By Laura Finaldi, News Staff
Being the only pasty person on the beach is never desirable. While laying out in the sun for hours will give nearly everyone some color, it’s common knowledge it also comes with nasty side effects. It’s safer and easier to choose a bronzer, which can give anyone a sexy, tinted (and temporary) sun-kissed glow.
Sue Kiely, a makeup artist at the Sephora in the Prudential Center, said she tells clients to use a matte bronzer opposed to a shimmery formula because the latter can make skin look greasy, especially on which skin is oily to begin with. Rather than going for a full-on liquid concoction, women with dry skin should opt for a creme-to-powder bronzer, which goes on wet and dries like a powder, Kiely said. She said it is better to go for any kind of powder formula because it can go on as dark or as light as one desires depending on how heavily it is applied.
“We do have liquid bronzers, but they’re more like highlighters. They’re much more illuminating than powders,” she said.
Applying bronzer can be a task in itself as it’s used primarily as a highlighter to emphasize prominent features, so Kiely recommended applying bronzer along the cheekbones and jawline as a contour. She added having the right brush to apply it with is everything. Thin, fan-like brushes will make it easier to apply bronzer to more narrow areas, like the cheekbones.
“I think a fan brush is really good so you can contour with it,” she said. “You can always add more if needed.”
Kiely said a face powder a few shades darker than one’s natural skin color can also function as a bronzer, and is a great use for a dark powder one may have bought by accident. She also said any kind of dark blush can be used effectively as bronzer.
“Unless you change more than two shades deeper in the summer you can just bronze all over your face,” Kiely said. “I don’t want to say summer foundation is a lie, but it’s not always necessary unless your skin gets significantly darker.”
The most popular bronzer sold at Sephora is Laguna by Nars ($33), Kiely said. She also said any of the bronzers made by New York-based brand Tarte ($28-$30) are always a safe bet.
“[Tarte] does have a really nice powder, waterproof bronzer,” she said. “I love them. I’ve never seen the matte bronzer from that brand look bad on anyone.”
While Sephora offers a wide variety of bronzers from many different brands, their products can be a bit pricey. Drugstores like CVS and Walgreens feature a variety of different reasonably-priced brands, with the most expensive bronzer coming in at $14.99 at both stores. According to Walgreens.com, the most popular powder bronzer sold at the store is Rimmel Natural Bronzer in Sun Dance, which costs $5.79.
No matter what the weather is like outside, Kiely said bronzer is a great way to add depth and color to one’s face. Kiely said her personal favorites come from Los Angeles-based brand Too Faced.
“If you don’t get a good bronzer in L.A., the Kardashians will get a mob and hunt you down,” she said.
