Before you bear down on a loofah with the grittiest body scrub you own, take a moment to consider the consequences. Exfoliation is important and should be done every few days when you're using a self-tanner, but to transition your tan to fall, use a gentler exfoliant. "A harsher exfoliator can rip and tear into your self tan and can make it patch," says Evans. Stay away from scrubs with extra rough particles like crushed up nutshells or any citrus-based products, and try a body polish like Fresh Brown Sugar Body Polish ($65) or St. Tropez Tan Optimizer Body Polish ($18).

Use more liberally on areas that tend to get patchy like cleavage and the backs of your ankles, where sports bras, shoes, sweat, and rubbing in general wears away your tan unevenly. As your tan becomes more natural, you may have to use a rougher exfoliator around your armpits because this smooth, supple area holds on to self-tanner the longest, says Evans.

Cutting back on self-tanning lotion doesn't mean you can skip a moisturizing routine altogether, particularly in the winter when your skin is prone to getting dry and flaky. "I highly recommend moisturizing before bedtime to get maximum hydration into the skin when the temperature gets cold," says Evans. As you moisturize, try to pat the skin dry rather than rubbing, which can take off too much of old tanning lotion residue. Lubriderm Daily Moisture Shea + Enriching Cocoa Butter Lotion, $8.49 and Beecology Original Honey Hand & Body Cream, $13, are TotalBeauty.com reviewer favorites.

Your skin doesn't have to look like you've lived underground for a year just because the temperature drops and deep, shimmery bronze lotions are out of season. Take a page from the Autumn/Winter runways of London Fashion Week and mix a dab of illuminator (we love Origins Halo Effect Instant Illuminator, $20 ) into a rich body butter like Chanel No. 5 Velvet Body Cream, $80, or Ahava Pure Spa Body Sorbet Caress, $26. Evans suggests using an applicator mitt to apply the mixture over contours and curves.