self tanner
Self tanning cream has come a long way since the beginning--you really can achieve a beachy glow, sans the sun damage. But the key to a natural-looking tan is definitely application! Makeup expert Sabrina Bedrani shares her tips for achieving a smooth and even tan, minus the streaks and the orange factor.

1. Choose the Right Product
The first thing to do is to pick a really good self tanning product, and test a little of it on the inside of your arm before applying it all over to first make sure you don't have any reaction to it Testing it out will also allow you to check what kind of color it will give you.

2. Scrubby Dub Dub
The first step is to scrub before hand, says Sabrina. I do a light scrub in the shower to get rid of the dry skin, which is where the self tanner tends to get stuck.

3. Combat Dry Patches
After drying yourself throughly rub a little moisturizer in the area that tend to be dryer or have more folds: elbows, knees, ankles.

4. Even it Out
When applying the product, make sure to rub it evenly to avoid streaks. If you don't rub it in well enough, you will definitely get streaky!

5. Take Anti-Orange Breaks
Make sure to wash your hands every 5 minutes, even if you're not done applying the tanner. You don't want the self tanner to sit on your palm more than 5 min at a time or you will end up with orange hands--a sure giveaway that you are using self tanner.

6. Don't be Impatient
It usually takes between 2 to 3 hours to see the results of your application, so if you want more color, wait long enough before you add on more to avoid over-doing it. After a few hours, if you want a deeper tan, then you can re-apply.

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