Dans Papers - June 1, 2007 - Get Hampton Sun-Kissed

If you thought that Hamptonites like Sarah Jessica Parker, Renee Zellweger, Kelly Ripa, Denise Richards and Martha Stewart were slathering on Hawaiian Tropic sunblock at the beach last weekend, you must not have heard about Hampton Sun, the most luxurious line of summer skincare products to hit the East End in years. Hampton Sun is the result of a collaboration between a Hamptons real estate developer, a casting agent and the country's top beauty and skincare experts who all believe that modern women should have to choose between protecting their skin from the sun's harmful rays and looking, feeling and smelling beautiful.

The delightful fragrance, Privet Bloom, was the first (product) to be perfected. Privet Bloom features the breathtaking aroma of privet hedges in bloom coupled with a bouquet of muguet, jasmine, linden blossom, gardenia, orangeflower, dune rose, driftwood and sun-warmed musk. Privet Bloom is not a replacement for your favorite fragrance. Rather, it is the perfect perfume to slip into your beach bag to mist whenever you need a little pick-me-up when you're running from the beach to dinner or out to the shops.

This past Memorial Day weekend, I had the pleasure of testing out the new Hampton Sun skincare line - by land and by sea - and the products passed both tests with flying colors. I wasn't sure if all of the products could be layered and worn together, but I needed to test all of them so I gave it a try. Before donning my new bikini, I smoothed on some of the Sunless Tanning Gel. I was surprised at how the clear formula dries so quickly and smells so fresh and clean. Best of all, when my beautiful, light golden tan developed a few hours later, the natural-looking tan was completely even and my hands and feet weren't stained at all.

Once the Sunless Tanning Gel was dry, I applied the SPF 30 Sun Tanning Lotion onto my skin. The lotion was as light and freshly scented as the Sunless Tanning Gel and also dried surprisingly quickly. After a whole day in the sun and on the boat, my skin felt fresh and cool and even though I hadn't been out in the sun since last summer, I didn't burn at all.

Although I didn't have a chance to use the Serious Shimmer Cooling Spray in Pearl at the beach, I spritzed some on my faux-tanned skin before heading out to the clubs that night. Not only did the cooling mist revive me during many long, hot hours of dancing - the shimmer made my skin look gorgeous. The next night, all of my friends wanted to be "shimmered" and soon, my bottle was half-empty! We put it on our faces to give our makeup a little sparkle, in our hair for that tousled, just-came-from-the-beach look and all over our limbs to make them look long, thin and tan.

I don't think I'll bring these products back to the newsroom to share with the girls - they're that good. They made my skin silky smooth and made me feel absolutely beautiful. What more could a girl ask for?

Later on in the summer, when my real tan starts to darken, I am going to try out their SPF 4, 8 and 15 Sun Tanning Gels and After Sun Moisturizer so my skin stays as soft and supple as it is now, all summer long.

If you want to try some of these products for yourself, pick some up at Henri Bendel, Fred Segal or another fine retailer or log on to www.hamptonsuncare.com.