For a long time I believed that nothing would replace my powder bronzer. Until the day when, in summer photos, I saw myself with too strong a contour, a flat complexion, zero glow. I wanted something else.
I was looking for a natural tanned glow like returning from vacation, light but present, which lasts in the heat without marking pores or fine lines. I found it in the facial bronzing drops and the water bronzer textures. And then everything changed.
Why I’m saying goodbye to classic bronzer
Powder remains a safe bet, but when it is too dark it grays the complexion and can actually age the features, as Femina points out. On dry or mature skin, it sometimes highlights every little wrinkle.
Balms and sticks warm the face nicely, except that the material can slip in the middle of summer, get stuck in the pores or require a lot of blending. On oily skin, cream bronzer often ends up shining before midday.
Facial tanning drops and water bronzer: what they change
The water bronzers described by Who What Wear are water-based formulas, infused with a very fine golden veil. The texture, almost watercolor, blends into the skin, leaving a translucent and light film, like a second skin.
With By Terry Tea to Tan, launched in 2014, this type of tanning water paved the way: it is applied to bare skin or over makeup, it dries quickly, lightly stains the surface and lasts all day, without transfer.
The tinted drops described by Femina work on the same principle. Mix two drops with your day cream for a discreet veil, or place them alone on the forehead, cheekbones and chin to boost radiance without any thickness of material.
Some, like the Dr. Hauschka Tinted Emulsion, the Sunkissed Bronzing Serum Drops from Weleda or Sun Secure Glow from SVR, rely on moisturizing and antioxidant active ingredients. Others, like Whind Marrakech Sun or Self Glow By James Read, color instantly but are removed when removing make-up.
Glow routine: bronzing drops and sunburn-effect blush
On clean skin, I first apply my sun protection, then I mix one or two bronzer drops with my treatment. The result looks more like a tinted serum than a foundation, perfect for hot days or combination skin.
To recreate the glow of Ester Expósito described by Doctissimo, I finish with a sunburn effect blush. The color starts from the top of the cheekbones, crosses the bridge of the nose and runs towards the temples, in thin layers, in order to avoid that famous blindness blush which gives a large pink spot. On dry skin, a cream texture keeps the glow, on combination skin a powder blush lasts better.
How to use facial tanning drops?
Mix one or two into your treatment, then blend onto the rounded areas.
What’s the difference with a classic self-tanner?
The tan from the bronzing drops is instant and reversible, it disappears when removing make-up.
Are they suitable for oily or combination skin?
Yes, water-based formulas mark less pores and tolerate heat better.
Sources
- Doctissimo
“Ester Expósito: this discreet makeup gesture that gives you a tanned glow (to copy without delay)”
