We are in the middle of summer and many of you are showing off your beautiful bronzed skin. As much as I would love it, I don’t have beautifully bronzed skin. I am trying to be good and stay protected from the sun as much as possible. Unfortunately, staying in the shade hasn’t been difficult this summer since I have not had much free time to spend outdoors. Still, I want to look like I’ve spent a few days on the beach with naturally gorgeous glowing skin. My only choice is bronzer--and plenty of it.
For many, choosing a bronzer can be difficult and the application scary with the fear of orange or dirty-looking skin. Not to fear, I’ve got a few simple tips.
Go with a bronzer that is probably a shade lighter than you think is best – you shouldn’t try to entirely change the color of your skin. Stay close to your natural skin tone, just a shade or two darker will give you the natural, healthy glow of a nice summer vacation, not a lifetime of sun damage. Too dark and you can look dirty or splotchy; never go darker than you would actually get after a week or so in the sun.
I avoid too much shimmer in bronzer. Shimmery bronzers tend to look fake and are harder to get an all over smooth blend.
I think a pressed mineral powder bronzer is the easiest to apply and looks the most natural. If possible, buy your bronzer from a store that will let you try it on first. Even though it might be a bit more expensive than a drugstore brand, the quality is usually much better and the guarantee of buying the correct color will save you precious time and money in the long run.
I like to use a large, fluffy brush with soft, very flexible bristles. Avoid brushes with short or stiff bristles--they are less likely to glide smoothly over the skin for an even distribution and tend to leave patches or spots of color.
Don’t just start swishing the brush all over your face; you’ll end up looking like a dirty mess. It’s very easy to apply too much bronzer, so start with a light hand and you can always apply more. Apply in light layers, in natural light if possible. If you can’t go outside, then stand next to a window.
You should apply bronzer to the areas where your skin would actually get the most bronzed if you were to spend a day at the beach. Apply to the cheeks, tops of cheekbones, forehead, nose and chin. If showing, I also like to apply it to the chest and shoulders. Add a pop of a pink blush shade to the apples of the cheeks for a natural sun-kissed look.
Now you know how easy it is to look beautifully bronzed without the sun damage. UV rays cause 90 percent of sunspots, wrinkles and other signs of aging. So enjoy the summer but lather on the sunscreen. You can fake a beautiful bronze, and your skin will love you for it.
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Every month, Rae Cosmetics founder Rochelle Rae talks makeup with EndlessBeauty.com.
