It's mid-summer here in NYC, and while that means ice cream festivals (yes, this is a real thing) and more outdoor brunches, it also means shorter hemlines and sleeveless everything. Unless you are Dita Von Teese, some of us just look a little better with a sun-kissed glow. We know to stay away from tanning beds and to wear SPF, but there must be a way to meet in the middle... Enter self tanning!

PREP:

Take a CSI style shower a few hours before hand; shave, exfoliate really well with either a non-oil based scrub or washcloth/loofah.
Dab moisturizer on knees and elbows so self tanner doesn't make those areas too dark.
Throw a dark sheet on your bed the first night you apply it, or sleep in dark PJ's.

APPLICATION TIPS:

If your tanner comes with a little applicator mitt, use it! Or try a tanner applicator glove.
Dry for at least 10 minutes, longer if possible, before getting dressed or going to bed.
For hard to reach areas, if you don't have a friend or hubby to help with your back, my Macguyver trick is to put the tanning mitt over my body brush. to get my back. Voila!
Don't rub too much, gentle smoothing is all you need, let the tanner do the work.
Try sanitizing wipes or hand sanitizer to clean the bottoms of your hands and between your fingers and toes.
For self tanning novices: watch a video! https://www.sttropeztan.com/application-videos

TO FIX MISTAKES:

If you didn't use a glove, and didn't wash your hands fast enough, try exfoliating the area with a scrub a few times. There are also fake tan removers or you can try rubbing half a lemon on the area.

MAKE IT LAST:

Moisturize! The drier your skin, the faster and more uneven your tan will fade. As long as you moisturize right after a shower, your tan will last and fade evenly.

I'm always trying new tanners, but there's a few staples that have made it onto my holy grail list:

VITA LIBERATA TAN MOUSSE its a foam, dries in a minute, and no lingering smell. Try it a few nights in a row for color that lasts a long time. I'm talking weeks. Plus its kim k's fave, and her tan always looks perfect.

ST. TROPEZ Anything this company does is goddess level bronze. There are sprays, mouses, lotions, even a new dry oil formula.

JAMES READ SLEEP MASK TAN This actually smells really good, but there is no telltale tanner smell; and its loaded with great ingredients for your skin too!

BARE MINERALS FAUX TAN FACE Another 'faces only' tanner. Amazing ingredients, and natural looking.