How to Achieve the Perfect Tan with Bronzing Powder

Despite the fact that sunbathing and using tanning beds is damaging to the skin, having a glowy, tanned face is something many of us still want to achieve. Using tanning lotions is a great alternative to exposing our skin to harmful UVA/UVB rays, but they can also be smelly, feel sticky or not be the best option for those of us with more sensitive skin types. If tanning lotions are not for you, then perhaps using a facial bronzing powder is the answer, and when applied properly bronzing powder can give you a fresh, straight-off-the beach look in minutes.

In order to achieve a healthy, tanned glow that looks completely natural with a bronzing powder, there are a few things you need to know and do. First of all decide what shade of bronzer works best for your skin tone. Normally, a bronzer that is a couple of shades darker than your natural skin tone is best. If you go too dark, you run the risk of looking unnatural. If you have a more pale complexion a pink shade of bronze is optimal, for slightly darker or olive toned skin orange based hues are best. The brand of bronzer you chose is entirely up to you, although many of the new mineral based cosmetic companies make bronzers that go on lightly and tend to look more natural with less effort.

Choosing the right brush for your bronzer is essential as well. You want to buy a brush that is round, large and has soft, pliable bristles. Using a smaller brush will make it harder to apply the bronzing powder which can leave you looking splotchy rather than tanned. In order to maintain the integrity of your bronzer's color, you want to keep your brush clean and avoid using it for other cosmetics such as blush or face powder. The leftover blush or powder will change the color of your bronzer when you apply it, which, in turn, can leave you with an unnatural look.

Once you have the right shade of bronzer and a brush the next step is to apply the bronzer. You want to lightly run the brush across the bronzer and tap off any excess powder. Then asses your face and think of where the sun would naturally hit it if you were outdoors. Normally the areas that the sun tends to settle on are your forehead, cheekbones, nose and chin. Using long, gentle strokes apply the bronzer across the top of your forehead, the bridge of your nose, along your cheekbones and genty tap some on your chin. If you want to darken the look of your tan, repeat the steps above until you have achieved the desired shade. Keep in mind that you want to look as natural as possible, so less is definitely more when it comes to applying bronzing powder.

If you will be wearing an off the shoulder blouse, low cut top or sleeveless shirt, you can also apply some bronzer to your collarbones and decollete, as well as to the tops of your shoulders. This will give you a nice, even, sun-kissed look.

Achieving that Tahitian goddess look we all covet no longer has be done in a tanning salon or under the sun, nor do we need to cover our faces with often uncomfortable feeling tanning lotions. We can keep our skin clean, as well as protected from damaging and aging rays and still have a healthy looking glow with the use of bronzing powder. A few simple strokes of the brush is all you need and you'll look and feel healthy and ready for summer.