A Just A Little Bit Orange Feature. By Vicki Mayhew. Copyright © 03/15/2003. All Rights Reserved.

The Dark Sunless Tan: Getting It And Keeping It

Weekly Maintenance Schedule

Day One for me is Saturday morning. You can use any day as your starting point. This is my "layering" day.

Day One, Saturday:

Shower and exfoliate. You can shave legs and underarms today, tomorrow, or the day before you tan, depending on how your skin reacts. If your skin gets irritated when you shave, do not exfoliate and shave on the same day.

Dry skin and apply a heavy moisturizer to hands, feet, and any other dry areas. Apply one coat of sunless tanning product all over. I usually start at the ankles and work upward, doing hands and feet last with a lighter product. Wipe palms and knuckles. Put on some loose dark clothing in a breathable fabric such as cotton.

Reapply moisturizing lotion to hands, feet, wrists, and ankles about 15 minutes later if needed to blend.

If you want to apply additional coats on the same day, wait a minimum of 30 minutes to an hour between coats. Additional coats can be applied the next day, too.

Day Two, Sunday

Shower and apply additional coats of a ST, if you choose. If you are not applying any, moisturize well, from head to toe, while skin is still damp from the shower. Shave if needed.

Day Three, Monday

Check face, hands, and feet for fading, and touch up if needed. If there is no fading, apply moisturizer all over.

Day Four, Tuesday

Your sunless tan will probably need a maintenance coat today or tomorrow. Exfoliate lightly in the shower with a washcloth, and apply a fresh coat of sunless tanning product today, or tonight before bed.

Day Five, Wednesday

Apply a coat of ST today or tonight, if you did not apply yesterday. Touch up face today if needed. Moisturize if no sunless tanning product is applied.

Day Six, Thursday

Check hands and feet. If they look good, moisturize. Check areas where you fade first, such as backs of knees. If you see some fading, you may need a bronzer to even things out.

Day Seven, Friday

This is usually when your tan will look the worst, so check for fading and use bronzers if needed. When you shower or bathe, be sure to shave if needed.

Bonnie Bell Gel Bronze in Dark or Rimmel Mega Pump Bronzer in Bronze work well. These do wonders to hide a faded dark tan until you get a chance to fix it. They will also "brown" a tan that looks orange or yellow. A shimmer lotion can help, too — try Jergen's Shimmer Lotion.

Day One, Saturday

Start all over! Exfoliate in the shower. Don't try to remove all of your tan, just the dead skin that is ready to come off.