Aah bronzer, the one product we all love to swish all over our face and bodies. It gives us an instant tan, a hit of glow and radiance, whilst magically making us look less tired. I can't be without it and I'm sure you're the same. With so many on the market, which is your favourite? Do you know you can use your bronzer in multiple ways too? Aside from the sun-kissed aspect, we can use it to chisel and sculpt our faces and even sweep it on as a quick eyeshadow hack.
SheerLuxe posed some questions to me about the holy grail that is bronzer...here's what I had to say...
1. How should you be using bronzer differently in A/W as opposed to S/S?
I’d say dial down the tone, don’t go for bronzers that are too warm. Choose ones that are more brown rather than bronze, which contain less orange and red pigment. This makes your tan tone way more believable. Also depending on your skin type, consider going for a matte version rather than those with too much sparkle and sheen, which doesn’t translate too well to the darker, colder days.
2. People seem to contour with bronzer really well – any tips?
Yes, the main thing to avoid is putting bronzer all over your face, which most people like to do. Start from the very top of your forehead, smush it right into the hairline, plenty into the temples to slim the width of your face and then on the cusp of your cheekbones; the lower part of your cheekbones going into the hollows. Then for extra definition, apply under your jawline for a slimming effect, especially if you have a rounder face shape or jowls are making an appearance.
If your nose is not the desired shape, you can define it really easily too; take a smaller brush (a fluffy eyeshadow one is ideal) and apply down each side of the nose, scooping it around under the tip too.
3. What about as an eyeshadow – this seems to be such a good hack?!
Yes I love this as it gives your socket some definition, warms up the tone of your eyelids and marries your look together seamlessly. Once you’ve applied your bronzer around the face, take an eyeshadow brush and look straight ahead into a mirror. Swish the brush side to side in the socket area for an instant and easy eye look that as bronzer is of a warm tone, will also make your eye colour pop and your whites look whiter.
4. Okay lips - this blew my mind...How do you use bronzer to make them look bigger?
This would be by using bronzer as a contour so you definitely need to be sure you’re choosing one with no warmth to it, you almost want a more ‘grey’ toned bronzer. Essentially, you’re using it to mimic shadow and depth around the mouth. Using the smallest eyeshadow brush you can find, lightly trace around the underneath, lower centre point of your lips. You can also add a light amount to the top of your lips, where the ‘crest’ then goes down. This creates shadow and depth that will ‘push’ your lips forward. Finish with a balm or gloss in the centre of your lips to counteract the light and shade illusion, better yet, dab some highlighter on your cupid’s bow.
5. Any final ways to make the most of it – especially now the 'mega tan' season is kind of winding down?
Bronzer is good for all seasons, it’s like the lbd of makeup, it will always be in style. As well as giving you a glow-giving faux tan, bronzer can be used strategically to sculpt your face. Think of it as a way to cast shadow on your features, carving out sections that you’d like to define and snatch. Blend until you can’t blend any more, no-one wants to see obvious areas where your bronzer finishes, let alone the dreaded ’mars bar’ contouring! Then where there is shadow, there also must be light. Where you’ve applied bronzer, highlighter is it’s best friend. Apply highlighter right alongside your bronzer; where you have bronzer in the hollow of your cheeks, highlighter goes on the cheekbone…where bronzer is along the sides of your nose, highlighter can go down the bridge to the tip.
Powder, cream, liquid and even sprays, there’s so much choice of texture and tone, there’s almost no excuse to get it wrong.
Bronzers I recommend:
