Should I use it before self-tanner, and where does it fit in a body-care routine?

Pre-tan smoothing is one of the situations this scrub is specifically suited for. Self-tanner develops on the outermost layer of skin, so any patches of built-up dead cells — typically knees, elbows, ankles and heels — grab more product and turn darker and blotchier. Exfoliating first evens out the surface so the tan develops more uniformly.

A few practical points for the pre-tan routine:

• Exfoliate the day before or several hours before applying self-tanner, not immediately before — freshly scrubbed skin needs a little time to settle.
• Rinse very thoroughly. Any leftover salt or the softening oils in a sorbet-style scrub can interfere with how the tanner adheres, so make sure the skin is completely clean.
• Skip rich body lotion right after scrubbing if you are tanning the same day — apply moisturizer only to the driest spots (knees, elbows, ankles), since those areas otherwise over-absorb the tanner.

Outside of self-tanning, the logical place for this scrub is before moisturizing products: exfoliating first removes the layer of dead cells so lotions, body butters and oils sit on smoother skin and feel more effective. Many people also reach for it before summer, when legs and arms come out of long sleeves after months under clothing and tend to look flaky and dull.