Studio 5 Style and Beauty Contributor Holly Stone rates and reveals the best bronzers…and how to wear them!
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Bronzers are a great way to add sun-kissed color to the face. But not all bronzers are created equally. Some can turn the skin orange while others contain too much glitter.
Here are some things to look for when choosing a bronzer:
Color
If you have fair skin, a lighter golder bronzer will be more flattering. Too deep of a bronzer can look unnatural and heavy.
If you have medium skin, try a true bronze color.
If you have dark skin, try a deep bronzer (almost chocolate in color)
Matte vs. Shimmer
Shimmer can set in fine lines and wrinkles and accentuate them. For the face, use a matte bronzer. For the body, a shimmer bronzer is fabulous because it is light reflective and can add a healthy glow to the body (put it on your décolleté to add sparkle).
Consistency
Some bronzers are very powdery. Test the bronzer on your hand. If it is hard to blend and fades as your rub it, it is not a good bronzer. If it gets richer in color as you rub it and blends easily-you have a winner!
Kaledioscope
There are some products out there claiming to be bronzers yet have a white, yellow, pink, and bronze mosaic. These can be too peachy on the skin and do not yield a true bronze look. These are great to use as a blush or to add some pink to the skin.
Here are my favorite picks for a variety of categories.
BEST SHIMMER BRONZER: MAC
Cost: $20.00
Available at: Nordstrom, www.maccosmetics.com
BEST MATTE BRONZER: Laura Mercier
Cost: $32.00
Available at: Nordstrom, www.lauramercier.com
BEST DRUG STORE BRONZER: L’Oreal
Cost:
Available at: Most local drugstores
Application: To apply bronzer, use a large, fluffy powder brush. Swipe brush in pallet and then tap off excess. Apply where, if you were to look up to the sun, the sun would kiss you-across the forehead, down the nose, on the chin and the apples of the cheeks.
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Holly Stone is no stranger to business and the beauty industry. Starting as a model at the age of 14 she decided that she preferred to be behind the scenes rather than in front of the camera. She choreographed fashion shows, selected models for events and assisted her agency with make-up.
Her skill for make-up artistry quickly became recognized and the demand for her talent launched a career that would take her all over the country. She received a bachelor’s degree, and took a position as VP of Merchandising for Overstock.com. There she learned the business skills of resourcing, buying, marketing, and negotiating. She moved on to train in Los Angeles at AWARD, a leading make-up artist school in the west.
Today, with her business skills and her passion for the art of make-up, she manages a successful career as an educator and a veteran make-up artist of 16 years. She works in various media with actors/actresses, models, brides, and photographers. She is a consultant to several cosmetic distributors, spas, and salons where she teaches application and technique. She is a nationally recognized educator of cosmetic application and is a personal image consultant to people ranging from high position corporate figures to the everyday woman.
Holly is the owner of Re-Creation Studio, School of Media Make-up Artistry and a regular contributor on Studio 5. For information about her classes, visit www.learntodomakeup.com.
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