How To Keep From F-ing Up Your Spray Tan

So you have a big event coming up—maybe it’s a wedding, and you want to show off a polished, full-body, bronze glow to trick your distant cousins into thinking that you have your life together (by virtue of the fact that your skin is perfectly sunkissed). So, you book yourself a spray tan, a seemingly foolproof way to achieve an airbrushed tan without the skin-damaging effects of actually frying under the sun. What starts as a well-intentioned trip to the salon, can turn into a streaky, orange-y mess very quickly, sending you into a whirlwind of regret and frantic exfoliation to repair the damage.

The embarrassing side-effects of a bad spray tan (aka this girl), might make you hesitate to book an appointment. Admittedly, it's a sensitive process that involves some prep and delicate post-spray care. But when you get it right — the result is a subtle, skin radiance that has you feeling yourself.

To get the full scoop on what to do (and what not to do) when spray tanning, we chatted with St. Tropez's skin-finishing expert, Sophie Evans. She gave us all the tips and tricks to get a flawless spray tan every time — so you can flaunt a streak-free glow, no blotchy ankles allowed.