admin It’s that time of year again, when the sun shines, the days get longer, and your skin takes on a sun-kissed look. Summer is the ideal time to explore the world of bronzing.
There is a misconception that bronzing and grooming are the same thing, which is far from the truth. While a retouch aims to bring dimension and depth to the face through subtle sculpting, bronzers aim to bring warmth and shine.
There is also a noticeable difference in the shades of grooming products and bronzing products. Because the purpose of a retouch is to add depth and dimension, the shades usually have significantly cooler undertones, while bronzers have more skin-like undertones.
Creams vs. Powders
With so many options to choose from, you may be asking yourself whether you should go for a cream or a powder? Bronzing creams are usually a great choice for dry skin as they are emollient in nature and it’s easy to get a softer blend. However, the new PureBronze range, despite being a powder, is soft to the touch and blends easily even on dry skin. For oily skin, choosing the right texture of bronzer is equally important. Oily skin should avoid bronzing cosmetics with intense shimmer, which can make skin look very textured and shiny.
Finding Your Undertones
Just like any other skin tone product, skin depth and undertone both play an important role when choosing a bronzer.
The general rule of thumb is to choose a bronzer that is one to two shades darker than your natural skin tone. Whether your skin tone is fair, light, medium, dark or somewhere in between, knowing your skin undertone is just as important as knowing your skin depth.
If you’re unsure of your undertone, here’s a quick review:
●Undertones fall into three basic categories: warm, cool and neutral.
●Warm undertone colors lean more toward peach, gold or yellow.
●Cooler undertones are usually associated with skin with blues and pinks.
●Neutral undertones are a mix of cool and warm undertones.
●Your undertone color affects how your skin looks when you tan.
●Lighter and warmer skin tones are more peachy. Choose a peach or neutral tan bronzer.
●Lighter to medium skin tones and warmer undertones are more golden. Choose a bronzer with ●copper undertones.
●Darker skin tones with warmer undertones are closer to a deep bronze. Choose a bronzer with ●rich chocolate undertones.
●Lighter skin tones, cooler tones, tan, rose. Choose a bronzer with rose tones.
●Lighter to medium skin tones, cooler undertones, closer to a deep cinnamon color. Choose a tan ●bronzer with a hint of cinnamon tones.
●Darker or richer skin tones with cooler undertones and a tan that is more reddish. Choose a ●darker tan with a hint of red.
●Lighter to medium skin tones and warmer undertones are more golden. Choose a bronzer with ●copper undertones.
●Darker skin tones with warmer undertones are closer to a deep bronze. Choose a bronzer with ●rich chocolate undertones.
●Lighter skin tones, cooler tones, tan, rose. Choose a bronzer with rose tones.
●Lighter to medium skin tones, cooler undertones, closer to a deep cinnamon color. Choose a tan ●bronzer with a hint of cinnamon tones.
●Darker or richer skin tones with cooler undertones and a tan that is more reddish. Choose a ●darker tan with a hint of red.
Finally, if you have neutral undertones with no visible shade, you may tan and then tan. Choose a beige color that doesn’t make your skin look red or orange.
Now that we’ve discussed undertones and depth, application is also an important element in getting the ultimate natural sun-kissed look. If using with a skin tone product such as foundation, be sure to dust it with powder to prevent uneven application. If you prefer a bronzing cream, apply it directly to the skin after foundation or tinted moisturizer.
Just as there are specific placement rules for contouring, there are specific placement rules for bronzing cosmetics. Applying it where the sun naturally hits your face is key. Proper bronzer placement includes the sides of the forehead, around the C-shaped temples, the tip of the nose and the chin. A fan brush is the best tool to use, remember this is to add warmth not coverage. The fan brush will keep the application light and natural. Don’t forget the neck and trim. For added shine, use a shimmering bronzing powder on the high points of the face such as the cheekbones and bridge of the nose.
Bronzer is also great for days when you’re not wearing makeup or taking photos.
Whether you opt for creams or powders, bronzing makeup is a great way to welcome and celebrate summer.
