Massive Beauty Purge Project: Bronzers
If you watch my Instagram stories, you probably already know that I am currently in the middle of a massive beauty purge. I decided to document the process on the blog, because I personally find decluttering, empties, and purge posts oddly satisfying.
I realize that it’s not normal for most people to have this amount of makeup in the first place, and I do not take this privilege for granted. These days I treat the excess of beauty products as part of my job, and I am definitely one of the lucky few to do something I love for a living. I do my best to be mindful of the amount of products I accept for editorial consideration, but things tend to pile up over time anyway.
Today we are purging the bronzers. I didn’t have a lot of them to begin with because it’s one of those product categories that I don’t really use much. But even among the few I do have, I found some clear favorites that I reach for all the time. Do I love the other bronzers? Yes! Do I need them, since I don’t even use them anymore? I think you know the answer to that one.
STARTING POINT:
I started with nine different bronzers and contouring products. Here they are, plus mini-reviews on each.
Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Powder Bronzer 01 Light* ($37) – This cult bronzer is a best-seller for a reason. It adds beautiful warmth to the skin without emphasizing skin texture, and looks very natural. It really does make the skin look ‘sunlit’. The formula has very fine shimmery particles that add a hint of glow without looking glittery of shiny. It’s a very subtle effect.
Vita Liberata Trystal Self Tanning Bronzing Minerals* ($55) – This unique powder bronzer has been one of my favorite products for several years now. The tint looks very natural, and the formula actually contains self-tanning agent DHA, so after a few days you won’t even need to apply the bronzer – your cheeks will have a subtle, but visible fake tan.
Makeup Geek Sunkissed Bronze Luster* ($22) – This is the best bronzer for fair skin I have ever used. It’s not orange, red, or gray, it’s more of a neutral beige tone with very slight hint of peach. It complements fair complexions so well that it looks like natural shading. And the formula is matte!
Rodial Instaglam Compact Deluxe Contouring Powder* ($57) – I know everybody loves NYX Taupe for contouring, well, Rodial’s Instagram powder is a high end contender. This matte neutral beige powder is finely milled, and looks like second skin. I simply adore it for contouring, using as an eyeshadow, and just adding subtle definition to my skin.
Perricone MD No Bronzer Bronzer* ($35) – I partially introduced you guys to Perricone MD No Makeup Makeup products in this blog post, and this liquid bronzer is also part of the collection. It’s a very pigmented, beautiful product, that will look great on warm skin tones. I decided to find it a new home because the shade is too warm for my complexion.
Palladio The Definer Contour & Highlight Duo* ($12) – More of a contouring duo than a bronzer, per se, but I figured I’ll throw this pen into the mix. The shades look very natural and will complement fair and medium complexions the best. This is a wonderful product to travel with, since it’s small and not a liquid. The only reason I am tossing it is because it’s past the expiration date.
Kevyn Aucoin The Neo Highlighter Sahara* ($58) What kind of crazy person would get rid of their Kevyn Aucoin makeup, am I right? I absolutely adore this highlighter [which by the way looks like a bronzer on me, that’s why it’s here], but I would rather have one-two bronzers that are matte and then add shimmer and glitter as needed.
Givenchy Croisiere Healthy Glow Powder 2 Douce Croisiere ($53) – I bought this bronzing powder on a recommendation from my old friend who adores all things Givenchy, and for a long time this was my go-to bronzer. It’s firm in the pan, so the beautiful design will not disappear after a few brush strokes. and the powder itself feels like silk on the skin. It’s a nice shade for the summer when everything appears warmer. In the winter it just makes me look orange though, haha!
Aerin Kaleidolight Palette Illuminating Powder ($70) – This palette is meant to be used with a big fluffy brush swirled across all pans at once. It has color-correcting and brightening pigments, and also adds beautiful healthy glow to the skin. It’s also probably the most aesthetically beautiful product in my bronzer collection.
The survivors: Makeup Geek Sunkissed Bronze Luster and Rodial Instaglam Compact Deluxe Contouring Powder.
WHAT’S LEFT:
With so many gorgeous products on the list above, I bet you had no idea which ones would end up staying in my stash. The two lucky bronzers I plan to continue using are Makeup Geek Sunkissed Bronze Luster* and Rodial Instaglam Compact Deluxe Contouring Powder*. I know some of you may find my picks shocking, because I will be getting rid of gorgeous goodies from Aerin, Kevyn Aucoin, Givenchy, and others, but trust me – even the bronzers that I will be either tossing or re-homing are fantastic. It just so happens that they don’t work for my current makeup style, and some of them I haven’t reached for in over a year.
To be honest, I think 2 bronzers is one too many, but this was such a close tie that I wasn’t able to get rid of either one. I will monitor which one I reach for more often, and if I notice that either one of them is sitting around unused for long periods of time, then it means it has to go, too.
When was the last time you purged your makeup collection? What’s your favorite bronzer, if you have one? How often do you go through your makeup collection like this? Let me know in the comments below!
*Indicates PR samples.
