You may know bronzer as one of the most abused beauty products out there, but we think it's just misunderstood. In fact, you probably only notice bronzer when it's worn incorrectly — surely not every girl with a perfectly sun-kissed face is actually soaking up rays (um, especially in April). That means there has to be a way to use this product to its full-on, summery potential, so we called in makeup genius James Vincent to teach us the secrets of bronzer. Watch and learn as he shows our beauty director Annie how to get her glow on with some surprising tips. What do you think? If you saw her on the street, would you wonder what tropical island she just returned from, or can you tell it's makeup magic?

Video by Jack Pearce and Nora De Broder, produced by Katie Lincoln, photographed by Amelia Alpaugh.

Embryolisse Lait Creme, $16, available at Embryolisse; Kevin Aucoin Beauty The Tinted Balm, $48, available at Nordstrom; NARS Bronzing Powder in Laguna, $36, available at NARS.