Styles: Sudden Suntan Scheme

SO, YOU'VE FINALLY ADMITTED that roasting under the sun is a bad idea. If you haven't, you're an idiot. Assuming you're not an idiot, we can't blame you for wanting to look tan. So, we tried bronzers, tanners and powders in an effort to catch that summer glow.

Our ultra-pale tester used Bliss' new Tan for All Seasons ($36, blissworld.com), at right, which is sprayed on. She was impressed that it lacked ”that gross sweet smell and moistness„ that plague other tanners, but found that the double punch of ick hit her in the morning. The color looked fairly natural, but coverage wasn't terrifically even.

The hands-down winner for the face was Guerlain's Terracotta Spray SPF 10 ($54, Sephora), at left. Once you get over the unnerving sensation of shooting yourself in the head, a two-second burst from the aerosol can gives you a natural, even glow. We especially liked holding it up and aiming it a bit down; that way, the instantly disappearing spray hits you on the forehead and nose, and give you just a touch on your cheeks and chin — just like Evil Mr. Sun.

For powder bronzers, SoCal Glow from Hard Candy ($22, hardcandy.com) took the title. Its huge surface area — it's over 4 inches in diameter -— means you can plonk a big powder brush or puff right in the middle, then poof it onto your face. It's talc-free, so it's good for breakout-prone skin that's just looking for an excuse to let loose with some summer acne; the giant mirror was very handy, too.

Those who are very pale would appreciate Too Faced's Pink Leopard Bronzing Powder ($36, blissworld.com). Since it's not purely copper — it has pink and peach blended into the compact — it's nearly impossible to apply it too heavily. It comes with its own applicator (which we found a bit too small), but we couldn't help but love the sweet and sexy leopard powder pattern.