First things first

It’s pretty impossible to get a completely natural-looking fake tan. As the skin sloughs, marks appear, and any tan can look more orange. Clothes, too, play their part in making you look less than naturally sun-kissed. Try to get dressed while your self-tan is even slightly damp and you’ll get tan “demarcation” lines. But natural tans also have their issues (apart from the obvious health ones). They, too, result in tan marks, but you can also add to that peeling skin and sunburn. A fake tan is always the safer option. Here’s how to get yours looking as good as possible.

1 Exfoliate gently, as abrasive exfoliation will only worsen patchiness.

2 Let the skin dry then moisturise, ideally giving yourself 10 minutes or so to let the moisturiser dry.

3 Apply self-tan from the “ground up”, i.e. from your toes to your face.

4 Help avoid tell-tale marks by reapplying moisturiser to those areas the sun doesn’t ordinarily reach — back of ankles, knees and inner wrists.

5 Choose formulas that offer light or medium tans — too dark, they look less natural.

6 Once dry, a cuticle remover can take care of “mistakes” like dirty knuckles. Keeping your skin well moisturised will also delay the skin’s natural cell-shedding process.

7 Apply self-tanner to your face before going to bed. You’ll need far less makeup (concealer/foundation/ highlighter) in the morning.

8 Use sunscreen. (But you knew that.)