I must confess that when I first saw this jar, I thought the manufacturers at Clarins had made a mistake. The frothy, whipped, dolloped-like mousse was WHITE. Who knew what put this in my mind, but I had a preconception that all self-tanning mousses, creams, liquids and potions had to have that earthy, bronzy color?

This white mousse has a creamy dessert, Banana Pie-like texture and gives you a beautiful tan without you ever looking like you went to a streak show.

The fragrance is divine (fruity with a touch of almond), and it’s married to an oil called Mirabelle Oil (this comes from a small golden fruit that’s fatty-acid rich). Plus it has SPF 15.

The ladies at the Clarins Skin Spa last evening showed us how to properly apply the Mousse:

1. You must exfoliate first, especially on the day you apply the mousse, taking care to remove the exfoliant with mitts or a wash cloth.

2. Then apply a moisturizing cream to hydrate and prep, taking care to pay special attention to your ankles and knees (you don’t want your knees to look extra “earthy” do you? Moisturizing those areas will help the color go evenly all over).

3. Apply mousse with the spatula over the face and body (yes, isn’t that great you can use this product all over)?

4. Be careful to avoid eyebrows and hairline.

The color will start to manifest itself gradually within a few hours but ideally you’ll want to give it at least 5-6 hours to show. The golden glow you’ll inevitably have (yes, everyone will talk) will last for 4-7 days.

$42 at Clarins because every gal needs to look so Riviera.

– Charu Suri