With summer fast approaching it’s time to look at some quick, fun make-up looks and what could be easier, plus super chic than ‘bronzed beauty’?!
RESCU’s resident beauty expert Michael Brown shares his top beauty tips and shows us how to apply bronzer like a pro for a gorgeous golden glow a la Bar Refaeli.
Bronzer can suit everyone – as long as you choose the correct shade of bronzer, plus it can really lift and sculpt the face enhancing features, giving a healthy golden glow and a perfectly simple make-up look for summer.
You would be surprised at how your trusty bronzer can work on several areas of the face (amazing for the time poor), but with so many shades and textures, which bronzer is right for you?
Let’s look at this fab pic of model Bar Refaeli looking beautifully bronzed.
I love this look, as it not only looks quite natural in tone, it still gives a lot of shape to the face.
This doesn’t mean you have to have light eyes and gold locks to pull this look off – anyone can achieve a similar look with the correct base of bronzer and playing up the lip shade.
If you are someone that loves a good fake tan be very careful when applying to the face…
I am a fan of a golden glow, but beware that a tan on the face can really change the way foundation sits on the skin and your bronzer may not be the same base as the tan, having a very mismatched look from body to face.
If a spray tan is your preference, always choose a lighter tone or 1 very light coat on the face as it is easier to add bronzer to enhance your tan rather than be stuck with an over bronzed face that can look muddy = FAIL!
I prefer specified face tans that release a gradual tan the more you apply adding moisturizer, rather than an actual fake tan that you can be stuck with.
MBB Pro Beauty Tip – Always moisturise the face before applying any tan product to the face, as it will avoid tan catching on dry areas making the skin look like its cracking! For the body, its always recommended to only moisturize he dry, rough skin of the knees, feet/heels and elbows, wrists and hands to stop the over tan look.
As a make-up artist, I am more into clean, natural skin, then using the correct shade of foundation lightly across the skin to perfect complexion rather than applying a foundation 2 shades darker with streaks and lines showing at the jaw and hairline – Not polished!
Once you have an even skin tone, this doesn’t mean the same thickness of foundation over entire face, but just corrected areas that show some redness, it’s time apply your bronzer.
My top 3 beauty tips are:
– Never apply brush from bronzer compact straight to face Always dust off excess bronzer from brush on back of hand; otherwise you could get a large orange mark on the face!
– Always think of where the sun hits your skin naturally
Sweep the brush from centre outwards always, if not, you will have more colour on areas of the face where sun does not always hit first, looking unnatural.
– Don’t forget about your neck and ears!
I often see a bronzed face and white ears, or a lighter neck or finish line at the side of neck. If you are going to bronze think where people can see you from all angles.
My favourite Bronzer for colour and for the large size – Great for that big fluffy brush to gain enough product is the Tom Ford Bronzing Powder.
Below: Tom Ford Bronzing Powder in Terra RRP: $130
For all fair skins out there, you should be looking for a slightly dull looking bronzer! Yes it doesn’t sound exciting, but if it is really bright looking, imagine that on your fair skin, it will really show up. Also I would stick to matte bronzers as these will not make the fair skin contrast so much to he shimmery golden glow suddenly applied to your skin, natural is best.
The deeper or more olive your skin tone, you need bronzer as more of a brightening product more than adding colour as you are fine in that department. Because your skin tone already has a base colour fit for bronzer, it is nice to use a slightly shimmery style as this will enhance the glow on the skin, but just do not overload it so it becomes a gold disco ball, less is best as you can always add more!
Bronzer is great for sculpting also – we all love this!
You can see in the image above of gorgeous model Bar Rafaeli, she has a nicely defined cheekbone and socket area, which can be achieved with the same bronzer as your face glow product.
I do prefer a matte bronzer for shading purposes; it guarantees no light reflection, receding the skin back further to then bring out areas like eye sockets and cheekbones.
Always shade slightly underneath cheekbones to gain the lift and sculpted look as you can see here – amazing how the correct deeper shade really hollows out the area.
With the eye sockets, if you have puffiness especially, it can work wonders when applied as a wash of colour over mobile eyelids as you can see above. You can add more drama by applying more pigment from the bronzer at base of lashes and really concentrate on the socket area so when eyes are open, it shows a nice sculpted socket, opening your eyes further.
For brown eyes, try a bronzer either with shimmer or a more orange/gold appearance to gain contrast for focus on eye colour.
MBB Pro Beauty Tip – Add a golden style highlighter on cheekbone, above where bronzer has been applied for further contrast and sheen – gives a healthy glow!
Even add this to the eye area on the brow bone and on mobile lid as a pop of sheen, making the socket and lash lines even stronger looking for contrast.
Lastly, a lip!
The lip can be in the same tones as these bronze, neutral shades, but sometimes it can look flat with the face all the same tone, especially if you have dark eyes and hair.
I love how Bar Rafaeli chose a very light pinkish lip; it gives the overall look a lift and gives this bronze look a modern, youthful theme.
Any lip can work with this look, which is why its so great for summer as it is natural, warm, easy to apply, multi-use for time poor and great for an everyday look, but add a bold lip of red, pink or even plum and you have instantly gone from day to night!
Try this Nvey Eco organic lipstick; great for a soft nude, but giving colour to an already bronzed face.
Below: Nvey ECO Organic Lip Stick in shade 373 RRP: $29.95
By Michael Brown
Twitter: @mbrown_beauty
Facebook: facebook.com/michaelbrownbeauty
Now check out Michael Brown’s easy to follow step-by-step tutorial on how to apply bronzer for multi-use!
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