Turning personal passion into a viable money maker is a distant dream for many people.
But for Perth-based mother Fiona Dunne, 32, that dream became a reality when she turned her love for fake tan into a booming business in less than one year.
Speaking to FEMAIL, Ms Dunne – a health officer from Dublin, Ireland – revealed how her desire to maintain financial independence led her to create GlowDry Australia, a body setting powder which now earns her between $10,000 and $12,000 a month.
Perth-based mother Fiona Dunne (pictured) turned her passion for fake tan into a thriving business in less than one year
‘After I discovered I was pregnant, I wanted to keep my financial independence so I took a spray tanning course. When I was around five months pregnant, I started taking clients at my house and it really took off,’ Ms Dunne said.
But while she enjoyed her job, Ms Dunne wondered how the process of false tanning could be simplified for busy working women and mothers like herself.
‘I loved tanning other people and applying fake tan myself, but I hated how sticky it is and the pointless waiting for the layers to dry.
‘I wanted to help women who are time poor, busy millennials, busy professionals and busy mums, so I started looking for setting powders but there really wasn’t any I was happy with. I knew from the beginning I was on to something.’
GlowDry Australia has collaborated with major Australian influencers including Brittney Lee Saunders (pictured)
With ethical practice and sustainability in mind, Ms Dunne set about sourcing local Australian ingredients to use in her powder.
‘We use clay from South Australia, starch, minerals to give it the shimmer – I wanted to keep it as natural and locally sourced as possible, while also making it equally suitable for salons and avid fake tanners themselves,’ she said.
Launched in October 2018, the end product is a cruelty free, vegan friendly and talc free formula which promises to dry fake tan instantly, mask unseemly odours and reduce transfer to clothes and bed sheets with just one light layer of dusting.
GlowDry has received rave reviews and promises to dry fake tan instantly, mask unseemly odours and reduce transfer to clothes and bed sheets
Business is certainly booming, with GlowDry’s official Instagram account already boasting 39,000 followers.
But it’s not all smooth sailing, as Ms Dunne admitted she puts ‘every hour under the sun’ into her brand and continues to work two days a week in environmental health to pay the bills.
‘I don’t take a wage, it all gets invested back in to work on other products. I’m all in – I don’t do things by half measures,’ she said.
Ms Dunne (pictured with her son Logan) puts ‘every hour under the sun’ into her business and plans to invest her profit into new products
GlowDry comes with a 4.5 star rating from online reviewers, with many branding it ‘life changing’ in terms of their beauty routine.
‘I am officially obsessed with GlowDry, anyone and everyone is getting told about this gem. A definite must have in your tanning routine, a little certainly goes a long way and it smells unreal!’ a Brisbane-based woman wrote.
‘I usually develop tan patches on the inner arm from bending it during sleep, this powder has literally made my tan flawless!!! My only problem is that I didn’t buy this sooner,’ she added.
GlowDry has been recommended by Vogue, Tatler and Image Magazine
And the praise doesn’t stop there.
Ireland’s leading lifestyle publication Image Magazine called GlowDry ‘the best thing to happen to fake tan this year’ and awarded it ‘Best Body Care’ product in their 2019 Image Beauty Awards.
The award-winning formula has also been recommended by Vogue’s Beauty Cabinet and received special mention in Tatler Magazine.