Luckily for us, beauty product manufacturers have come to the rescue. Although self-tanners have been around for quite some time, it has only been recently that they have gained in popularity. With doctors and dermatologist warning against sun worship, tanning devotees have had to turn to other means to achieve their glow. Skin care giants are making self-tanners in every imaginable form from lotions to sprays to wipes. Women and men have more options that ever before when it comes to self-tanning but the same issue occurs: streaks.

Most people turn their backs on self-tanners when they realize that their legs and arms look like zebra stripes from poor product application. Even with advanced formulas and application technology, self-tanner application still seems to be a problem. However, with a few tips and tricks, people everywhere can achieve a straight from the beach glow at home with no telltale streaks.

The first step in even self-tanner application is to exfoliate. Before using a self-tanner, be sure to use a body scrub or exfoliating sponge to smooth skin. Shave your legs and be sure to get rid of any stubbly hair that will make the lotion glob. Dry yourself thoroughly and do not apply body lotion.

Next, use plastic gloves to apply the self-tanner. Often, even if you wash your hands directly after application, palms, and cuticles can turn orange and give away your tanning secret. Do one section of your body at a time. If, for instance, you begin with your right arm, apply the lotion or spray to the smooth areas first (i.e. the forearm and upper arm). Be sure to cover the under area of the arm as well, avoiding the elbow, wrist and armpit. Once you have the majority of the lotion rubbed into the smooth areas, use the excess to work over the wrist, elbow, and up into the armpit area. When doing these areas, your glove should barely be wet with the product. Rub the product vigorously into those areas being sure to include the surrounding arm area for blending. Do a final rub of the arm going is several directions, up, down, and around until your glove feels dry. Repeat this process all over the body using the elbow technique on areas such as the tops of feet, ankles, and knees that tend to give away a fake tan. These areas should be the last to have product applied and should be given a vigorous rub down with very little product.

If you are still wary that a crease or fold in the skin will streak up, use a small amount of normal body lotion to mix with the self tanner in areas that are prone to streaking.

Be sure to let the product set for about half an hour before you put on clothes or get into bed. The best time to apply self tanner is right before bed when you can sleep while product develops.

For people suffering from mild acne, products designed to dramatically dry and strip the face of oils and bacteria may be too harsh. However, sufferers still deserve ways to treat mild acne and prevent blemishes from forming.

The best way to treat mild acne is to prevent new breakouts and treat existing ones. The first step in treating mild acne is using a gentle, soap-free, dye-free, scent-free cleanser. It may sound drastic but many people with mild acne are prone to breakouts because they have sensitive skin rather than having oily skin. Choosing a mild cleanser will leave some moisture on the skin while cleansing dirt and grime away.

The second step is to use a toner with a non-alcohol base. Alcohol is extremely drying and can actually cause the body to produce more oil. Try a toner with a witch hazel base or using pure witch hazel on a cotton swab. Gently wipe away any makeup or residue on the skin.

The third step is to use a light moisturizer. Most people with blemishes shy away from moisturizers thinking they will cause breakouts. However, depriving your skin of moisture may make it produce more oil. Use a light cream or an oil-free formula every morning.

At night, repeat the same process making sure to remove all makeup and sweat and toning areas prone to blemishes. However, for nighttime, do not use a moisturizer on the face. Allow your skin to build a natural layer of protection over night to heal skin. Be sure to tuck hands under your sheets or pillows while you sleep, avoiding contact with your face.

Note: carry a travel-sized bottle of your toner with you throughout the day. If you notice your face looking shiny or realize you have been leaning on your hand, use the toner to give your face a quick boost of freshness. Also, use your toner to periodically wipe down you phone where germs and bacteria get pressed against your cheek.

What you’ll need in your makeup bag: A dark or bright shade of lipstick, black eyeliner, black mascara, shimmery dark eye shadow, highlighting powder, pressed powder, q-tips.

The most important step to taking a day look into evening is starting with a great base. If you know you’ll be going out later, spend some time in the morning applying a light foundation, concealer and a bit of translucent powder on the nose and chin. This will give you a great canvas upon which to apply makeup later. Use a bit of neutral colored-blush and a light coating of mascara for your day look but avoid any stains or heavy products that will make it difficult to build on later.

Later, after work when you are ready to go out, head to the ladies room and set up camp for a few minutes. Decide whether you want to focus on eyes or lips for your evening look. If it is lips, use your dark shade on the lips, blotting on tissues in between two even coatings. Then use the black liner to apply a thin line to your upper lid. Finish off the look with a coating of black mascara and your ready to go.

If you decide to focus on your eyes, keep lips neutral and pale but use your products to give eyes a smokey look. Start by using your finger to tap shadow along the crease of your upper lid. Use a clean finger to blend shadow so it looks even. Then take your black liner and apply a thin line across the entire upper lash line. After that, use a q-tip to apply a bit of shadow to the lower lash line. An eyeliner pencil is too heavy for bottom lash lines and looks overly “madeup.” Use your finger to apply highlighting powder to the tops of the cheekbones and inside corner of the eye, near the tear duct. Finish the look off with a coating of black mascara.

Whether you choose to play up your eyes or lips, taking a simple daytime look into evening is simple and fun. All you need is a small makeup bag and some creativity to feel ready for a fun evening out.

The trick to any great eye makeup application is to start with a great base. After moisturizing use a concealer to tap coverage into the inner corner of the eye and underneath where dark circles tend to lurk. Be sure to use your finger or a damp makeup sponge to blend the product. Use the same concealer or a lid corrector/shadow base on the upper lid. Make sure that there is no excess product that can crease or slide. Finish with a light dusting or translucent powder to set the base. Instantly, women will see a difference in the look of their eyes, reducing redness and discoloration around the eye gives it a youthful appearance.

For women with a minimalist approach to makeup, a few simple tricks can make eyes look amazing with only a bit of makeup. After you have applied your base, use an eyelash curler to curl upper lashes. Curl lashes in two places, the roots and the middle of the lash for maximum impact. For daytime, apply a lengthening formula mascara to the upper and lower lashes making sure to separate any clumps. For evening, simply sweep a taupe or brown liner to the upper lash line or use a small brush or q-tip to line the top and bottom lash line with a neutral shadow.

For women seeking a more distinct look, using a bit more makeup can help you achieve a more enhanced eye. Begin with your base. Curl lashes at the root and in the middle of the lash and let set. On the top lid use a neutral, shimmery shade of grey, taupe, brown, or copper to sweep across the crease of your lid. Bring the shadow from the crease to the outside corner of your eye in a rounded shape. Use a small brush to line the bottom lash line with the same shadow. Apply a thickening mascara to the top lashes for a daytime look. For evening, use a matching eyeliner or black liner to line the top lash line from corner to corner. Use the pencil directly at the roots of lashes. Then, use your pencil to line the bottom lashes from the outside corner to about a quarter of the way in. Use a q-tip to smudge the liner on the bottom. Touch up mascara and you are ready to hit the town.

For women looking to go all-out with their eye makeup, a dramatic look can be achieved for both day and night. Beginning with your base, use a soft shimmery shadow on lids from lashes to the crease. Use the same shadow to line the bottom lash line as well. Then, take a dark opaque shadow of the same color and apply it to the outside corner of the upper lid. Use the brush to work the shadow into a “v” shape with the bottom pointing toward your ear. Blend the dark shadow with the shimmery. Curl lashes and apply a thickening mascara. For evening, build off your daytime eye by using the opaque shadow to cover the entire lid from crease to lash line. Use your brush to line the bottom lash line with opaque shadow as well. Then, get a shimmer or iridescent powder to sweep on your brow bone down toward your temple and onto your cheekbone. Use a black eyeliner to line the inside of the eyelid and to smudge liner into the lash line, Retouch your mascara and off you go.

Whatever your makeup style, starting with a great base and using makeup upon which you can build for evening is the secret to fuss-free eyes.

Think back to your middle school years when teachers lectured you on proper study habits. Most likely, your teacher told you to study for an hour and take a fifteen minute break before continuing. The purpose of this was to let your brain rest, absorb what you studied and go back at it with a fresh new start. Well, the same idea applies to real life. Why is it that we don’t schedule time for our own mental recharging?

In order to lead an effective, productive, fulfilling life, it is important to take some time out for you. If you constantly give and don’t take the time to recharge, you’ll find yourself running on fumes. The most important part of scheduling some time for yourself is identifying exactly what it is that you need in your “me-time?” do you want some uninterrupted running time, an hour to get your nails done, a blackberry free moment to curl up with a book and a cup of coffee?

Once you’ve identified what it is that would help you recharge and reset, look at your list of things to do. Organize the list by blocking off your personal time first. Schedule it just like you would an appointment. Then fill in the rest of the time slots. Whatever you can’t get done today can be moved to tomorrow.

Once you have given yourself that slot, stick to it. Don’t automatically cross it off your list when things get busy. You may have to move the times around or adjust the length of time, but be sure to keep it on the list. Think of it as the most important appointment of the day.

Some women may feel selfish or guilty about taking this time for themselves when there is so much else to get done but personal time will help you do everything else in your life more efficiently and effectively. Think of it as the reward you are working toward each day. If you are still worried about what others will think of your personal needs, just refer to it as an appointment and leave it as that.

Once you’ve reached the point in your day where you get to enjoy your personal time, really enjoy it. Turn off the cell, forget about e-mails for the duration, and put other’s non-essential needs on hold. If all you give yourself in a day is a half an hour to read while the kids are napping or an hour to get your nails done before you return home from work you deserve to fully enjoy this time and be completely in the moment.

Change your part. Simple hairstyle changes can have dramatic results. Because women often have to “train” their hair, they think that it has to be the same everyday in order to maintain their style. However, changing your part can make a big difference in your look. Middle parts on long hair indicate a somewhat laidback, easygoing style where a side part looks more dramatic. Changing up the way you part your hair can change the look and shape of your face. Just part hair while wet and use the blow dryer to set it in place.

Change your color. Another rut that women get into with their hair is color. Blondes tend to stay blonde forever, and brunettes feel as if they are stuck with their color. However, most over-the-counter hair dying kits work amazingly well at giving color a boost of shine or drama. The trick to do-it-yourself color is to stay within the range of your natural color. Try picking a shade that is one or two shades darker than your color now (it is not recommended to dramatically alter your original color at home). If you are a blonde, try a nice shade of strawberry blonde or a caramel brown for a new look. Brunettes, go for deeper, darker shades of dark chocolate or mocha. Hair dyes can make hair look shinier and more shimmery and they only cost around ten dollars.

Change your style. Women often use the excuse that there is not enough time to style their hair or put effort into their morning routine. However, simple tricks can minimize your prep time while giving you a new look. Try a few, chunky pin curls at night while hair is damp. Just twist uneven chunks of hair into messy twists all over your head, pin in place, and let the time you spend sleeping do all the work. In the morning, simply unpin the twists, shake out your hair, spray with a bit of hairspray and you are ready to go. Or, try a simple but elegant up-do for work. Take slightly dirty hair (perfect for days when a shower does not seem possible), tease the crown section of hair, then smooth back into a high ponytail. Run a straightening iron over the ends of the ponytail, and ta da, instant glamour. Or, if teased hair is not your idea of high fashion, try giving your hair a severe side part while damp, smooth your hair into a low ponytail and give your crown a shot of hair spray to keep it looking smooth and polished all day. Leave the remaining hair straight or wrap the entire ponytail into a large barrel curling iron for a more romantic look.

Hair Therapy – many women struggle with dry damaged hair associated with dying, bleaching and over-styling. Split ends and unruly dry, frizzy hair can make women want to chop all their hair off. However, by using a deep conditioning treatment once a month, women will begin to see an improvement in softness and strength of their hair.

In a bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of olive oil, an egg, and a 1/4 cup of mayonnaise whip the ingredients together until evenly blended. Using your hands, massage the mixture into hair, root to tip. After hair is saturated with the mixture, wrap your hair in cellophane and relax for 30 minutes while the heat from you scalp helps the mixture set. After, rinse the mixture out, wash hair with a mild shampoo and a light conditioner, and style as usual. Hair will look and feel healthy and soft.

Facials – Facials are one of the many things women enjoy at the spa. Although it is a treat to have someone else do all the work wile you relax, women can achieve the same benefits at home. First, fill your sink with the hottest water possible from your tap. After the sink is full, turn the water off and lean over the sink, your face about six inches from the water. Drape a towel over the back of your head creating a steam-capturing hood. Let the steam moisten your skin and open your pores for about 5-10 minutes. From there, while pores are still open, apply your favorite mask or a homemade mask of ½ cup of dry oats and 3 Tablespoons of honey. Let the mask sit for about ten minutes and wash off with a warm, moist washcloth. After the mask has been washed away, use a facial scrub or make one from ¼ cup of cornmeal with 2 tablespoons of honey and gently massage the face, avoiding the eye area. Rinse this mixture and follow with your favorite moisturizer.

Body Scrubs – Body scrubs are another spa-quality indulgence that women feel they have to live without if they can’t make it to the spa. However, body scrubs are easy and fun to make and apply. If your skin is oily or prone to break outs, you can make a larger batch of the facial scrub to use on your body. However, if your skin is dry, mix 3 parts cornmeal or brown sugar with 1 part olive oil. The scrub will make your skin ultra smooth while the olive oil intensely hydrates your skin. After you apply this mixture to damp skin and rinse (do not use soap) the mixture off in the shower, slip into some cotton PJs and let the oils set in over night.

Aromatherapy – Aromatherapy is the art of using scents to achieve different moods or feelings. Many spas use aromatherapy treatments to calm and relax their clients. However, at home aromatherapy is easy and fun. Take a trip to a local health food store. Get a bottle of grape seed oil (grape seed is an unscented moisturizing oil) and then ask the clerk about their essential oils. Essential oils are concentrated oils that contain potent scents. When you find a scent that you like, mix a drop of essential oil with a palm full of grape seed oil. Use this as your daily moisturizer and experience aromatherapy all day. Try lavender for calm or tea tree oil for rejuvenation.

1. Identify your staples. Every woman has their own style and although it’s fun to play around with looks and mix and match items, it is important to identify the staples of your personal wardrobe as a starting point to building great style. Look through your wardrobe and pull out your favorite pair of jeans, favorite coat, favorite jacket, go-to dress, perfect skirt, and a pair of shoes you could not live without. Lay all these items out on your bed and try to identify any common threads you see. Are all these items classic pieces? Are they trendy and edgy? Are they bohemian? Look at these pieces as a foundation upon which everything in your closet should be able to rest upon.
2. Organize accessories. Women accumulate accessories in much the same way as men collect tools. They are often impulse buys that when combined with the rest of the collection become lost in the shuffle. Go through your accessories and get rid of things you know you’ll never wear. Then organize the remaining items into bins or drawers. Take stock of what you have. Every woman should have at least one long simple necklace and one collarbone length. You should also have a high-waisted belt and one that can be worn low on the hips. Also, women can’t have too many scarves in various colors and weights. Be sure that any outfit you wear involves at least one accessory from your collection to spice it up.
3. Get rid of the clutter. For many women, boring or unstylish dressing is often a result of too many clothes rather than not enough. When we have too much stuff, we often revert back to the same few, comfortable outfits. Go through your closet and take serious stock of what you have, what you will wear and what you won’t. Be objective. Imagine yourself in a friend’s closet, what would you recommend she get rid of?
4. Simplify shoes. Shoes are another category of clothing that women often accumulate without much thought to the practicality of their purchase. However, simplifying your shoe closet can help you keep cohesiveness to your closet. First, look for outdated or damaged styles. If the style does not seem current or the shoe looks as if it has been through war, get rid of it. Also, look for blaring disparities in style. Although every woman is entitled to at least one pair of completely frivolous shoes, if you are unable to find at least five outfits that you could wear with a shoe, it’s time to get rid of them.

The reality of style is that dressing can be very easy when you have a clear, clean palette to start with. Organizing and cleaning out your wardrobe can help you start fresh and give you a strong starting point from which to pick amazing outfits.

A) When looking for items to get rid of, look for items that don’t fit with your style. Many women fall into the trap of buying things because they think they are cute or because their friends liked them. However, a pair of diamond-studded heels may be worth getting rid of if your style is soundly preppy.

B) Get rid of items that don’t fit. Every woman will experience changes in her body type over the years. Its very easy to convince yourself that it is necessary to hold on to items that do not fit because one day they may fit again. However, living with the idea that your current size is only a temporary phase can blind your to great style that fits your current body type. It’s ok to hold onto one pair of “goal jeans” but get rid of other things that are clearly wrong for you.

C) Force yourself to get rid of your “rut clothes.” We all have those items that we fall back on when we feel fat, ugly, or completely unattractive. Whether it’s a pair of baggy sweats or a stained button down that used to be your husband’s, get rid of these items. When we hold onto completely unflattering fallback items, we block out our ability to see the great pieces we own that will actually make us feel beautiful and attractive. Hiding in old, ill fitting clothes only perpetuates our feelings of unattractiveness and low self-esteem.

D) Organize your closet in a way that makes sense. For many women, keeping a closet organized and orderly is a challenge. We buy things or take clothes off in a tired haze at the end of the day and shove items on whatever hanger we can find. However, spending some time keeping your closet organized can help women tremendously when it comes to dressing. In addition to separating clothes by categories such as skirts, blouses, etc. try keeping work clothes separate from weekend clothes and weekend clothes separate from evening clothes. When you look at your closet and know exactly where all your work clothing is located, it’s easier to pick out great outfits without the chaos.

The misconception that many women have about exercise is that hey have to join a gym and become an elliptical maniac to achieve it. The truth is that there are opportunities to exercise everywhere, no gym required.

One of the best ways to get exercise in a guilt-free way is to start a group. One of the main complaints of many working women and mothers is that there are not enough hours in the day to exercise, cook, clean, have a social life, and care for the other thousand responsibilities they have. Starting an exercise group knocks two of those items off the list in just a few hours a week. Getting your girlfriends on board to take 3, one-hour long power walks each week will help everyone stay on task with their exercise goals while providing you and your friends a much-needed social outlet. Whether you meet before or after work three times a week or grab your husband or a sitter for an hour in the evening a few times a week, the exercise will help reset your focus and your friends will give you the social outlet you’ve been craving.

Another way to sneak exercise in to a full list of daily activities is to throw in some strength training while you do your everyday routines. Sporting goods stores carry weights that strap to your ankles and wrists like cuffs. Next time you’re scrubbing the shower or vacuuming, strap on the weights and see what kind of arm workout you get from the scrubbing action or try some leg lifts while you vacuum. You’ll be surprised by how big a difference the extra weight will make.

Another way to fit in some exercise while avoiding bad habits such as late-night snacking is to exercise in front of the TV. While many men and women finish out their day by watching a little TV, this down time can be used to fit in a few crunches, squats and leg lifts. Set a goal for yourself; decide how many reps you’ll do and knock them out while you’re being entertained.

Some women are lucky enough to be able to exercise regularly and go to the gym a few times a week. For others, this is not possible or practical. However, not having a gym membership does not mean that you are unable to get exercise. Remember, the first step to starting any exercise program is to make a commitment to it before you start. You have to promise yourself that you will commit to a certain number of days to fit in some exercise or else you will never do it. Stay positive and stay committed.