With winter winding down and spring just around the corner, most of us are ready to come out of hibernation and put a little color back into our cheeks. What better way to get our pale complexions glowing again than by following a few tanning tips from self-tanning expert Toni Brattin?

“There’s something about having a bit of tan on your skin that everyone loves,” said Brattin. “Not only does a little color make us look healthy and fit, it also tends to make us look younger and, more importantly, feel younger.”

Brattin’s seven tips for getting a great-looking indoor tan:

Tip No.1: Exfoliate and Moisturize

“During the colder months of the year, people often don’t keep their skin properly moisturized or cared for, and they develop what I call ‘winter skin’; very dry skin covered by an accumulation of dead surface cells,” said Brattin. “Attempting to tan without first removing this layer of dead surface skin is probably the most common tanning error.”

When you skip the exfoliating step, you wind up tanning dead surface skin which soon sloughs off, leaving splotches of lighter-colored new skin where the old dead skin cells were.

“When you self-tan with lotions or sprays, the drier areas of your body, like elbows, knees and ankles are going to absorb more of the product, and, therefore, they often turn darker than other areas of the body,” said Brattin. “By thoroughly exfoliating first and then moisturizing these problem areas before you begin tanning, you’ll ensure a more even distribution of the tanning product and get a more even tan.”

Tip No.2:  Jumpstart Your Indoor Tan

Due to concerns about premature wrinkling and skin cancer, gone are the days of lying on the hot beach for hours and hours soaking up the rays. But a little bit of natural sun is okay for most people and provides the body with vitamin D. It also stimulates the melanin in skin which can give self-tanning a bit of a boost for faster and darker results.

“Enjoy the outdoors, but protect against dangerous sun exposure,” said Brattin. “With a little exposure you can achieve a great tan safely, without damaging your skin.”

Tip No.3:  Shows Where it Goes – The Key to Even Tanning

“One of the biggest problems people experience when they use self-tanning products is streaking and unevenness,” said Brattin. “That’s because many of the tanning creams and lotions have no color or a very light color, so you have to sit and wait, sometimes for hours, to see if the product was evenly applied or whether you missed an area entirely.”

To solve the problem, Brattin created Tan Secret® Instant Tanning Foam (www.tansecret.com), a rich, chocolaty mousse that shows exactly where the color is going as it is being spread over the body. According to Brattin, adding dark pigment to the formulation has two benefits:

“First, it gives the user the ability to see that the product is being evenly dispersed on the skin, so they are confident they won’t end up with a streaky mess or looking like a zebra. Second, the pigment gives the user a little bit of instant tan coloring on their skin.”

Tip No.4:  Spot-Test First

Many tanning products can create adverse skin reactions under certain conditions, especially for those with sensitive skin.

“I recommend that an individual spot-test a small area on their body before widely applying any cosmetic product, including a self-tanner they’ve never used before,” said Brattin.

Tip No.5:  Do Not Get Trapped by Your Self Tanner

“The active ingredients that cause tanning to occur, dihydroxyacetone and erythrulose, are chemicals with very unpleasant odors,” said Brattin. “Many times a person applies a tanning product only to later discover that the chemical odor left on their skin remains so strong that they can’t comfortably go out in public, even after showering.”

Though the smell eventually subsides, if self-tanners engage in sports or other physical activities, they can still be embarrassed by it later, because, perspiration causes the chemical odor to re-emerge from pours.

“Better-quality tanning products use advanced chemistry to eliminate those noxious odors,” said Brattin. “So be sure the self-tanning product you choose to rub onto your skin has no noxious odor.”

Some self-tanning systems require a several-hour waiting period before you can dress.

“If you’re thinking you can quickly slap on a tan before your date arrives, be sure the product you’re using is truly a quick-tanning one, like my new Tan Secret® Instant Tanning Foam, which takes only seconds to apply and rinse off in the shower, letting you step out looking tan and feeling fresh, with no odor, no waiting and no worry about streaking, missed spots or discoloring your clothing.”

Tip No. 6: Spray-On Tans — Better Hold Your Breath

Sometimes people grab a spray-on tan at the store, because, it looks fast and easy.

“Some of the tanning sprays are very apt to produce overspray which is then inhaled, and some people don’t react well to that,” said Brattin.

The overspray can also settle on carpet, tiles and furniture.

“Some who use spray-tanning products have discovered the best place to apply them is outside or in the garage,” said Brattin. “If you’re going to have a spray tan applied at a salon, the amount of overspray that you may inhale could be considerable, so try not to breathe during the process, or wear a mask when possible.”

Tip No.7:  Simple Tanning Tools Help You Get Professional Results

It seems logical that anyone rubbing tanning lotions or gels onto their bodies would want to use gloves to protect their fingers and palms from becoming over-pigmented.

“Many people are so eager to rub the tanning product onto their bodies that they don’t stop and consider what will happen to their bare hands after being in contact with the lotion for extended periods,” said Brattin. “Well we’ve already been there and done that, so that’s why we provide gloves and an applicator wand with every bottle of Tan Secret® Instant Tanning Foam.”

To learn more Toni Brattin secrets to a glowing, mistake-proof tan, please visit: www.tansecret.com