I believe that pale skin has nothing for which to apologize. Some of us were born the color of sheets of computer paper, and we make it work for us. Despite this, I must acknowledge that sometimes it is nice to sport a color that is slightly less pale than usual. Bikini wearing, for instance, yields the most fun with a hint of tan. I just accept this, as do most other women who buy self-tanners. We all know the perils of the self-tanner: the orange blight, the streaks, the darkening of hands, knees, elbows, feet. I could go on, but I will come to a point.

And that point is: L’Oreal Sublime Bronze Luminous Bronzer ($10.49 at drugstores). Also known (mainly to me) as Pretty Sparkly Glow in a Bottle, this product has ushered in a new era of tanners. Not only does the color show instantly on skin, preventing the dreaded streakage, but the color itself manifests subtly, in a good way. I got to forgo tanorexic orange and head straight to a nice hint of a tan that did not involve the risk of cancer. The lotion itself contains vitamin E to smooth the skin and micro-particles that shine in the light, producing a lit-from-within quality that usually only comes after a hard yoga class. And my favorite part of all: a transfer resistant formula that minimizes that awkward time after applying the tanner, but before getting dressed. I have better things to do than hang out in the buff in my bathroom, and now, I can sparkle while I do them.