Uh-oh. 

As an ex-sun bather (and—ugh—tanning bed user), I’ve learned to just embrace my skin as is. Do I wish I could be as bronzed as the girls on Instagram? Totally. But I’ll pass on the age spots, fine lines, and sagging bound to come with overexposure, thank you very much.

Surprisingly, I haven’t had the urge to tan just yet this year, but as it turns out, I actually have a need to bronze up ASAP. I have a performance this weekend (I’m moonlighting as a salsa dancer) and after a long winter of hiding under layers, I’m looking a bit sallow. If I’m looking winter-worn now, imagine how much worse I’ll look under unflattering stage lights!

Thus marks my first foray with self-tanners. (Wait, you do know about the Oil-Free Self-Tanning Lotion, right?)

Catching up on Game of Thrones was set aside for a night of researching and scouring the web for tanner tips and tricks. Determined not to be a victim of streaky tans and scaly, patchy fading, I found that serious head-to-toe exfoliation was paramount to an even tan (I love using the Botanical Exfoliating Scrub and Raspberry Body Scrub for the face/neck/chest and body, respectively).

These are the spots we tend to forget to exfoliate (or neglect altogether):

• Tops of the feet

• Around the ankles

• Behind the knees

• Backs of the hands

• Neck

• Chest

Exfoliating every nook and cranny isn’t just important for a successful self-tan, though: It’s crucial part of keeping skin healthy, smooth, and glowing.

. . .

What are your self-tanning tips & tricks?