The tan commandments

LOOKING GOOD: Melanie Morris has the definitive guide to faking it.

LOOKING GOOD: Melanie Morris has the definitive guide to faking it.

Exfoliate: This is essential to achieve an even, all-over tan. Start with dry body brushing, then a good, gritty scrub, but not one with oils that will coat the skin and play havoc with your tan product. Pay particular attention to elbows and knees.

Moisturise: But only selected parts of the body such as knees, ankles and elbows. Basically, anywhere tan can accumulate. By using a moisturiser, you are creating a barrier between the tanning product and your skin, and you only want that in the troublesome areas.

Take time: Time is the self-tanner's friend. Make sure the product is dry and well absorbed before dressing. Sock marks, bra straps, underwires and waistbands will all imprint themselves otherwise.

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Face facts: If you're going to put fake tan on you face, pores will clog and it's hard to avoid eyebrow/cheek hollow staining. Use a temporary tint (such as Clarins Soufflé de Teint), bronzer or tinted moisturiser that can be removed at the end of the day instead. Your skin will thank you for it.

Mix and match: Sometimes it's good to use more than one product to ensure a great result. For example, on night one, go for a muddy overnight application of Fake Bake or St Tropez that will give a good base colour and top it up the next night with a gentler product such as Sisley or Shiseido's self-tanners. Or use a lotion as a base, and a spray on top to diminish streaking.

Don't forget your back: It's no good slopping on fake tan like a contortionist, you will end up with uneven tone, white patches and streaks. Phone a friend.

Legs: These are the hardest to tan evenly and the most difficult to get colour onto. Lancôme's Flash Bronzer Leg Gel is best for immediate colour that tans over time. You can see where the product is going, and there's a bit of shimmer in it too.

Correct mistakes: There's not much that can be done to erase major tanning mistakes, but disasters can be alleviated with Soltan's Self-Tan Corrector Wipes.

Salon treatments: Sunlust and Tan FX are both excellent spray-ons that come up well. Getting St Tropez sprayed on for you by a beautician is far less messy. Yon-Ka tan is another excellent salon product. The automatic spray booths, which you enter by yourself and adopt two or three poses to catch the spray, usually need a second blast, so factor that in to your budget/time schedule.

Highlight: Once you are tanned, brush a shimmer product onto the centre of arms and legs, along shoulders and on cheeks for gleaming definition.

And remember ... When it comes to sunbeds, just say no.