The latest news about tanning is that isn’t all that good for you. Even moderate exposure to the sun increases your risk of developing skin cancer. So what can you do if you love the look of a dark rich tan, but you are trying to be smart about the sun? You can use sunless tanning lotion and have a great looking tan anytime. It is perfectly safe, and if you follow a few simple steps for applying it, it will look as natural as the sun itself. Preparing Your Skin for Sunless Tanning Lotion Skin that is dry and flaky won’t evenly absorb tanning lotion products. So before applying sunless tanning lotion it is important to have the smoothest, clearest skin possible. Start by using an exfoliating scrub in the shower. This will remove dead skin and flakes. Then apply a moisturizer each day. On the day you plan to apply the sunless lotion, do it after drying off from the shower. A Picture Perfect Tan Remember the days when tanning lotion turned your skin orange? Well, those days are long gone. The running, streaking goop that used to tint skin has evolved into a natural looking skin tone and colour enhancer today. Not only has the formula changed when it comes to tanning lotions, but the way they are applied has too. The once running lotions are thicker, come in foams or mousse and are slowly activated and quickly absorbed. These factors alone will give you a more natural looking tan, but there are ways to apply them that will help too. First of all, think about the way the sun will tan you. It is usually darker on the forearms and lighter underneath. Rarely are your armpits as dark as your shoulders unless you make a habit of sunbathing with your arms over your head. So when you apply tanning lotions, you will apply them darker to the areas that naturally darken. It is a subtle difference because you still want an even tan. The way to gently blend the darkness is to apply the lotion evenly then using a damp towel buff the areas you want slightly lighter. Buffing also helps create even tones on places that tend to get too dark with sunless tanning lotion. This includes the knee caps, elbows and along the hair line. These areas also often have rougher skin, so exfoliating them is important before applying the lotion, and buffing them with the damp towel after will keep the colour even. When to Apply You can apply sunless tanning products day or night. They won’t rub off onto clothing or bedding. They are also great to use when there has been a long stretch of bad weather or just before going on vacation. It you travel often on holiday, then summer or winter, you are ready for fun in the sun. A word of warning. Most sunless tanning lotions do not contain any sunscreen. That means they do not protect the skin against harmful UV sunlight. But the beauty of these products is that you can use them at night, wake up tan, and then as you head out for a day at the beach you can use a regular outdoor sunscreen to protect your body.