2026-07-01 • 10 min read
Spray Tan Intake Form: What to Ask Before the First Appointment
A practical spray tan intake form template: what to ask, what to keep out of the first-booking flow, how to handle consent and skin-type questions, and how to turn intake into a usable client record.
The short answer
A good spray tan intake form should collect only the information that improves service quality, protects the client experience, and gives the artist a cleaner starting point for the appointment.
For most spray tan businesses, that means the intake form should cover:
- contact basics and appointment context;
- skin-type and sensitivity questions;
- prep status and known contraindication flags;
- prior spray tan history and desired result;
- consent and acknowledgment of studio policies.
If your intake form is too short, you miss the details that affect outcome. If it is too long, clients rush through it or abandon the booking. The best version is structured, practical, and easy to reuse in the client record after the first appointment.
Why spray tan intake is different from a generic salon intake form
Generic salon intake forms usually focus on contact details, a brief consent line, and maybe a preferences box.
Spray tan intake needs to be narrower and more operational because the result depends on timing, skin response, prep behavior, and expectation-setting before the client ever walks in.
That means the artist usually needs to know:
- whether this is the client's first spray tan;
- how they usually develop and rinse;
- whether they are coming in for bridal, vacation, event, or routine maintenance;
- whether there are skin-sensitivity or product-use details worth flagging;
- whether their desired result matches what is realistic for their skin type.
If you want the broader client-record context, pair this with the existing spray tan client CRM guide. If you need the skin-type layer, review Fitzpatrick skin-type tracking. If you are building the operational stack around intake, policies, and follow-up, the current public plans are on pricing.
What belongs on the form
Keep the first version focused on decisions that actually change service quality or communication.
| Intake section | What to collect | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Client basics | Name, mobile number, email, appointment goal | Gives you a reachable contact record tied to the booking |
| Service context | First time or returning, event date, mobile or studio context | Changes how much education and scheduling buffer the client needs |
| Skin profile | Skin type, sensitivity, allergy flags, recent irritation | Helps the artist avoid guessing about tone depth or risk |
| Prep status | Exfoliation timing, lotions or products on skin, recent shaving or waxing | Explains likely development issues before they happen |
| Tan history | Prior spray tan experience, rinse habits, desired color depth | Prevents repeating the wrong formula or aftercare guidance |
| Consent and policy acknowledgment | Agreement to prep guidance and studio policy review | Reduces confusion after booking and before service |
That is enough for a useful first-pass intake form. You can always add nuance later inside the appointment notes.
The questions most artists actually need
If you are writing the form from scratch, start with plain-language questions:
- Is this your first spray tan?
- Are you tanning for a wedding, vacation, competition, photoshoot, or routine maintenance?
- Have you used any lotions, oils, deodorant, retinol products, or exfoliants recently?
- Do you have any known sensitivities, allergies, or skin reactions I should know about?
- How dark do you want to go, and what did you like or dislike about prior tans?
- When do you typically rinse, and have you had development issues before?
Those questions are useful because each one changes either the application plan, the prep conversation, or the follow-up message after the appointment.
What should not be on the first-booking form
Many intake forms get bloated because the artist tries to collect every possible note before trust has even been earned.
Keep these out of the first pass unless your workflow truly requires them:
- long paragraph fields about every past beauty service;
- duplicate contact questions already captured during booking;
- internal workflow notes the client cannot answer well;
- unnecessary legal language that belongs in a real policy page;
- ten versions of the same prep question.
If a field does not change the appointment decision, the prep instructions, or the follow-up plan, it probably does not belong in the first-booking flow.
Skin type deserves structure, not a notes field
One of the most valuable intake details is skin type because it shapes solution choice and expectation-setting.
That is why it should not live in a random sentence inside a notes box. It should be visible and reusable. Bronzly's public Fitzpatrick skin-type tracking page shows the right model: collect the skin-type signal in a structured way, keep it on the client record, and use it to support better appointment decisions later.
If you only remember one rule from this article, make it this one: collect the fields that are likely to matter again.
Consent, release, and policy language
An intake form is not the same thing as a full legal agreement.
For most studios, the intake form should:
- confirm that the client reviewed prep guidance;
- acknowledge the studio's cancellation or no-show policy;
- document any disclosed sensitivities or relevant warnings;
- capture the fact that the client understands spray tan results vary by skin type and aftercare.
The exact wording may vary by state, business model, and counsel. So this article is an operational template, not legal advice. The practical point is that the client should not be surprised by prep rules, rinse timing, or the existence of your policy after they book.
How intake should flow into the client record
The form itself is only step one. The useful part is what happens after submission.
Use a simple intake workflow:
| Step | What happens next | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Form submitted | Key fields are tied to the client profile | Staff are not re-reading email threads to find basics |
| Artist review | Skin-type, sensitivity, and event context are checked before service | Prevents rushed decisions in the appointment room |
| Appointment notes added | Solution, depth goal, and custom observations are layered on top | The second appointment becomes easier than the first |
| Follow-up triggered | Prep, rinse, and rebooking messages can be more relevant | Intake starts improving retention instead of sitting unused |
That is the difference between "having a form" and using intake as part of the business workflow.
A simple template you can copy
Use this as a starting structure:
| Section | Suggested fields |
|---|---|
| Contact | Full name, mobile number, email |
| Appointment goal | Occasion, date needed, first-time or returning |
| Skin and sensitivity | Skin type, allergies, recent irritation, actives/retinol use |
| Prep check | Last exfoliation, shaving or waxing timing, products currently on skin |
| Tan preferences | Desired depth, prior spray tan history, rinse preference |
| Acknowledgment | Prep instructions reviewed, policy acknowledged, consent confirmed |
Notice what is missing: fluff. The goal is not to impress the client with a long form. The goal is to gather the information that makes the appointment better.
The practical rule
Your spray tan intake form should help you do three things well:
- spot risk before the appointment starts;
- set realistic expectations for color and timing;
- carry the right details into the next visit without asking everything again.
If the form does not improve those three outcomes, simplify it.
Use Bronzly to keep spray-tan-specific intake details, skin-type context, and client history connected to the booking workflow from day one. That is the cleanest path from a generic form to a reusable client record.