How to Use Bronzer: A Makeup Guide for Beginners

Bronzer is the perfect way to give yourself a summertime glow year-round. We now have millions of types of bronzers available to choose from and figuring out how to use bronzer is challenging for a first-timer.

This guide will break down how to use bronzer for beginners and give you some tips along the way.

Makeup Bronzers

Before we begin, we should make it clear that bronzer is used to add warmth and glow to your skin. It should not be used to make your skin a different color. Bronzer is a face highlighter that gives your skin a healthy glow like you just came back from the beach looking rested and relaxed.

Many of us have worn way too much bronzer at one point and may have looked more like a burnt Cheeto than a bronzed beauty. That’s why it’s important to learn how to put on bronzer the correct way.

Choose the Right Color

The first and maybe the most important step in learning how to use bronzer is to choose the right color for your skin.

Most bronzers come in powders or cream-based formulas. The technique of how to use bronzing powder is a little different than the creams. Bronzer should look as natural as possible so it’s important to pick the right shade and formula.

Never go more than two shades darker than your natural skin color. People with naturally lighter skin should choose a neutral shade so your face doesn’t end up looking dirty. A formula that contains a hint of shimmer will also make the bronzer look more dramatic when applied.

Shop this bronzer for a color that blends seamlessly into your skin and highlights your cheekbones. If you have yellow undertones in your skin, choose a golden peach-colored bronzer. It will give your skin a radiant glow without looking too dark.

Olive and dark skin look their best when using a bronzer with orange undertones.

Use the Right Tools

Now that you have the correct color of bronzer for your skin type, you’re going to need the right tools to apply the bronzer. The best tool to apply cream or powder bronzers is an angled brush.

An angled brush gives your cheekbones the definition they are looking for when used to apply bronzer. When applying a liquid formula, put the makeup on the brush first and apply it to the skin.

Then blend it in with a sponge to make it look natural. You don’t want to see any hard lines where your bronzer starts and stops. Sponges are another tool to keep in your bag to help you blend the bronzer in completely.

Take it easy when applying bronzer. It’s easy to apply too much quickly. You can always add more on later but it’s hard to remove excess bronzer.

Work in layers until you get the desired darkness you are trying to achieve.

How to Apply Bronzer

Are you asking, “How to apply bronzing powder?” The answer is simple but it does take some practice. Follow these steps below for a perfect application.

Step one: Gently tap the angled brush into the bronzer powder. Then sweep it along your cheekbone.

One of the most effective ways to apply bronzer is to think about the shape of the number three on your face. Bronzer should be applied to the temples, along the cheekbones, and along your jawbone for best results. These are the places that sunlight naturally hits and it will give you a warm and sculpted look.

Step two: Blend your bronzer, blend your bronzer, and then blend some more! Blending is the key to getting natural-looking bronzer.

If you feel like you are blending too much, you’re probably doing it for just the right amount of time. Blend in small circles to diffuse any lines from sweeping the bronzer into place.

Step three: Add a bit of warmth to the rest of your face by using whatever is left on your angled brush and quickly touching your nose, neck, and chin. If you feel like you have overdone it with the bronzer, apply a bit of loose face powder to even yourself out.

Don’t Overdo It

The funny thing about achieving beautiful sun-kissed skin is you will need to use more than just bronzer. Try combining your bronzer with a highlighting cream of powder for the best results. One color can sometimes come off looking unrealistic.

A hint of natural pink blush or an iridescent pigment will help the look to appear more natural. But be careful not to overdo it.

A common mistake beginners make when they are learning how to apply bronzer powder is they tend to use overly-shimmery powders. They look good when first applied but give them an hour or two and your face will look like you got in the middle of a fight between a faerie and a unicorn.

That’s because as you wear your bronzer, your face becomes oily throughout the day. The shimmer tends to pool in oily areas on the face.

To avoid this common pitfall, only wear a tiny bit of shimmer to highlight your bronzer and never apply it to your entire face. Use it on the apples of your cheeks only.

Learning How to Use Bronzer Requires Practice

Just like with any newly learned skill, you need to practice to get good at it. Try wearing bronzer as a part of your daily routine to get you in the habit of applying it.

When you have free time, pick up your brush and don’t be afraid to practice. There are lots of great videos online that can also help. For some people, it is easier to recreate a look when they watch someone else do it first.

You Are Now a Glowing Goddess

Congrats! You have now learned how to use bronzer. Even if you are an absolute beginner with a little practice you can have the cheekbones of an Instagram model in no time.
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