There is no worse feeling than being excited about getting a tan, only to find you look more like a zebra when you are done. It all boils down to the fact you did not get an even tan. The following guidelines can help you achieve a perfectly even tan.

Moisturize your skin. In order for your skin to tan evenly, it needs to be well nourished prior to entering the tanning bed. Choose a moisturizing lotion with vitamin C or E in it. You can also find tanning lotions that help accelerate a tan. However, you should still moisturize after your tanning session as well.

Keep your arms and legs spread while in the tanning bed. You need to have all areas of skin exposed to the tanning bulbs in order for them to get a tan. Make sure your arms are not touching your sides and your legs are not together.

Keep your head back. Many tanning beds come with a complimentary pillow for your head. While this is a nice gesture, some people do not realize that by resting your head on this pillow, their chins could possibly be resting on their chests. This means the neck is not getting any exposure to the tanning bulbs. You can either take the pillow completely off the bed, or keep your head tilted back so that your neck is being tanned as well.

Rotate throughout your tanning session. Lying one way in the tanning bed can cause uneven tan lines. Start on your back, then rotate to one side, then your front, then the other side. If you do not feel comfortable lying on your side in a small coffin-like tanning bed, raise your arms above your head.

Exfoliate a few days before a tanning session. This will remove dead skin cells and make your skin more even.

Apply lotion evenly. If you use any type of accelerator or tanning lotion, you may find that you are getting an uneven tan because you aren't getting the lotion evenly spread. This includes areas such as behind the knees, the elbows, the armpits, and especially the hands and neck. Pay special care when applying your lotion to make sure you get it even and there isn't any excess lotion anywhere on your body.