Ah, summer -- the perfect time to let your tan, luminous, Victoria's Secret-esque limbs shine. Unless, of course, you're pasty, bruised or not quite as svelte as you meant to be by Memorial Day. Yeah, we didn't magically wake up with tanned, even, smooth, radiant skin either. Not that anybody needs to know. Enter: these shimmer lotions, oils and sprays that blur imperfections and turn you into a bronzed bombshell fast.

These shimmer lotions aren't the glittery potions you grew up on. They're the new way to fake a radiant glow, without the streaky, smelly mess of self-tanner.

In fact, celebrity makeup artist Mai Quynh (she's worked with Jessica Chastain and Reese Witherspoon) says a body shimmer is essential when wearing something that shows off your legs, arms or décolletage, because the shimmer reflects the light, makes skin look even and healthy, and, best of all, disguises imperfections. Buh-bye cellulite.

Another perk: Body shimmer looks great in person and in pictures, says Quynh.

Here, the best shimmer lotions to darken pale limbs, cover imperfections and look like an ethereal beach goddess.

Image via Pinterest

Try:

The Body Shop Coconut Shimmer Body Butter, $20

Organic, cold-pressed virgin coconut oil is the superstar ingredient in this luminizing body butter. Not only does this give skin extreme hydration, it means the product smells actually coconut-y, not artificial. It goes on light, and adds a hint of radiance thanks to ultrafine shimmer particles.

Burt's Bees Radiance Body Lotion with Royal Jelly, $9

The subtle, fine shimmer in this lotion comes from light-reflecting mica. It makes skin glow without looking overly sparkly, and is crafted with Royal Jelly for intense hydration -- it contains eight amino acids and is the food the Queen Bee of the hive noshes on (it's why she lives nearly 40 times longer than the rest of the bees).

Red Carpet Kolour Luminous Body Glow, $49.95

Perfect for those occasions where you need to look Beyonce flawless from your head to your toes, Red Carpet Kolour Luminous Body Glow offers coverage (spider veins be gone) along with light-reflecting particles that are like an Instagram filter for your body. It's easy to apply and leaves skin with a soft sheen that won't rub off on your clothes. Available in light, medium and dark.

Try:

Becca Luminous Body Perfecting Mousse, $34

You're best off applying this mousse in the buff so it doesn't get all over your clothes (once it sets, it doesn't budge). It dries to a surprisingly matte finish that evens out your skin tone and gives even the palest skin a hint of color and shimmer. And before you ask, it definitely doesn't stink like self-tanner.

Delectable Skin Perfecting Bronzing Body Lotion, $18

With nourishing ingredients like argan oil, shea butter and aloe vera, plus a sweeter-than-sugar scent, you'll want to slather this lotion on even when you don't need a bronzing boost. Don't be intimidated by the ultra-bronze color in the tube -- it blends out easily and gives skin a sun-kissed glow.

Scott Barnes Body Bling, $42

True to its name, this sparkly lotion gives you instant, bling-y, bronze-y shimmer (and comes in an equally shiny tube). Plus, it's customizable: If you want a deeper bronze -- sans self-tanner -- simply add another layer until you get your desired deepness. A word of caution: be sure to let it dry completely before getting dressed, and be sure to wash your hands after applying.

Try:

Charlotte Tilbury Supermodel Body, $65

Ellie Goulding, Poppy Delevigne, Maggie Gyllenhall -- these are just a handful of women who had this applied before hitting up this year's Met Gala. Its description as an "optical illusion" is an accurate one: just a few sweeps of the metal rollerball across your legs and arms, and limbs look longer, leaner and more luminous. It also contains a skin-firming complex and soothing aloe vera and allantoin.

Ciaté Bikini Body Balm, $29

Ciaté may have started out as a nail polish brand, but we've been consistently impressed with their foray into makeup. You can use this solid, creamy balm to add concentrated shimmer down your shins and across your collarbone as a highlighter, or use the included puff to sweep the vitamin E-enriched, pearly formula over your skin and give yourself a champagne glow (not to be confused with the glow that comes from drinking too much champagne).

Try:

Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Shimmering Body Oil Spray, $40

With this mist-on shimmer, you can completely forgo your perfume. It's scented with the brand's classic Bronze Goddess scent -- a summery blend that begins with creamy scents like coconut milk, sandalwood and vanilla, transforming into a zestier scent with notes of Sicilian bergamot and lemon before finishing with floral notes of jasmine, lavender and tiare flower, all laced through with the underlying sensual scent of amber. Essentially, this is the skin-softening spray you want to mist on before a hot date in the summertime.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse OR Multi-Usage Dry Oil Shimmer, $45

Not only is this preservative-free, made-in-France product incredibly gorgeous to look at, it imparts skin with a shimmering, soft, hydrated glow and divine, perfume-y scent. Plus, you can use it on your face and hair as well, and it's crafted from six nourishing plant oils.

Nars Body Glow, $59

This mist simply smells of the beach and summertime. The lightweight oil is made by infusing coconut oil with the bud of the tiare flower, and then blended, giving it an intoxicating fragrance and subtle shimmer that works on all skin tones.