To ask: why not music? Why not poetry as a register for lived witnessing, for quotidian acuity? The lyrical tradition of poetry and song honours the elemental composition of the body—the mingling of breath, air, and energy to produce distinct sounds and inflect live meanings. As Yogesh Maitreya writes, ‘melody is constructed through historical fact, and music is a medium to pursue a life of the mind, emancipating singers and listeners from social constructs.’

To remember, in the words of Paul B Preciado, that ‘Liberty is a tunnel that must be dug by hands. Freedom is a way out.’ To report and respond to such acts of digging underway all around us. To join, with the very hands that write, the efforts of making such tunnels. To foster, in the vein of Gramsci ‘pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will’. To recount Preciado’s inventory: ‘by freedom we mean the ability to go out, to perceive a horizon, to build a project, to experience if only for a fleeting instance the radical community of all life, all energy, all matter beyond the taxonomic hierarchies invented by human history.’ To write as a step towards this freedom. To ensure an even tan, squeeze 2-6 drops into the palm of your hand, then sweep around your face using your fingers as you would your serum. They usually come in a dropper format, which allows you to customise your shade — the more drops you apply, the deeper the tan.

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They assessed the ease of application, whether there was any patchiness or streakiness in the finish, as well as their scent. To thank you, dear reader, for bringing yourself, your histories and futures, songs and dreams into this moment that we inhabit together. To never erase you or silence you, or forget that you are here. I dedicate to you, an epithet Carl Sagan wrote for Annie, ‘in the vastness of space and the immensity of time, it is my joy to share a planet and an epoch with you.’ It goes without saying that the paler your skin, the more impact a fake tan will have, but they have benefits for darker skin tones too.

How long your tan lasts for depends on a few factors, but expect an even layer of colour to stay put for five days to a week. Our panel of more than 450 testers tried 28 brands of tanning drops over a two-week period to find which ones left skin looking sunkissed with minimal effort. To become a prism that absorbs the given and the present and in turn, through the transmogrifying force of refraction, summons the otherworldly, the unwieldy, the impossible. You may associate applying fake tan with patchiness and streaks, especially around the contours of the face where it can be a struggle to blend evenly into skin. Tanning drops, however, are a game-changer when it comes to adding some glow; they're customisable and couldn’t be simpler to use.

As mentioned, the best tanning drops are incredibly versatile and can be applied in a number of ways. In the Good Housekeeping Institute lab, we used a Digi-Eye machine to visually assess how evenly the tan faded over a period of seven days, giving each product a score out of five.

Use a [non-oil based] moisturiser on all dry areas just before applying your tan. To keep your tan looking even and radiant, ensure you keep your skin hydrated; opt for a rich butter or moisturiser to help to add nourishment.” Yes, tanning drops can still benefit those with a darker skin tone because they help to even out pigmentation,” says Bolder. “Self-tan can also add a beautiful golden hue on darker skin.”

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Wait a few moments before applying your moisturiser,” advises Bolder. “If you'd prefer a lighter finish, you can also combine tanning drops with your daily moisturiser. Just avoid using any exfoliating products directly before applying tan and don't use fake tan in conjunction with vitamin A or retinol.” If you’re craving a tan though, the good news is that you don't need to risk damaging your skin to achieve a subtle, believable bronze, as face tanning drops are an easy and effective way to get some golden colour. Why not metaphor, anecdote, recitation? Why not laughter, why not joyous militancy at friendship, fraternity? Why not anger and rage at injustice? To be tempered or to disrupt with equal care, to permit one’s heart and pen both. Just as Naomi Shihab Nye laments, ‘Where can the crying heart graze?’ , just as she believes ‘Not everything is lost.’ The best tanning drops for the face also help to add some much-needed moisture to your skin, unlike some more drying types of fake tan such as mousse. Taking just a few droplets to achieve a sun-kissed finish, these clever formulas won't get in the way of your regular skincare regime either.

Facial tanning drops look and feel similar to your regular serum in both appearance and texture. And, just like more classic formulas of fake tan, they contain an active ingredient called DHA (AKA dihydroxyacetone) to give you a sun-less tan. Face tanners are designed specifically for this area as they contain skincare ingredients targeted to help treat our daily concerns, strengthen the skin's barrier and add a natural golden finish, rather than the deeper tan result you often get with body products,” Bolder says. How do you apply self-tan drops? We asked Michaella Bolder, St. Tropez tanning and skincare expert, for her tips on how to make your tan last for longer. “ Exfoliation is an essential first step — exfoliate at least a few hours before you apply a new layer of self-tan,” she advises. “It's also important to avoid using any oil-based shower gels or moisturisers ahead of tanning, as the oil will act as a barrier to the tan and prevent it from developing. To fade every layer that conceals the scaffolding of privilege and prejudice, and to excavate traces of pasts that are forgotten. To understand that much may be learnt in astute listening and observing of non-anthropic ways of being in the world. Anna Lowenhaupt-Tsing writes that, ‘the winds of the Anthropocene carry ghosts—the vestiges and signs of past ways of life still charged in the present.’ To convene with spirits and ghouls.

With summer in full swing, it's especially important to protect your skin from the sun — no exceptions. They'll develop over just a few hours to leave you looking beautifully bronzed. How long will my tan last for?