Self-Tanner Made Easy

Simple steps to a flawless faux glow at home

- DANIELLE SCHLASS SALIMAN

FOR A GOLDEN, just-back-from-vacation tan minus the sun damage, a great self-tanner can do the trick. But streaks, splotches and orange palms can make the process feel like a gamble. Thankfully, it doesn't have to be! Makeup artist Tayelor Kennedy shares the steps to a seamless, long-lasting tan—plus, the products and tips that make it a cinch to get glowing.

Prep skin like a pro

A smooth, streak-free tan starts before you even break out the self-tanner. Kennedy recommends a few simple prep steps in the 24 hours leading up to application: (1) Shave or wax to create a smooth canvas and give hair follicles time to close. This helps prevent those dreaded dark spots. (2) Ditch bar soaps, sulfates and oil-based products (including perfume and deodorant). These can throw off your skin’s pH balance, leading to a patchy, uneven tan. (3) Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate! Pay extra attention to dry spots like feet, knees, elbows and underarms. A scrub like Nécessaire The Body Exfoliator (Amazon.com) combines physical and chemical exfoliants to gently buff away dead skin. If you prefer a tool, an exfoliating mitt, such as goGLOW Exfoliate Mitt (Shop.GoGlow.co), also works wonders.

Use smooth, long strokes