Bronzing Powders - Part 1 - Avon, Givenchy, Chanel and Smashbox

So this is the year that I decided it was time to stop being so pale - don't worry, I haven't gone crazy and ditched the sunblock, I'm just dipping my toe into the sea that is facial bronzers - not wanting to look like a reject from Jersey Shore, I turned to an expect for some advice.

Misty Huber, the founder of DIYbeautiful.com feels that one of the prettiest seasonal makeup looks has to be spring’s bronzed sun-kissed makeup. It’s not an all-out bronzed goddess face like you might do for late summer, but more of an emergence from winter’s chalky pallor—making you look fresher and more alive.  Being a total bronzer newbie, she was kind enough to share her pro bronzer tips with me:

The pro trick to achieve the best bronzing look is to contrast it with some glow to heighten the effect and make it look more natural. Let’s face it, no one comes back from the beach with a matte complexion.

Start by applying a dewy tinted moisturizer or other sheer foundation, preferably with light-reflecting pigments. This first layer provides a base for the bronzing powder to adhere to so it will stay in place and last longer. Next, dip a medium-sized fluffy brush in bronzing powder, and gently tap it to remove excess product. A mistake I see a lot is when a person sweeps bronzer across their entire face, starting with their forehead. Typically the result is one side of your face that is darker than the other. Instead start applying product at the center of your forehead—where the sun would hit first and naturally be the darkest, and then work outward on to either side. Finally add a bit of powder to your temples, hollows of your cheekbones, and down the bridge of your nose—all places the sun favors. 

Now that I knew how to apply it, off I went to test bronzers - which is still in progress but since I already found several I like, I thought I would start with them, is it a coincidence that my favourite ones are also the ones with the most interesting packaging?  Probably not...

Avon Sunset Glow Bronzer - $11.99 - available in Sunset Glow and Sunset Bronze.  The powder is very silky and soft  - and it goes without saying that I love the packaging - everyone should put pictures in their compacts!  I tried the Sunset Glow shade which I thought would be more flattering for someone with pale colouring and I am really pleased with the results!  I swirled all three colours together for my "bronzing" effect and then used the pinky colour on the apples of my cheeks for blush.  I look beautifully sun kissed!  Available as of June through your Avon rep, 1-800-265-AVON or online at www.avon.ca

Givenchy Fleur de Frangipanier - $53 - comes in Island Tan or Island Pink - from the summer collection - I tried the Island Tan which is actually the darker of the two.  Swirled together it gave my face a beautifully glowy tan, although I did not swirl the brush in the darkest colour an equal amount so the mixture didn't become too dark - and the pink is a perfect blush colour, if you aren't a bronzer person I would still recommend you finding this pink by itself for your summer blush!

Chanel - Soleil Tan de CHANEL - $56 - available in Terre d'Or and Terre Halée.  Since I love Chanel everything I thought it would be remiss of me not to try out a Chanel bronzer. The summer collection included two colours and I went for the Terre d'Or since it was the lighter of the two.  Having only one colour made things a little less complicated and the colour more uniform.  The pigmentation is really good so it took the smallest amount of powder on my brush to get enough colour for the healthy glowing look I was going for, this bronzer will probably last me forever!

Smashbox Halo Bronzer - $45 - I loved their Halo Powder so much that I knew that I needed to give the new Halo Bronzer a try.  It comes in the same super cool shaver packaging which grinds off new powder for you each time you turn the top.  The powder is oil, talc and paraben free and  it contains funky ingredients like pure gold, goji berries, antioxidants, 48 minerals and a skin perfecting peptide.  It only comes in one colour which is meant to be universally flattering - what this means for pale people, go easy!  It was easy to go darker then I wanted by using what would probably be a normal amount of powder for everyone else - less was more for getting the lightly sunkissed look I desired.  One turn is supposed to be the perfect amount of powder for your whole face and in my case, half a turn was ideal!

Stay tuned, Part 2 will be coming soon and if anyone wants to tell me about their favourite bronzer that they think I should try, that would be great!

- Lisamarie -