"B" is for Bronzer

This summer, try a foundation alternative. If you’re a minmal coverage gal like me, considering giving your liquid foundation, tinted moisturizer, cream to powder formula, etc a break for the warm summer months. Instead, try bronzer. “But I’m naturally tanned” you think to yourself. Well don’t let that stop you. Nothing’s prettier or more low maintenance than a few strokes of bronzer across the areas of the face where the sun naturally hits you.

For starters, most of you probably only apply foundation where you need it…or at least that should be your technique (in my humble opinion). Who needs a face full? Well actually some of us might need a little more every now and then…like when we’re doing it up for a special occasion we might go all out. But for a really fresh “get out the door quick” look, try using a bronzer instead of foundation. Here’s how:

1. Start with clean, moisturized, and SPF’d skin.

2. From there apply a few strokes of bronzer to both cheeks then upwards into outer temples.

3. Whatever tiny amount of product is still left on the brush, girl just blend like crazy. The more concentrated areas will be your cheeks and everything else blends out from there.

4. If you need a little under eye concealer or spot cover up, decide the order in which you want to do that. I typically do my under eye brightener first but will save my blemish cover up (you remember the one) for last. And by the way…I’ve been way too lazy to cover up lately. Talk about being way too comfortable in one’s skin.

As for bronzers that are tried, true, and loved by ThisThatBeauty – at the suggestion of ThisThatBeauty reader, Christella, I will run a series on BRONZERS!

I’ve decided to make my first two bronzer recommendations uber accessible and super cheap…both retail for under $5. So for all you TTB readers on a makeup budget (Hi Carole), this bud’s for you.

My first recommendation is Wet n Wild Compact Bronzzer. Retail price is 2.99…and that was at Duane Reade in NYC. So for all of you discount shoppers who go to places like Harmon and Target, you might find this a few cents cheaper. But with gas at $4 a gallon…don’t go too far out of your way to save 30 cents.


The WNW Bronzzer is actually a throw back for me. I started using it back in the day when my wardrobe consisted of pieced together sale rack items from Lerners Dept Store in downtown Newark…those were the days! Anyhoo, this bronzer was a staple for me back then. Stumbling upon it in Duane Reade and it got me all nostalgic…and to thinking that this product is definitely something worth sharing with my TTB readers. This bronzer comes in about 6 shades. Mine is “Medium/Dark”. The texture is super rich. A very light sweep of the makeup brush delivers a very nice color pay off. Not bad at all for 2.99.

My other bronzer recommendation, which can also be found at your local drugstore, is Milani’s Sunset Duos Blush and Bronzer. Yes, ma’am, I said duo. So this means TWO, count em, TWO products in one. Price tag is 4.99. And again, that’s at Duane Reade. I bet Walmart will save you at least fiddy cents. This product also comes in several delightful tones. Mine is “Sunset Strip”. I love that the bronzer compact comes with a coordinating cheek color. Talk about an “out the door” or “on the train” quick look. Alls ya need is your Milani bronzer compact and some mascara. And you have a complete look in less than 5 minutes. As you can probably tell, I loves me a good primp fest in front of the mirror layering product after product, but some days you really just gotta get out the house, hustle to the train, schlep it into NY, fight for a seat on the A train, etc – and manage to make it to the office for an 8:30 meeting. On days like that, its great to have a quickie go to routine. So for those days, try the Milani Bronzer Blush duo.

Thanks again to Christella’s suggestion, I’ll be writing more reviews on bronzers. I think I’ve got an Armani and Guerlain review in the hopper. So for all of my high-end product junkies, sit tight…I’ll have bronzer reviews for you too soon. But until then, don’t be a product snob. Dig in your Hermes wallet for a 10 spot and cop these two recommendations!

Remember – “B” is for Bronzer,

Felicia

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