THE TAN COMMANDMENTS

1. Thou shalt always use sunscreen.
"The sun is our greatest enemy," says Dr. Robert Gilman of Plastic Surgery Specialists in Wellesley Hills. ‘‘You want an SPF of at least 30 to protect you from UVA and UVB rays ... many researchers feel that even one blistering burn can be a cause of sun cancer.’’ (UVB light causes sunburn while UVA light causes premature aging and skin damage.) Peter Thomas Roth makes an ultra-lite Titanium Dioxide SPF 30 sunblock in a sheer-drying application, $36 for 4 oz., PeterThomasRoth.com; Osmotics makes a SPF 40 lotion with anti-aging properties, called Age Prevention Protection Extreme; $45 for 2.5 oz., Osmotics.com.

2. Thou shalt try an award-winning sunscreen.
In 2001, Health magazine’s panel of dermatologist judges voted SkinHealth Face and Body Sunscreen the country’s best. This SPF 30 sunscreen is available at SkinHealth Medical Spa on Newbury Street and in Wellesley. ‘‘It has 7 percent micronized zinc oxide and antioxidants ... and green tea,’’ says owner Cheryl Clarkson, who opened her salon after her sister died of melanoma. A 3.5-oz. tube costs $50; a portion of the profits supports research on malignant melanoma.

3. Thou shalt use mineral-powder sunscreens.
Angelina Jolie and Goldie Hawn swear by Colorescience micronized mineral sunscreens containing zinc oxide and titanium oxide. Just introduced is Sunforgettable ($45, Colorescience.com) in a clear formula, for SPF 30 brush-on sun protection that is water-resistant. Colorescience also makes an Almost Clear Sunforgettable formula with a translucent tint.

4. Thou shalt consider mineral makeup.
Jane Iredale, a former TV and film casting director from Great Barrington, invented her mineral makeup line in 1994; her products contain a blend of minerals and pigments that provide up to 20 SPF UVA and UVB protection. The bases, for example, are concealer, foundation, powder, and sunscreen all in one — and Oscar winner Helen Mirren wears her PurePressed Base every day; janeiredale.com. The IsaDora line, exclusively at Walgreen’s, features a mineral makeup collection formulated with titanium, zinc oxide, amethyst, tourmaline, citrine, and aquamarine, for SPF 15 sun protection. Prices start at $14.79 for blusher.

5. Honor thy complexion with self-tanners.
Peter Thomas Roth makes a Natural Looking self-tanner with SPF 30, offering sun protection plus shea butter, chamomile, and aloe vera ($28 for 4 oz.). For a self-tanner, try June Jacobs radiant-glow lotion, which contains botanicals ($34 for 7 oz.); junejacobs.com. For a self-tanner and skin firming product in one, use Sircuit Soliel, a firming mineral self bronzer that’s free of oil, fragrance, and preservatives, and contains horse chestnut extract; $48 for 4 oz.; Sircuitskin.com.

6. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s color.
For do-it-yourself color, try the new FusionBeauty AirGlow Airbrush Gun, which distributes an even layer of cocoa-infused, sugarcane-derived Protein Tan. It has no odor, streaking, or staining. The AirGlow ($175) and tinted Protein Tan ($62 for 8 oz.) can be found at Sephora and fusionbeauty.com. La Residencia, a spa in Newton, offers body bronzing using Germaine de Capuccini mousse from Spain. First you’re sloughed, then buffed, and the color shows instantly. ($100 for one hour; laresidenciaspa.com). The Beach Plum Spa at the John Carver Inn in Plymouth offers such treatments as cranberry pedicures and beach plum salt scrubs. Try its $120 full-body bronzer or just the $40 face-and-neck bronzing with Phytomer seaweed-based products; beachplumspa.com.

7. Thou shalt use bronzer.
DuWop’s Bronzerush comes in two colors and features powder bronzer and gel-based translucent blush ($35); duwop.com. Cargo celebrates its 10th anniversary with its limited edition Tenerife MatteBeachBlush ($26), featuring four colors that can be used as bronzer and blush; cargocosmetics.com. Available at Sephora.

8. Thou shalt use performance sunscreen.
Athletes like KINeSYS, a brand infused with the scent of mango (which won’t attract mosquitoes) and Parsol 1789 — the trade name for Avobenzone, which blocks UVA radiation and provides broad-spectrum sun protection. It doesn’t contain alcohol or oil and won’t run into your eyes. Available in a range of SPFs and in cream, spray and solid formulas; kinesys.com.

9. Thou shalt treat sun-damaged skin.
For home use, there are products like the Radical Departure kit offering ‘‘two weeks to great skin,’’ from dermatologist Dr. Ava Shamban. The $125 treatment, available at Barney’s, contains, among other things, orange calendula wash, alpha-hydroxy-acid lotion, and retinoid serum, said to encourage cell turnover (avamd.com). Miracle Eyes from beautybuy.com ($29.95 for 5 oz.) is a water-based cream containing plant extracts and hyaluronic acid, which targets wrinkles and crow’s feet.

10. Thou needn’t kill for killer legs.
Leg Magic from Covermark, a SPF-16 concealing makeup for legs and body, is water- and smudge-resistant, and dermatologist recommended.