Beauty column: 3 Steps to a professionally bronzed face

Bronzer can be used to chisel your face and add dimension. It can also make your face look thinner and bring out your cheek bones. Hello model!

Most eye colors contrast beautifully with a little warmth around them. Bronzer makes them stand out and look brighter.

As we age, our skin tends to become more and more ashy. Bronzer combats that and breathes life into younger faces on drab days.

Most people have a larger amount of peach fuzz in those areas. Powder clings to those areas and creates a muddy, uneven look. I usually either avoid those areas altogether or just make sure to go extra light in those areas.

Shimmer can be tricky, and if there is too much in your bronzer, it can emphasize blemishes and fine lines. Shimmer can always dilute the pigment in the bronzer so you will go through product a lot faster as well. Not cool. Try one with just a touch of shimmer or none at all.

For fair skin tones, it can be especially difficult to find a bronzer that doesn’t go too warm on the skin. If this is the case for you, try using a powder foundation that is about two shades darker than your skin tone. This will help make you look naturally tan and not orange.

I always layer a cream blush under my bronzer. A natural tan usually has layers of burn beneath it, so layering with blush creates a very natural glowing finish. It also helps from making the bronzer look too dirty.

With a big fluffy brush, gently dust on bronzer in a three formation. Starting at the top of your forehead, under your cheekbones and at your jaw. This will create a pretty, sculpted finish.

You want to make sure you blend down into your neck. It’s easy to forget because you are looking straight in the mirror, but it’s very apparent from a side view if you haven’t. Always be sure to blend and don’t stop at your chin — keep going down onto your neck!