You're one of the lucky few. You've managed to get away to laze on a far-flung sandy beach for a much-needed getaway. Now you're beautifully bronzed and glorious. But how to maintain that fabulous tan — and savor a couple more weeks of the I'm-so-jealous looks on your co-workers' oh-so-pale faces? One tester who recently returned glowing from a trip to Hawaii tried three different face bronzers, each applied separately for a period of several days. Did any of these products keep her sun-kissed color from fading fast into the sunset?
Becca
Translucent Bronzing Gel, $34 for 1.7 ounces, Nordstrom, Sephora and www.sephora.com online.
No going pasty: "Help! I've only been back a week from my Hawaiian vacation, and my tan's already saying aloha. I wanted quick results and this temporary tan-in-a-tube promised an instant, healthy-looking glow."
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Pasty beats orange: "The dark brown gel looked intimidating. Would I end up looking like I slathered on a chocolate mask? A quick rub over my cheeks and forehead proved the tint was indeed silky smooth and translucent."
Bronze medal winner? "This gel blended in a little too seamlessly. I couldn't tell I had added a thing. I'll save my cash and opt for free sunning in my back yard."
Almay
Sunless tanning gel for face, $9.99 for 1.7 ounces, Walgreen's or www.drugstore.com online.
No going pasty: "I have sensitive skin, so this lightweight hypo-allergenic tinted gel seemed promising — even if I had to wait a few hours for the color to appear. The package said it would deliver sheer coverage for a gradual glow without clogging my pores."
Pasty beats orange: "My biggest self-tanning fear is turning a Jessica Simpson over-baked orange. This gel looked shimmery orange in the tube, but went on ultra light and sheer."
Bronze medal winner? "It felt cool and moisturizing, and gave me a slightly darker natural hue. This bronzer is a supersubtle option for the self-tan-aphobics."
Victoria's Secret
Bare Bronze Illuminating Face Tint, $19.50 for 1 ounce, Victoria's Secret stores and www.victoriassecret.com online.
No going pasty: "I loved the idea of not only keeping my tan, but making it look all the more fabulous. This bronzer claimed to be a highlighter and tint in one. That's one less step in my make-up routine."
Pasty beats orange: "This formula looked like an iridescent copper cream. Definitely a bolder, more glimmery effect than the others."
Bronze medal winner? "My hands-down favorite of the bunch, but blend it sparingly on the cheekbones and brow bones or risk looking like an overdone, sunshiny mess."
