Jennifer Berg

Last week's show-stopping hailstorm had us kissing our dreams of sun-kissed skin goodbye (at least until June). With day-at-the-beach plans dampened, we took our quest for the bronze off North Avenue Beach and into Lincoln Park's cluster of beauty shops. There, we found an array of sunless-tan products that allowed us to look on the bright side of Mother Nature's maelstroms:

The Powder Room--Armitage Avenue's pint-sized, pink-walled beauty emporium--is the only store in Chicago to carry ModelCo's Tan Airbrush in a Can ($28-$36). The flamingo-hued can in question comes with a 360-degree nozzle to help reach pesky places; the product's consistency is light and misty and its subtly floral fragrance comes as a pleasant surprise; self-tanner doesn't always have the best-smelling reputation. Add some sparkle to your freshly bronzed skin with the Powder Room's Tangerine Shimmer Spray ($44, Fresh Scents by Terri), an upbeat, citrus scent with a discreet glittery glow.

The Powder Room, 705 West Armitage, (312)640-1194, www.shoppowderroom.com.

Bluemercury Spa offers an array of high-end hope-in-a-bottle (or, as the case may be, sun-in-a-container). One of our favorite products is Laura Mercier's Bronzing Book ($45). Available in two shades--Bronzed for the sun-initiated and Gilded for the porcelain contingent--the Books contain a portable beauty bazaar of pressed powders, illuminating sticks, lip glosses and eye shadows. (For a how-to session on using your Bronzing Book, see Stacie Wainer, the shop's in-house Laura Mercier makeup artist.) If you're scared of self-imposed streaks, check out the spa's Self-Tanning Body Polish; for $125, a professional fake-baker will slough off dead skin and apply self-tanner for you in less than an hour.

Bluemercury Spa, 2208 North Halsted, (773)327-6900, www.bluemercury.com.

Kiehl's approaches skincare with scientific expertise: The shop's old-world apothecary look and the dressed-in-lab-coats team of salespeople give the products a well-deserved air of gravitas. Kiehl's recently released Sun Free Self Tanner ($22.50) has a (nearly) foolproof formula for DIY bronzing: the lightweight lotion works on both face and body, delivers a glow to all types of skin and was whipped up with smooth, even distribution in mind. The lotion's ingredients, apricot kernel oil and cocoa butter, have proven skin-saving advantages; we just like how yummy that sounds. For the most even results, smooth skin with Kiehl's Liquid Body Scrub Cleanser ($21.50) and Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub ($25) before slathering on the tanner.

Kiehl's, 907 West Armitage,(773)665-2515, www.kiehls.com.

(2006-05-23)

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