Beauty Reporter: Beauty 101.(using self tanners)

beauty101

Spray Tan

Quick lessons for a streak-free, believable bronze. By Catherine Piercy

Like stepping into Manolos for the first time, getting an airbrush tanning treatment at the salon can be an eye-opening experience. But when a single session costs $50 to $100, most women resign themselves to the Payless equivalent, rubbing on self-tanning creams at home (and accepting a few streaks). Now, cosmetics companies such as Neutrogena and Sally Hansen are introducing at-home aerosol formulas that mimic the airbrush treatment -- for a fraction of the price. "The aerosol cans shoot out smaller particles of tanning solution than the old pumps, making them almost impossible to streak," says Eric Dann of Formulated Solutions, the company that helped develop MagicTan. And they've got those tricky spots covered: The cans may be turned upside down, delivering an even cloud over the areas that are hard to see. And while many of the sprays still need to be rubbed in lightly after application, most require only five minutes of drying time before you slip on those designer stilettos.

scrub skin

Remove all makeup and jewelry.

If applying sunless tanner to the face, pull all hair back ...