Is it vital to exfoliate before you apply fake tan?

Catherine Jackson

Yes - it makes all the difference between a botched job and a smooth finish. Exfoliating takes off the skin's dead cells and naturally makes your skin smoother and boosts circulation. If you don't, it means streaks, splodges and tell-tale orange patches.

I don't like fake tan on my face as I find it emphasises enlarged pores. What should I do?

Georgina Spencer

This is one of the big downsides of self tans, even if open pores are not your problem. If you use it all through the summer, it tends to get ingrained in the pores, even with regular exfoliation. All sunless tanners use DHA (dihydroxyacetone) - which can have a drying effect on the skin - to temporarily colour skin. Some also use erythulose, which is known to be more moisturising than DHA. One of the most important things to remember with self-tan or bronzing make-up is that the skin needs to start squeaky clean and moisturised. Then you have the choice of dozens of bronzing alternatives. If you are young you can get away with a tinted gel or a liquid bronzer with pearlised finish for a bit of colour. If you are older, shimmer gets into the pores and wrinkles, so choose a matte bronzer applied to the apple of the cheeks with a brush. This season, the blushers are subtler, nearer to your own skin tone. Avoid the dark terracotta ones (unless you are dark-skinned). Try Dior's Bronze Luminizer brushed on the cheekbones and bridge of the nose.

Fake tans seem to have very different shades. Could you give me a list of dark, medium and light ones?

There are now literally hundreds of brands out there. All of them use exactly the same chemicals and amino acids to fake your tan. Some have added anti-oxidants, vitamins and moisturisers to protect and enhance. Everyone has slightly different skin tones and skin types so it all becomes very subjective. Clarins and Lancôme always come high up in the popularity stakes. In terms of spray-tan booths, some are better than others. But whatever you do, don't try a new brand just before your wedding or holiday. It's a recipe for disaster.

A company called Bliss Beauty in the North (areas covered include Wakefield, Huddersfield and Barnsley) offer a £20 mobile service where they'll come to your home to give you a Fake Bake spray tan (www.blissbeautytanning.co.uk). Sounds worth a try at that price.

One of my girlfriends (half Japanese and fairly dark-skinned) stands in the shower while her boyfriend sprays her with ModelCo's Tan Airbrush In A Can, (£26, www.hqhair.com), waits for it to dry and wipes the soles of her feet with cleansing wipes. Other favourite fakes:

1. Beautician Norma Newman recommends St Tropez Whipped Bronzing Mousse (£20, www.st-tropez.co.uk). She says: 'It gives a nice shine and gloss. The St Tropez original is much darker in colour. If you want to be darker, do another application next day. You will not achieve a darker shade by applying more in the first application.'

2. Garnier Ambre Solaire After Sun is 2% fake tan and gives a natural glow and helps to keep your tan for even longer (£6.99, Boots).

3. Anya (pale-skinned Russian) recommends Biotherm Tinted Self-tanning Gel Beautiful Legs (£15, www.biotherm.co.uk) - 'easy to apply and looks natural'.

4. Steph (Austrian, pale olive, tans easily) recommends Dove Summer Glow (£4.99, widely available): 'Good for slowly building up a tan that doesn't look fake.'

5. Pam (English blonde, fair-skinned) uses Au Courant Instant Sunless Tanning Mousse (£24.99 www.hqhair.co.uk): 'I prefer the colour on me to the St Tropez colour.' she says. 'It's easy to put on, dries fast and doesn't streak - I always use surgical gloves. I tissue off a bit on the knees, elbows and heels to make sure I don't get the dark patches there.'

6. Pam also likes L'Oréal's Nutrisummer 24hr Moisturising Lotion (light shade, £4.49) with gradual tanning as a back up maintenance.

7. Kathy (sallow, tans easily): 'I like Rimmel's new wash-off make-up mousse, Sun Shimmer Instant Tan Mousse in Golden (the paler one, £5.50) for a gentle sun-kissed colour. I also like Chanel's Précision Soleil Identité Perfect Colour Face Self-Tanner SPF8 (Bronze, £22.50) - one of the few fake tanning products that incorporates an SPF.

There is some research that skin treated with DHA is more susceptible to free-radical damage from sunlight for 24 hours after application. This could be why the more expensive preparations include sophisticated anti-oxidants, which are known to fight free-radicals. Finally, always wear a sun screen as most fake tans don't incorporate one.

Kathy's hot products of the month

These are some of my favourite tan-enhancing products this summer. GuerlainTerracotta Spray Bronzing Powder Mist SPF10 (£31, Selfridges, 0800 123 400); Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv Sun Supreme Rescue Gel for Body (£50, www.esteelauder.co.uk); La Roche-Posay Toleriane foundation (£12, 08000 556822, www.laroche-posay.co.uk); Dior Limited Edition Bronze Luminizer Pen (£21, stockists: 0207 216 0216).

Kathy Phillips, beauty director of Condé Nast Asia, has her own aromatherapy range, This Works. If you have a beauty question, email observer.woman@observer.co.uk. The best one receives a product from This Works (thisworks.com).