10 Steps to prepare for the Best Tan ...

Here are the 10 steps you need to take in order to get the best of the best color and tan from any product you use ...

• 1.) Get in the shower and exfoliate your entire body! BEST KEPT SECRET- use EXFOLIATING GLOVES. You can buy them at Bed, Bath & Beyond - 2 pairs for $7.99 This is so much better than using a loofah. Trust Me. Shave your legs and anywhere else you might be hairy ;) here too! Very important.

• 2.) Dry off really well and help the dry skin you just exfoliated come off by rubbing your towel harder than usual. You will see all the dead skin rolling off here. Fun! ;)

• 3.) DO NOT USE any lotion. Keep your body dry.

• 4.) Apply a barrier cream to your fingernails and toenails and around the cuticles so they don't turn bark brown. I use Aquaphor. I have it around the house since I have a baby anyway. You can use any diaper cream that's what a barrier cream is. Aquaphor is clear and has no smell. Plus it's good for your skin. Apply a very light amount of lotion or Aquaphor on the tops of your feet, ankles, on your Achilles tendon area, your knees, your elbows and anywhere else you know on your body that gets super dry. This will make it so you don't get dark brown or orangey spots in those dry areas.

• 5.) Get plastic medical/food handling gloves. You don't need to use latex as that may cause an irritation. But you MUST use tight fitting plastic gloves. Find them at Costco or Smart & Final. I buy a box of small ladies non-latex gloves. This will help with using less lotion and not getting orange or brown hands which looks incredibly unflattering and unnatural.

• 6.) Pour or pump tanning lotion directly on gloves, rub hands together and apply in circular motion all over your body. I ALWAYS prefer bronzed lotion so that it's easy to tell where I have applied, how much I have applied and where I might need more. Plus, you get an instant tan ... and it usually progresses over the day. Ahhh ... instant gratification!

• 7.) Take your browned gloves off and apply one small pump or pour to your hands and apply as if you are using hand cream, get every inch of your hands here. Now, wash the palms of your hands as best as you can without washing all of the lotion off the tops of your hands. This will create a look of a light tan hand without having you look like tan arms and white gloves at all times ... We call this the Michael Jackson look - Not Good.

• 8.) Take a damp cloth and use it like an eraser to any spot on your body that might be too dark or streaky, i.e. your Achilles heel. That area always need a swipe of damp cloth! You do not want fake tanned feet ... it's UGLY! You can use this on your hands, knees and elbows too. If you tan your face, make sure to damp over your brows and your eyelids. Those areas naturally get too dark!

• 9.) You can always apply another coat of tanning lotion to your legs or arms or chest areas if you realize you want more color in another spot after 8 hours. I always apply another coat to my legs as that's my favorite part of my body to have tan! If you have a part of your body that has cellulite, apply more tan lotion here, it will create an illusion and suddenly you don't have cellulite! ;) It's my best kept skinny secret ... although I don't think it's so much of a secret! Best way to instantly become skinny is get tan! (I will dedicate another blog to applying tanning lotion to certain bones and muscles of your body to create a skinnier look).

• 10.) Do Not shower for at least 8 hours. If you are a tan perfectionist, do not shower for at least 24 hours! This is an easy task if you are a Mom and this will make for a perfect and long lasting color! When you do decide to shower, make sure to lightly soap your body, this means take a Dove soap bar and lightly soap with it all over your body. (Dove is very moisturizing) NO EXFOLIATING or using washcloths, this will take your tan off! Try not to shave again for as long as possible. Most importantly, lightly pat dry with your towel when you get out of the shower because rubbing the towel all over will exfoliate your dead skin, taking off your tan!!!! Also, make sure to apply lotion and keep your body moisturized the entire week ... this will keep you glowing!

Hope this is helpful and Happy Tanning!
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