Bronzer - Glow or No

Bronzer - Glow or Go 

One of my favorite makeup items I really enjoying using during the spring summer months is bronzer. There are so many bronzers, powder or liquid, it is not the easiest task to find the correct bronzer for your skin type or skin tone. I have tried many but I tend to always return to my favorites. Like many other bloggers and cosmetic junkies out there I enjoy using the cult favorite that is Nars Laguna – A bronzer I have mentioned many times in various other blog post, for example click here

In this post I am going to give you my opinions on two of my current favourite bronzers, one from the high end of the market and one from the drug store lower price range.

Diorskin Nude – Natural Radiance Bronzing Powder

This product is high end meaning that is from a designer brand and is a little more expensive. This is bronzer is designed to adjust to the users skin tone therefore giving a more natural glow to the skin. It comes with a kabuki brush for application. It is available in 6 shades – 3 very natural shades and 3 darker shades to give a deeper warm bronzed look.

This is a great multitasking product that you can use year-round because it's not too intense and looks very natural. I find this bronzer simply a delight to use. It really does achieve its aim in that it provides the most natural bronzed glow. I use shade 002 Amber  and I find this shade really suits my skin tone. It is excellent for a bronzed glow all over the face and neck, it is suitable for day wear yet can be built upon to achieve a deeper glow as night wear (or to achieve a heavier makeup look). The pigmentation is good, it is natural yet rich. In short it gives your skin a really pretty sun kissed glow.

The packaging for this product is very enticing and does definitely make you look twice. It is delivered in a hard sliver Dior branded circular casing. Inside is a compact mirror and as mentioned this product comes with a mini kabuki brush. This brush is good in so far as it’s convenient to carry around in your handbag but I mainly use a powder brush for application. I really like the packaging but the one fault I would have with it is that it is a little heavy.

Over all I am enjoying using this product and I would recommend it if you are in search of a very natural looking bronzer that is kind on your skin and provides a sun kissed glow. Priced at €40 approximately it is an investment product but in my opinion a worthy bronzer for your makeup collection. For more info here

Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder

This bronzing powder falls in to the lower end of the price range priced at approximately €8.99 it is, in my opinion, a real bargain. This product looks good, works well and smells divine! Not bad for a drug store product. I use Peaux 52 which I have found to really suit my skin tone. As a bronzer it is designed to provide a subtly iridescent glow. The shade/colour is natural and in no way orange. It is packed with tiny little gold flecks that to that sun kissed glow what we all hope to achieve by using a bronze. It is slightly richer in pigmentation then the Diorskin Nude Bronzer mentioned above and it can be built upon to achieve a richer, darker glow if desired. It lasts on the skin which is always a bonus. This product is an excellent multi task product for example I find that this product is excellent to use when contouring the skin (skin bones, attempting to slim down certain area of the face etc).

The packaging is simple - hard cardboard with a magnetic strip for secure closure. This packaging protects the product but be careful it does not get wet as I am guessing liquid would may damage the packaging. Another little added bonus of using this product is the smell. Not only does this product look like chocolate it also smells like chocolate! In short this product looks good, smells good and works really good. What more could you ask for – defiantly worth a try.

For more info here

Both of these products are worth the fuss and individually they have many good points and I have really been enjoying using both products. I hope you find this post helpful.

What bronzers have you used and really enjoyed? Please leave a comment below telling me, as I have shared many times I love to try new products and hear your feedback.

Almost the weekend (“,) ……

XOXO

MAC Temperature Rising Collection 2013

O.K by now it is really clear that I am a massive fan of all things MAC. I am also a great fan of the bronzers and highlighters so you can imagine my excitement when I heard of the summer 2013 MAC Collection Temperature Rising. The theme of this collection is heat, summer, and bronzed skin; pink both light and dark, beige and a little sparkle. The complete range offers:

·         Lipsticks

·         Lipglass

·         PowerChrome Eye Pencil

·         Bare My Soul Eyeshadow Quad

·         Temperature Rising Eyeshadow Quad

·         Powder Blush

·         Pro Longware Bronzer

·         Strobe Liquid

·         Bronzing Oil

·         Brush - 167SE Face Blender

·         Nail Lacquer

All products come in limited edition packaging -a coffee / chocolate brown colour with Matt to velvety finish.

All of the products in this range really fulfil so many of my favourite makeup looks it was genuinely difficult to decide what to purchase. Difficult or not I managed to decide on a few items!

Strobe Liquid Lotion

As I mentioned a few times I love a good highlighter and this is a new type of highlighter for me. This liquid acts as a fabulous illuminator on the skin; it defuses the light and add’s shimmer to the skin while removing any signs of imperfections or uneven skin texture. It goes on to the skin really smoothly and spreads very evenly. It I have only used it twice since purchase and I LIKE IT! I used it on my cheek bones and dotted a little along my collar bone and top of my cleavage – it gave a lovely shimmer. Like a lot of MAC products a little goes a long way. I am genuinely looking forward to using this product over the summer.

Bronzing Powder

Each year I purchase a MAC Bronzer and use every last bit of it. I usually purchase the matt non shimmer bronzer (usually called nude on board) but this year I purchased the bronzer with a touch of glitter/shimmer titled “Refined Golden”. This bronzer is lightly frosted with gives a golden delicate finish. It has a natural finish that is not too sharp, can be built upon for a stronger look. I have used it to lift my make up look by adding a little colour or to intensive my tan (when I have faked it up!). In my opinion a MAC bronzer is tough to beat!

Powder Blush

This collection  offers 2 warm shades which again I found hard to choose between. I settled on “hot nights”. This shade is a mid-term berry pink that is so rich and warm. It appears a little dark in the packaging but once applied it is so nice and not at all harsh. Like all MAC blush it is long wearing, can be built up for richer tones and highly pigmented. I love this shade matched to the lipstick choice below.

Lipstick

(Feel My Pulse)

As a nice companion to the blush above I chose the Crème sheen Lipstick in Feel My Pulse. This shade of lippy is so difficult to describe, seeing it on is really required. Officially it is described as a vivid magenta violet. To me it is like a dark rich berry shade with dark pink undertones. The crème sheen texture leaves the lips soft and I find it really moisturising on the lips. The colour is long lasting and has softness to it rather than a shimmer. This is my favourite lippy at the moment.

  

(Altered Beige)

This lipstick is of the Lustre variety meaning that is gives a fabulous sheen to the lips. The shade is very delicate and light. It is creamy yellow beige that, in my opinion, would suit almost all skin tones. I intend to wear this lipstick as day wear primarily but also as night wear for a makeup look that focuses on eyes and lashes.  This is the perfect lipstick to have as staple in your handbag.

                                             

 I honestly could have bought and used all the products in this range as I simply loved them all. Unfortunately the purse strings so not allow for such treats but I am delighted with my choices. May the sun begin to shine and the summer days roll on but I have to admit even if it rains I will be sun kissed and bronzed thanks my faithful friend that is MAC.        

XOXO