Charlotte Ronson A Summer's Kiss Face and Body Glow

Fashion "it" girl Charlotte Ronson is best known for combining her effortless sense of style with her chic downtown designs. Charlotte is "bringing the same sensibility to her new beauty collection." Inspired by her friends and family, the line takes its direction from the different looks and lifestyles of her inner circle. There's a multi-tonal eye shadow palette for Nicole Richie; a weightless, nonstick gloss for her DJ sister Samantha; and a luminous light-filtering powder for Rashida Jones.

The entire collection is designed around her muses - their different routines and diverse beauty - appealing to a wide range of women who want to look pretty on-the-go without trying too hard. Every product seamlessly transitions from day to night and is especially portable and easy to use. Plus, the formulas are infused with light-adjusting technology so you look flawlessly radiant in every cast of light, no matter what spotlight you find yourself under.

I was surfing Sephora and saw Ronson's A Summer's Kiss Face and Body Glow ($18). As a total illuminator junkie, I had to have it. The price was right, so into my cart it went.

When it arrived, I was extremely happy with my initial tests. The color is a bronze gold with just a hint of rose gold. My first impression was, Wow!" The liquid illuminator/bronzer definitely adjusts its shimmer and glow based on the lighting.

Here are two swatch photos of a heavy application at the top of my arm, with a lighter, more normal one below. I applied both swatches with a concealer brush and took my initial swatch photos in full sun.

I decided to test A Summer's Kiss for longevity by leaving the swatch on my arm and going off to run errands. I went to CVS, got some things for my mother, delivered them, and came directly home. At no time during my foray did the inside of my arm get an excessive workout. The product didn't fare well on my arm. By the time I got home, there was little left.

The swatch photo at right was taken with some clouds overhead that moved in while I was gone. As you can see, the color wore off significantly. There was some color and some sparkle left, but the pizzazz was gone.

Interestingly, the color persists nicely on my face. With sunshine or strong indoor light on my face, A Summer's Kiss is a pretty, gleaming, shimmering medium-toned bronze-gold. With less light, it shows me less gleam and more color. It's cooling when I apply it.

The active ingredients, listed at Sephora, include:

• Nano-fine titanium dioxide and alumina: work synergistically to create a soft-focus effect by absorbing, reflecting, and scattering light;
• Multidimensional pigments: creates differentiating shimmer and luminosity effects;
• Capric/caprylic triglyceride and xctyl palmitate: help keep the skin soft, supple, and moisturized; and
• Vitamins C and E: strong antioxidants to protect the skin from environmental aggressors.

My conclusions about A Summer's Kiss? It's a pretty facial illuminator or shimmering bronzer in a color most of us can wear, and the price is very reasonable. It only fails the test as a body bronzer. You only need a tiny amount of product to achieve a pretty look, so the three-ounce tube should last a long time if you are wearing it only on your face.

Charlotte Ronson's A Summer's Kiss Face and Body Glow is exclusive to Sephora. I bought mine online. You can see Ronson's complete collection at Sephora.

Photo at top courtesy of Sephora; other photos by Best Things in Beauty