With the recently past Memorial Day weekend signaling the official start of summer, one specific quandary has been on our minds. How exactly does one accessorize with warm-weather’s must-have tan, while staying true to all of our UVA & UVB-avoiding tactics? (We hit the SPF-sun safety issue pretty hard a few weeks back, so if you missed it click here.)

If you’re looking more vampire than vital, get thee to the drug-store-ary or the Sephora-ary or any –ary that offers up safe summer-color options for your skin. And the options are endless, creams and sprays, pro and DIY, the vast array of bronzing products on the market are head-spinning – that’s why the good folks at Good Housekeeping recently offered up a how-to in their 2011 June issue, aptly titled “Self-Tan Like A Pro”.

The first step toward accomplishing any goal is preparation – and let me tell you self-tanning is no different. DaVinci didn’t just go slapping paint on any old surface. No, first he primed his canvas. Consider your skin is a canvas… and start prepping.

The ingredient in self-tanners that cause that bronzy-glow is dihydroxyacetone, or DHA which reacts with your outer-layer’s proteins turning you a golden shade of delicious – so the importance of a smooth, supple canvas is kind of self-evident. So let’s just say it: exfoliate. GH recommends a good dry-brushing before the shower, or using an exfoliating mitt with an oil-free body wash – or both. Be wary of any body scrubs that aren’t specifically formulated to work in tandem with self-tanners, since the hydrating oils that most of them contain can get in the way of DHA’s penetrating powers.

Once you’re all buffed and sloughed hold off on your routine of rubbing in any body lotions, essential oils or perfumes. For that matter, also hold off on the deodorant or antiperspirant. Founder of Beautisol (a purveyor of the faux glow) Sinead Norenius explains why, “If the lotion or spray hits your deodorant, your skin can turn a funny green-gray color.” In a word: Ew.



It’s a well-known fact that to run, first you must crawl. The same theory applies to choosing a self-tanner from the bevy of bronzers on the market. So how does one transform from their pale vampire-ish visage into a glowy, bronzed-beauty? Hint: Start light. It’s not necessary to go from pasty-white to Jersey Shore in a nanosecond, and since dark self-tanners pack in even more DHA, their use leaves you more susceptible to an uneven or streaky tan (*Eek!). So just practice a little self-control, and start with a light formula. It’s the perfect way to perfect your technique without looking like a hot orange mess. (Those darker formulas aren’t going anywhere – so hold off on that tropical-tan tantrum. You'll get there.)

Another good way to avoid sloppy streakiness is to choose a self-tanner that delivers immediate color. A temporary product containing DHA-free bronzing tints (just like makeup) delivers an immediate glow that simply washes off with soap and water. More importantly, they show you instantly where you’ve missed or not rubbed them in properly. Consider these tinted potions are training wheels – soon you’ll have mastered the fine art of application and can slap on the darkest of faux glows without apprehension.

Simply start with a dollop of self-tanner at your thighs and rub the tanner down the length of your leg. By the time it reaches your ankle it will have thinned out and you’ll avoid any unsightly creasing and crevicing. Next hit your torso and your arms (using the same application technique as on your legs – there is nothing worse than orange creasy wrists and hands, right?)

Don’t forget to tan your face. Come on. Don’t be scared. Most body tanners work just as well on your mug, so it’s not necessary to by multiple products. Just be sure to rub the product in really well – all the way into your hairline, your ears and behind your neck – UNLESS YOU’RE BLOND (It seems DHA can also affect hair color. Noted and thank you.) Norenius also recommends swiping any pre-existing dark spots on your face with a slightly damp cotton swap. Yes, it seems DHA can also make those darker – (Again, noted. And thanks.) A post-tanning buff with a dry washcloth to your knuckles, elbows, knees, inside of wrists and back of your heels will also help eliminate any excess product from gathering in those spots.

Now take a peek into the mirror and voila! You are no longer the visage of unsightly pale translucence that you were. Nope now you are a sun-kissed faux glow vision of summery loveliness.

P.S. Two very important pre-potion pointers:

Timing is everything, so make sure your other beauty maintenance doesn’t interfere with your bronzing. I’m talking lady-scaping – waxing, plucking, threading, tweezing. Wait at least 24 hours before any hair removal service that tears the hair out of it’s follicle. “Otherwise, the follicles may still be open and self-tanner can pool in them creating tiny dark spots,” explains Norenius. That doesn’t sound all that attractive, now does it?

Don’t forget the all-important (and oft ignored) skin test. There really is nothing more uncomfortable (and horrifying) than slapping a self-tanner all over your luscious body only to discover that your skin and your product are completely incompatible. Norenius advises, “Self-tanner’s rely on the ingredient dihydroxyacetone, or DHA, a potential irritant. Over the years, I’ve found that roughly one in 10 people can’t tolerate it.”

I’m a staunch supporter of immediate gratification, but with numbers like that, it’s best to take that extra day before you go hog-wild and dollop a dollar-size area on your inner-are or thigh to try out your product. Any rashy, itchy unsightliness that should show up by then and you can search for other bronzing options.