Let’s be honest, almost nothing makes us feel happier than having sun-kissed skin. Pale is beautiful and elegant, but bronze says sexy and wild and the best thing is that you can look like you have spent your entire summer in Greece or St. Tropez.

Fake tans are light years ahead of what they used to be and now you can achieve an entire spectrum of instant bronziness with minimum fuss and maximum impact. It’s always better to start with something that’s soft, subtle and barely there if you are really pale. Go for a peachier bronze that’s subtle and matte rather than full-on and shiny.

Start by buffing with a gentle but effective scrub, moisturize thoroughly and then use your fingers to dab on a really sheer base. For glistering eyes you can use a bit of cosmetic alchemy and mix powdery eye-shadows with pencil. You can create smouldering eyes using a combination of coppery-gold eye-shadows and gold pencil. Don’t forget that whatever fake tan you opt for, the golden rule is to make it look natural. Spray your body with one coat of self-tan allow it to develop overnight and then spray the areas you want to slim down the next day.

Sculpting at home takes practice but you can cheat your way to lighter-looking limbs with carefully placed color.

Try:

L’Oreal Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Lotion, Deep Natural Tan (8.50$) - gives an instant bronze tan that won’t rub off or stain clothes as your natural sunless tan develops.
Olay Complete Touch of Sun Daily UV Facial Moisturizer plus a touch of sunless tanner (12.50$) - With daily use, you’ll see beautifully even-toned skin with a natural sun-kissed glow day after day. Helps prevent sun damage.
Johnson’s Holiday Skin Body Lotion (9.50$) - gradually builds a beautiful, light and even looking tan.
LancГґme Flash Bronzer Self-Tanning Magic Mousse (32$) - easy-to-apply to go on smoothly and evenly, for an instant visible glow that leaves your skin looking naturally tanned in a flash.
Decleor Aroma Sun SPF 10 Hydrating Tinted Self-Tanning Gel-Cream (35$) - A non-oily, moisturizing, gel-cream self tanner with moderate sunscreen protection.