A correct application of bronzing powders can highlight skin attributes. We tell you how to use this product and what its advantages are.
Wearing tanned, healthy and even skin is a desire of many people when the summer months arrive. To achieve this, practices such as overexposure to UV rays or sessions in tanning beds, which are associated with harmful effects, are often incurred. However, bronzing powders are presented as a safer alternative within the field of cosmetics.
This product has the ability to darken the tone of the dermis. It is applied to the face, shoulders and chest to achieve a tanning effect. If applied subtly, the finish is very natural. How is it used? What are the most common errors during your application? In this space we detail it.
What are bronzing powders?
Tanning powders are cosmetic products intended to mimic the skin’s natural tan. Therefore, they are usually used during the summer months, when sun exposure is more frequent, as well as the desire to exhibit a tanned dermis. Even so, it is a product that can be applied at all times of the year.
The use of tanning creams and powders has been changing over time. At present, it is committed to more subtle applications, in order to achieve a natural effect and not an exaggerated orange tone.
In turn, there are techniques that work to accentuate or reduce certain facial features. For example, refine the nose, highlight the cheekbones or highlight the contour of the lips.
Therefore, this product has an aesthetic purpose, especially used to achieve that summer tone on the face. The best? This goal is achieved without the need to use aggressive methods, such as the tanning bed.
Why use them?
People try to tan their skin in different ways. Sometimes, they relapse into exaggerated exposure to the sun and avoid fundamental care such as the use of sunscreen. Other times, the solution is to access tanning beds, questioned for their negative impact on skin health.
A study published in the Costa Rican Journal of Public Health marks the direct relationship that these machines have with skin cancer. In addition, it indicates that the risk of melanoma increases by 75% if the people who use them are under 30 years old.
Bronzing powders, on the other hand, carry a lower risk when looking for darker skin. This does not mean that your application should be abused. The most important active component in these products is usually dihydroxyacetone or “DHA”, which causes skin discoloration to a darker tone.
Although it is considered a non-harmful agent for the dermis, excess can cause irritation or allergy. People with sensitive skin should be especially careful not to generate an allergic reaction with these products.
On the other hand, it is common to confuse the use of bronzers with sunscreens. However, tanning products do not serve any function as UV protectors.
Bronzing powders: forms of application
These powders have their main target on the face, but can be descended towards the shoulders and chest, as they are frequently uncovered areas. In this way, it is possible to wear a tan aligned throughout the upper body.
There are many ways to apply them; In principle, with a general rule that gives a basic tan. However, with its placement at certain strategic points, it is possible to accentuate or reduce some features of the face.
Types of brushes
The first thing to keep in mind is that you need a large brush to apply the powder and distribute it evenly. It is recommended to use a brush with a conical shape and sufficient sponginess to favor the application.
It is important not to exaggerate with the quantity of the product, since it is always easier to correct the missing ones by placing a little more.
Choosing the right shade
In the market there are numerous options for all skin types. In general, it must be considered that the objective of the product is to generate the sensation of a natural tan and not an artificial shine. Following such a premise, it is recommended to acquire a shade twice as dark as the color of the skin.
- Fair skin. This type of skin feels good about powders in damask or golden tones.
- Dark skin. In this case, brown powders correspond.
- Sallow skins. For yellowish skin, it is suggested to try light brown bronzing powders and in an ocher tone.
- Pink skin. The range of browns also favors these skins, although they should be soft.
- Satin powders. They generate a natural effect and hide wrinkles.
- Powders in matt finishes. They should not be applied to dry skin, as they increase the effect.
Basic steps to apply bronzing powders
The correct distribution of this product is achieved by forming a kind of number “3” on the face. It should start with a lateral point of the forehead, above the temple and near the scalp. Then, you have to go down to the cheekbone, forming a curve. The idea is to reach up to centimeters from the nose.
From that point, you have to descend back towards the jaw, again drawing a curve. Here, it is advisable to smear a little more product on your finger. At the end, the design of an imaginary “3” will have been formed. Although it is an effective technique for most faces, it fits better on elongated faces.
Common mistakes when using bronzing powders
There are a number of practices that should be avoided to achieve that natural tan that is sought when acquiring bronzing powders.
- Avoid application all over the face. For that, it is convenient to follow the technique of the “3”, or one of its variants.
- Beware of excesses. Placing too much can generate the opposite effect to the desired, in addition to creating a very artificial shine.
- Dry skin. For this type of dermis, it is advisable to avoid powders and opt for other formats of bronzers, such as creams.
- Exaggerated brightness. If too much brightness is incorporated, the particles create a reflection with the sun’s rays that is not at all aesthetic.
How to achieve effects with bronzing powders
In addition to seeking a natural tan, these powders have the ability to produce different effects on facial features. It is about highlighting the depth in certain specific sectors, in order to highlight or hide parts. Here are some examples:
- To shorten a long face, you have to place the product on the forehead and chin.
- In the same way, it is possible to highlight the cheekbones by placing the powder below the bone area. If certain parts are darkened, the others are highlighted.
- To refine the nose, it is applied on the sides of it.
- If the idea is to deepen the gaze, the cosmetic is applied to the orbit of the eye, as if they were shadows.
bronzing powders” data-nimg=”fill” />Alternative ways to apply bronzing powders
Beyond the “3” technique, other forms of application allow different effects to be generated. For example, for a fine tan, which aims at a more elegant result, bronzing powders should be placed in areas of the face that stand out. That is, on the cheekbones, chin and nose.
On the contrary, a more informal result is obtained with the general application and a product in matte tone. Alternatively, it is possible to use the “W” technique, which achieves a more uniform application.
