Smashbox Photo Finish Bronzing Primer $38 *** ***
This liquid bronzer looks really dark and seems like it would only match certain skin tones, but the bottle is actually very deceiving. The liquid, when applied to your face, is sheer and light and gives just a subtle tint. It doesn’t provide any coverage, so if you have spots you’re not too comfortable with, I recommend putting on foundation afterward.

Stila’s Sun Shimmer Dry Oil $26 ** **** **
Stila’s Sun Shimmer Dry Oil comes in a little spray bottle and has macadamia and kukui oils. It promises to give a natural-looking tint, shimmer and moisturize. It definitely feels moisturizing and did give me a golden shimmer in the sun, but there wasn’t much color unless I really sprayed it on. If you really want to bronze your legs or other body parts I would try a self-tanner and spray this on top as a nice finishing touch. Bonus: It also has a light summery scent that’s the perfect substitute for perfume on a summer day.

Tarte Sunburst Beaded Bronzing Lotion $28 (Face), $39 (Body) ** * **
These moisturizers have little beads of color that burst when you rub them into your skin. The face formula has a light bronzer in it and the body formula has a bronzer as well as a self-tanner. Both moisturizers went on smooth and felt great, but I did have a little trouble getting the body formula to blend evenly. It might take the novice a couple times to get it right. I didn’t notice much color with the face lotion, so you’ll probably need to really layer it on to get a deep tan.