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Nowadays fewer and fewer people are willing to bake themselves in the hot sun in order to achieve that beautiful summer glow.  Now that there are so many other options for making your skin look sun-kissed without the sun damage, there is simply no reason to risk your health and youthful looks for a few days of tanned skin.  Instead, you can achieve a pretty nice tan using self-tanners in just a short time.  Keep reading to find out the ins and outs of putting on the tanner without giving away your sunless secret.

Step One: Exfoliate.  Before applying self-tanner it is important to first exfoliate your skin.  In the shower choose a good exfoliating product and a soft scrubber for most of your body.  Exfoliate by making small circular motions across the surface of the skin.  For tougher areas such as the feet, elbows and knees, you may need to use a loofa or just give these a little extra attention.

Step Two:  Moisturize. After you step out of the shower begin by towelling yourself dry.  
Now for the knees, elbows and feet you may want to apply some added moisturizer even if you’ve exfoliated thoroughly.  The creases and crevasse of elbows for instance can be the Achilles heel of self-tanning, so make sure to add moisture before beginning and go easy on these areas.  Also it is always wise to oil your fingernails and toenails in order to prevent staining here.

Step Three: Application.  Now some people prefer to wear light plastic gloves when applying self tanner in order to avoid accidentally staining their hands—another self-tanner dead give a way.  If you’ve had some experience, however, and feel that you can get through the process quickly enough to wash off your hands before they stain, than feel free to go gloveless.  Begin at the top and work your way downwards, being sure to spread self-tanner evenly.  For sprays make sure to rub it in well so that there are no drops still left and for lotions be sure to spread it thinly and evenly across the surface of the skin.  Avoid the palms of the hands and soles of the feet and go easy on areas that don’t generally see much sun.  Think about how you usually tan and try to follow that guide.  For instance, your armpits rarely get tanned so go very easy on these areas or avoid them entirely.

Step Four: Waiting.  This can be the hardest part of all.  Many people ruin all this good work with impatience, and stain an outfit or two in the process.  Depending on the type of tanner you have wait times will vary, but make sure to wait at least the allotted time it says on the package.  Some people like to add a little extra moisturizer about twenty minutes in, in order to ensure no streaking, but this is usually not necessary.  If you’re alone then revel in your naked glory.  If bored you can also try vacuuming, dusting or doing other light household duties while you’re waiting for your tan to dry—there’s a reason why some women refer to their self-tanning regimes as their secret single behaviour or S.S.B. (see Sex and the City).  This will keep you moving but ensure that you don’t accidentally sit down before it’s dry.  And if you’re partner is around well all the better, naked housework has been known to cause a stir now and again.