Do you stay away from self-tanners because of the streaks, complexity of application, or because you turn every color but tan? Here are a few tips that are sure to make your self-tanning project simpler and effective. Preparation: Keeping your skin in good condition will help your cause when it comes to hitting your perfect self-tan. Try to follow the mantra and moisturize every day when you step out the shower or before you hit the sack. Patchy, dry skin just won’t respond well to a faux glow. Exfoliate: I’m sure you’ve heard this one many times before, but I can’t stress enough just how important it is to gently scrub skin before you tan, to lift all those dead skin cells and reveal revitalized, ready-to-tan skin beneath. Applying fake tan to dry, uneven skin will simply leave you patchy and desperate to cover up, not show off your tan. Moisturize: Be sure to slather your body top-to-toe in moisturizer before you fake it, but do remember to let it fully sink in before you begin applying your tan enhancer. Be sure to pay particular attention to wrists, elbows, ankles, knees and feet – any areas that can get dry and need extra moisture. Glove up: The tell-tale sign you’ve been cheating in your tanning practice is the orange-tinted palms which, unless you want to wear gloves in summer, are impossible to hide. To avoid that beacon glow and grubby fingernails, get into the habit of applying tan wearing gloves. Yes, it seems foreign at first, but after a couple of applications it’ll become second nature. Remove the gloves and use cotton wool pads to apply a small amount of tan to the back of each hand. Back brush: Unless you have a dedicated other half to ensure your back is bronzed, tanning your back solo seems like an impossible mission. Fake tan experts have literally thought of everything and introduced a ‘back spatula’ to reach those nooks and crannies we would never get to otherwise. Vaseline on eyebrows and hair line: A great tan tip, but one to work behind closed doors, is dotting a small amount of Vaseline along your brows and next to your hair line. Tanning the face should be treated with caution and dabbing the jelly means that any slip of the hand when applying will prevent dodgy tide marks appearing in these areas. Buff it out: When tanning professionals want to ensure a tan is perfectly applied and avoid any sign of patchiness, they use a buffing mitt and gently dab away at any buildup of tan, to spread it evenly and avoid varying shades. Wear loose, dark clothing after application: The number one rule of dressing after tanning is to wear dark, loose clothing to avoid marking any wardrobe favorites. Be sure to keep legs bare to optimize your tan potential. Self-tan Remover: If it all goes horribly wrong and you are left with distinctly orange palms, don’t panic, there is a solution. Have handy a self-tan remover. Simply rub in and use wipes to remove those tell-tale signs. Reapply: Stay glowing longer by maintaining a strict routine of gentle exfoliation and moisturizing. If you start to pale then reapply tanning product as touch up.
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