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No look is complete without the added tint of bronzer that gives the perfect sun-kissed glow and adds dimension to a fair face. Whether you’re totally glammed out or doing a natural day look, bronzer is a must-have.
How to use bronzer on fair skin is a bit different than on medium or deep skin tones. But now’s the chance to dispel any fears or doubts you have surrounding one of the most fun and effective beauty secrets.
The Purpose of a Bronzer
What exactly does bronzer do?
The reality for fair skinned beauties is that the summer sun doesn’t do much more than burn. Besides, tanning is overrated and you don’t need the sun for a glowy look as long as you’ve got your bronzer on hand.
Bronzer isn’t limited to face makeup. Like a natural tan, bronzer can be put in the areas that the sun is most likely to touch like shoulders, chest, and of course the outer perimeter of your face. And, even though the current trend is to contour and highlight the nose to create a chiseled feature, the sun is most likely to kiss the bridge of your nose before anywhere else. For a warm beachy look, dusting bronzer on your nose works!
Replacing time in the sun for bronzer is safer, easier, and gives you more control over the areas where you’d like a little melanin boost.
Now that you know the main purpose for bronzer, it’s good to note that nothing in makeup is exact. Like other arts, it’s fluid and always up for interpretation. You could very well use bronzer as contour, eyeshadow, or to pop some brown into your lip shade. There are no limits.
The Best Bronzer Shade For Fair Skin
When using bronzer on fair skin, there is a fine line between a touch of sun and a blotch of dirt.
If your bronzer application looks like you’ve won first place in a Mudrunner there’s likely one of or both issues going on--not enough blending (easy solution) or you’ve chosen the wrong shade of bronzer (see next steps!).
Bronzers come with one of three undertones (an underlying pigment) that ranges between a pink base, neutral base, or yellow base.
- Pink based bronzers are best for cool-toned skin and light eyes.
- Neutral based bronzer matches neutral undertone skin that has hints of olive and doesn’t blush or turn red.
- Yellow based bronzer is ideal for green, warm undertones.
Choosing the right bronzer is all about undertones.
When choosing a shade, consider going just 2-3 shades deeper than your foundation shade to ensure a blendable natural look.
[Read: How to Determine your Skin Tone and Choose a Foundation]
Powder Versus Liquid Bronzer
Bronzers also come in a variety of textures. There’s loose powder bronzer, pressed powder, and liquid. Liquid bronzer can come in a dip pot or a squeezed applicator.
Depending on the formula, liquid bronzer can be easier to blend but could disturb other liquid face products like concealer, foundation, or highlighter. A non-powdery bronzer often has a natural, dewy finish but can be made matte if set with powder. While powder bronzer can be too abrasive and harder to blend, it sits well on top of liquid and other powder makeup products.
Bronzer by RMS Beauty is a natural potted bronzer that can create the depth of contour or be used to warm the look of the face and body. The coconut oil and cocoa butter base give this bronzer a luxurious feel and added moisturizing effect. This bronzer can be used on fair skin and applied with a beauty sponge or stippling brush. The shade is buildable and blending is effortless. The two shades cover most ranges of skin tones and have options suitable for all undertones.
Lily Lolo Pressed Powder comes in three mutable shades and is an incredibly blendable bronzer due to the addition of Argan and Jojoba oil. Options for a shimmer or matte formula take you from natural tan to a fresh-off-the-beach glow.
Cruelty-free and made with nature's safe and sustainable ingredients, our favorite bronzers are suitable for fair to deep skin and rate 5/5 stars on our bronzer-meter.
How to Use Bronzer on Fair Skin
Finding the right shade of bronzer for fair skin is half the battle. Now you can create the summer warmth or natural contour of your dreams.
Using bronzer on fair skin is all about applying with purpose and allowing a quality product to do the work. Blending is your friend, so if you notice any harsh lines or your bronzer looks like a brown streak, uses a damp makeup sponge or brush and in upward, circular motions, blend the product until you application appears seamless.
Applying bronzer to fair skin doesn’t require the precision of a winged liner but does need minor direction and control over the bronzer applicator.
Dust or blend bronzer on your cheeks, jawline, nose, and forehead.
Bronzer Do’s and Don’ts
Here are a few rules of thumb when applying bronzer on to fair skin.
- Do not assume that a darker bronzer will provide a more tan look. It’s better to shade match according to your skin shade or even take the extra step to match undertones. Once you’ve got your perfect shade you can build the product to give a more prominent contour.
- Don’t apply bronzer to fair skin with a large powder brush. You can achieve a more desirable look with a small blush/bronzer brush or the small tip of a makeup sponge.
- There is a little room for error if your skin is light, so once you’ve mastered the application and color selection rundown in this blog, you’ll still want to use bronzer with a gentle hand and delicate approach. A little goes a long way.
- Even though bronzer is often the final touch of makeup before using a non-toxic setting spray, it shouldn’t be a process that is rushed. Take your time when applying bronzer on fair skin and use small movements.
- Avoid over sparkling your face. If you plan to use bronzer, blush, and highlighter try to balance the amount of shimmer. Highlighter is always going to shine, so if you’ve gone for a bronzer with shimmer in it, reach for a matte blush.
- If you feel over-bronzed, there is a technique called “veiling”. Apply a pressed powder foundation over the bronzer to take the brown down a notch.
There’s Nothing to Fear
If you’re new to the world of bronzing, there’s nothing to fear. Think back to the first time you attempted to fill in your brows! It gets easier each time you do it and before you know it, you’ll have customized exactly where and how you and your fair skin rock a bronzed look.
Remember to check out our picks for the best organic bronzers. I am sure you will find one to love!
Do you have any bronzing tips to share?
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