Sunless tanners keep you aglow

Temperatures and hemlines are rising – and so are the number of products dedicated to making legs look smooth, soft and glowingly tanned without ever setting foot in the sun (or, fashion forbid, a pair of nylon stockings). We tested nine of the newest bronzers, self-tanners, shimmers and spray-ons.

By now, most of us realize that tanning is a health and beauty sin. And we also know that fashion whims and the upcoming heat mean almost no one will want to wear stockings these days – even as the flurry of shorts and thigh-baring skirts puts more attention than ever on legs.

Self-tanners have long been the solution of choice. But this season, they’re being joined by a host of other products designed to make legs look sleek, smooth and gleamingly sun-kissed (and, in some cases, even smell good). From tinted moisturizers and bronzers to the new “spray-on stockings,” we tested a range to see which worked best at transforming our winter-pale, sun-damaged legs into sleek, glamorous gams. The (highly subjective) results appear here.

A few words of caution: Wash hands after applying. Allow all of the products to dry thoroughly before dressing. And don’t forget that even “tanned” legs need sunscreen.

Michael Resort Collection Leg Shine By Michael Kors

Try it: For fans of designer Michael Kors’ heavily gardenia-scented perfume, this deodorant-style stick might be a handy addition to the carry-on bag or beach tote. Though it appears golden bronze as a solid, once stroked on legs, it’s all but colorless, adding only a faint gleam and a lot of fragrance, which didn’t dissipate for several hours.

Buy it: 3-ounce stick, $30 at Neiman Marcus

Clinique Self-Sun Quick Bronze Tinted Self-Tanner Mousse

Try it: All self-tanners utilize the same active ingredient, DHA, which reacts with the skin’s surface proteins to simulate the look of a golden-brown tan. This creamy mousse formulation is lightly tinted, an asset when it comes to getting the most even application. And like most mousses, it dries quickly: On the up side, you don’t have to wait long to get dressed (just 15 minutes or so); on the down, there’s less time to correct streaks or other application “errors.” The DHA smell was barely discernible, and the light golden brown color was believable, but areas of sun damage grabbed more color, so dark spots looked even darker. Staying power: Three days and counting.

Buy it: 5-ounce bottle, $16.50 at Neiman Marcus, Dillard’s, Foley’s, Macy’s and www.clinique.com.

Sue Devitt Liquid Gold Coast Bronzing Glow

Try it: The formula is water-based and oil-free (“suitable for face and body,” says the label), but application is easiest if skin is thoroughly prepped with moisturizer first. The color is a deep, reddish brown and less metallic than most — a shade dissed by one colleague as “cheap pantyhose tan.” Much like self-tanners, the color tends to grab on dry or sun-damaged spots, which emphasizes rather than camouflages those areas. The “seductive and delicate scent of Frangipani flowers” is mild but noticeable enough to conflict with other fragrances. The scent faded after an hour or so; color remained until showered off with soap and water.

Buy it: 4-ounce bottle, $36 at Sephora, www.beauty.com and www.suedevittstudio.com

Dermablend Sunsational Legs Kit

Try it: Dermablend was created (decades ago) as a camouflage for conditions such as birthmarks, bruises, scars, tattoos and other imperfections that require totally opaque, water-resistant coverage. The two-step process starts with Cover Creme, which is dabbed on and allowed to dry for five to eight minutes, then “set” with Setting Powder. Because the product is opaque, getting a good color match is essential, and neither of the two shades we tested achieved that goal. “Ivory” was too light (think calamine lotion), “Suntan” too dark and pink. One of the 14 other shades available might have been a better match. Useful as a hard-core “spot treatment” only. Water-resistant formula dissolves easily with Dermablend Remover.

Buy it: Kit includes printed vinyl beach bag, 2.25-ounce tube of Leg and Body Cover, 1-ounce Setting Power and a large brush, $27 at Ulta, J.C. Penney, Dillard’s and Foley’s

Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs

Try it: “Spray-on Perfect Legs in an Instant!” the ads proclaim. We were skeptical until makeup artist L.B. Rosser told us he uses Airbrush Legs on every photo shoot and we gave it a try ourselves. Airbrush Legs promises and delivers. Silky smooth to the touch? Check. Weightless? Longlasting? Transfer resistant? Check, check, check. The finish is matte and powdery, rather than shiny or sticky, and offers light coverage so that the discolorations of age and sun exposure are softened rather than accentuated. Airbrush Legs comes in four shades. Medium Glow and Tan Glow are noticeably yellow. But Light Glow worked great for my pale legs, and that’s Deep Glow on our even paler model. Color applied in the morning was still smooth until showered off the following day. Caveat: To avoid “spray painting” your bathroom or dressing room, apply outside.

Buy it: 3-ounce aerosol spray, about $9 at Target, Wal-mart, Walgreen’s, CVS and Eckerd stores

Prescriptives Sunsheen Body Tint

Try it: This “luminous lotion” goes on like a standard moisturizer but dries down and “sets” in two or three minutes (the label says five), giving a nice degree of coverage and shine. A helpful Neiman Marcus sales associate advised against using moisturizer first, saying dry skin would improve adherence. For the first few hours after applying, a slight stickiness was noticeable each time legs were crossed or uncrossed, but that diminished. And the shimmery color lasted as promised until showered off the following morning.

Buy it: 4.2-ounce tube, $25 at Neiman Marcus, Dillard’s, Foley’s, Macy’s and Sephora

Nars Body Glow

Try it: “A unique blend of pure coconut oil macerated with the bud of the tiare flower,” NARS Body Glow is like the most glamorous post-day-at-the-beach oil ever. Adds a bit of temporary warmth and glow — and a lot of fragrance — but no real coverage. The oily formula soaks in quickly, and what looks like dark-bronze crushed glitter in the bottle doesn’t appear at all sparkly or metallic on skin. The product settles and separates after sitting and can solidify or get crusty when cool. (Directions recommend placing in the sun or warm water.)

Buy it: 4-ounce bottle, $55 at Neiman Marcus, Sephora and www.beauty.com

Lancome Soleil Flash Bronzer Self-Tan For Legs

Try it: Friends had given this gel-creme self-tanner good reviews, and we liked the way it spread evenly and dried without feeling sticky or having a strong DHA scent. The straight-out-of-the-tube color is a pleasant golden brown with a hint of shimmer. The next-day color was subtler and slightly browner than the Clinique self-tanner, with less buildup on dry areas. People with naturally darker skin, or those seeking a more dramatic tan, would probably be happiest with a second application. Like all self-tanners, this one exfoliates right along with the outer layer of skin. Our subtle color still looked fresh after three days.

Buy it: 4.4-ounce tube, $27.50 at Neiman Marcus, Foley’s, Dillard’s, Macy’s and www.lancome-usa.com

Benefit Flamingo Fancy Shimmering Body Slip

Try it: Cute retro packaging and a comparatively mild scent are the pluses of this metallic rose gold lotion from Benefit. The minuses are the streaky coverage and unnatural “Oh my gosh, you look burned!” color, which, thank goodness, washes off readily with soap and water.

Buy it: 4-ounce bottle, $20 at Macy’s, Sephora and www.benefitcosmetics.com