Product Review: Estee Lauder Soft Matte Bronzer

Confession alert: I first came upon my first Estee Lauder bronzer literally by accident, when I discovered a brand-new, barely used container in my oldest daughter's bedroom waste basket. Luckily for me - and Yahoo readers as well - I was so intrigued by the product that I decided to keep it and try it out for myself.

For decades, I'd been using a cream blush product that was so easy to apply. After all those years, though, I still hadn't mastered the knack of properly applying a cream blush. Often, I'd apply it to the wrong place on my face. (We're supposed to apply blush to the "apple" portion of your cheeks, or at the top of your cheek bone area and gently work your way down. It seems that every makeup artist or department store cosmetics clerk has a differing opinion on how and where it works best universally, however.) I'd often ended up taking a tissue and trying to remove an 'overkill' blob of blush where a gentle dab should have been, and sometimes having to remove my foundation and start the entire process all over again. Like most women, I try to keep my total time for "putting on my face" to five minutes or less as a practical matter.

Sometimes, I'd run into the "Well, my cheeks look rosy and healthy, but I sure would like to have a bit of an all-over kind of glow" moment. With a cream blush, that involved a tiny dot on the forehead, another on the chin. I never did learn how to properly, let alone perfectly, apply blush.

As my luck would have it, my daughter had disposed of the blush only because she had inadvertently purchased the wrong shade for her skin tone, and the concept of returning it to the store with a receipt was apparently a foreign one to her. Her 'loss' was my great, big, fat find!

Estee Lauder's Soft Matte Bronzer sets come with a soft, short brush for application of the .05 ounce bronzer. The products come in a variety of shades, and are sold either individually ($6.99) or as part of make-up sets which are frequently given out by Lauder and other cosmetics manufacturers as part of 'complimentary gift bags' following the purchase of another of the line's products. This is a travel-sized bronzer in a 2" diameter container, and is the perfect size for your everyday or travel cosmetics bag. "Bronze Goddess", the color which I use, has a brown base color, has evident signs of the 'sparkle' effect for which dry bronzers are known, and has a slight reddish/dark rose tint.

I love this product because it gives you an all over healthy glow. You can apply it pretty much anywhere on your face: cheeks, forehead, a tab on your nose and chin. The brush is sized so that you can't get overly enthusiastic when applying this product. Your first swipe may be - or seem to be - faint and light. That having been said, the intent is that you apply as much or as little bronzer where and when you choose. A double swipe or two on the cheeks and forehead give you a healthy daytime look. I love the fact that you can actually do some face 'sculpting' with this bronzer at night, for a more dramatic look. Apply it in two or three upward strokes at your cheekbones to both define them and give them a subtle sparkle.

If, like myself, you've never used bronzer before, it's a pretty forgiving product. Use a makeup sponge to remove any excess that you may have applied, and start over again without having to re-do your entire foundation.

Having recently relocated to southwestern Florida, finding this bronzer has been both a Godsend and a real joy. I'll often apply a carefully place swipe on a 'naked' (i.e., no foundation) face to give me an instant, casual and brightening look during the day. I enjoy learning as I go when applying it at night to define my cheekbones, or give me the look of having spent the day in the sun without having set foot outside. You can look tanned, rested and relaxed without having to spend hours baking in unhealthy direct sunlight - just a little dab will 'do' for you!

I highly recommend this product. It's reasonably priced, fun to use and fun learning HOW to use it as well. At 60, I guess you can still teach an old gal some new makeup techniques, new lifestyle or not!