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How do you apply your bronzer?
Even though a lot of bronzer blushes are huge, I just don’t find myself gravitating toward them–they just feel SO big on my face and I end up using fan brushes or denser, larger blush brushes. I don’t use bronzer all that much and tend to use it as a subtle contour when I have a bolder highlighter or subtle blush color on my cheeks.
I occasionally will use it along my hairline to add warmth. I like to pick up a light amount of product and gently sweep across the areas I’m applying it to.
— Christine
I apply bronzer when I am already tan and want to emphasize or prolong the look. I use powder bronzers with a little shimmer and a little red undertone. So after contour and blush, I’ll sweep some bronzer along the forehead, hairline, tops of cheeks, and across the bridge of the nose. Then I’ll sweep a little extra highlighter over the cheeks and temples.
On the occasions when I do use a bronzer, it all depends on which type. I’ve got ColourPop Poolside and I also have a liquid bronzer that I received in an Ipsy Bag by a company named Tempting. Those 2 I apply with fingertips usually. Poolside, sometimes with an angled cheek brush by e.l.f., which is also the same brush I use for powder contour or bronzer, as I basically use bronzer to do some light handed contouring or to warm up a look a bit.
Like with blush I’m not married to a particular brush (RT blush brush, NARS Yachiyo kabuki, about four different Zoeva brushes, etc). I tend to swoop it lightly under by blush, along my jawline, and what’s left along my hairline. I’m super fair so I’ve learned to use a light hand (and light bronzer) and just take my time and build it up. I didn’t even think I could pull off bronzer as I’m like a ghost until the same woman at my NARS counter that taught me about using blush to best work with my face shape (and redness) gave me a crash course in bronzer application and now I love the stuff!
With the same brush I use for my blush, medium size and fluffy. My bronzer is used to warm up my face rather than to contour, so I don’t need a precise application.
I use a fan brush and it’s one of the last things I apply. I don’t like a heavily bronzed look on myself, and I sometimes end up blending it away a little on my morning commute.
I haven’t always used bronzer but have used it more lately. I do the sun stripping method. I take a tapered dome blush brush and apply bronzer from the bridge of my nose to top of cheekbone to marry w blush. I tend to use a light matte bronzer. Lately it’s been Too Faced Bronzed & Poreless Matte Bronzer but Benefit’s Hoola works too. The maybe I apply a little on the top of forehead by my hairline and a little on my chin. I buff and diffuse color with a flat top blending brush. I haven’t yet but one could put a little in the decolletage to have overall color and look more even color wise. I’m just too lazy:)
I too do not use those big bronzer brushes. I use a small angled contour brush because I like the way it sweeps across my face and adds just the right amount. I rarely apply bronzer so I don’t use it often but when I am without my wigs and my natural hair is slightly almost bald then I apply bronzer where I want the light to hit best.
I’ve got a big powder brush but it often feels too big so I have an oversized eye brush I use for my cheeks and hairline but it’s rare I use bronzer.
Sadly, my skin no longer looks good with super dewy or TM level coverage so I like to use bronzer with a fuller coverage base since my light skin can look wan and mask like without it. I use it sparingly; just enough to help bring back a bit of dimension.
I apply with a large fluffy brush on the sides of my face and a very small bit down the sides of my neck. I do not apply to my forehead as it is medium in height, doesn’t need it and well there’s the fringe so shrug. I find it a careful balance as it can look really contrived and be gauntly aging so I go in with super light layers, probably wasting just as much product as using by blotting first. I never seem to hit pan in bronzer anyway. I prefer more neutral toned bronzers or those with a bit of red in them and I always go for the lighter shades so the contrast is not as significant. Bronzed babe looks cannot happen for me as I don’t have the depth of skin to pull it off. I think bronzer tends to look more natural on deeper skintones or those with fuller fleshier features. Last night watching CNN and one of the more mature commentators on a panel looked like she had dirt on her face. She was very thin and hollowed in the cheek area. Whomever did her makeup didn’t do her any favours. I’m trying to avoid that look.
I actually don’t like bronzer (I don’t want to look more bronzed/sun-kissed/whatever) but I will use a contour color for light contouring. I just hate when sometimes a powder is marketed as both but bronzer and contour are not necessarily the same thing (like rectangles and squares).
I know, right? Bronzer and contour are exactly opposite in function! Still, the color ranges for these products allow people to use them whatever way they want (though a good bronzer color wouldn’t necessarily make a good contour color on the same person).
I wear bronzer two different ways,
1st. Is as a blush! I take a shimmery, golden brown bronzer and a fluffy blush brush, then I’ll sweep that over the apples of my cheeks and back along the cheek bones. And it’s a nice glowy warm look on my warm yellow light/medium skin!
2nd. I’ll take a thinner angled brush, and I’ll tap it into a matte bronzer (my current fave matte bronzer is Too Faced Chocolate Soleil in Medium/Deep) tap off the extra, and apply it almost where I’d put highlight! I have a SUPER round baby face (my Grandpa used to say I had a traditional native round face 😛 ) so where the “usual” place I’d place my contour/bronzer is far too low. So I just sweep the brush along my cheek bones for a lifted and warmed look depending on what shade and tone I used.
I recently switched to the Tom Ford brush and like it quite a bit – even though it is jumbo size – it applies beautifully on the skin. My long-term brush is the Laura Mercier duo fiber finishing brush. I apply in the standard 3 shape just to give a little warmth to my pale, pale self.
I hardly use bronzer but when I do it is with a smaller brush than what is normally used for bronzer because my face is only so big. The bigger brushes are great for blending afterwards. Christine I wish you would do video’s showing how you apply all your makeup I know it would be a huge hit. Everyone would watch because you do such a beautiful job and I know I would learn a lot. I am the type of person along with most that has to visually watch someone to learn how to do it not by reading instructions.
Oddly enough, my favorite brush for bronzer is a paintbrush from a craft store! It’s the Loew-Cornell Soft Comfort 1″ brush. Generally, I prefer brushes that are more oblong than round and taper at the base. I go across the bridge of my nose, the back of my cheeks, temples, forehead, and chin. It’s the most natural placement for my face shape.
I don’t use bronzer at all because I am so fair and with my red hair and colouring I think I would end up looking pretty strange.
I’m fair and the only way I use bronzer is to mix a drop or two with my moisturizer in the summertime.
Liquid bronzer, should have said
I very rarely wear bronzer, and then only in summer. When I do, I use an e.l.f. Angled Blush Brush and Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil where the sun would normally hit. I don’t bronze my entire face. If I use bronzer, it’s usually , with a “dead girl” lip color such as blue-gray.
Most bronzers are too dark on orange for me, so ones that come in face palettes get re-purposed as eyeshadows.
I been using bronzer this year never did before and love how healthy it makes my face look. I apply very lightly with a very soft brush super light since I’m super pale and don’t want to look over done ever likexa clown. I use it as contour, sometimes even blush then wear a brighter blush on top and as an overall bronzer including neck area. I love WetnWild one, Physians Formula and Rimmel all suit me perfectly and drugstore. Drugstores have been really kicking their products up lately I’m finding great things! Uh! La La! am I’m happy!
Rarely? Sometimes when I’m going for a little warmth (i.e. not lifeless looking) with a “no-makeup” look (which is very rare, as I like dramatic eyes), I’ll do the cheeks, nose, chin, thing to look like an actual tan, otherwise I use it on the outside edges of my cheeks, with blush on the inside, more prominent parts.