estimated 15,000-20,000 tanning and airbrush studios nationwide. A single spray tan typically costs $40 to $75, depending on location and technique.
For many, it is no longer about appearance, it’s about self-esteem, body confidence and feeling comfortable in their own skin. That’s the part of the business that matters most to Norvell.
Norvell’s story began more than two decades ago, when he and his brother, Brandon, started developing formulas that looked natural and were safer than sunbathing or tanning beds.
“We wanted to create something safe,” Norvell said. “People were damaging their skin trying to get color. We knew there had to be a healthier way.”
What surprised him most was how emotional clients became about the results.
“People told us the tan made them feel like themselves again,” he said.
What started as a small family operation quickly grew. Salons began requesting their products, followed by photographers, TV sets and fitness competition teams. Soon, the Norvell name became synonymous with natural-looking color and reliability.
For Norvell, spray tanning isn’t about changing someone’s appearance, it’s about revealing how they feel.
“I’ve seen people cry tears of joy after a tan,” he said. “They look in the mirror and finally see confidence staring back.”
That emotional impact is what keeps him motivated. Even now, he still visits salons to talk directly with clients who use his products.
One of those clients is Miami resident Samantha Cruz, 32, who remembers walking into a salon for her first spray tan after years of avoiding beach outings due to uneven pigmentation on her legs.
“I was so nervous,” she said. “I didn’t want to look fake, I just wanted to feel comfortable again.”
Cruz said the result changed far more than her appearance.
“It sounds silly, but I cried,” she said. “It was the first time in years I wore shorts without thinking twice. That little change made me feel normal again.”
Salon owners see similar reactions daily. Gladys Trasorras, CEO of Golden Touch in Miami, says these emotional transformations are the reason she has used Norvell products for more than eight years.
“When clients come in, they think they’re getting color,” Trasorras said. “But what they’re really getting is confidence. We’ve had people with scars, skin conditions or post-surgery marks who leave smiling for the first time in a long time.”
Trasorras said Norvell’s commitment to educating salons and supporting professionals sets the company apart.
“They’re not just selling formulas,” she said. “They’re creating community, and that makes a difference.”
Despite running a multimillion-dollar company, Norvell insists he never lost sight of why he started.
“Tanning is just the surface,” he said. “What we’re really doing is giving people a way to feel seen and confident. At the end of the day, people don’t come back for the tan – they come back for how it makes them feel.”
