Review | Bourjois Bronzing Primer

Even though summer is technically over in a week or so, I can't help but want to stay tan year round. I think the LA weather is spoiling me. No, literally. I feel like a plate of food sitting out in the hot sun. The weather here is insane! I think someone needs to invent a portable AC unit that hooks up to your brain a la Matrix.

I'm constantly on the lookout for both bronzers and contour shades, and I'm happy to say that the Bourjois Bronzing Primer is an excellent multipurpose product. It was on sale on Asos.com for 11.00 US dineros, and I'm guessing it would be hard to find in an American drugstore. According to many UK bloggers it's also on short supply in their high street shops.

The product itself is a mousse like foam that looks like chocolate or dog poop, depending on your spiritual interpretation. It didn't smell like chocolate as others have suggested. I was hesitant to try because I could not get over the cloyingly sweet scent of Too Faced's Milk Chocolate Soleil bronzer. The Bourjois primer doesn't smell too strongly at all, but it is sweet. It comes in a little pot that was bigger than I thought. Some may say that this is unhygienic, but unless you've been dipping your fingers into mud prior to makeup application, it shouldn't be an issue. Plus, the pot is big enough to only last a month or two and you won't be letting bacteria fester for ever.

I have some suggestions on usage:

1. Use it as a primer, as the name suggests. If my skin is a little too light for a foundation around NC35, I use it to warm up my complexion without looking orange. I like using my fingers to apply it all over.


2. Use it to bronze! I apply the product with a stippling brush to high points of my face. You have to be sure not to blend too well with this product, as it is very natural and tends to fade out easily if you use too heavy of a hand.


3. Use it as a contour. Because it is a little warm but not orange, it also works as a contour shade. I use a flat foundation brush to lightly contour my nose and cheeks. Because it is a cream product, the results are much more natural looking than a powder!

Overall, it's a very interesting product that's a great dupe alternative to Chanel's Bronze Universal, or as I see it, tub o' pumpkin pie. This little pot of sun doesn't streak or slide on the face and costs much less than some bronzers currently on the market. The only problem is, you may have to resort to Ebay to find it.

So, will you be rocking the bronzer year round or putting it away for high pigmentation blush instead? I don't think the baby doll porcelain skin look can even be done in this part of the state...

Be

How To | Bronze and Glow

I think there's a cult out there that has successfully convinced many that using bronzer with glitter is on the same level as consorting with the devil.
Seriously.

Here's the thing, a contouring shade should NEVER have glitter, no matter how finely milled or microscopic. Contouring is the same as creating an illusion of deeper set shadows on the face, and shadows never sparkle. On the other hand, a bronzer with glitter does its job beautifully. Have you ever noticed how Victoria's Secret Angels all look like they practically live on a co-op lesbian yacht in the South of France? They always have an angelic glow/tan that is healthy rather than fake bake, and their skin is always on point even before Photoshop. (Btw, bless Photoshop for their wonky crease-less knees and elbow joints, too.) For the most part, this is due to the witchcraft of bronzers with a hint of shimmer. When shopping for a bronzer, I usually gravitate to VS sales to stock up for the year. Their bronzers are always surprisingly top notch since makeup is not their specialty.

My go-to bronzer at the moment is Victoria's Secret's GLOW Pressed Mineral Bronzing Powder, available in 3 shades and retails for 16 dollars. My shade is Riviera, which accompanies light-medium to medium skin tones very well. They all have a yellow undertone and some warmth, rather than straying to an ash or cool tone. The quad has four shades that can be used separately (as highlighter) or together for an awesome glow (hur hur, hence the name.) The best part is, this product is so subtle that it's hard to over-do and can be built up. There is also another bronzer line that VS does, but it contains too much shimmer for my taste and would best be used as a straight highlighter, similar to MAC's Soft and Gentle.

 

 

You can see that the colors lean a little cool-toned or warm under direct sunlight. You also can't see the shimmers unless you look very, very closely.

My husband noticed that my skin looked "radiant." Little did he know...

Before bronzer, I always like to have the rest of my face, eye, and lip makeup on first. This way, it's easier to gauge how much product is needed. I often pair a bronzed face with minimal or neutral eye makeup and a soft nudey pink lip so that my complexion takes the spotlight.

When applying a powder bronzer, I use a denser but fluffy face brush, like Sigma's F40 or powder brush and swirl in into the product. I then focus the product on the highest point of my cheeks, across the bridge of my nose, and straight onto my forehead. I also apply any left over product onto my chin and down the sides of my vocal cords (LOL, this sounds awful but it does slenderize your neck.) The effect you're going for is how your face would look on a print ad of glamorous women on boats. Please note that this procedure is completely different for applying contouring products. You could possibly take it on the edges of your hairline or under your cheekbones, but I'm not a fan of the look. Sparkling hairlines are so not vogue.

After the initial application, I like to take a clean face brush and blend/buff everything out so that there are no noticeable lines or demarcations. That's it!

I love using bronzers to warm up a foundation shade that's a tad too light, or just to warm up my complexion in the wintertime. While I adore a porcelain skin look in the winter, the dry air often sucks up the hydration on my skin and makes it look dull and flat. Bronzer often takes this away, and if done right, shouldn't be obvious in the least bit.

For a matte bronzer that also works as a natural contour, I recommend Urban Decay's Naked Flushed palette. Another great bronzer is any from the Physician's Formula line. For a high end pick, I would go with NARS Laguna. The most important part isn't the price point, but how finely milled their shimmer particles are. We don't want obvious chunks of glitter now do we?

That's all for today. I hope you guys found it helpful!

Be