What They Say: "Neutrogena® Sheer Body Tint gives you a picture-perfect tan the second you realize you need one—with a new beauty "must have."

Sheer Body Tint is an instant temporary tan that you can control and correct as you apply—so you always get the perfect tan for you, instantly. Color looks natural on most skin tones and can be used all over or just where you need it. This lightweight mousse dries and sets in less than five minutes. The fixable formula washes away with soap and water to easily correct any mistakes.

4.0 oz. mousse can
Available in Light/Medium and Medium/Deep

Shake well before use. Apply mousse evenly onto clean, dry, unmoisturized skin. Reapply for darker color, wait a few seconds between applications. Apply sparingly around rough skin like elbows, knees, and ankles. Dries in less than 5 minutes so you can dress quickly. Wash hands after application. To remove color, wash skin with soap and warm water."

Melissa Says: Okay, how many of you have been wondering about this but have been too afraid to try it out? Count me as one of those who was fearful of this bottle promising big things. In fact, I really had to summon up some courage before finally breaking down and doing it, because come on - a realistic tan in mousse form? From the same people who brought me a distastrous self-tan episode many years ago? (Can we say burnt orange, anyone? Granted, this was long ago, but the memory is as vivid as the results were.)

Let me start with the positive news. The color is actually not scary. It is not orange, but a nice believable bronze. I used the Light/Medium, because frankly I was too afraid to try the Medium/Deep. That was plenty dark enough for me to get an idea and be comfortable with the color. Another plus? It does dry very quickly, so you literally can apply this almost at the last minute and get dressed quickly without worry.

This brings up a negative issue, however. The mousse actually dries SO quickly that you have to work incredibly fast to blend in the color and not have darker spots where an accumulated bit of product dries before you can rub it in. The one thing that makes this less tragic is the fact that if you catch this mistake right away, you can take a moist tissue and rub the excess off. In case you're already thinking that you're going to be SMART and apply this with gloves...let me steer you away from that before you start. I thought I was smart, too. But I soon realized that because of the texture and quick dry-time of this formula, the most efficient way to get smooth color is just by getting your hands dirty. (Yes, you will need to wash them well afterward.) The gloves skipped and grabbed as I tried to apply and just didn't work. The first time (and probably even the second or third time) you use this, you'll still be figuring out the best way to apply it and how to move in sections quickly so that you have even color. In this sense, it really isn't the easiest product to use, but it is correctable. Something else you should keep in mind is that you will probably underestimate how much the product spreads, so only spray a small amount into your hand at a time until you get the feel for the coverage. I didn't notice it come off on my clothes at all and it stayed all day, but it's not like I wore this and then went to work out and sweat, either.

Let's talk about something else I didn't like. The SCENT. When I first sprayed it, I told my husband "Ugh! It smells like...it smells like... You know what is smells like? GARBAGE BAGS!" That did nothing to ease my nerves. But I WILL say this: the scent disappears quickly and completely once it's dry. Thank God.

So, what's my final take? It's kind of hard to apply, smells a little weird at first, and is prone to uneven spots that you can touch up. But as much as I resisted the idea, I couldn't help but like the color I got at the end. So I'd say if you're willing to test it out, it just might be a noncommital, safe, and quick way to get some color this season.

Retail Price: $9.99 (at drugstores and superstores everywhere)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "Create an all over sun-kissed glō with our New glōBody bronzer. This luxurious lotion can be used on all skin types to create a subtle, immediate, all over tan or enhance your own natural tan while giving just a hint of beautiful shimmer."

Jen's Experience: I was really looking forward to going for the pale look this winter, but then this bronzer came along. I've been testing it out on my exposed arms and legs to give my skin a little spark of glow when I go to work.

As far as the color goes for this bronzer, it's not at all orange-y, but it has enough red in it that I think it looks a little off in natural light. In more dim places, or even under the dreaded fluorescent lights at work, the color looks pretty good. It's not opaque, and it's also subtle enough so that if you're naturally very pale like me, you can still use it.

Some tips for application:

• I found that it was a lot easier to get the color blended well when I am well-moisturized. I apply a body moisturizer when I get out of the shower, let it absorb a little while I eat my breakfast, and then apply the bronzer on top.
  
• Avoid the knee area. It looks very artificial.
  
• Finally, work with a small amount at a time. This product really glistens, and with too thick a layer, it's easy to look like you're auditioning for the stage production of Goldfinger if you're too heavy handed. (I use one pump for each of my arms, and two pumps for each of my lower legs, if you need some guidelines to start with.)
  

Finally, the scent brings to mind suntan oil and days on the beach, which makes it a little out of season for the Fall months. I find that wearing a muskier perfume, like Prada, is a good blend for the scent.

Retail Price: $32.00 (Dermstore.com)

Rating:

What They Say: (about The Bronzer) "Now, your skin and your senses are under the influence of Tom Ford. The message is nude. A makeup collection that reflects Tom Ford's provocative philosophy. Real gold in the makeup gives it a gilded, glamorous edge. Tom Ford on the collection: 'This collection is very much my philosophy of beauty. I've concentrated only on nude shades for the lips and nails. This is what I always really like...a neutral mouth, beautiful skin and a dramatic, strong eye. One look that works for many skintones.'" (about The Brush) *We don't have an official description at press time.

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: From the excitedly-anticipated Amber Nude II collection, this bronzer is more Fall-appropriate than the Azurée bronzer from this summer. This one is more tan and less tawny, and fairly subtle. The color doesn't turn orange at all as the day wears on and it stays put. Also, the compact is very generously-sized - about 50% wider in diameter than normal compacts.

The brush is incredibly soft and easy-to-handle. It helps to apply the bronzer evenly in just a few swipes. It's gentle on your face and just using it adds some glamour to the process of getting ready.

Retail Prices:
(The Bronzer) $60.00
(The Brush) $35.00
(both available at esteelauder.com)

DeLush Rating:
(The Bronzer)
(The Brush)

What They Say:

• Specially formulated for the face
  
• For a hint of color, day by day that you control
  
• Dries quickly
  
• Contains moisturizers and Vitamin E
  
• Won't clog pores or cause breakouts
  
• Dermatologist tested
  

Jen's Experience: I am a huge fan of sunless tanning products. I think a tan looks great on most people, but I'd rather avoid the leather look when I'm 60. Plus, it's easy to get a nice glow without the tan lines and raccoon eyes.

Enter Coppertone's sunless product for faces. Whenever I have an event or an upcoming trip to the beach, I start wearing this as my evening moisturizer on my face, and within about a week, I have a lot more color. I have tried Coppertones regular sunless product, and I found it to be pretty good if a little on the orange side. I find the Faces product to be very natural looking. In fact, after using it, I often don't even feel the need to wear foundation! My only complaint is the lack of SPF, which prevents me from wearing this as a daytime moisturizer. Overall, this is a great product, and one I definitely am keeping on hand.

Retail Price: $7.99 (most drugstores)

Rating:

Today's review of The Body Tint is just the first of many reviews of products from the Tom Ford for Estee Lauder Azuree Collection that we'll be featuring this week. Want to try some of the Azuree products for yourself? Register for DeLush Delivered and you'll be entered in this month's giveaway.

What They Say: "Experience the look, the feel, the beauty of azurée, Summer 2006, from the Tom Ford Estée Lauder Collection. Three color palettes, and a body collection that captures the spirit of sultry afternoons that go on forever, and wraps you in the seductive glow of summer. The Body Tint is a liquid body bronzer to smooth over legs and body for the look of summer--all over. Lightly fragranced with the provocative, modern scent of the azurée body collection."

Jen's Experience: I have so many great things to say about this product, I hardly know where to start. Straight out of the bottle, the ginger-colored bronzer is a thick liquid that is easy to control as I spread it on my arms, legs and chest. I found that it's easier to make the color even when I worked with smaller amounts, but I had no trouble correcting areas of over and under-application. This product can also be used to cover up streaks from your self-tanner or even light tan lines. Be sure to wait until the tint is completely dry before putting on your clothing. Luckily, it seems to dry fairly quickly.

The tint itself is very natural, not at all orange, and seems to last a long time even in heat and humidity. I wouldn't recommend it for wearing to the beach or to the pool, but I had no problems dining outdoors on a steamy July evening. And if you're worried about the color sweating into your clothes, I'd recommend testing it at home to get a feel for how it reacts to your body chemistry.

The scent of this bronzer is worlds above any of the self-tanners in my cabinet. In fact, it has the scent of a high-end perfume. I can't help feeling gorgeous when I'm wearing it. It's one of the most exciting products I've tested in a long time.

Retail Price: $28.50 (Saks Fifth Avenue)

Rating:

What They Say: "Experience the look, the feel, the beauty of Azurée, Summer 2006, from the Tom Ford Estée Lauder Collection. Tom Ford on the Azurée makeup collection: "This is a collection for the woman whose fantasy takes her away to sexy, remote beaches." Smooth on wherever the sun would naturally give you color, in this order:

• Forehead
  
• Cheekbone
  
• Bridge of nose
  
• Sides of nose"

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: Of the powder bronzers I've been trying recently, this is one of the most realistic and non-scary to use. The color is truly a bronze-y tan, with no orange tint at all and only an incredibly subtle hint of shimmer. It also goes on sheer and builds, so you don't have to worry about accidentally putting a big blotch on your face if you don't blow the excess off the brush after you swirl it on the product. The color stays true during the day and doesn't irritate skin. In my opinion this is a truly reliable and user-friendly bronzer, especially for those with fair and medium skin tones.

Retail Price: $50.00 (saksfifthavenue.com and select department stores)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "We know… it’s so hard to attain the sun-burnished glow of the girl who summers on the East Hampton-Palm Beach-St. Bart’s circuit. This luxe bronze comes pretty close: just add pearls and a sweater set for instant uptown chic."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: First of all, use an incredibly light touch when applying this bronzer. I can't emphasize that enough. Use a good-quality, large soft brush to apply just above cheekbones, temples, bridge of the nose...where the sun would naturally hit your face. If you get it right, you WILL look like you just came back from vacation. This hits a perfect balance between bronzed and tan without being orange (but like I said, if you apply this too heavily at first you won't look natural at all) and lasts all day. Makes a fabulous body bronzer as well (you can apply a bit more liberally on arms, chest, legs, etc.).

USER TIP: Make sure you BLOW OFF the excess from the brush before putting it on your face. This will help ensure you don't go overboard.

Retail Price: $28.00 (tartecosmetics.com)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "As seen in "Lucky" Magazine, Madflowers is the ultimate natural bronzer!

Madflowers approach to skincare is natural, pure and progressive. Madflowers Henna Bronzing Oil is a first in the industry creating a lasting, even, sunless tan on any skintone using natural henna plant oil extracts. It performs on contact, offering a smooth, bronze look, capturing and reflecting light on the skin to evoke a glowing, toned outline of the body. This luxurious and lightweight pure oil blend delivers a beautiful all-over body tan and due to henna's cumulative properties, skin will become darker with each use. Henna also serves as a natural sunblock."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: First of all, let me start by saying right off that this gives an excellent color. It's really easy (compared to any liquid-form self-tanners I've tried) and is practically mistake-PROOF. That said, let me tell you what I learned the first few times using it:

• Be very careful squirting the pump. Hold your hand close to the bottle make sure the oil doesn't go anywhere you don't want it to. In that same vein, do this over a sink or counter, or even standing in the shower.
  
• Don't apply this straight out of the bottle. Because if you do, you just might want to, I don't know...cry in fear. Because it looks MUCH darker than you may be prepared for, at least in the first few uses. But you don't have to be afraid! The best way to ease into it and get a really easy and EVEN application until you're more familiar with the product is to start with a pump-dispensing container of your favorite (inexpensive) body lotion. I like to use Johnson's 24-Hour Softlotion. Squirt about a 50-cent piece-sized amount into your hand (or less depending on how much you want to dilute the bronzing oil), THEN squirt the bronzing oil into the same hand. Mix them together, and then apply just like you would lotion, and repeat! Since it's got that nice glow you can see it very easily and make sure you get every inch.
  
• You don't really need to worry about rough knees or elbows, because unlike a self-tanner, this won't stain and show up exaggerated in spots afterward.
  
• DO let it dry as much as possible before wearing clothes...I like to apply this at night so that if any gets on my tshirt while I'm sleeping, it's not that big of a deal. But I've used it sparingly before going out, too, and haven't had much problem with staining. (It washes off.)
  
• Once you've gone over an area and moved on, be careful re-applying in that area after it's begun to dry, as you could rub some of it off. It's best to get it the darkness you want the first time around.

Whew! Now that all that is out of the way, let me end with a few more bits of my opinion. I absolutely LOVE this stuff, it looks healthy and radiant without being orange or gaudy, and is buildable. The only thing to keep in mind is to be careful as you first learn to apply it. One small negative is that sometimes a little while after applying there is a bit of wicking off of the color in tiny specks in certain areas that may have not dried. But those can be lightly wiped off easily and don't in any way make me want to stop using the product.

Retail Price: $38.00 (beautyintuition.com)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "Experience a healthy summer glow all year long with Sublime Glow. Enriched with Vitamin E, skin-smoothing Mango Butter and Sweet Almond Oil, Sublime Glow hydrates skin with vital, nourishing ingredients. Natural Skin Tone Enhancers specifically designed for Fair skin tones gradually add a hint of color to even out and enhance your skin's natural complexion. Light capturing micro-pearls accentuate your body's natural contours and give skin a soft, subtle radiance."

Jen's Experience: There's a reason that they call this a natural skin tone enhancer and not a self-tanning product. It takes many, many layers of this, morning and night, to really get a full-on tanning effect. Once you've got it, it's easy to maintain and longer lasting than other products like this that I've tried. And other thing in the positive column: since it doesn't create much of an effect too early, it's really hard to make much of a mistake. Go over your knees or ankles by accident? Don't worry, it won't be noticable tomorrow. On the negative side, it's not a cheap product at $9.99 per tube. It's probably okay if all you need is some color on your legs. But if you're working on a full body tan, you'll need about 2 tubes a month. Overall, I think it's a high quality product that creates a really natural effect, and that's hard to complain about.

Retail Price: $9.99 (drugstores)

Rating:

What They Say: "A silky-smooth powder adds a healthy, sun-kissed glow to any complexion -- instantly gives your skin the look of a natural tan. Bobbi suggests using Bronzing Powder year round to get that healthy glow. Choose the shade that works best for your skin tone. Natural is ideal for light complexions with pink undertones."

Jen's Experience: I tried Bobbi Brown's bronzing powder (say that three times fast!) at their make-up counter during my big makeover. It was the middle of summer, yet I was still as pale as a ghost. The color really helped me to look alive and, thus, I felt that I must have it.

I think I would have better results with blending it and making it look as natural on my own if I actually shelled out the $30 for the bronzing brush, but since I was already spending a fortune, I decided I would make it work with my motley brush menagerie. (Actually, I was thinking I would go to Target and get a cheaper Sonia Kashuk brush but never followed through.) After literally months of practice, I have gotten reasonably good results with an old blush brush, but seriously, this isn't for beginners.

Even with a blush brush, using the bronzer as a blush produces great results -- a nice natural looking blush for work or play. I still believe I like my Cargo bronzer best because it's just so easy to blend, but this is certainly something in my usual routine.

Retail Price: $30.00 (Bobbi Brown)

Rating:

What They Say: Coppertone® Endless Summer® Gradual Tan Moisturizing Lotion is the easy way to build and control a flawless, sunless tan.

• A gentle tanning agent blends with your natural skin tone so your color change is subtle.
  
• Apply daily or as needed to build color until you reach the natural looking shade you desire. (This may take several applications)
  
• Contains moisturizers and Vitamin E
  
• Won't clog pores
  
• Dries quickly
  
• Clean, fresh scent
  

Jen's Experience: I'm off to the mountains this weekend for the long weekend, and you know what that means: lots of time will be spent in the hot tub. I hate putting on a bathing suit in the winter beause I am white as a sheet, but with so many tanning products on the market, that just doesn't have to be. If you'll remember, I tried a similar product by Neutrogena several months ago and turned into a streaky oompa-loompa. Well, I have good news to report: my experience with this one is much better.

First off, I am terrible about exfoliating, which you generally need to get a fake tan. So I read the back of the bottles until I found one that didn't recommend exfoliating before use. The first day, I applied both morning and night, but since then I've just been doing one or the other because the results were so immediate. The blending is pretty good. I don't do my whole body every time, but it's not obvious where I stop even though the consistency, like the neutrogena, is of a thick moisturizer that disappears into your skin. The color is a little orangish, but it is by no means in oompa-loompa territory. I still have trouble firguring out where to stop for a natural looking tan around my knees, ankles, and elbows. But other than that, I'm very happy with how this little project turned out. Now all I have to do is pick which bathing suit to bring!

Retail Price: $8.99 (Drugstore.com)

Rating:

What They Say: "The moisturizing formula delivers just a hint of color with each application, allowing you to decide how deep and dark you want your sunless tan to be. Apply it more often for a deep, dark tan or less often for a healthy glow. Worried about messy streaks? Forget about it. This creamy lotion is clinically proven to provide natural-looking, even color that starts to develop in two to four hours. It's great for everyday use and dries in just five minutes."

Jen's Experience: I mentioned on Monday that I managed to get poison ivy on my face, and quickly got rid of it, a large part due to the Neutrogena Advanced Solutions moisturizer. Well, what I didn't mention is that I still have large swaths of it all over my body, on my legs and arms. It's red and angry and ugly and I needed to hide it. Pronto. Plus, I am going to the beach and I wanted to not unleash my casper-white body onto the world. Solution? Self-tanner, of course. It'll hide all the poison ivy and make me look less deathly, right?

There are an awful lot of self tanning products on the market, but I chose Neutrogena because I generally have very good experiences with their products. Well, this did not get off to a good start. First off, the product is the consistency of a moisturizer. It's a transparent white when you put it on, but quickly soaks into your skin and becomes clear. So the problem becomes, where have you applied it? Day one was a disaster: I forgot the insides of my arms in their entirety as well as the side of one leg. And even the rest of it was very, very streaky. So, clearly I have to "fix" it.

I applied two more applications on Day Two and Day Three. I have to say that after those two days, the color was a lot more even and my mistakes were far less obvious. The problem here was with the color. I became Oompa Loompa orange.

I decided to give it a couple more applications to see what would happen. The results were mixed. The Oompa Loompa-ness kind of went away, and that's good. But even without that orangish glow, I still didn't look natural because on my last application, apparently I left some on my hands. And two days later, it's still there.

It's been two days since I've applied it, and with the exception of my hands, it looks a lot better now than right after I applied it. Even still, I would not recommend this product. Without being able to tell where you've put it on, it's really not clear how the color is going to come out, and also the orangish days there right at the beginning were pretty bad.

Anyone else more skilled in sunless tanning tried this with better results?

Retail Price: $8.99 (Drugstore.com)

Rating:

It all happened so quickly.  One day, I'm wearing my winter coat to work and the next I'm wearing sleeveless sweaters.  Maybe I should have been going to the tanning bed or using some sunless tanning products, but I really was left unprepared and very, very pale.  So what's a girl to do?

Here's an option.  Well, something that will help pale skin out just a little bit.  Nars Body Glow is a liquid bronzer that temporarily gives your skin a little color and a little sparkle.  You apply it just like you would a moisturizer, making sure to keep it pretty even.  You can apply more than one layer if you want it a little darker.  It takes a little while to dry, so you may want to do this well before you put on your clothes for the evening.

What They Say: "A unique blend of Monoi de Tahiti oil combined with a rich chocolate shimmer for glowing, healthy and naturally fragrant skin. Native to the South Pacific, Monoi de Tahiti oil is composed of pure coconut extract macerated with the bud of the tiare flower, infusing the oil with nutrients as well as a delicate, natural fragrance. The ultimate multi-purpose beauty oil soothes and moisturizes the skin with an addition of rich chocolate shimmer for a natural glow. The lightweight, sheer oil is absorbed immediately on the skin."

Jen's Opinion:  I definitely get some use out of this product on spring nights when I'm just starting to wear spaghetti straps again.  I love the way it smells, very summery and I love the way it gives a nice warm shimmer to my skin that really lasts unlike a lot of powders.  On the other hand, it's very messy to apply and it takes a really long time to dry for me.  If you apply too much, it will collect in places like the fold of your elbow.  Once you learn to apply it correctly, it works great and, for me, is an essential for spring and summer.

Retail Price: $58.00 (NarsCosmetics.com)

Rating:

What They Say: "Dust it on and let someone else kiss it away! Sweeten your look or give it a sexy kick by slipping on a seductive sheen. Urban Decay Body Powders in 9 tasty (but not sticky) formulas.

Urban Decay Flavored Body Powders gives skin a long-lasting radiant glow. Dust on shoulders, face, or decolletage with Urban Decay's signature leopard puff for glistening, soiree glamour. Makes a scrumptious gift for you, your man, or a friend. Urban Decay's Flavored Body Powders are sparkly, scented and delicious, just try them and see. Mix and match for new flavors. "

Jen's Experience:  To me, Urban Decay's body powders are the epitomy of a product that makes it fun to be a girl.  I've been using their Honey flavor for a year or so now, and recently, I just purchased the Peppermint flavor.  They give just a little sparkle to your arms and decolletage.  I like to use the Honey flavor in the summer to give an extra dimension to my seasonal tan.  The Peppermint is perfect for the winter if you are wearing a lowcut dress or an evening gown.  The smells are more noticeable at first, but once you've worn them for a while, they tend to dissipate.  They are certainly not strong enough to compete with your perfume.   Same goes for the flavor: it has a slight flavor at first that will dissipate over the night, which could also be because it tends to rub off easily.

Tips:  If you are using this for the shimmer rather than the taste, I recommend putting on a thick moisturizer underneath and applying the powder on top to give it something to stick to.   But if you really want the taste experience, make sure you let it sit for a bit before you do anything that might make it rub off, like putting on a wrap or a jacket.

Retail Price: $25.00

Rating:

What They Say: "Tantowel US was incorporated in 1998 as a result of Australian born, Lori Braun's, dream to create the ultimate self-tanning product. With the ever growing statistics of skin cancer, yet people's desire to look tanned never waning, self-tanners became an obvious and wonderful choice for people to achieve this without having to be out in the harmful rays of the sun. However, Lori, and most people, found the self tanners available to be difficult to use and would often provide bad results. So, she set out to produce a product that would provide a healthy, natural looking glow, that was simple to apply, did not streak, stain or turn you orange. Furthermore, individual packaging of a single use application would ensure each use to be fresh."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: I'm usually not a tanning fanatic. I went through my phase of doing self-tanning lotions, and have only been to a tanning bed a handful of times. I guess you could say that I found all these things to be either a.) expensive, b.) uncomfortable, and/or c.) a pain in the butt. And besides, I've gotten much more appreciative of my slightly fair complexion. I don't feel the urge necessarily to get all bronze-goddessy as much. But then late spring and summer come along, and since I'm not going to lay out for hours getting golden, I've got to figure out another way to get a slight glow.

My mom actually got these for me initially, and I didn't know what to think. But I tried them and lo and behold, they actually worked! The thing that's unique about them is the natural way you can build up the tan slowly. It's very subtle. And they are so incredibly easy! No more burning your butt in a tanning bed, or struggling to reach your back with tanning lotion. The only negative? The scent can be a bit strong, but it's not necessarily unpleasant. In my opinion, it's not enough to negate all the benefits of the product.

User Tips: Tantowels come in different formula strengths. Choose the one that gives you the desired level of increase in tan.

Retail Price: $20.00 and up, depending on number of towelettes and formula (tantowel.com)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say(about BronzeRush) "Bronzerush is a palette that has everything you need to add color and life to your complexion. The gorgeous gold metallic kit includes a velvety smooth powder bronzer with a gel-based translucent blush, for a pop of fresh cheek color. Bronzerush gives you a warm healthy glowing tan, flushed rosy cheeks, and an all-over sun-kissed radiance that cannot be achieved by the average bronzer." (about the Rose Eyes Palette) "You can create a new look for every mood, season, or time of day with this gorgeous rose-themed palette. Set includes a true rose base shade, soft pink shimmer, soft rosy bronze, peachy-gold shimmer, and a deep plum-brown cream liner, plus a double-ended flat liner/eye blender brush."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow:(about BronzeRush) The sight of this palette, upon opening, kind of made me nervous. To me, it looked pretty bold. But on I soldiered, and put the stuff on anyway. The bronzer portion is actually less alarming than I imagined. It appears more orange-y in the compact than it comes off on my skin, but it is rather sparkly and maybe just tawny enough that I'd prefer it for spring or summer, but you may like it just fine, especially for those nights out. The little pot of creme blush to add on top for a bit of a rosy hue is NOT super-bright on your skin. It's actually quite sheer, and I thought rather pretty. If you've got slightly oily skin as I tend to get by around 5 o'clock in the evening if I don't powder or blot, this may not stay on as well as you'd like and you probably would prefer a powder blush for more wearability. Otherwise it's these two are a really nice combo.

(about the Rose Eyes Palette) This I absolutely LOVE. The colors are so perfectly matched for highlighting and deepening of the base color, and the generously-mirrored case is slim and compact. I think these colors would be flattering on practically anyone, whatever your skin tone or hair/eye coloring. The shadows are silky and really do wear fabulously - I didn't notice any creasing during the day. I was a little concerned about the cream liner, because it is such a soft formula. While I did smudge it myself a tiny bit when I applied it for a soft-focus look, the lines absolutely stayed put (surprisingly well) for HOURS. (Click the pic to the right to enlarge.)

Retail Prices: (BronzeRush) - $34.00, (Rose Eyes Palette) - $32.00 (BronzeRush is available at shop.duwop.com and the Palette is available at sephora.com)

DeLush Ratings: (BronzeRush)
(Rose Eyes Palette)

What They Say: (about The Bronzer) "Now, your skin and your senses are under the influence of Tom Ford. The message is nude. A makeup collection that reflects Tom Ford's provocative philosophy. Real gold in the makeup gives it a gilded, glamorous edge. Tom Ford on the collection: 'This collection is very much my philosophy of beauty. I've concentrated only on nude shades for the lips and nails. This is what I always really like...a neutral mouth, beautiful skin and a dramatic, strong eye. One look that works for many skintones.'" (about The Brush) *We don't have an official description at press time.

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: From the excitedly-anticipated Amber Nude II collection, this bronzer is more Fall-appropriate than the Azurée bronzer from this summer. This one is more tan and less tawny, and fairly subtle. The color doesn't turn orange at all as the day wears on and it stays put. Also, the compact is very generously-sized - about 50% wider in diameter than normal compacts.

The brush is incredibly soft and easy-to-handle. It helps to apply the bronzer evenly in just a few swipes. It's gentle on your face and just using it adds some glamour to the process of getting ready.

Retail Prices:
(The Bronzer) $60.00
(The Brush) $35.00
(both available at esteelauder.com)

DeLush Rating:
(The Bronzer)
(The Brush)

What They Say: "Experience the look, the feel, the beauty of Azurée, Summer 2006, from the Tom Ford Estée Lauder Collection. Tom Ford on the Azurée makeup collection: "This is a collection for the woman whose fantasy takes her away to sexy, remote beaches." Smooth on wherever the sun would naturally give you color, in this order:

• Forehead
  
• Cheekbone
  
• Bridge of nose
  
• Sides of nose"

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: Of the powder bronzers I've been trying recently, this is one of the most realistic and non-scary to use. The color is truly a bronze-y tan, with no orange tint at all and only an incredibly subtle hint of shimmer. It also goes on sheer and builds, so you don't have to worry about accidentally putting a big blotch on your face if you don't blow the excess off the brush after you swirl it on the product. The color stays true during the day and doesn't irritate skin. In my opinion this is a truly reliable and user-friendly bronzer, especially for those with fair and medium skin tones.

Retail Price: $50.00 (saksfifthavenue.com and select department stores)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "Laura Mercier has added two more best seller's to her famous Beauty Library...Bronzing Books in Bronzed and Gilded. The Bronzed Book includes 2 Pressed Powders, 3 Illuminating Sticks (in pressed form), 2 Stickglosses and 2 Eye Colours."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: My initial impression of these books is just how well the colors are coordinated. You do get a lot of options with these palettes due to the selection inside. First of all, I used the book in Gilded, as that was more suited to my skin tone.

The Pressed Powders (a light and a darker bronzer in each) are pretty easy to apply without looking heavy, and don't contain the heavy shimmer in some bronzers. My only complaint about them was that even when using a pretty high-quality brush, the powder seemed to leave a lot of residue all over that part of the palette afterward which I had to make sure to blow off.

The pressed Illuminating Sticks were something I've never tried but was really impressed with. The texture is hard to describe...not glossy like a lip gloss or even the consistency of a lipstick...more like that of a gel eyeliner. And laid on top of the bronzer, this gave a lovely glow. I used the more pink shade on my cheeks, and laid the more gold shade on top of the eye shadow and it gave some highlight to the center of my lid and browbones.

I wasn't overly-impressed with the Stickglosses; I felt they could have stayed on longer. But the color choices were nice, and if I had laid them on thicker with a brush over liner they may have fared better.

Finally, the Eye Shadow is something I really liked. Great combo of colors and smooth application with nice staying power. Very wearable.

Overall, I think if you're already a fan of Laura Mercier products and are looking for some new summer colors, one of these two palettes may give you the basics for your look. However, as a new client I wouldn't run out to buy one without at least testing some of the product in a store first.

Retail Price: $45 (lauramercier.com or sephora.com - UK and other international readers, help us out by letting us know in the comments if you know where other readers can purchase this internationally)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "Bella's make-me-over finishing powder leaves the skin looking radiant and refreshed. Gently infused with lavender oil and natural sunscreen, this mineral powder hides imperfections and fine lines for a youthful glow that's as easy as a brush stroke away. Available as a setting powder, bronzer, pink shimmer and gold shimmer."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: I tested the setting powder, bronzer, and pink shimmer versions of Bella's powders. First of all, there's one thing that applies to all three: it's kind of hard to control how much powder gets on the puff and how evenly. Now, I didn't find this a problem with the setting powder or the pink shimmer so much as the bronzer, which is dark enough that you definitely don't want to get any on your face in a big splotch. Unfortunately, that's what happens pretty easily with the way this dispenser and puff work, so I had to be EXTREMELY careful when applying it and then be careful again when trying to smooth it out without going over areas again and making them even darker.

The setting powder, because it is of course lighter, is much easier to work with. I would say if you are very fair this won't work for you, because of the tint. Used sparingly though, this creates a nice, even look with lasting freshness for medium-fair to medium skin tones. As far as I can tell it only comes in one shade.

The pink shimmer powder (also when applied sparingly) is a fabulous highlighter. Added to the upper cheekbones, brows and temples and you've got a subtle glow. If you're more fair, use the pink. If you've got tan or darker skin, use the gold.

Retail Price: $25.00 (bellabeauty.net)

DeLush Rating:
Bronzer
Setting Powder
Pink Shimmer Highlighter