A suntan is actually your skin's way of protecting itself from ultraviolet light. Exposure to either natural or artificial sunlight, by way of tanning beds, causes the melanin in your skin to darken, and overexposure leads to a sunburn. While there is no such thing as a "healthy tan," since the 60's, the fashion world has been obsessed with perfectly tan skin, particularly on naturally fair girls.

As a makeup artist, I have gained a great deal of success through my ability to make the skin appear tan without any actual sun exposure, while keeping the look fresh and natural. Here are some great tips for how to do it:

* Take a foundation or tinted moisturizer a couple of shades darker than your own skin. For this, my favorites are Make Up For Ever Face and Body Foundation, Neutrogena's Healthy Skin Glow Sheers and Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer. Apply a super thin layer of foundation just to give the skin a bit of color but NOT to cover the entire face.

* With a little brush, use a matching makeup camouflage, which provides full opaque coverage, to cover any flaws in your skin.

* Dust a little translucent powder over your face to eliminate excess oil.

* Next, sweep a bronzer over the places where light naturally hits your face: the top of your forehead, the top of your cheeks, and over the bridge of your nose.

* Finally, add a bit of color to the apples of your cheeks with a bright pink or coral blush to get a beautiful "sun kissed" look.

Now you can have that radiant, freshly tanned glow without ever stepping into the harmful rays of the sun!

Happy Summer!!