So, one product I absolutely cannot live without is my bronzer. I’m sure there is photo evidence of me somewhere, from way back in the 90s, pre-discovering the wonders this product would do for me. Being of half-Italian descent, my body would always tan easily in the summer, but my face would stay much lighter as I’d keep it out of the sun (important sun care tip, ladies, we don’t want sun damage!). So there I was, in photos, always with a white face and tanned skin.
We all know how much better we feel in summer—the weather is warmer, nights are longer, and our skin has that natural glow, the same kind you get when you’re on vacation. While I’m an advocate for sun protection and slip, slop, slapping that SPF, I’m also a big fan of that bronzed, glowy look, but there’s more to know and understand when it comes to choosing and applying a bronzer so it looks natural and flawless. In this blog, I’ll introduce you to this life-changing product, help you select the right one, and teach you how and where to apply it—so you can get your glow on all year round!
1. HOW TO CHOOSE A BRONZER
Bronzers come in various formulas such as powder, shimmer powder, cream and liquid. I use a powder bronzer myself and on most of my clients, but if you’re extremely dry or want more of that dewy finish, then try a cream or even mix a liquid bronzer with your moisturiser or foundation.
It’s very important when picking a bronzer for yourself that you look at the natural undertone of your skin, usually along your decolletage or your arms. Do you have a more golden tone coming through? Is it more cinnamon, or do you have a red undertone? I find so many women think that a bronzer just comes in one kind of golden shade, and they choose a colour that doesn’t look natural to their skin.
Ladies, I understand your girlfriend might use Nars Laguna Bronzer, but trust me when I say that just because it’s right for her, it doesn’t mean it’s right for you (we would sell these by the box load when I worked at MECCA)!
When choosing a colour, hold a couple of different shades up to your chest area or your arm and see which colour blends in with your skin. If it looks too yellow, then you probably need something with a more cinnamon tone, and if it looks too ashy or ruddy, then it’s probably more golden. Trust me, when you hold them up, you will be able to see it pretty clearly, and it will make your decision a lot easier. The one that blends in is going to look more natural.
Some bronzers also have a shimmer to them, some more subtle than others, and if you want to use this product all over the face, be mindful that you don’t want to come out looking like a shimmering ball, so if it looks glittery on your hand, it’s going to look like that on your face too. If I’m using bronzers to warm up the complexion, then generally, I prefer completely matte bronzers, but if it has a soft shimmer, then that’s safer than a lot of sparkles. Also, don’t be influenced by the colour names of bronzers. Just because one is called “Light” and another “Medium” doesn’t mean that one is darker than the other—they may just be completely different tones.
2. HOW TO APPLY BRONZER
Now you’ve chosen your colour, applying it is pretty easy as long as you have the right brush and start with a little at a time—you can always add more if you think you need to. A nice full brush is ideal, one that’s quite dense, so when you dip the brush into the powder, the product is evenly distributed on the end of the brush.
Before applying bronzer to the face, I always like to tap off any excess product so I don’t end up with a big blob of colour somewhere I can’t blend. I start at the centre of the forehead, brushing down around my temples, then onto the cheek, drawing a C shape from the cheekbone down to the jawline and then dusting under the jaw down through the neck. Never forget that little spot underneath the chin where the sun doesn’t hit, it needs a bit of bronzer love there too. I then go back and dust a little over the nose and chin, but be careful not to be too heavy-handed here.
If you’ve applied your bronzer correctly, it shouldn’t look patchy (darker in certain areas than others) and should be seamless. You don’t want to see where it starts and ends, and when standing back and looking in the mirror, you want to look natural and the same colour from head to toe—the trick is to blend, blend, blend!
MY FAVOURITE BRONZERS
Here’s a list of some of my favourite bronzers. Please go check them out, and don’t be afraid to ask for help choosing a colour if you need it.