Why adorn your body with expensive jewelry and accessories when you can get a lovely tan that will turn heads for you? Tanned skin is without any doubt one of the best and hottest accessories a woman can wear, and not to mention it makes you look beautiful.

Whether you choose to wear a swimsuit, an elegant pencil skirt, or your favorite denim boilersuit, tanned skin will perfectly complement anything you wear.

Unfortunately though, working with self-tanners is a tricky job that can easily turn into a nightmare if you are not careful. Tanning improperly can result in orange streaks and splotches that quickly become an embarrassment.

Needless to say, if you don’t tan correctly, it could result in spending more money on expensive tanning lotions and the results would not be perfect or last very long. Sunless tanning is perfect for women who want to look absolutely natural and does not give the idea that you have been to a salon.

To make the indoor tanning process as stress-free as possible for you, we have listed down five expert tips to help you get perfect results with sunless tanning lotions. 

Make Sure to Exfoliate Your Skin Before Applying a Tanning Lotion

• Before you apply any tanning lotion at all, you need to make sure your skin is crystal clear and free of blemishes as much as possible. Taking a shower before tanning will not work because a bath can never get rid of all the dead cells that are on the surface of the skin. And if the dead cells are not removed prior to tanning, you will not get the desired results.

There’s a very simple fix to this problem – just exfoliate your skin before applying tanning lotion. Exfoliating usually gets rid of all the impurities and dead skin cells from the surface of the skin, opening way for the tanning lotion to work as intended.

• You can also use a loofah pad to scrub the impurities and dead skin cells from the surface of the skin, but this is usually not a recommended method especially if you have sensitive skin. If you want to avoid buying exfoliating products to save money, you can always create your own exfoliating solution at home.

Simply mix some brown sugar with honey and gently scratch the surface of the skin to remove dead cells and impurities. The honey will also moisturize your skin leaving it feeling soft and supple. 

• Once you are done exfoliating, you can then proceed to apply a sunless tanner. 

Cover Dry Areas of the Skin with a Body Lotion

• If you want your skin to evenly tan, then you will have to take extra care with dried areas of the skin. The knees, elbows, and ankles are usually the driest and they tend to absorb more of the tanning products, making your skin appear darker in these particular areas. 

To make sure this does not happen, always apply a body lotion to the dried-up areas to moisturize them. This way the tanning lotion will be easy to apply and will prevent the skin from looking uneven.

• You can even mix a bit of tanning lotion with your favorite body lotion and apply it on dry areas. 

For the driest skins, we recommend using the Bourbon and Honey Ultra-Rich Moisturizer ($11.95)

 Perform a Patch Test

• Never applied a sunless tanner before? Then it is wise to do a patch test before you apply it to your entire body. This is important because certain tanning products, specifically then ones that produce a tingling feeling can create discomfort for many people.

If your skin is super sensitive and does not do well with irritation and redness, the tingling feeling will quickly become unbearable. That is why you must conduct a patch test for at least 24-48 hours before you apply the tanning lotion to your entire body. 

• If you come across an allergic reaction, get rid of the tanning lotion and try getting a better alternative that is made for sensitive skin. The Buckwild ($34.95) is ideal for sensitive skin types. If the tanning lotion produces a streak-free, sun-kissed, and evenly toned tan, then proceed by applying it to your face and body.

Do not Take a Bath Immediately After Applying a Tanning Lotion

• A lot of women make this common yet overlooked mistake. You should never take a bath immediately after applying a tanning product. You must wait at least three hours before you take a shower. 

If you are using a bronzer product, then the wait time should be increased to 6 hours otherwise the lotion may start to fade away and it will make your tan look really bad. Make sure to read all the instructions provided by the tanning lotion brand before applying one to get the perfect tan with a natural glow.

Don’t Expose Tattoos to UV

• Tattoos and tanning beds are worst enemies. If you have a tattoo and you are opting for sunless tanning, avoid exposing the tattoo to UV rays of the bed. If you do not, it can cause the tattoo to fade away.

Most of the tanning lotions available through Tanning Lotion Warehouse are designed to help prevent the tattoos from fading away even if you expose them to UV, but you must still shield the tattoo if you want them to stay intact. 

• To protect your tattoo from fading away, apply a bit of sunscreen with at least SPF 30 or above, such as the California Tan SPF 30 Lotion ($12.95). Or you can simply choose a tanning lotion that protects the tattoo from fading away while you rest in a tanning bed. 

The Black Marula Bronzer ($39.50) has a technology called Tattoo ColorShield which combines essential minerals, aloe vera, and algae to help maintain the color and vibrancy of tattoos. Give it a try next time you tan. 

Sunless tanning is without any doubt a difficult procedure if you have never tanned before. Hopefully, these tanning tips will help you improve the results as long as you follow them properly.