How to Get the Best Fake Tan From a Bottle Without Streaks or Turning Orange

Moisturize often after applying self-tanner to keep your skin looking even and bronzed.

You no longer need to sit in the sun to have a beach-ready tan. With all the negative side effects of sunbathing, get a healthy-looking "fake" tan with a self-tanner. To achieve a perfect tan using a sunless tanner is simple. These kinds of products can give you attractive results, and as long as you're careful to follow directions and make the proper preparations, you can avoid streaks and an unpleasant orange tint.

Things You'll Need

• Moisturizer
• Disposable gloves
• Self-tanner
• Washcloth

Instructions

1. Take a bath or shower and apply moisturizer to your skin.

2. Put on disposable gloves. Use these to avoid turning your hands orange from overexposure to the self-tanner product. Just washing your hands afterward may not remove all of the coloring agent in the product and you may be stuck with orange hands and wrists.

3. Apply self-tanner with your gloved hands in a circular motion. Avoid up and down application as this is how streaks form. Start with small circles and blend them into larger circles to cover your skin. Work slowly and apply small, even amounts to avoid skin turning an orange color. Overdoing the self-tanner and ignoring directions can result in an undesirable look and a fake-looking tan. Continue to blend in a circular motion until the lotion is well-distributed across your skin.

4. Avoid applying too much self-tanner to any especially dry spots on your body like ankles, elbows, the backs of your knees and any creases in your skin. The self-tanner can settle in these vulnerable spots, get sucked up by the dry skin, and become darker. Go easy on these areas and do them last with as little self tanner as possible.

5. Use a washcloth to remove any excess self-tanner. Wipe away any mistakes to avoid overdoing the color.

Tips & Warnings

• Exfoliate your skin in the shower before you apply the product.

• Choose a brand of self-tanner that has a good reputation.

• Allow the self-tanner to dry thoroughly before going to sleep or getting dressed

• Always do an allergy test. Apply a tiny amount to a hidden area to ensure an allergic reaction does not occur.

• Do not rush. Allow for ample time to apply the self-tanner to get your desired results.

References

• WebMD; You Asked! Expert A's to Your Beauty Q's About Self Tanners; Liesa Goins