The Bronze Makeup Edit

I feel like it's pretty much always appropriate to wear bronze makeup.  Tired?  Add some bronze makeup.  Just been in the sun? Add some bronze makeup.  Wanna look like you've just been in the sun?  Add some bronze makeup....

I used these in a recent YouTube tutorial (check it out here), but wanted to go a little more in depth on other ways to achieve a similar golden look.

Step 1: Prep.

When going for the glowy look, it's really important to prep your skin so that everything looks as good as possible.  I definitely recommend some sort of primer because this will make sure everything else applies smoothly.

• For oily skin: I like to use Hourglass Cosmetics Mineral Veil because it smooths my skin nicely and helps everything last a little longer.  Another one that I like is the Make Up For Ever Mattifying Primer.  Since my nose can get shiny, I'll apply it there to minimize the oiliness.
• For normal skin: A spray primer is a good idea.  I've used Skindinavia The Primer Spray* before and really like how light it is and how it extends the life of my makeup.
• For dry skin: Try a moisturizing primer or something like MAC Strobe Cream underneath your foundation or tinted moisturizer.  It's moisturizing and has a bit of iridescence to it also.  Very pretty and subtle!

Although you may be tempted to skip this step, don't do it!  If your skin is prepped, then everything will glide on better and you'll avoid looking too cakey or powdery.

Step 2: Base.

In order to get a beautiful and even glow, I like to mix a liquid highlighter into my tinted moisturizer or foundation.  I've tried several combinations, and here's what I'd recommend:

• Bobbi Brown Tinted Moisturizer + Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid in Topaz {Creates a gorgeous bronzed look with light coverage.}
• NARS Sheer Glow Foundation + NARS Orgasm Illuminator {A bit more coverage and a subtle, peachy shimmer.}
• CoverFX Custom Cover Drops + Josie Maran Argan Enlightenment Illuminizer {The most coverage since you can use as many drops as you'd like and a very pretty champagne shimmer.}

I'd use a brush to apply the foundation since you'd want to really buff it into the skin to avoid any streaks and ensure an even application.

Step 3: Bronze.

When adding so much shimmer, it's important to balance the face by applying bronzer.  This will create a pretty contrast to the liquid and powder highlighter and will keep your face from looking like a flat, shiny penny.  Two bronzers that I really like are MAC blush in Blunt (a matte reddish brown) and MAC Bronzed Beyond Reality bronzer (limited edition, but this is similar).  This is also a reddish brown but it's lighter than Blunt and it has a little sparkle.  Note that thee sparkle is more visible in the pan than applied.  I like to use either an angled contour brush or a very fluffy powder brush to apply bronzer to my cheekbones near the temple and along the sides of my forehead.

Step 4: Highlight.

This is by far my favorite step when I'm applying makeup because it can be really transformative.  I definitely feel like highlighter takes any makeup look to the next level.  I have tons of highlighters, but I'm most impressed with the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed formulation because they are so smooth and pigmented.  They last all day and do not break up in the heat.  Topaz is shown above and it's a beautiful golden color that is very natural on me.  I'd recommend it of my skin tone and darker.  Sometimes I like to use a lighter shade for the inner corners of my eyes just to brighten my face.  Champagne Pop is perfect for this (pictured below right).  It is also a very pretty highlighter that looks great on many skin tones, though it will be brighter on darker skin and more subtle on lighter skin.

When applying powder highlighter, I use a fan brush because it doesn't pick up too much product.  However, I'll typically just use my fingers when applying cream highlighter.  ColourPop Cosmetics has some really nice cream highlighters that are very inexpensive ($6) and super flattering.

If you want to see these in action, check out my Bronze & Glow Tutorial!

*Denotes a product provided by the brand's PR.  All opinions are my own.

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