Bronzerania!

Get summer's glow with makeup
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Photo courtesy of northjersey.com. Photographer: Carmine Galasso.

By EVELYN SHIH
STAFF WRITER

Whether or not you broke out the grill for Memorial Day, summer has unofficially begun. And, for some, that means thoughts have turned to tanning. But you don’t have to bake in the sun to get that golden glow.

It’s an open secret: Bronze is beautiful in summer makeup.

“Metallic bronze is a summer trend because it’s a perfect complement to summer skin,” said L’Oreal Paris consultant and celebrity makeup artist Collier Strong. “It’s an earth tone that naturally adds a healthy glow without the damage from being in the sun.”

The faux glow — often accompanied by SPF protection mixed in foundations and powders — has been a perennial favorite with celebrities and regular women alike.

“We’ve seen lots of bronze on the celebrities on the red carpet in the past few years,” said Strong. “From Jennifer Lopez to Jennifer Aniston, it’s a look that works well on most people.”
Jennifer Aniston looking bronzed out, courtesy of sfgate.com.

This year, several major cosmetics lines are stepping up the bronze factor, basing their entire summer collections on the color. Series like L’Oreal’s Bronze Rocks, Lancôme’s Bronze Tropiques and Giorgio Armani’s Bronze Mania have expanded from the basic bronzer to eye shadow, lip shades and even glimmering body powder.

L’Oreal, for example, offers pressed bronzer compacts ($12.99), loose bronze highlighting powder ($11.99), and bronze highlighter gel ($10.95) for face and body — and follows with three shimmery eye shadow compacts ($8.95) and two cream eye duos ($7.95).

The bronze look is a warm, even complexion without bright eye or lip colors breaking the continuous metallic tone. Stila cosmetics’ summer eye shadow trio ($32), designed like an Aztec sundial, features a bronze circle at the core and builds out to two other bronze-inflected colors.

The trick is to look — and feel — like you aren’t wearing makeup.

“In the summer, less is more,” said Tim Quinn, celebrity makeup consultant at Giorgio Armani Cosmetics. “It’s like having the right handbag; you can’t have a chunky bag with a light dress.”

The Armani summer Bronze Mania products are available at Saks at the Shops at Riverside, including the golden Mediterranean palette ($80), sheer bronzer ($42), summer foundation and three bronze shades of the trademark fluid sheer foundation ($55).

But while images of a light, shimmering visage flit through their heads, many women find that bronzers applied incorrectly can look orange on fair skin.
Stila bronzer compact, courtesy of InStyle website

“Try to use a peachy blush, or lightly mix a dusting of bronzer with your powder,” said Sarah Lucero, celebrity makeup consultant at Stila. “Always stick to a softer-hair brush to allow the bronzer to build slowly.”

Stila’s summer 2007 collection, available at Sephora at Garden State Plaza and Willowbrook Mall, was inspired by the Mexican Riviera and features an SPF-15 bronzer compact ($28) as well as a cheek color duo ($20).

Bronzers work best when layered with foundation and blush and can often be used like a type of blush, as well as a highlighter for the T-zone. Some bronzers may look surprisingly pink or peach but will retain golden or bronze undertones.

Quinn advises women to add bronzer in the shape of two mirror-image 3s down the side of the face: curving from the temples to the cheekbones, then curving down to the jaw.

Putting products to the test

Staff writers Evelyn Shih and Erica Dietsche tried out three bronze-themed summer lines.

SHIH
Complexion: pale with ochre undertones. Hair: dark brown. Eyes: dark brown.

• Giorgio Armani Cosmetics' Bronze Mania

Yes, please: The Golden Mediterranean palette added angles to my face without dulling my skin.

Could do without: The summer foundation darkened my face a full shade. Got the faux -- where's the glow?

• Stila Cosmetics' Summer Collection 2007

Yes, please: The Acapulco eye shadow trio is a startling lime in the compact but blends surprisingly well.

Could do without: I can't really figure out what the sun shimmer dry oil is good for besides possibly replacing eau de toilette.

• L'Oreal's Bronze Rocks

Yes, please: The sheer Copper Glow lipstick does the job of a lip gloss without being too sticky.

Could do without: What's with the hard-to-open twist top on the Glam Bronze loose bronzing powder? Thumbs down for bad design.



DIETSCHE
Complexion: pale. Hair: blond. Eyes: blue.

• Giorgio Armani Cosmetics' Bronze Mania
Yes, please: The compact with a light and dark cream blush allows you to apply exactly the shade desired.

Could do without: Fluid Sheer proved to be anything but. Like other liquid bronzers, it required a full-face application that left my face a different color than my body.

• Stila Cosmetics' Summer Collection 2007
Yes, please: The pressed bronzing powder is perfect in its simplicity -- and has SPF-15.

Could do without: Lip glazes, flavored like piña colada, spiked rum and daiquiri, resemble syringes and twist out goopy, thick gloss.


• L'Oreal's Bronze Rocks

Yes, please: If you can figure out how to open and apply the product, the loose bronzing powder leaves a warm, subtle glow with a soft sparkle.

Could do without: The eye shadow is incredibly thick, requiring excessive force to get even a little bit on my brush. Once on, it was unremarkable.

Copyright © 2007 North Jersey Media Group Inc.