Get ready to apply, 8 Tips for a Streak-Free Self-Tan

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First, stand in front of a mirror so you can see what you're doing. Vezirian suggests wearing tight-fitting latex gloves when you apply self-tanner. "You want them to be tight so you can feel the self-tanner under your fingers," she says. "I like surgical gloves in an extra-small size."

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Starting with the front of the body, apply self-tanner to your legs, arms, and torso in big, circular motions. To do your back, Vezirian says to use a body brush covered in plastic wrap. "Put a quarter-sized amount of tanner on the brush, and distribute it as evenly as you can," she says. "Then, blend it with your hands wherever you can reach."

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Blend the self-tanner across your elbows, knees, and feet. "Only use the excess from your legs, and feather it out," says Vezirian. "You don't want to really tan your feet -- they end up looking dirty and uneven."

For your face, put a dot of self-tanner on your cheekbones, nose, forehead, and chin, and blend, feathering it into your hairline.

Finally, remove the gloves and tan the tops of your hands. Vezirian suggests mixing the tanner with a little moisturizer for a subtle result.

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Take five minutes to dry in front of a fan or air conditioner. Then, you can get dressed -- just be sure to wear something that's loose fitting (to avoid smudging the tanner) and dark (lighter clothes may get stained).

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If you did everything right, but you're still splotchy, Vezirian says the answer is hand santizer. "Put the hand sanitizer on a terry cloth towel, and scrub the area," she says. "It comes right off."

We get it: everyone feels thinner -- and maybe even prettier -- with a tan. And that's especially true this time of year when you'll inevitably be wearing a swimsuit in public at some point.

Still, under no circumstances do we advise tanning of the sun or bed variety (we're firmly in camp SPF). And that's where self-tanners come in. Even if you had a tanning mishap in the past, we promise it will be a whole new experience this time around: The formulas have come a long way in recent years.

While most new self-tanners won't leave you orange (phew), every self-tanner will leave you streaky if you apply it wrong. Follow these eight expert tips, and you're guaranteed a beautiful, even, tawny tan that will make you feel amazing.

8 Tips for a Streak-Free Self-Tan

Want a summery glow, but you're afraid of looking like an orange zebra? Follow these steps for an unbelievably even -- and perfectly golden -- DIY tan

Get ready to apply

Tan large areas first

Next, tan small areas

You're done!

Streak management

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