Why our founder is so passionate about “Faking It”
Amy Maree, founder of IV, is deeply passionate about fake tanning due to her personal experiences and family history with sun-related skin damage and cancers.
Growing up, her parents, who spent their youth on Bondi Beach without sun protection, experienced severe consequences of sun exposure, including skin cancer and melanoma. Amy's mother suffered from a serious basal cell carcinoma (BCC) that required major surgery and skin grafts at just 24 years old.
Despite her parents' warnings, Amy herself faced a traumatic incident with a solarium during her teenage years, where she was left too long under high heat, resulting in sunstroke, temporary vision loss, and severe blistering.
Over the years, her family continued to battle skin cancers, with her mother and uncle both being diagnosed with stage 2 melanoma. These experiences have profoundly influenced Amy's advocacy for sun safety and her belief that fake tanning can save lives by offering a safer alternative to sun-baking and tanning beds.
After witnessing the devastating effects of sun exposure on her family, Amy turned to fake tanning as a safer alternative. She began getting spray tans to "save her skin" and potentially her life. This personal commitment to sun safety inspired her to integrate fake tanning services into her already successful beauty business, driven by her passion for helping others avoid the same risks.
In recent years, Amy has continued to see her family suffer from skin cancers and sun-related damage. Her brother, in his late 30s, developed a basal cell carcinoma (BCC) on his bald head. The cancer, which had been growing for 18-24 months, required urgent removal. Due to its difficult location, he underwent major plastic surgery involving 32 staples. A normal surgical procedure would have involved even more extensive scalp removal with 85 staples.
These ongoing struggles with skin cancer within her family have reinforced Amy's dedication to promoting sun safety. She is committed to helping others avoid risking their lives for a tan, making her work in the fake tanning industry both a professional and personal mission.
We hope these stories being shared help you or your loved one to “fake it” and choose a faux tan over a real one and help save lives of those you love.
Owner - Island Vibes
