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Happy Friday from the Cosmetic Connection! Thanks to dozens of reader requests for my personal picks for self tanners and sun protection products, I am pleased to bring you a handful of product reviews to take some of the guesswork out of choosing the right sun care products for you.

One of the most important, and easiest, things you can do to protect your skin is use a sunscreen every day. As great as the sun is, its rays can do some nasty damage to the skin, like brown sun spots, sunburn, wrinkles, and acne. Applying a sun protection product of at least SPF 8 (but I prefer SPF 15) can significantly prevent this damage, and keep your skin looking younger and smoother longer. With so many products on the market from drugstore and surf shop brands to the more expensive department store lines, choosing one that not only works well but also feels good on the skin can be a daunting task.

Personally, I don't care if the sunscreen I use on my body is Coppertone, Bullfrog or whatever, as long as the SPF is sufficient for my day's activities, and it doesn't smell terrible. What I put on my face is a totally different story. Considering that the skin on your face is more sensitive to environmental and hormonal changes, and other cosmetics, and that sun protection products designed for the body may contain oils or thickeners that you wouldn't want on your face, I look for a product that is specifically designed for the face. It has to give me the protection I want, it can't aggravate my skin, and it has to be multi-purpose for any time of year. Here's a handy guide to a few sunscreen products I like, and how they perform:

Lancome Bienfait Total SPF 15
I've found this to be an all-around great product for just about any skin type. If you are very oily, this might feel too emollient, but it does absorb quickly, leaving no overly-dewy residue behind. I've used this lotion both when my skin was normal-to-dry and normal-to-oily and had no problems with breakouts, dryness, or greasiness. A bit spendy at $30 for the small size, but it should last at least six months with daily use.

Basis Face the Day Lotion SPF 15, and Basis One Stop Face Cream
Basis has recently launched a brand new assortment of cleansers and moisturizers in drug and discount stores that are good quality at a realistic price (everything is under about $8). Although each one is labelled for a particular skin type, I actually found the cream, which leaves a slightly matte finish, is actually better for somewhat oily skin, while the lotion leaves the skin more dewy and is better for somewhat dry skin. Both feel great on the skin and are terrific protection from the elements, complete with SPF 15 and anti-oxidant vitamins.

Clinique City Block SPF 15 tinted moisturizer
The color is very subtle, but if you like that makeup-free look for summer, and you want an easy one step product, City Block makes a great choice for normal, combination, or normal-to-oily skin types. I have used this in place of foundation before, but it's a real stretch since the coverage is so sheer. I like it the best for weekend activities, or for anytime when I'm just not in the mood to put on regular makeup.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 13
If your skin has a tendency to be a little more on the dry side, this lotion from Kiehl's is a great product to hydrate and protect your skin at the same time. The lightweight texture is perfect for everyday wear, and it leaves the skin moist without any residue, which can make your makeup bunch up or slide off.

Now that you're prepared to protect your skin from any damage the sun might do, I bet you're thinking, "Hey! What about my tan?! Summer just isn't summer without a tan." Luckily, just because you shouldn't bake at the beach all day doesn't mean you can't indulge in a little summer color. How? Self tanners. I'll be the first to admit that I was petrified to test self-tanning lotions for fear of turning bright orange! Thankfully, technology has come to the rescue with a new generation of sunless tanning products that actually make your skin look good!

I decided that if I was going to take the plunge, I might as well start with the one that I heard was the best - Clarins Self Tanning Milk with SPF 6. Every magazine has had it as an "Editor's Choice" product, and every reader's poll I've read on sun products puts Clarins at the top of the heap. Now I know why. Of all the sunless tanning lotions I tried, the Clarins lotion made my skin look like I'd just been on holiday in the Bahamas - a smooth golden brown like I have never seen before! Being as fair as I am, the closest I typically come to a real tan is lobster red! Clarins is also different from other brands in that it comes in only one color, so it tans your skin according to how dark you are naturally, and you can build from there to the color you want. I found it really easy to apply, and it smells terrific! A definite winner!

My second try at a tan was using Physician's Formula Sunshield Sunless Tanning Lotion with SPF 20 (I used the one for light to medium skin). Again, this lotion was easy to apply, absorbed quickly (so you can get dressed in about 20 minutes), and didn't streak at all. The color I got after one application was more golden yellow than the brown I got from Clarins, but it still looked natural. If you are looking for something more subtle, this one from Physician's Formula is good for first time tanners. I also like the SPF 20 sun protection, since you'll probably want to show off your new "tan" outside!

I have mixed feelings about my next self tanner - Garden Botanika Sun and Sport Self-Tan Lotion for the Body with SPF 8 (I used "medium"). The color I got was a nice golden, almost brown that I think looks most like what I would really look like after a day or two at the beach. The one problem? The lotion itself smells like stale bread! If you don't mind the odor, the color is nice and the texture is more like traditional sunscreen, so it spreads easily and absorbs quickly. This wouldn't be my first choice to buy again, but it's still a good product.

There are so many more tanners to try, particularly for the face, so next week I'll be bringing you Self Tanners Round Two! Stay tuned for reviews of Clarins Self Tanning Face Cream, Clinique, and BeautiControl Sunlogics, just to name a few.

The Makeup Diva is In! Who hasn't had an annoying blemish suddenly appear at the worst possible time? This week The Diva offers her personal tricks to effectively concealing those less-than-beautiful spots. Don't miss it! The Makeup Diva is In!

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