We all love to have a tan. After all for most of us if we have a bit of colour we often feel a lot better and more confident about ourselves. The downside to a tan is that if we spend hours out in the sun then long term we are likely to age quickly and worse case scenario we could get skin cancer. None of us want to end up with such a horrific illness so what are our options?

For some keeping to high factor sun lotion and not having a tan is fine. For others having a bit of colour boosts our confidence and makes us feel better about ourselves. So what do we do? The answer is very simple buy yourself a bottle of good quality fake tan. Fake tans have improved vastly over the past few years and they are now some good quality fake tans now on the market. Fake Bake and St.Tropez two of the more wellknown ones.

Many of us I dare say have been put off and are still put off by fake tans as we just cannot apply it correctly. So here are a few pointers to help you on your way to that perfect and safe tanned look.

1. Start by preparing your body for tanning. If you just slap on the tanning lotion without proper preparation then you are asking for trouble. Shaving or waxing should be done at least 24 hours before. Waxing or shaving after putting the tanning lotion on will strip the fake tan off.

2. If you exfoliate your whole body, with a good body scrub before applying the fake tan you will get much better results. Make sure you give extra attention to your knees, elbows, ankles, hands and feet. If you are prone to dry skin in any other areas then give those areas extra attention to. 3. After you have exfoliated, on the areas that are prone to dryer skin then apply a moisturiser. If you have ever applied a fake tan before and it has resulted in darker patches then most likely it will be dry skin. So taking the time to moisturise well is important. Many of the tanning products on the market today will have a moisturiser to go with the fake tan. For example one of the most popular fake tans, Fake Bake offers Fake Bake oil-free moisturiser. Once you have applied your tan , to help maintain it then make sure you don’t forget to keep moisturising.

4. When applying your fake tan, do not apply the tan without using a tanning mat or latex gloves. The last thing you want to do is show tell tale signs of a fake tan with it under your fingernails or on the palms of your hands.

5. Try and apply your fake tan before you go to bed as this is the best time to do it.The tan will leave marks on your sheets, don’t let this put you off they are easily washed out. If you are worried put some old sheets on your bed and before you get into bed allow the tan to dry don’t apply the tan and then just jump straight into bed. 6. If you are looking for a darker tan or one that you are happy with, be patient. It may take a few applications over a number of weeks to get the tan that suites you the best and that you like.

7. You are all shaved, exfoliated and waxed and ready to apply your tan. Where do you start? At your feet is the answer with circular motions work your way up. Most tans such as Fake Bake or St Tropez are brown when applying so you will be able to see what areas you still need to do and avoid any white patches.

8. Don’t spend hours struggling to do your back. If you are able to ask your partner or even a trusted friend. They are going to be able to apply the tan much more effectively than you trying to bend yourself into almost impossible positions.

9. Your tan is applied apart from your hands leave these until last. Remove the gloves and make sure you wash and moisturise your hands. Get some cotton wool and dab it onto the back of your hands - easy!

Ideally after you have applied your fake tan you should not wear any clothes. If you do have to wear some clothes do not wear socks, knickers or a bra as it will end up leaving marks.Realistically to keep your tan constant you will be looking to re-apply about every 7 days. Following these tips will make applying fake tan so much easier and therefore give you the perfect tan without causing any harm to your skin or body.