A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

I talked yesterday about the new bronzing cream from Manasi Makeup which works to inject both colour and luminosity onto the complexion.  Today I want to take things a step closer to Summer and introduce you to a different kind of bronzing formula.  Never in my 18-years of wearing makeup have I ever found a powder bronzer that looks entirely natural against my skin-tone.  For many years, I thought that I was looking at the wrong brands and so I graduated from the BarryM’s of the world to the lofty heights of Guerlain bronzers, which I still believe offer some of the best shades for pale skin.

But now I’m ditching the powders.

Sure, I’ll still use them for contour… they offer great precision and I’m hopelessly attached to my Illamasqua Rumour and my NYX Taupe (which, ironically, are both marketed as blushers rather than bronzers) but for that all-over hint of colour that gives the impression of sun-kissed skin?  Nope, there’s a better option out there for us.

Looking frighteningly dark in the bottle, you might find it hard to believe that these two products offer the solution we’re looking for… but take the time to look a little more closely at a pair of products that have been somewhat of a revelation for my sun-shy skin.

Dr. Hauschka’s Translucent Bronze Concentrate* (drhauschka.co.uk, £27.45) offers a blend-able and realistic tanning pigment in a lightweight formula.  Once worked into the skin, the translucency allows your natural colouring to give the impression that the tone has self-adapted to suit your undertones.  It’s buildable from the lightest of applications, providing anything from a sheer glow right up to an intense depth of colour.

Being a liquid, you can use it to custom-fit any foundations that may be proving a little pale for your summer skin or you could even add it to your daily moisturiser for a lazy boost of colour without the full-on tan effect.

I prefer to use this on my face, delivering a shimmer-free hint of colour in a non-oily formula that lasts well through the day.  The image below shows the product lightly blended over bare skin… you can blend it more sheerly by mixing with your moisturiser or foundation.  Completely adjustable colour.

Dr. Hauschka Translucent Bronze Concentrate – Ingredients:
Water/Aqua, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Alcohol, Anthyllis Vulneraria Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Lysolecithin, Beeswax/Cera Flava, Fragrance/Parfum, Citral, Linalool, Farnesol, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol, Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin, Eugenol, Benzyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Algin, Arachis Hypogaea (Peanut) Oil, Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex/CI 75810, Iron Oxide/CI 77491, Iron Oxide/CI 77492, Iron Oxide/CI 77499.

Douvall’s Argan Bronzing Oil* (urbanretreat.co.uk, £32.00) works along the same principles as Dr. Hauschka’s Translucent Bronze Concentrate but there are some subtle differences that makes this one more suitable for use on the body (in my opinion).  As the name might suggest, the formula is alltogether more oily, making it an exceptionally blendable, streak-free option which can be used as a standalone moisturising product thanks to some beautifully nourishing ingredients.

It contains a subtle shimmer which looks beautiful worn across the decolletage, arms, and shins but would perhaps prove a little too glowy for the face.  The dewy finish peps up tired skin and imparts a naturally healthy glow – according to the bottle – you can even apply it to your hair, something I’ll admit I haven’t tried yet.

Unfortunately, the packaging is far from perfect… I manage to make a mess each time I put the the pipette back in the bottle and have to wipe clean the bottle-neck before I can screw the lid back on… a pump-dispenser like the Dr. Hauschka Translucent Bronze Concentrate would have been a better choice.

You can see the subtle shimmer in the above photo, it’s really very pretty and understated, just enough to catch the sun and create a 3D effect on the skin.

Douvall’s Argan Bronzing Oil – Ingredients:
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil*, Squalane**, Silica**, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Mica, Limonene, Linalool, Citral ,CI 77491, CI 77499CI 77492

Do you use bronzing products?

* press sample

I wouldn’t go so far as to call myself a cleansing oil connoisseur, but I’ve been a fan of them for a little while now and have tried far more than my fair share in the quest for perfection.  The beauty of a cleansing oil, for lazy girls like me, is that they offer a perfectly quick solution to makeup removal AND cleansing.  In theory.  In reality, I often feel as though I need to cleanse with another product once I’ve removed my makeup with the cleansing oil.  It’s not how they’re supposed to work – but I find that many others feel the same way, advocating the double cleanse method.

Douvall’s All-in-one Argan Oil Cleanser is a 100% natural and 71.9% organic cleanser, enriched with almond, safflower seed and grapeseed oil as well as the all important Argan Oil from which the cleanser derives its name.  In-fact, a glance at the ingredient’s list reveals that Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil is indeed at the top of the bill, reassuring.

I’ve been enjoying trying out this 20ml travel-size sample of the Oil Cleanser over the last couple of weeks, you only need a tiny amount to melt away your makeup so even just a small amount lasts a significant while.  The oil is thinly-textured but sufficiently viscous enough to provide some great oily massage on the skin.  My favourite thing about the Douvall’s All-in-one Argan Oil Cleanser is the scent – some oil cleansers stink, even the really posh eones.  In general, I’ve found that the more “organic” the brand, the better the scent that’s derived from some of the natural oils.   The Douvall’s cleanser is an absolute citrus dream, tsharing top position for the best I’ve ever used in terms of scent (Nude Skincare’s is the other one).  It’s uplifting and really encourages me to linger with the oil on my face whilst I massage it into my skin, not a bad thing.

It doesn’t emulsify very well, so be prepared with your basin of warm water and make sure that you rinse completely – it will take a few passes until your skin feels oil-free.  It doesn’t leave my face feeling tight though I still need to moisturise afterward.  A lovely, pampering treat for a mundane daily task.

Douvall’s All-in-one Argan Oil Cleanser is priced at £28.00 for 150ml and is available to buy online at The Urban Retreat Beautique.