The “lit from within” glow is not easily achieved. For some, it means upping their water intake. For others, vitamin C and brightening serums are the only solution. And for those with little patience–including me– a spray tan usually does the trick. We tend to associate it with summer when we’re showing more skin, but there’s just as many people getting bronzed in the dead of winter when our skin tends to look duller. As someone who swears by it this time of year, I can tell you with confidence that it is a godsend.
To the contrary, there are still plenty who associate self-tanners with the color orange, stickiness and strange smells. So in an effort to dispel any myths, we chatted with St. Tropez Brand Ambassador Sophie Evans for a full breakdown of what to expect before, during and after a spray tanning sesh. MORE: Winter-Proof Lip Scrubs for Every Budget
The Misconceptions 
For starters, spray tans are nothing like the tangerine-colored ones you remember from the early ’90s. And they’re not just for white girls, either. That’s because the point of a spray tan is to give you a glow, and not completely alter your skin tone. Besides, it’s only temporary anyway.
“A high-quality self-tanner should give you a natural, superior bronzed glow with no streaks, no dehydration and a totally natural fade off,” says Evans. “It?s very important to choose your products right as the color will be applied from...