Bronze Goddess

Finding and applying the perfect bronzer for a glowing, sunny complexion

Bronzer, how would I live without you? Whether we're heading to the office or to the beach, I never leave home without a sweep of that sun-kissed glow of health and glamour.

If you're with me in that sentiment, then you know that the wrong shade or incorrect application can make you go from "glow" to "oh no," winding up with a face that has an unnatural orange tinge or looking as if it was just dunked in a vat of cocoa powder. Here are some easy tips to selecting the best bronzers for you—yes, you might want more than one!—and applying them with aplomb.

Choosing the Right Bronzer
For your go-to bronzer, the one you'll use morning and night, choose a product just one or two shades darker than your regular pressed powder in a matte, no-shimmer formula.

Smashbox Bronze Lights creates a silky warm glow while antioxidants and peptides boost the skin's radiance even more. Available in two shades: sun-kissed matte and a deeper suntan matte. Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzing Powder contains special pigments that neutralize underlying red hues to even out skin tone. A delicate but tempting scent of chocolate adds to the allure of this one-shade-suits-all marvel. If you'll be spending summer days sailing on a yacht, hiking through waterfalls... or, OK, splashing around in an inflatable backyard pool, consider Cargo Water Resistant Bronzer. This Cargo trooper was used by the makeup artist for the Dancing with the Stars live tour, so rest assured it will get you through steamy nights of salsa or the bossa nova!

To apply: Swirl a large, soft, round brush over the bronzer. Tap the brush on the back of your hand to get rid of any excess powder. Gently sweep over the areas of your face where the sun would hit: across the forehead and out to temples and hairline, on the crest of the cheekbones, the bridge of the nose and along the jaw line. Follow with a pop of blush applied to the apples of your cheeks.

Summer Shimmer with Luminous Bronzers
Used sparingly, shimmer is lovely on the face, especially for an evening look. Apply the tiniest amount on your cheekbones and brush across your eyelids in place of eye shadow. Urban Decay Baked Bronzer can also be used wet for a more intense wash of sheer color. Tarte Mineral Powder Bronzer delivers a sun-burnished glimmer that looks especially seductive when it's used to highlight a woman's gorgeous collarbone and décolletage.

Fast and Flawless: Bronzer-Blush Duos
On those lazy, hazy days of summer, why dip your brush into two separate compacts to achieve multidimensional sheen? With Laura Geller Bronze-n-Brighten or Lorac Blush/Bronzer Duo, it takes just seconds to get your gleam on. Directions: Dip, tap, sweep. Then, go out and have some summer fun!