I very rarely reach for bronzer outside of testing these days! Occasionally, if I have a look that I’m finding hard to choose a blush for, I might opt for bronzer but use it to add a little definition and slight warmth.
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Christine, I feel like our answers are usually very similar but I’m actually the opposite here! I love adding warmth and dimension back to my face after foundation, so bronzer is a must for me—even more blush!
My musts are the 3 B’s: base, bronzer, brows ??
I’m with you!
I use bronzer most days, just under my cheekbones/blush area, and along my hairline and sometimes down the nose to fake a deeper tan and give some extra warmth to the skin. I will also reach for a brozer if I need a good neutral crease color. Since I’m medium complexion, I can use some bronzers as a setting powder.
I only own one, a Laura Mercier bronzer, but I rarely ever use it.
I’ve gotten into bronzing this year. I’m wearing less base coverage and less blush (because my cheeks are already pink), but still want to define my cheekbones with something so I blend bronzer from the temples down and then bronze my neck (which is paler than my face). I don’t use any traditional bronzers, though, too orange for me. So it’s rosy brown blushes like MAC Harmony.
I think this is the route I need to go too…I love blush, but my cheeks are already pink, and unless I’ve put on foundation, blush makes me look like a clown!! Thanks for sharing your approach.
I love blush, too. So I get my blush fix by “sculpting” the cheekbones rather than highlighting the apples of the cheeks. It actually allows me to use a lot more product, so I can spend more time layering colors without going overboard. And it looks good on a bare face (I typically just put a little concealer around my nose).
I’m quite pale so bronzer can be a muddy mess if I don’t use a light hand. I tend to use a more red base bronzer since it looks a bit more like a real tan if I get one. I do use bronzer on a regular basis. I add a little to the cheeks and forehead. I contour every day lightly. The bronzer keeps me from looking to pale and too hollow from the contour.
You might try Nude Pop from Clinique if you’re very fair and looking for a neutral light brown!
My complexion looks odd if i use a ton of bronzer to look “bronze”. I tend to look better with a light application for contouring and then using blush lightly to “bronze” with.
I use for light “contouring”, because you *can* contour with bronzer. Anything matte & deeper than your skintone can be used to contour; placement will have to be adjusted, and possibly a different blush and/or highlight shade will have tone used, but it is possible. That said, I use L’Oreal Glam Bronze in Light on the perimeter of my face, and to sculpt my cheekbones, and use a denser brush or the same bronzer in Deep to add intensity where deaired. Instead of my regular, pale highlighters, I’ll use something that would normally be too dark, like Becca Opal, as a combination blush/highlighter.
Really not at all. I have a couple of bronzers and use them sparingly as the just aren’t the right tone for me and because I am so pale they seem to just look phony on my skin. I wouldn’t mind using a bronzer occasionally if I could find one that looked right but so far no go.
Are you cool toned? Make Up Forever has some that are cool toned, makes a huge difference!
Thanks for the suggestion, Jill. Yes, I am super cool toned and that coupled with being super fair and my lack of expertise, makes bronzing a bit tricky for me. I will check out MUFE.
I use bronzer daily. I get out my big Tom Ford bronzer brush and work my Marc Jacobs bronzer around the same areas one would contour: my forehead, my temples, in the hollows of my cheeks, under my jawline and down my neck. Sometimes I will use the same brush to apply my finishing powder, allowing the remaining bronzer to add a touch of sunny glow to my complexion.
I tried quite a few brands but I have fair skin and everything is too orangey or too dark…so I gave up. I love a good blush though but nothing orange!
It’s something I do use during March thru October, but not in the most traditional of ways or shades! I love to use a reddish brown for light contouring, as in UD Jawbone or even LM Bronze 03. It sculpts, but without looking too obvious if applied with a light hand. I’m also a big fan of bronzing blush or highlighter! Which is why I just ordered CP x Shayla Pose this past Friday night and also bought Smashbox x Vlada Rosemantic Highlighter. Past favorites that I still love include: CP Butterfly Beach, Might Be, DoC MÃrame, MAC Oh My Passion. But; I do not do whole face bronzing or warming, because I don’t need to.
Not often, and usually in summer. Looking bronzed in NE winters can be so unreal. Who wants to look as if one can afford a southern vacay, when no one else can? Clearly did it more often younger…on second pan of tf Snow Bunny, the only tf I ever loved. Most…Hoola and Laguna come to mind, pull way too yellow and look dreadful. Like coppery ones better. Guess it’s less clash with red undertones.
I personally treat bronzer as a blush. I usually use a matte blush (a `neutral` contour like shade or a plumy shade matching my natural flush), but when I want more of a glow and warmth I put some bronzer on my cheeks.
I rarely use it, and never over my entire face. I’m very fair, and I think I can look weird bronzed. When I do use it, it’s in the spring and summer. I’ll use it around my hairline, on my cheekbones, bridge of my nose, and chin for a minimal, sunkissed look. I really like how that looks with blue-gray lipstick when I wear a bright yellow or yellow-orange shirt.
I usually use Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil, but I recently started using (and loving) Physician’s Formula Butter Bronzer in Light Bronze.
I am getting great suggestions here, Rachel. Like you I am super fair and bronzers just look so bad on me. I think you are even fairer than I so maybe this will work. I have seen a couple others to try. Thank you.
I hope you find something that works for you!
I often use matte bronzer for contouring, and might use fluffier brush to mix w/ blush on my cheeks. It seems to blend the look without much trouble that way, and makes the blush seem more natural. After seeing Christine model bronzers and highlighters both where I would normally apply blush, I’m trying it that way too.
It’s a daily staple! It’s barely-there and very subtle but I do like applying it for that little something extra.
I use bronzer often but use it ever so lightly. I lean medium/olive skin tone therefore I don’t use it for color/bronzing but rather as a light transition color for my blush to sit on or fade into and an almost nothing around my forehead/temples. Some of my favorites; Bobbi Brown Medium or Stonestreet, The Balms Bahama Mama, Tom Ford Gold Dust, Becca Bronzed Bondi, Elf Bronzed Violet cream.
I’ll use a little in the summer. I’m very fair so I use a light hand. I do use it to contour as well.
I don’t use a bronzer at all, on my very fair skin it really wouldn’t work at all.
I use it pretty much daily. I naturally have really rosy cheeks, so have no need for blush, but I like to have something to add a bit more definition and warmth after applying foundation.
I use it more than I have ever before. It gives more and just completes the look. Now that they have Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer, I find there is bronzer got me that’s light enough and not orange!
I am pretty fair but I do love my Tan De Chanel bronzing base applied with my Clarisonic foundation brush head. It looks so natural and gives me just enough color so that I don’t look like a ghost.
If I’m in a hurry or too lazy, I will do some Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer with my favorite Elf brush.
Either way, I’m in the pro-bronzer camp 🙂
I wear bronzer when I feel my skin needs some warmth (winter) or to even out my skintone when the sun’s kiss is red. Bronzer is not part of my everyday routine but I try to wear it regularly. I sweep it across the forehead, then in the 3 pattern, and on the nose bridge.
I’m very fair skinned & the few times I’ve tried bronzer it’s looked muddy and just off. So I haven’t bought any for years and no desire to try it. Since I retired two years ago I’ve been simplifying my makeup & bronzer would be just that one more thing so no loss.
I have a light matte or almost matte bronzer from Becca that I use for contouring rather than a bronzer. I have some extra pounds so it helps minimize the fluffier areas. If only it worked on thighs and other areas!
I don’t reach for it as often as blush or highlight. I’m super pale with naturally rosy cheeks so I feel weird without at least a touch of blush, and then I might reach for highlight, and then after that maybe bronzer, but usually only a light hand and much less often than blush.
I like wearing them in spells. I have a couple with light shimmer from Guerlain ,Hourglass ,Nars Laguna are my favorites. Using the bronzer in Becca’s Jaclyn Hill palette warms my complexion up.
Didn’t dare for ages to try bronzer afraid of looking too obviously fake. I’m very cool toned with a bit of rosy cheeks. Ever since I sperimented wearing the slightest bit I feel I look so much healthier. I use a kabuki brush and apply all over my face and down my neck super lightly. Love Physicians Formula Mineral Wear talc free mineral powder in creamy natural. Or WetnWild Ticket to Brazil love it also! The P.hysicians Formula Butter Light Bronzer I find it has tinge of orange on me been wearing less as bronzer. Sometimes I’ll wear it under my blush to give some warmth and definition and a bit of glow to those blushes which are fully matte. Adore the Physicians strips that I can use all over, under or over cheeks even on eyes just love it! Both shades they come with are very, very similar. I have them both.
I use it almost daily to add definition to my face. My favorite bronzer forever is CT Bronze and Glow.
I have thought for quite a lonng time that I am pale and need a grayish contour. Thankfully after some trial and error I realized that brontoring gives me both definition and liveliness
I’ve never worn bronzer-just have no desire to.
Bronzed is a must for me !! I use it every day even for low key looks. I use it for bronzing and contouring in one. Carve out the cheekbones and also give some colour. I am light medium warm skin.
Bronzer is my life, makeup-wise. I’m usually tan, and bronzer enhances that. I will try any samples I come across, but I don’t normally stray too far from my Lottie London Tan Time, now that Nars reversed their cruelty free status.