It's no secret -- I'm pale, and proud of it (see: fear of self-tanners and obsession with sunscreen). But this is the time of year when all of my friends have a radiant, Charlize Theron-esque glow, and the truth is, I feel ghostly. I covet their sun-kissed skin and wish for a little color of my own. So I'm breaking out the bronzer.

Most bronzers are too dark for a paleface like me. Even if I tap the excess powder off the brush and temper the color with a swirl of light pink blush, it looks ridiculous -- like I have dirt on my face.

I have a short list of bronzers that actually work for me, and this summer I'm adding the new Almay Smart Shade Bronzer, $10.99, to the arsenal. It comes in one shade, but it's incredibly sheer and easy to build on. In fact, I can layer it on -- and layer, and layer -- and the color still looks natural. The bronzer contains mineral pigments that give the skin a glow-y quality, and the results are subtle. Don't you think?