Always wanted luscious legs worthy of the Victoria Secrets catwalk? Well now you can, with the simple and inexpensive solution of self-tanning. But how does one apply such stuff without running the risk of resembling streaky bacon? Beauty & tanning expert, media personality and Cocoa Brown founder Marissa Carter solves your self-tanning dilemmas.

Q: When should I wax or shave the hairs on my body if I am planning on self-tanning?

A: Wax your hairs two days before tanning. If you wax the day before tanning, there may still be remnants of wax on your skin that the tan will cling to. You can shave your hairs the day before you apply tan. I don’t recommend shaving on the same day that you’re going to apply tan because tan tends to get into the pores after shaving which can end up looking like blackheads in your skin.

Q: How often do I need to exfoliate and moisturise my skin before I apply a self-tanning product?

A: I recommend lightly exfoliating in the shower with scrub gloves and shower gel every day or at least every day for the three days leading up to your tan application. Moisturise your body twice a day if you can. I recommend using a body oil at night when skin is most absorbent and an oil free moisturiser during the day.

Q: What should I do to prepare my skin on the day I am going to self-tan?

A: Shower using shower gel (not an exfoliator) about half an hour before applying tan. This ensures skin is clean and free from any oils, lotions, potions or perfumes that have the potential to act as a barrier between your skin and the active ingredients in the tan that need to get into your skin for your tan to develop. They can also cause the tan to go streaky or patchy so it’s very important that is clean before you apply tan.

Apply an oil-free moisturiser to dry areas such as hands, feet, knees and ankles so that the tan doesn’t go too dark. The moisturiser must be oil free because if it contains oil, the oil will prevent the tan from developing and you could end up with pale patches!
A small amount of petroleum jelly through your eyebrows will stop the tan from clinging to your hairs, ensuring you don’t end up with tell-tale stained brows.
If you have dark circles around your eyes and you apply tan over the circles, they will appear darker and more obvious so avoid this by applying petroleum jelly to the area which will act as a barrier.
Nail varnish on your finger and toe nails before you get sprayed is a good idea because it prevents the tan from staining your nails.
If you have light coloured hair, I recommend wearing a mop cap or wrapping a towel around your head so the spray tan doesn’t get onto your hair and become temporarily discoloured.

Q: What should I do after tanning?

A: Your beauty therapist will tell you how long you need to wait for your tan to develop before rinsing it off but in the meantime, wear loose dark clothes so the tan doesn’t rub off too much on your clothes and your clothes don’t rub too much of the tan off your skin too!

Don’t wash your hair in the shower when you are showering for the first time after tanning. You could end up over-exfoliating the tan off as shampoos can be quite strong and might strip your tan.

Q: How do I maintain a beautiful tan all week long?

A: Gradually exfoliate your skin daily so that the tan wears off evenly. Use an oil-free moisturiser twice daily. I recommend using coconut oil at night on your skin if you want to start removing your tan. It generally takes three nights of using coconut oil and three days of exfoliating to remove all remnants of tan.

Marissa Carter www.cocoabrown.ie – the leading tanning brand that sells 3 bottles every single minute.