Self-Tanner Mistakes You Didn't Know You Were Making

A common myth is that you should only moisturize your faux tan. But Evans points out that you need to exfoliate and hydrate it to make it last the longest and look the best. "Exfoliate lightly every two to three days while your self-tanner is on," notes Evans. "This will prevent any tan or color buildup and ensure that your tan is always fading evenly. People would not imagine how important it is to exfoliate while the tan is on. You must use a very gentle body polisher because it will not rip or tear at the skin and will keep the tan even as it starts to fade, which will naturally occur over the course of five to 10 days."

Try: St. Tropez Tan Optimizer Body Moisturizer ($15) — the formula feels very gentle and contains cocoa butter to make sure your skin doesn't get too dry.