Anonymous asked: Could you possibly do a tutorial on how to apply bronzer properly ? I never used it in my life but I think I'd like to give it a try. I'm also very fair skinned so I'm scared I will look orange.

I consider myself pretty adept with makeup but bronzer is tricky so to answer this question I’ve enlisted the help of my makeup artist friend Jocelyn (who you can see & follow on Tumblr HERE). A couple months ago her and I actually worked on a photoshoot together so I’ve seen her masterful work first hand and highly trust her advice. Without further adieu…

Ah, Bronzer. I’m glad you asked without just smearing the stuff all over your face. When applied correctly, bronzer can make you look thinner but when overused in the wrong places you can end up looking like an orange on a stick with your face a different color than the rest of your body. Not great.

ABOVE: Good bronzers for fair skinned gals - Too Faced Snow Bunny, Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc, Guerlain Terracotta Light Sheer

Let’s talk about skin tone. If you’re already a bronzed lady, you’re going to use a bronzer that will enhance your tan. Something like Hula from Benefit will do the trick. This product is matte so I really only recommend it for tan, olive-skinned gals.

The goal for a fair skinned woman is to achieve the tanned shade that she would naturally get from the sun. That is, if you don’t tan very dark in the summertime, a dark tone won’t look normal when achieved with bronzer either. You should strive more for a pink/peach/copper glow. What glorious colors! I also recommend using products with shimmer because they create a blended and more natural effect. A few favorite products include Snow Bunny from Too Faced, Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc, and Guerlain Terracotta Light Sheer.

ABOVE: rule of “3” sculpting with bronzer- temples, hollows of cheeks & jawbone

How to apply! There are two ways to go about bronzer. The first way is to use it as a contour product. This is the best way to use it in the colder months when your skin hasn’t seen the sun and you just want to add a bit of color and dimension to your face. For this, remember the rule of 3! You’re going sweep the product in a “3” shape on each side of your face making sure to hit the temples, hollows of cheeks and jaw bone. This thins out your face and creates the illusion of stronger bone structure. (Calling all round faces out there!) 

ABOVE: tan glow with bronzer- apples of cheeks, forehead, nose and chin

The second way is to apply bronzer is to all the places where the sun naturally hits your face- the apples of your cheeks, front of your forehead, top of your nose, and center of your chin. Basically anywhere that sort of sticks out.

With both methods, the key is slowly building the product. Start with only a little bit of bronzer and add on as needed. Make sure to use a dense brush (bronzer brush or kabuki brush) in a circular motion to really blend product into the skin. No one likes splotchy tans. 

Hope this is helpful! If not, just know that I’ll be silently judging your orange face…