Go bronze
Flowers are blooming, the days are longer and as the temperature rises we think of sitting on the beach or sipping iced tea poolside sporting a beautiful glowing tan. Back to reality! The reports and research say "don't tan, it's bad" i.e. it's the best way to prematurely age your skin and it's dangerous to your skin's health.
I'm not telling you anything you don't already know, heard or read about before. I'm just reaffirming the statement and offering some beautiful alternatives in bronzing and self -tanning products (coming up next).
Bronzer comes in loose and pressed powder form, cream or gel roll up sticks, liquid sheer tints that you brush on and blend with a sponge, and pencils. Some are more luminous than others are and some have sparkle or glitter rather than glow.
What's out there:
Just about every brand of makeup has a bronzing product in its line. You can purchase these in all price ranges from Rubiglo "Earth" Powder Blush $6.99 in what looks like an earthenware container that goes on lips, cheek, nails and eyes for approximately $5 to Chanel "Bronze Profond" $38.50 in a mirrored compact that goes on with a fluffy brush.
Lancome Paris offers "Poudre Blanc Niege" $26.50a golden light reflecting pressed powder, "Bronze DŽlicat" $28.50 another soft bronze colored pressed powder with itâs own brush that is virtually mistake proof and for face and body Maquisuperbe Body Shimmer $15.
L'Oreal Paris has three roll up gel sticks from itâs Sun Signs collection. I bought "Sunny Honey" $8.99, which is a warm golden bronze for my light, skin tone. Also from L'Oréal is "Translucide Lasting Luminous Powder" $10.99 a loose powder in a shaker jar for the face and body.
CoverGirl brings us a light weight moisturizing cream for face and body called All Over Glow in two shades, "bronze glow" and "Rosy Glow" that is soft and transparent. You can layer this on for more color.
Laura Mercier has a duo toned bronzing powder $30 for a radiant glow on the face and where ever else you want a bronze glow.
Bobbi Brown "Bronzing stick" $28, in medium is something Iâve been using on male actors and news anchors for years, on the temples and cheeks for a tan, and applied to the sides of the face for a contoured appearance. I prefer this to the "Bronzing Powder" $26, that is brushed over the face with its short handled bronzing brush $28.
Prescriptives has "Sunsheen Cool Bronzing Powder $25 as part of its Magic collection. This shake out loose powder feels cool and wet to the touch and comes with a brush that feels like youâre painting the color on your cheeks, chin and temples. I also like a wonderful bronze gel stick in the line. Itâs light to the touch and not too orange. In fact I use it as a contour for the jawline.
Estée Lauder offers up several bronzing products to bring out the sun goddess in you with: "Bronze Goddess Soft Matte Bronzer" $25, a jumbo sized bronzing powder. "Bronze Goddess Stick Bronzer" $25 a gel stick that feels cool as you glide it on your cheeks, shoulders, or anywhere you want a beautiful glow. "Bronze Goddess Highlighting Stick also has a cooling gel formula that gives skin shimmery highlights $25 and for the body "Body Glow Sheer Bronzing Mousse" $22.50
Vincent Longo has several bronzing products I like a lot. "Terra Gold" and Terra Bronze. I use them together to strategically place golden and terracotta color wherever I want. He also has a great cream called "Body Divine" Shimmer Body Creme. Actually I like to use this on my face because it's less red then other brands. Also check out "Diva Dust" Shimmer Loose Powder $38 both in 3 shades. For eyes try "Soul" Trio Eyeshadow in Pax, Lux and Sex, for golden and bronze highlights $20.
Instead of foundation use an SPF 15 or higher tinted moisturizer like Oil of Olay Complete Radiance tinted moisturizer $13.95 with one of the bronze, copper or gold loose sparkle powders for sheer bronze with protection.
For a natural tint of sheer bronze that lasts all day try BeneFit Glamazon $26 Made with exotic jasmine "Glamazon" goes on with it's own brush and blends with an included sponge.
Also check out, Max Factor Lasting Color eyeshadow in "Hollywood Bronze", Bonne Bell Gel Bronzer in "Extra Dark" and Maybelline "Express Blush" in Bronzy Shimmer, Palladio #406.
Well, like I said there is a lot to choose from. And don't forget to try all the wonderful lipsticks, nail polishes, eye shadows, pencils and loose sparkle dusts.
The body isn't left out at all this spring and summer with products in large size bottles like Ultima 11 "Glowtion" Body, skin brightening body moisturizer, (great value for the price), and Revlon "Gilded" Gleamer $8.65
How to apply:
Wear a monochromatic look or mix bronze, copper, and gold with rose or tawny blush. Use translucent powder on the T-zone to keep from a greasy rather than dewy look.
Cheeks and Face: Be a minimalist for daytime wear. For a sheer glow and sun protection, mix one of the loose sparkle colored powders with a tinted moisturizing foundation like "Complete Radiance" by Oil of Olay with spf 15 $13.95, or start with a gel bronzer for the face. Apply the bronzer where the sun would normally give you color. I like to add a tinted liquid blush like "BeneTint" by BeneFit to the apples of the cheeks for a healthy flush just after applying the gel or tinted moisturizer.
Evening: highlight the cheekbone with one of the shimmer powders or sticks. Add a bit of rose or tawny blush on the apples of the cheeks.
Eyes: Copper powder or the same all in one bronzer you used on your cheeks. Use some of the shimmer highlight powders on the browbone. Try one of the new aqua eyeliners out for summer or a taupe, dark brown, black or navy liner smudged along the eyeline. Mascara in black, black-brown or navy. With pale nude color on the lid, try one of the new metalic mascara with a dark liner.
Lips: Apply sheer lipstick or lipgloss in a berry, pink or bronze neutral color. Don'tt wear a matte lipstick, or you will look overdone. Mix one of the loose powders with clear lipgloss like M.A.C. lip glass for a beautiful gloss.
Hair: Get creative. Mix a little gold or copper shimmer powder in with your favorite gel or mousse after your hair is dry to add subtle highlights.
If you tend to be allergic to ingredients like Mica then stay away from the eye shadows and check the ingredient list. And if you have puffy eyes, donât wear the metallic shimmer powders on the puffs, it will accentuate them.
Self Tanners:
Self-tanning products are so improved these days that it's almost fool proof. Well, not quite. Follow directions, exfoliate with either a loofah, or product exfoliant, and either wash your hands immediately after or use surgical gloves when applying the product.
What's out there:
Estée Lauder Go Bronze Tinted Self-Tanner for Body $25 and Bronze Booster Moisturizing Tan Builder $20. Go Bronze contains a silicone-gel emulsion that moisturizes skin, vitamin E, and fruit acid to soften skin. When you can't help yourself and do get a suntan, Bronze Builder is an after sun moisturizer that will prolong a tan or after time fair skins will love to use this as their regular self-tanner because of the gentle slow building color.
Lancome Paris Soleil Flash Bronzer Gel and spray for face and body, $23.50 - $25.50 all with Vitamin E. The spray is clear, dries quickly and easily goes on. Flash Bronzer Medium Colour Self-Tanning Body Spray with SPF 15 is the perfect self-tan plan, with color and protection.
Ombrelle from L'Oreal Paris, has a dark self-tanner and with Broad Spectrum Sunscreen of 12, a fast drying spray.
BeneFit Aruba in a Tube is a self-tanning lotion with walnut and cedarwood extracts $22. Also out, Chanel Bronzage Automatique, $28.50 Clairins Lait Auto-Bronzant cream $23.50 Tanning milk for the body has SPF of 6, $23.00 And dark and light self-tanning for face SPF15 $23 Neutrogena Sunless Tanning Foam $8.39 prices range from $3.99 to $17, Bain de Soliel, Coppertone, California Tan and Banana Boat
How to Apply:
Exfoliate the skin with either a loofah or exfoliant product. The better job you do of removing dead skin cells, the better your tan will appear. Clean up any product from floor or carpeting. I apply standing in the tub, in case any product hits the floor it can rinsed it away. Wear either surgical gloves or be sure to wash your hands right after application. Use a sponge or brush to apply to the backs of the hands.
Use a bit of moisturizer to act as barrier to your dryer areas such as knees, knuckles, elbows and heels because color collects there and it will appear darker. Spread the self-tanner evenly and massage in. Allow the body to dry according to the directions and donât wear any tight clothing for at least an hour before. The best way is to apply self tanner before bedtime.
The tan will last 3-4 days before you will need to re-apply. Keep your skin moisturized so you don't get that "snake skin" appearance.