Other articles by Lois Joy Johnson:

Gray hair creates new challenges Keep your skin glowing this season Women over 40 must be careful with foundation Improve your appearance with this five-step plan

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Nothing says summer like tanned, golden skin, but in this day and age of SPF 50, sporting a real tan is just plain irresponsible. Still, blatantly faking one is outdated and can look silly.

To achieve a beautifully bronzed glow, I recommend swapping your fake-bake palette of browns and peachy-gold makeup for subtle, gradual self-tanners that flatter skin of every shade.

A hint of color can camouflage everything from under-eye circles to cellulite and make you feel sexier and thinner.

I've experimented madly with tanners and bronzers in search of the perfect faux glow.

Here are a few of my secrets for a goddess-like glow. Feel free to cherry-pick your own combos.

1. Even the lightest shades of bronzing powders have a tendency to look too dark, too matte, too opaque, too metallic or too orange when applied. Nars Sparkling Pressed Powder in Gold Rush ($30) provides radiance without the extra color. This low-watt powder blurs pores and wrinkles, absorbs oil and gives eyelids a clean sparkle so you don't need shadow.

2. I'm a convert to tinted lip balms in peachy-pink or golden nude shades that add just enough color and volume to look fresh but not makeup-y. Neutrogena Soothing Lip Sheers SPF 20 in Sparkling Nude ($9) does the trick and has a peppermint flavor.

3. Fresh High Noon FreshFace Glow ($36) is a hydrating tint with botanicals that renders dry skin immediately sunny and dewy. If you like more coverage, mix it 50-50 with your foundation. I first tried this after a glycolic peel, noting that it counteracted redness and sensitivity brilliantly. Try it also if you have rosacea.

4. Shiseido Daily Bronze Moisturizing Emulsion for Face/Body ($35) is the subtlest self-tanner I've found. It contains a reduced level of the active ingredient, DHA. The effect is like bumping up your light-reflecting foundation a shade — just enough to blur discolorations — and it won't cause elbows, knees or brown spots to overtan.

5. Revlon Bare It All Lustrous Lotion in Peachy Tease ($15), a cross between primer and a highlighter, comes close to giving "experienced" skin that lit-from-within look you see on 18-year-olds in cosmetics ads. Think of it as your personal retoucher in a tube. You can blend it under your foundation or wear it over sunblock for extra glow.