Step 1: Before you start, leave enough time for your tan to "take", which can be any-thing from one to eight hours depending on the formulation. Ideally, the best time to apply self-tan is a few hours before you go to bed.

Step 2: According to Amber Scott, national training manager for Ella Baché, the key to an even tan is an even surface. Take a quick shower and exfoliate, concentrating on dry areas like knees, ankles, feet and elbows.

Step 3: To avoid staining your hands, put on a pair of thin, disposable latex gloves. Scott suggests applying a light layer of lotion like Ella Baché's Floral Oil to thicker-skinned areas, because dry skin absorbs tanner at a faster rate, resulting in a patchy finish.

Step 4: Apply your self-tanner to one part of your body at a time. Take a small amount of product and, starting at your thighs, work your way down each leg, spreading the self-tanner in a circular motion and massaging it well into your skin. When you get to your knees, ankles and feet, lightly brush them with the self-tanner from your legs - you want to use as little as possible in these drier areas. Repeat the technique for the rest of your body. Once you have finished, take a cotton ball and lightly sweep tanner across the backs of your hands and between your fingers, avoiding your palms.

Step 5: Wait for 15 minutes before getting dressed and then put on a loose robe for another 30 minutes to ensure an even tan. Avoid contact with water for three hours.

Step 6: To help your tan last longer, lather on a rich, body moisturiser daily. And avoid lotions that contain alpha-hydroxy acids, as their exfoliating action will cause fading.