This Liquid Bronzer Is Your Golden Ticket To A Healthy Summer Glow

Bronzer is a tricky beast, especially for those of us who are on the paler (or in my case, practically albino) side of the skin-care spectrum. I'm Irish — my people were not meant to look sunkissed. That doesn't stop me from coveting that gorgeous golden goddess glow, though. Up until now, I've had a hard time finding a bronzer made for a ghost. Most bronzers work best on those who already have a good amount of bronze pigment in their skin. Seems a bit backwards to me, but then, I'm no cosmetics mogul.

It wasn't for lack of trying, because believe you me, I tried 'em all. Powder bronzers just made me look like a Kardashian that Kris locked up, Flowers In The Attic style. I found some success with Bobbi Brown's Sheer Color Cheek Tint in Nude Beach, but the cream bronzer still wasn't quite right. I resigned myself to a life of transparency and questions about my general health (because apparently to the bronzed denizens of the world, we pale ladies look sickly. Jerks).

Then, at a recent launch event for Giorgio Armani Beauty, I came across the magic that is Liquid Summer. It just sounds amazing, doesn't it? Well, I'm here to tell you it also is amazing. First, it lacks the Vegas-showgirl-size chunks of glitter that many bronzers have nowadays. I'm sorry, but I'm going for a believable bronze, not a Twilight tan — diamond sparkle should not be anywhere near my face. Second, the liquid formula melts into the skin, so you look actually tan, not like a pale person with tan streaks running down her face.

The key to applying it correctly is to dab a few drops in your palm, and then use a blush brush to apply it on your nose, forehead, cheekbones, and chin in a circular motion. You can follow with the brand's new liquid blush to enhance that naturally tanned effect. I've also found that adding one or two drops of this stuff to my morning moisturizer helps give me an all-over glow that gets people gushing over my newfound radiance. Bonus: Liquid Summer has an SPF 15 in it, so I also get an extra hit of sun protection, something my "burns if I even so much as look at the sun" complexion definitely needs.

Don't get me wrong – I love being part of the extra-pale posse, but sometimes, a girl just wants to add a little oomph to her visage. When it's physically impossible to enjoy the natural color that time in the sun imparts on the rest of the population — or, at least enjoy it without coming down with a raging case of the Mileys or risking a brush with melanoma — can you fault me for being tempted by the allure of summer in a bottle?

Giorgio Armani Maestro Liquid Summer, $64, available at Nordstrom.