Self Tanners - How to Use a Self tanners

Self Tanners have come along way from the orange type products we're all used to. Now, they come in array of sprays and lotions and can take anywhere from 5 min to hours to start working. The only way of telling if a product will work for you is to try it. Start with a light tanner and gradually increase to get a darker look. You don't want to go to work the next day and look as if you sat in the sun for a week.

How to apply self tanners?

1. Exfoliate your skin from head to toe. Use a gentle exfoliator or loofah scrub on your body before you use your tanner. For your face, apply a salicylic acid or alpha-hydroxy acid product for a few days prior to application. If you skip this step, the older skin will slough off and you'll wind up with a very patchy look. You can opt to skip this step if you wear make-up on a daily basis. Use a bronzer instead.
2. Cleanse your body with a liquid cleanser, then exfoliate your skin gently with a washcloth or loofah while bathing.
3. Decide which parts of your body you want to have color.
4. Start with your face, then move down your body. Use only enough tanner to cover the area you're working on; get help from a friend if you want color on your back.
5. Make sure your skin is dry! Your skin needs direct contact with the formula. Do not apply moisturizer.
6. Use a damp paper towel to take off any excess tanner on such areas as the neck, knees and elbows.
7. Wash your hands properly after finishing and give yourself 15 to 20 minutes for the tanner to set before you do anything! Otherwise you'll end up with smudges and blotches.
8. Exfoliate every day and apply more self-tanner every three or four days, experimenting with how much you need.

Some Tips

• Don't go for the tanned look without experimenting a little.
• If your color ends up too dark, you can try to exfoliate your skin.
• Use self-tanner before going to bed instead of during the day so you don't dye your clothes.
• Speed up the process by exfoliating regularly.
• If you have stains on hands, try rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover.
• Avoid using other skin care products before or after self-tanning.