One of the fun (okay, obsession-inducing, too) things about blogging is checking to see who’s linking to you.  All incoming links are much appreciated, whether from Idaho Sally or Oprah–although, obviously, the bigger the site, the more excited you’re likely to get.  So, I was tickled pink to just discover that AOL StyleList picked Jolie as their inaugural blogger for Guest Beauty Blogger Wednesdays!  Huzzah!

I spent most the day at a TV shoot hanging out with Lorit Simon, co-creator (with Lindsay Lohan!) of the new self-tanning spray Sevin Nyne.  Sevin Nyne has received a ton of press recently–no doubt initially because of the Lindsay connection–but the big shocker here is that the spray not only works, but is fabulous!  If you’re like me, your biggest complaint about self-tanner is that is smells disgusting.  As a self-proclaimed self-tanning expert, I’ve managed to bypass streaks and orange palms (okay, most of the time!), but the gross-smell thing really trips me up.  Sure, I like to be bronzey as much as the next girl, but Eau de Sour Milk is so not my thing, and that’s what you get with pretty much everything on the market.  Sevin Nyne gets the full Jolie treatment because, hey, it’s 2009, and it’s high-time we had a caramel-scented tanner that won’t go rancid after two hours and–oh, yeah!–actually works.

I used to be skeptical about the spray concept–surely a lotion or cream works better, no?–but I’d long been converted to that, too.  The beauty of a spray is that you don’t have to rub it in.  So, after your first one or two inevitably messy sessions (steep learning curve here, people!), you’ll be speedily spritzing like a pro and can also get those hard-to-reach places on your back.  Of course, for some people, nothing less than Jergens Natural Glow or a light-as-air mousse will do–and that’s perfectly acceptable when you want light, barely-there color.  For a true summery-yet-still-natural-looking bronze, however, I seriously recommend Sevin Nyne.

Oh.  And did I mention that it smells amazing?  Because it smells amazing.  Check out my interview with Lorit Simon here!

Basic self-tanning tips:
- Always tan on clean, dry skin
- Moisture after tanning, not before
- Tan your hands and feet last, so you can control amount and strength
- Exfoliation will fade your tan, so keep that in mind while shaving or using body scrubs!
- Pay special attention to knees, elbows, ankles, feet and hands; all can be tell-tale areas of self-tanning