PREP 1. Use a good exfoliator first and foremost to get rid of all dead skin, dry areas and basically anything tan can cling to. Concentrate on all the tricky tanning areas, elbows, knees, ankles and neck. 2. Moisturise the night before rather than immediately prior to tanning. This gives your skin chance to soak in all the product and let it work its magic on those dry areas. An Aloe Vera based product will be best for this. 3. Don't wax immediately before tanning. This will open the pores and leave you with that speckled, uneven look. 4. Remove all traces of makeup, perfume and deodorants so you have a clean base for the tan. 5. Make sure you use a product that is right for your skin type, if you're particularly dry go for a lotion rather than a mousse as this will give you the most hydration and leave your skin smooth. 6. Apply Vaseline or a balm product to the hairline and eyebrows to create a barrier for the tan.
TAN 7. When tanning the face, mix with a moisturiser to give a slightly toned down finish and reduce the risk of irritation. 8. If you're a tanning novice always opt for a mousse product. It's easier to apply and you can see where the product is going to leave a more even finish. 9. Always use a latex glove or a mitt when apply your tan. The rusty palm look is never a good one! 10. Use cotton wool pads right at the end to apply tan to the backs of your hands. It will keep the product even and it's easy to make sure you've got in all the nooks and crannies without getting product on your palms. 11. If you have to put clothes on straight away make sure you opt for dark, loose clothing to hide any transfer. But always try to give yourself at least 15 minutes for the tan to set on your skin! 12. Once you're all bronzed and glowing keep up with the moisturising to make it last as long as possible. Opt for a moisturiser with a gradual tanner to keep the colour topped up.
DAMAGE CONTROL 13. If you've woken up with patchy, streaky tan don't panic all is not lost! Have a long hot shower with an exfoliating mitt or a loofah and then moisturise. Repeat if you're not quite streak free after the first attempt. 14. If removing the tan entirely is the only option, mix lemon juice with a small amount of baking soda and saturate your skin with the solution. Let it sit for 5 minutes and then rinse. This should remove all traces of the tan.
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