Beauty Tutorial: Summer Bronze

Author:
Jen Navaro
Updated:
May 17, 2015
Original:
May 29, 2014

Get lazy, ladies! My favorite makeup trend this summer is all about a laid-back natural bronzed glow. The look is inherently boho—think casual chic—not the intense contour you may see on Instagram #makeuptutorial or certain celebs. And today, I’m translating this look on our gorgeous model Kristina.

No matter your skin tone or features, a sunny, lightly bronzed face works great for any daytime occasion. The trick is choosing the right tone and texture of bronzer for your skin as well as correct placement of product. Then, complement the look with a little eye definition and tint of color on the lips.

Step 1: Foundation

Choose a foundation that matches your skin color exactly. This means that when you rub the foundation onto your cheek or your jaw, it disappears and blends perfectly.

The foundation I used on Kristina is MAC Matchmaster in NC25. I also love L’Oreal True Match and Revlon Colorstay foundation.

Tip: Some drugstores actually let you return lightly used cosmetics, so if you end up purchasing the wrong shade, don't hesitate to exchange it!

Step 2: Powder + Powder Bronzer

Choose a setting powder like rms beauty "Unpowder" or Revlon Photoready pressed powder.

Lightly dust over your face prior to using bronzer.

Next, try a powder bronzer like MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in "Sun Power" because it is easy to use and touch up throughout the day. For a drugstore grab, try Physicians Formula bronzers or e.l.f. cosmetics.

Choose either a matte or semi-matte bronzer (something with no or next-to-no shimmer). The most accurate way to find bronzer is to have have a makeup artist at a department store help you, as brands tend to use many different color descriptions and words like "beige, golden or tawny" which can mean something entirely different regarding undertone from brand to brand.

For a more a economical choice, I suggest drugstores with a return policy for lightly used makeup. This way, you can test drive bronzers for your skin without having to commit.

When choosing bronzer on your own, stick to colors no more than two shades darker than your skin. Purchase two different shades if you can, and return the one that looks too orangey, red or muddy (this generally means you've gone too dark). Pinky undertones should go for more red based color and yellow undertones should go for more gold based. Picking the right bronzer really comes down to trial and error - stick to the "2 shades darker" rule for your most natural bronzed glow.

To apply the bronzer, first sweep across the forehead at your hairline (where the sun naturally hits). After that, the placement of the bronzer is in the shape of a"W"; an easy way to picture the "W" is imagining a dot on each temple, a dot on the apple of the cheeks or just above them, and a dot on the bridge of your nose.

Using a large fluffy brush, swirl into the bronzer and tap off the excess before connecting the dots. This specific placement will give you the most natural glow and a true sun-bathed look.

Step 3: Eyeshadow

Choose a shimmery shadow in a bronze, gold, or even a peachy tone, and sweep across your lid and in the inner corners of your eyes to give a fresh twinkling effect. I currently love the Stila Eyeshadow Trio in "Goddess" or L’Oreal Infallible 24-hour eyeshadow in "Amber Rush" and "Bronzed Taupe."

Step 4: Eyeliner and mascara

For Kristina, I chose a brown long-wearing Rimmel London Soft Kohl eye pencil instead of a black, for softer definition. To keep the look casual, apply liner close to the lash line, and smudge by gentling running a Q-tip over the liner. Add a couple coats of your favorite mascara to finish the eye!

Step 5: Eyebrow

For the overall bronzed beauty look, the brows shouldn’t be overly done—just well-shaped and groomed. Using a slanted eyebrow brush, fill in your brows with eyebrow powder, only where you absolutely need it to look filled in and finished.

A great brow powder is the wonderfully cheap Wet N Wild eyebrow powder! I finished off the brow with my newest favorite product of the season, Serenity + Scott eyebrow gel. The gel looks bronzy in the tub but, when applied to the brows, gives a soft focus with the perfect amount of color, shape, and hold.

Step 6: Lip tint

Finish off your beauty regimen with a pop of sheer color on the lips. As the rest of the look is more natural, a lip tint won't seem too harsh and is the perfect complement.

Here, I used the new Sephora Collection Rouge Infusion Lip Stain in "Tangerine," a lovely light stain that doesn’t dry out the lips. Another great stain to try is Flower Sheer Up Lip Tint.