GOING for a spray tan can be daunting.

You want the colour to be perfect, non-patchy and to fade naturally - but there are a few "dos" and "don'ts" before you bronze. Here's the lowdown.

4

What's a spray tan?

A spray tan is a beauty treatment where you spray on chemicals which react to give an artificial suntan.

Various products are on the market which promise a golden glow even if you’ve been hibernating all winter.

There are different shades available to suit skin tones, or if you want to increase your tan.

The main ingredient is Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) which reacts with the skin to make it darker.

You can apply a spray tan at home, in a pop-up booth, or you can go to a salon.

Often an airgun or airbrush will be used to create an all-over mist, which can various nozzles or jets for even coverage.

4

What should you do before you have a spray tan?

If you're going for a spray tan for the first time, there are a few pitfalls that are easily avoidable.

No-one wants to leave the salon feeling patchy, orange or streaky.

Here's some simple steps to follow before your tanning appointment.

• Moisturise the day before - but make sure this is showered off beforehand.
• Avoid applying deodorant before your appointment.
• If you shave or wax, always do so at least 24 hours before your appointment - this will give time for your pores to close. Hair removal after your spray may remove some of your tan.
• Exfoliate before your session to ensure a smooth base.
• If you want a perfectly bronzed face, remove any makeup first.
• Remove any jewellery to avoid lines.
• Apply nail polish - this will help prevent the tan staining your nails and cuticles.
• Don't wear perfume before your appointment.

4

How long does it last?

A spray tan is not permanent or semi-permanent.

And it doesn’t offer any protection from the sun’s UV rays, so you’ll still need sunscreen if your soaking up some warmth.

Depending on the brand and how it was applied, a spray tan usually lasts around a week.

There are LOADS of products out there that help your tan last a little longer, such as

You should remember to keep your skin moisturised and hydrated, and this does just that overnight and also gradually tans, so you'll stay bronzed forever.

If the tan is long gone and faded and you need a quick fix to get you back to the ultimate bronzed goddess status, will do just that for only £9.29.

4

What should you wear after a spray tan?

After you've been sprayed, you should wait until the formula has completely dried before getting dressed.

That being said, you should still make sure you bring dark, loose fitting clothing with you to put on afterwards - this will help stop unsightly marks and any stains on lighter coloured garments.

When it comes to taking a shower or having a bath after your tanning session, it will depend on the brand of tan/formula that the beauty therapist has applied - but they should tell you how long to wait.

As a general rule, most tans develop over six to eight hours - so it is usually best to leave your tan overnight (just make sure to protect those bed sheets!) and shower the following morning.

MOST READ IN FABULOUS

BIT FISHY

People are realising what fish & chip shop vinegar really is & it's blown minds

PURE EVIL

Paedo used sick tactic to abuse me aged 9…but worse came during 'driving lessons'

REAL DANGER

I looked like ET after hol sun poisoning - I wore sun cream but it's not enough

MYSTIC MEG

Protecting other people is fine, but you also need to protect yourself

Our 'Dying For A Tan' campaign

Instead of using spray tan, around one in ten young Brits, including children as young as eight, visit one of the UK's 7,000 tanning salons to use sunbeds.

But using sunbeds before you’re 35 increases your chance of developing melanoma - the deadliest form of skin cancer - by a horrific 87 per cent.

That's why the Sun's Fabulous has launched the Dying For A Tan campaign to raise awareness of the dangers associated with the use of sunbeds.

Sunbeds pelt skin with ultraviolet (UV) rays, which are often stronger than the midday Mediterranean sun - 20 minutes on a sunbed is equivalent to four hours in the sun.

The UV radiation causes melanin to be released in the body, which gives skin a tan, but also causes skin cancer.

Cancer Research has revealed that rates of melanoma have soared by 45 per cent since 2004, with skin cancer now the fifth most common cancer in the UK.

Every year, 2,500 Britons die from the disease and 100,000 people are diagnosed with it.

During the campaign, we'll be telling stories of women who have lost an eye to cancer, had huge holes gauged out of their skin, and been left looking decades older than their age - all because of sunbeds.