More Beautiful Bronzers...

Over-tanning til you're orange? Non merci!

After much discussing of what bronzers do we love best on Twitter and Facebook this week, I decided to do another post on some more of my fave bronzers. Self tanners and bronzers fall into this category for me. I have already covered some facial self tanners here.

Bronzer Hall of Fame: Guerlain Terracotta 01. This stuff is legendary for a reason. It goes on smoothly without blotches, stays put and gives a healthy soft glow. It does have the teensiest bit of shimmer in it but this is not noticeable on the skin. It is there for a reason as a truly matte bronzer can be dangerous if not in the hands of a professional make up artist. It can look splotchy and, well, dirty, with a muddy tone. I can only see the shimmer in Terracotta with my reading glasses on, and only on my skin if I swipe it with my finger and rub it on. Applied with a soft fluffy brush evenly all over the face, it is perfection! Always in my make up bag. Always.

Bronzer With a Bit of Bling: Bobbi Brown Aruba Illuminating Bronzing Powder is a lovely choice as it is a very soft bronze colour, suitable for fair skin, but offering the most subtle bit of shimmer. It really does simply “illuminate” and is nice for evening. I usually save this for cooler weather when I am not shiny but to be honest it really is just not that shimmery. Nice when dusted on tops of cheeks and forehead, and on décolletage if you are heading out on the town. Every time I put this on I think “ I should use this more often”. Gorgeous.

Cheap’n’Cheerful Bronzer: Rimmel Natural Bronzer in 022 Sun Bronze. This one never fails to amaze me. I often wonder if it is only my love for Guerlain that keeps me from using this one exclusively. The Rimmel bronzer is about as close to shimmer free as I am comfortable with. I can only see traces of something with a bit of sparkle when I put on my reading glasses and go stand in direct sun and stare at the swatch on my skin. I have also used 021 and am not quite sure why I got 022…anyways they are very close. The colour is very sheer and buildable but not blotchy at all. My younger daughter Brigit, who only wears mascara and a bit of powder (age appropriate at 15) stole this from my make up drawer and its perfect for her. She is very fair with white blonde hair but has skin that tans and this is so subtle on her. It really just looks like a healthy glow. At under $10 this one is a must have. You will use it, trust me. Oh, and it has SPF 8....bonus.

Easy Peasy Self Tanner: They say Clarins Liquid Bronze is for the face but I use it on my décolletage and my legs. With it's lovely and light milky consistency, it is easy as pie to apply, sort of goof proof if you blend well, and gives a perfect natural golden glow. This one gets much love on beauty blogs and forums all over the interwebs. For good reason- I love it! Smells nice too.

Amazing Instant Tanned Legs Self Tanner: Make Believe Airbrush Self Tanner is easy to use and gives incredible results. Caveat: this stuff is a bit hard to find. I bought it at Murale while on a marathon make up shopping trip with my friend Vicki (one of many...) and I’m not even sure if they carry it anymore. It is AMAZING. A spray tanner perfect for legs, it is an aerosol tanner that shows up immediately but also develops slowly into a tan. As long as one doesn’t forget to blend at feet/ankles/knees (do it quickly, as it is "flash dry") this stuff is amazing. Perfect for the start of summer when the dresses and shorts come out, or going on holiday to get the perfect tan. It is subtle, so no Ooompa Loompas with this stuff. LOVE it. Not sure what I will do when my tin is done as I don’t think Murale carries it anymore….

Incredibly Natural Self Tanner:  Neostrata Natural Insta-Tan is sooo good. I forgot about til I found it at the back of my drawer:  The main things I love about this are it is oil free and actually more of a gel, and it shows up right away making for fool proof application. It is powerful and a little goes a long way so use with a light hand, starting with very little. Honestly this bottle is huge and will last forever. It is for use on body and face. No nasty smell at all. I am pretty sure it is the same type of formula as St Tropez as it has that odd greenish tinge to the formula that I noted in the St Tropez Mousse. It is ideal for acne prone or oily skin.

Well, hi there... 

Of course, the shades I recommend are the ones that work for me and my medium to fair skin tone. You will have to determine what shade works best for you. A skilled make up artist or Sales Associate should be able to help. I recommend looking at your face in natural light before buying. And before applying self tanners always EXFOLIATE, especially knees, elbows, wrists & feet. And apply moisturizer first. And wash your hands after applying, using a nail brush unless you want to look like a chain smoker... But there is a bronzer for everyone! What are your fave bronzers?

Let's sing about how perfectly bronzed we are!

Tan Your Face Beautifully

Disclaimer- there is no Jersey Shore-esque orange Oompa Loompa tans in my self tanning world. But, if you like a soft healthy glow that says “I love walks in the sunshine and don’t live in a dark basement” then we’re on the same page. I will devote a few posts to self tanners as there are so many, and, some of us need different formulas for our faces and our bodies. Today, I will share 2 of my favourite facial tanning options. As I have shared often, I have oily acne prone skin that is also over 40 so my skincare and cosmetic options often work for aging AND younger skin. With this in mind, I am not a fan of multi-tasking skincare for the face. I have a moisturizer I love and I have a sunscreen/primer I love . I don’t want extra anything in my self-tanner. Just make me glow, baby, and don’t smell too weird and make me break out. For this reason I really like gel or mousse formulations- easy to apply, sink in quickly and don’t leave me oily…

Lancome Flash Bronzer Gel for Face: This is the one I have been using the longest and always go back to after trying others. One thing to know about this is a little goes a long way. It would be nice if it offered a bit of instant colour so you knew exactly where it was going but once you get the hang of it it is just perfect, it gives the right amount of glow and colour without an orange look. I use a dime sized or smaller amount and carefully blend down my throat and along my hairline. Then, my magic self tanner tip. I use a (dark) face cloth that is damp, and I wipe thoroughly my eyebrows, around my mouth and along my hairline. That is where you may get a bit too dark- these are areas that usually don’t get more tan than the rest of your face and are a dead Can-Tan giveaway if you don’t wipe them clean right away. I like to do this right after washing my face in the morning and give myself around 15-20 minutes before applying make up. I like as little as possible on my skin at  nighttime so I don’t self tan before bed. This one has very little of the weird baking bread smell that is the bane of most self tanners and what little scent it has dissipates quickly.

Clarins Instant Smooth Self Tanning: I received a couple samples of this from my wonderful Shoppers Drug Mart Cosmetic Fairies. Seriously- some of the new giant Shoppers rival Sephora and the SAs there get non stop product knowledge for the latest and greatest stuff. They are an invaluable resource so use them! They also know that if you try you may buy and if you are really interested in something new, they usually have samples. Ask and ye shall receive! I was looking at the Clarins Self Tan line as the wise and beautiful Victoria from EauMG had recommended the Liquid Bronze Self Tanning as one of the best self tanners out there. Online reviews from EVERYWHERE back this claim up. But the Instant Smooth is new and I was keen to try it. Well, I have to say, I love it. Yes it is a bit silicone-y, but a teensy bit goes a long way, it shows a light bronze tone immediately upon application, and the self tanning is so subtle and perfect it is almost goof-proof. Very little scent and instant gratification! I still plan to try the Liquid Self Bronze as I need something for my legs and if it works on face & body then that is a win for me!

I’d be remiss in not mentioning my all time Holy Grail self tanner, St Tropez Mousse. There is nothing better than this, it shows instantly, gives a gorgeous glow, no oil or weird smell and can be used on body and face. My issue is how hard it is to find in Canada. I buy it if I see it in the US but since I have the others in my cabinet I haven’t really bothered looking. Can someone in Ottawa please carry St Tropez???

What are your fave self tanners? Share the wealth!

This is why we wipe around our lips....

And this, Xtina, is NOT a good colour match for you...

Kristina's Beautiful Blushes

I would venture to say that we all want the perfect blush. The best ones I have seen are never too obvious. It’s got to look like a natural flush, one bestowed upon you by your good genes and the graces of God (naturally).  Luckily, some of the most beautiful blushes I have seen on beautiful women are not naturally bestowed so there is still hope for us all. In my long search for the perfect blush, I have experimented with all sorts of colours, textures and application styles. Interestingly, in this search, I’ve learned not to judge a blush by its cover (or colour in the pan). Some of the very best shades I’ve ever tried are garish in the pan.

EXHIBIT A

Ok, that’s what it’s really called! Exhibit A by Nars is truly a frightening shade of coquelicot orange-red. I hardly ever see this blush in Sephora’s Nars counters which is astounding to me. The colour alone is so compelling, so vivid, that you can’t help but be drawn to it. Maybe this lusty shade of red has been deemed a niche blush. Well, if your niche is the perfect, passionate flush, I guess you should seek out Exhibit A. Like other Nars powder blushes, this blush is richly pigmented and buildable. It would suit many skins tones, but the amount you apply will really depend on your preference and skin tone. The texture of this blush is quite unforgiving if applied with a heavy hand. If you want that fresh from the outside, winterey,  rosy-cheek look, try this out with a skunk brush or a light hand. I also tap the pan with my finger, lightly pat on my cheekbone below the eyes, and blend, blend, blend. Oh lord. Exhibit A is a beauty. If you like the effect of cheek tint, but want to try something a little different, do a little detective work and find this blush. 

Now, for my everyday no-fuss blush, I want to introduce another top-notch contender: Clarins Multi-Blush Cream Compact in Apricot.

According to the product description, these blushes (available in three shades) can be used on the cheeks, eyes and lips. The colour I have is Apricot, a burnt orange in the pan. I have quite fair skin so while I love a great pink, I tend to look for peachy tones or pinks with a little soft taupe in them to avoid making my face any redder than it already is. Another part of my peach-love has to with a weird makeup obsession that started for me watching the movie Cry-Baby starring Johnny Depp and Amy Locane, all those years ago. So many amazing looks in this movie, but I was always a little smitten with Amy Locane’s natural orange hued blushes and eyeshadows. 

The Clarins Apricot Multi-Blush spotted me in a crowded Shoppers Drug Mart and called me out and immediately, I thought of Amy Locane in Cry-Baby. 

What is makeup if not a little bit of inspiration culled from the various corners of your memory? This blush is a bit creamy but not oily or slick 

and softens immediately into a powdery, smooth finish on your skin. There is no shimmer in these blushes that I can see, but it does imbue your cheeks with a lovely soft glow. I would almost say it’s matte, but there’s something else going on here that gives that je-ne-sais-quoi vibe. What I love about this blush is the ease of application (this is so key for me), the lasting power, and the perfect pale orange flush of colour. Again, a colour some people might shy away from at the makeup counter, particularly when it’s placed next to a cotton-candy pink or a classic rose or bronze. 

Please consider this post a public service announcement. When you see a blush that is a bit hideous in the pan, or maybe just a little scary, give it a test run. The perfect blush is out there!

Guest Poster Kristina is 26 and is a secret make up and skincare fanatic.

Beautiful Natural Lips by Clarins Lip Balm with Essential Rose Wax

I am continually on the hunt for the perfect lip balm. I am fairly lucky, in that my lips have good color so when they are bare, they are not invisible. In the 80s, when light pink frosty lips were de riguer, I used to put foundation on my lips to tone down the colour before applying my mauve-y grey frosted lipstick- Annabelle I think? Can’t recall the colour but I’m pretty sure it matched my nailpolish. Yikes. My mother always said my lips were such a pretty color and could never understand why I would cover them up. As usual, mother was right and now I am happy for their high colour.

Back to balm. I’ve used it all. From $9 Aquaphor- which, is fantastic, although has zero pretty purse appeal in it’s institutional white plastic tube- to $45 La Mer lip balm. La Mer is slightly better packaging wise, but I have never been keen on pot lip balm and having to dip my finger in to apply. Not hygienic and not easy peasy to apply. And it was thin, barely noticeable on my lips at all. La Mer saw me coming a mile away with that one. I’ve owned all the flavours of  the cult favourite Smith’s Rosebud Salve. Seriously? It’s basically Vaseline with a few drops of rosewater & a loud synthetic rose scent. Awful stuff and lasts seconds on the lips before it disappears. Clinique Repairwear balm was OK but I went through it so quickly and again, it just did not last on my lips. And by last I mean that my lips will still feel moist. For example, when I apply Aquaphor at night, I can still feel it on my lips in the morning. A lifesaver on those cold winter nights when the drying heat is on full blast. But I won't dwell on the products that did NOT live up to my exacting expetations.

My friend Tara and I were chatting about lip balms last month, as I was ready to go out and try yet another $45 one (Dior I think…) and she said she swears by a Clarins one with rosewax. Doesn’t rosewax sound like a lovely thing to put on your lips? I thought so. The next time I passed a Clarins counter I got it. Bingo! It is fantastic. It’s in a tube with a slanted top making it easy to apply and hygienic. It has a barely there subtle and soft rose scent and if there is a taste, I haven’t noticed it. The consistency is thick without being gloppy. It is smooth and glides beautifully across the lips. It slowly sinks in and becomes barely noticeable. There is not a lot of shine, and no frost or reflecting agents, yet it really compliments the lip nicely and makes them feel plump and moist. The most amazing thing for me is how long it lasts. I haven’t timed it but I only have to apply a few times a day. I even notice a slight reduction in the minor (very minor!) vertical lines above the lip while I wear the Clarins balm.

The Clarins balm contains hyaluronic acid, which is a natural skin component capable of retaining  moisture and helps to give a plump moist look to skin and lips. Rose wax, for which it is named, is a product collected from the surface of rose petals, and which forms a silky, soothing protective and moisturizing barrier on the lips. Wow!

I have been using this in lieu of my perrenial faves, Lip Fusion & Smashbox O-Plump, as I am lately craving a less shiny lip. A few drops of the fantastic Benetint rubbed into my lips and the Clarins Balm on top is a perfect every-day lip.

It’s not an inexpensive product at $28 but from what I can see so far, a little goes a long way.

Available at Clarins counters, online at their site, and from Sephora.

Disclaimer:  this review is for a product I purchased