Bronzer 101

Bronzer is one of those products that I have a love/hate relationship with.
It is a gorgeous, beauty enhancing product, but everywhere you go you see it used and abused - more abused that any other product out there.

CZJ doesn't normally get anything wrong. But this time? Um...

So today we are going to revisit bronzer, how to choose your formulation, how to choose your color, and how to apply it.

Scroll to the bottom of this post for a little "how to" segment from last year on SheKnowsTV, with the lovely Lisa Acquafredda.
(I forgot how much we used to laugh when we'd shoot together! Love her!)

Formulation:
These days you can get gels and creams, lotions and mousses - all kinds of different formulations of bronzing products. The problem with most of them is that they are too easy to get wrong, and when bronzer goes wrong, it goes very wrong.
So unless you are super good at application, stick with a bronzing powder.

Find your correct color.
If you have a pale skin you will look best in a bronzer with a rosy gold champagne undertone.
If you have a medium or olive complexion you will win with a golden copper undertone.
If you are a dark goddess look for something with a deeper red undertone.


A little shimmer can be beautiful, and really bring some light and life into the skin. Look for bronzers that have very small particles of shimmer. Basically if you can see and identify individual shimmer particles, they are too big, and your skin will look crazy shiny.


Application.
Don't try to color your face in with bronzer. Its need to hit your skin where the sun would. Across the forehead, the top of the cheek bone and bridge of the nose, and the chin. You can run a little along the jawline too.
Think of doing a number 3 across forehead, cheekbone, nose and chin.
If your collarbones are visable, dust them too.


Your application should be light enough that you can see freckles through it.
 
The bronzers I showed in the segment are actually from my makeup kit. 
Here is the 411 of what was on the table.


On Lisa I used Guerlain's amazing Terracotta Powder in shade 2.

Beyond brilliant, this product is the benchmark for all bronzers. Guerlain first introduced the Terracotta powders in 1984, and they were the first bronzers on the market. To this day they are the biggest selling bronzer, with one unit selling somewhere in the world every 25 seconds!!
I love these because they give the warmth and luminosity of a natural tan. They also are moisturizing, long wearing and oil controlling.


Cargo Cosmetics Bronzer in Medium

A staple in my kit and in my personal product arsenal. I love the subtle sun kissed glow it gives, slightly shimmery and sheer. This award winning bronzer avoids the overly yellow trap that many bronzers fall into. Totally gorgeous!


MakeUp Forever Bronzer

I am a huge advocate of Makeup Forever! Their products are amazing. On the table I showed their bronzer in shade #5, which has a lovely red undertone for my dark skinned girls. It comes in several shades, so no matter what your complexion is they have one for you.







 I recently got a new bronzer from H.Wood.Beauty in a shade called Dakota, which I am loving for paler skins.

I also love LORAC's baked bronzer