Some make-up merchandise go the additional mile in a routine. Concealer, the multitasking workhorse, is the primary that involves thoughts. The second? Bronzer. Whether or not dusted throughout the temples or blended into the crease, it’s a staple that sculpts, warms and defines. The hot button is placement: when utilized proper, bronzer provides dimension and steadiness to the face. If you happen to’ve ever been not sure the place to comb it on, three make-up artists break it down—plus share their favorites.
Featured Specialists Why Does Bronzer Placement Matter?
Bronzer isn’t nearly including heat to the pores and skin. In keeping with celeb make-up artist Vittorio Masecchia, it additionally creates construction. “It restores natural dimensions that foundation can flatten and brings life back into the face without visible effort,” he says. The consequence largely relies on placement. When utilized accurately, bronzer enhances the lighter areas of the face and defines your options. However within the incorrect spots, it could do the alternative. “Instead of radiant and defined, it can make the face look muddy or heavy,” says Tamara Boyd, skilled make-up artist and Black Radiance model ambassador.
In brief, placement determines whether or not your face appears to be like lifted or weighed down. Like blush, bronzer is most flattering when tailor-made to your face form. Being attentive to your pure dimensions—the brow, jawline and cheeks—might help information the place to use it.
Learn how to Apply Bronzer for Your Face Form
Earlier than you begin, take into consideration the areas of your face that naturally catch the solar. “For example, where you tan naturally when you’re wearing sunglasses, such as the high points of the face and the jaw,” says celeb make-up artist Rachel Singer Clark. These spots strike the right steadiness between heat and construction—similar to bronzer ought to.
In case your face is on the rounder aspect, sweep bronzer upward towards the temples. “By sweeping it slightly higher on the cheekbones, you can visually elongate your features,” says Masecchia. For heart-shaped faces, goal for symmetry. “Applying to the sides of the forehead and under the cheekbones will help balance any narrowness in the lower parts of the face,” says Boyd.
Sq. faces, however, profit most from sweeping the bronzer throughout the cheeks and evenly diffusing it alongside the jaw. This provides construction and blurs sturdy angles.
Making use of bronzer to oval face shapes may be difficult. “The key is sticking to the perimeter,” says Masecchia. Boyd explains that when utilized correctly, it could have probably the most important affect. “When placed around the temples and the outer edges of the cheek and jawline, it adds structure and highlights the softer areas.”
Cream vs. Powder Bronzers
As soon as you recognize the place to use bronzer, the subsequent step is selecting the best components to your pores and skin kind and desired end. Every possibility has its advantages, so the choice finally comes right down to the look you wish to obtain.
“Cream bronzers have the ability to add definition while also appearing natural on the skin,” says Masecchia. Making use of them could take a little bit of follow, however he notes they’re among the many greatest for creating noticeable definition. Stick codecs ship an analogous impact and may be constructed up for a extra chiseled look.
Powder bronzers usually get a nasty repute for wanting muddy, however they provide buildable management that lotions don’t. Additionally they are available in quite a lot of finishes, permitting you to tailor your look. “Baked formulas, such as Black Radiance’s Artisan Color Baked Bronzer, can add warmth and radiance for a naturally bronzed finish,” says Boyd. Matte formulation, however, are greatest for refined definition. “A soft-matte bronzer is best for creating balanced warmth and a refined finish,” says Masecchia.
Bronzers to Strive Tom Ford Soleil Glow Bronzer 
LYS Magnificence No Limits Cream Bronzer Stick 
Laura Geller Baked Powder Bronzer
