Lancaster Self-Tanner Spray
$27 at select department stores, beauty retailers and beauty.com
Lancaster’s Fast Dry Bronze Water Spray made a good first impression: The quick-drying formula meant I didn’t have to sit around post-shower, afraid to so much as touch a towel for fear I’d stain it. And better yet, instead of turning me the color of a golden retriever, Lancaster’s spray imparted a lovely, toasty tan. Still, it was difficult to get an even finish; I wound up with seriously blotchy coverage. And the chemical scent clung to my skin long after the spray was dry.
[ EMILY HEIL, THE WASHINGTON POST ]Smashbox Eye & Cheek Combo
$28 at Sephora stores
Smashbox attempts to one-up standard bronzers with its new Desert Chic Fusion Eye & Cheek Color, a trio of warm-weather shades: a light latte, a warm pink and a (rather orange) terra cotta, all in one smallish pot. The light brown? Sultry and wonderfully flattering. The pink and orange? I looked a little sick. Not to be deterred, I dusted a bit over my cheekbones. I was as shimmery as Paris Hilton on an Urban Decay bender.
[ MICHELLE THOMAS, THE WASHINGTON POST ]Guerlain Double-Wand Mascara
$35 at Sephora and fine department stores
Despite the wide range in price, all mascaras are essentially created equal. Guerlain is trying to change that with the new Le 2 de Guerlain. The shapely, metal-tone tube contains two brushes: one fairly standard, the other short, delicate and slightly angled. With the help of the easy-to-handle brushes and the smooth, un-clumpy mascara, my straight, shortish eyelashes looked much longer and thicker.
[ HANNAH SCHARDT, THE WASHINGTON POST ]More Top Picks How We Test