Bronze, Baby, Bronze!

It is no secret I have an obsession with bronzer, I love to bronze my face and create a luminous look that is also flattering because it helps shape the face. 

For the Fourth of July, I wanted to do a really bronzy-tan face with red lips. I knew I would be outside all day and I wanted my face to look golden and sun-kissed. Many of my friends were asking how I made myself look so tan so I thought I'd share a few of my favorite products with you!

 

(that's my boyfriend Chad, we like to match).  

I didn't even think to take pictures that really captured the look, but this is one that we took together, and I like it and look for any excuse to post pictures to my blog.

• Mac Pigment in "Tan",  I love mixing a little bit of this pigment into my foundation. I find it looks amazing in my Chanel VitaLumiere Aqua, which gives the skin luminosity without being heavy at all. 
• Nars Bronzer in "Laguna", this is absolutely no surprise if you've read any of my previous posts. It is not completely matte, but it's most definitely not shimmery. It looks fabulous all over the face and I love that I don't have to be extra cautious when applying it.
• Tarte Mineral Bronzer in "Hotel Heiress", I like this bronzer a lot. I always have one in stock in my collection (I actually snagged one up on my Hautelook app for only $10!). It is a little bit more orange, but certainly not like, ORANGE! It looks really great all over the face, especially on days when you want to skip on blush. 
• Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzing Powder in "Aruba". This is a shimmery bronzer, but it looks especially great on the cheek bones. I like to wear it with tinted moisturizers as a blush. This is a product that anytime I wear it (especially if I haven't worn it in a while), I get several compliments and people want to know what I'm wearing on my cheeks. I think it would also look great over a more matte bronzer.
• Mac Sheertone Shimmer Blush in "Trace Gold",  this would look AWESOME on people with a darker skin tone than me. If I don't want any color on my cheeks, I wear this instead because I like the glow that it gives the apples of my cheeks. It's also wonderful for layering over other blushes. This is a really great blush for any collection because I do feel that it is very versatile. 
• Mac Lustre Drops in "Sun Rush",  this is a new product for me, but when I saw it, I knew I needed it. It's like liquid gold, for your face! I apply it with a thick dome top Kabuki brush from the back of my hand and apply it as a highlight around the apple of my cheeks. It also looks nice under the brow bone instead of using a white highlight. I'm still playing around with this product so, stay tuned ;-)

I find that just as important as bronzing the face is, it is equally important to highlight! My absolute favorite highlight is by The Balm Cosmetics called "Mary-Lou Manizer". I've never loved a highlight or felt the need to use one, but after using this one, I cannot leave the house without highlighting my face. It really is flattering, especially if you do it correctly (and lightly!) I really recommend this product, and it is another item that can sometimes be ordered for discount on Hautelook.