I hear ya, Clementines—spotty, splotchy, too-dark bronzer is not
pretty. But I have a few answers/tips/suggestions for making sure
you don’t end up looking like Pig Pen from Peanuts. Here
we go:
1) First, yes, you might have the wrong shade. I’m olive and find a
neutral brown base works best for me (my favorite: bareMinerals
Warmth). But if you’re
cool, one that has a bit of pink in it could be a better match.
And if you’re
warm, then one with a hint of apricot might blend with your
skin tone a little better.
Don't know if your skin is warm or cool? Here's a
quick way to tell.
But if you’re super duper pale, then you might have another issue
going on. If so, head down to #2.
2) I hear this a lot with very, very pale ladies—seems a lot of the
bronzers on the market are just too dark for their light
complexion. Now, some companies like Physician’s Formula,
Maybelline and Cargo make “light” versions for this very purpose,
which might solve the problem. Another way to go? Skip the bronzer
altogether an instead go for a face powder a bit darker than your
skintone—this will keep your results subtle.
Fake a vacay!
3) How and where you put it on counts. You want to concentrate
dusting it on the parts that get sunkissed first like across your
forehead, down your nose and along your cheekbones. Now, if you’re
using a powder, forget the applicator that comes in the package and
make sure to use a big, fluffy brush, often called a “kabuki
brush.” You need a wide head to dust the bronzer around lightly as
opposed to in patches like smaller brushes can. Oh, and make sure
to blow off the excess first—a simple move, but it makes a big
difference. If you’re using a liquid bronzer, you can use a sponge
or your fingers to blend it in, then go over it with a clean
cottonball to lift off any excess that could make you look too dark
or blotchy.
4) Make sure to hit your cheeks with blush—this will lighten the
look of the bronzer overall and give you that “just came in from
outside” look you’re going for.
Any of you have a great tip to share? Think you might have figured
it all out from my tips? Post below. And if you’re still confused,
check out this Beauty
101: Bronzer slideshow—you might just find your “aha” moment in
there somewhere.
Another little secret to looking radiant.
by Beth
Shapouri
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