You need to cut the glare from your white legs quick, so grab a tube of self-tanner.

But you're afraid of streaks, which can look even worse. In this week's Simplicity, NewsChannel5's Barbara Meek reports on how to apply self-tanners so that the tan looks incredibly natural.

The first step in applying self-tanner, and perhaps the most important, is to exfoliate.

"And you want to pay particular attention to the areas that you would get really dry -- the elbows, the knees," Pat Bilek, aesthetic director at Mario's International Spa, said.

The heels are another dry area to exfoliate.

It's also important to have certain tools: sponges, cotton swabs and latex gloves -- you don't want orange palms.

You also don't want to look like you used a self-tanner.

"(You) get some streaking if you don't apply it properly," Bilek said. "You don't want to go up or down. You want to go in circles, like you were buffing something out or smoothing something out."

Bilek said that her technique is streak-free technique.

"My biggest problem is just the little crevices on your knees, toes, hands," she said.

Knees, toes and hands are places on which you should use a dampened make-up sponge. Work some self-tanner into the sponge and work "around and in between the toes really well with this dampened sponge," Bilek said.

You should do the same with fingers and heels. On your elbows, you might want to use a sponge dampened with only water to wipe off some of the tanner.

"Wipe a little near armpits, too," Bilek said.

To avoid white creases, stretch behind your foot and your neck.

"You want to get it around the ears (and) behind the ears," she said.

For the face, again, use a dampened sponge.

"Stop right at the top of the cheekbone," Bilek said.

You should work the tanner into the hairline. To apply the tanner to the eye area, you'll need a cotton swab.

What if you don't have time to wait for the self-tanner to dry? Blast yourself with a cool hair dryer.

Remember to apply a light coat, and apply it quickly.

You might also want to first moisturize areas like your elbows and knees, where self-tanners can concentrate.

Previous Stories:

• April 27, 2001: Are Tanning Beds Bad For Your Skin?