Friday 25 July 2014

The best bronzers


Fake Bake Beauty Bronzer, glo-minerals Bronze, Sleek Face Form Contouring and Blush Palette, KIKO Essential Bronzer, KIKO Rock Attraction Bronzer, Liz Earle Natural Glow Bronzer, KIKO Colour Splash Multi-tone Bronzer, KIKO Loud Night Bronzer









Being naturally pale - even a week in the Mediterranean didn't touch me - means that in general, I find wearing bronzer a challenge. Last year, I was a complete novice. I watched countless amounts of YouTube videos in the hope that I'd perfect the sought after "contouring technique." But I had no luck. More recently though, particularly this summer, I haven't been able to step away from the stuff. Whether it's contouring, adding a glow or dusting all over my skin, I'm constantly using the product. Here are my favourites.    

Best brand:
When it comes to choosing a bronzer, the brand I always look to first is KIKO. Half the bronzers chosen for this post are from the Italian brand and it's easy to see why. The KIKO Rock Attraction Bronzer in Loud Tan* (currently on offer for £6.00) is the bronzer that I tend to use on a day-to-day basis. Despite being a powder formula, it's creamy to the touch and exceptionally easy to blend. It's completely matte so is perfect for contouring, and it's very hard to overdo this bronzer. Next up is the KIKO Essential Bronzer in Warm Melange* (currently on offer for £11.80) which is a two-tone bronzer. The pan is absolutely huge so I use this with a big fluffy brush and dust it all over my skin. The KIKO Loud Night Bronzer in Supple Satin Honey is up there in my top three. It's perfect for my pale skin tone and can be used matte to contour, or with subtle shimmer to add a glow. And finally the KIKO Colour Splash Multi-tone Bronzer in Jovial Tan comes with three different shades that are perfect for bronzing up the complexion.

Best highlight:
As a brand, I find glo-minerals underrated. Their products are of such an exceptional quality yet they're rarely raved about on blogs. The glo-minerals Bronze in Sunkiss* (£31.50) is an absolute gem. One side contains a matte bronzer and the other a beautiful golden highlight. The two shades can be swirled together or used separately and I constantly find myself reaching for the highlight side. It's stunning and makes the complexion glow. 

Best glow:
The Fake Bake Beauty Bronzer is wonderful for adding an all over glow to the skin. It's quite dark and pigmented so I tend to use this when I've tanned my skin. A light hand a big brush works best when applying this bronzer. Sadly, I can't seem to find this online anywhere. Does anyone know what's happened to Fake Bake's make up range?

Best all-rounder:
The Sleek Face Form Contouring and Blush Palette in Medium* (£9.99) comes with everything you need to truly bronze up your skin. The contour, highlight and blush-shade work together to create the most beautiful golden goddess look. Of course, the three shades can be used separately but I find them stunning when used altogether to create a bronzed look. 

Best natural:  
As you can tell from the image above, this bronzer is exceptionally well loved. It has a hint of shimmer running through it but it's not over the top and still manages to look natural. There isn't a lot of pigment in this bronzer so it's perfect for pale skins to contour or use all over the skin.

I'm always on the look out to try out and find new bronzers. Let me know your favourites in the comments below.
*PR Sample
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