Fabulous Over Forty – Where Beauty Is Ageless

Do  you remember back in 2006 when Estée Lauder collaborated with Tom Ford on a makeup line?  With the marriage of the two forces they created a complete frenzy with the  limited edition bronzed line called Amber Nude.   It sold out everywhere almost instantly.   I was lucky enough to get a lipstick in Spiced Amber – that was about all that was left that I could find. I’m sure the line went for premium prices on eBay, because the packaging alone was something to be desired. 

This line really captivated our awareness of how beautiful and sexy bronzers could make us look, without damaging our skin in the sun or without using self-tanners.  After this line came out, it made every makeup company take notice.

Now  Estée Lauder’s Bronze Goddess line continues its swoon-worthiness as before.  

The bronzers are available in a few different formulations – Soft Matte, Soft Shimmer, Soft Duo (2 shades in one), and SunBlush Illuminator.  Oil free and made with an oil-control complex to give you a nice, natural bronzed look.

There are other products available in the line such as lip colors, and a nail color, a liquid bronzer and eye palette.   Check for availability online and in store, because these are a hot ticket.   Show off your safe bronzed sexiness for summer!

le Métier de Beauté is a luxury line that I have not talked about before, but one I love none the less.  They have a few bronzers to choose from that I want to share with you today.  

First up is this Blonzer.   It’s touted as the perfect combination of bronzer/blush.   When I first looked at this Blonzer, I thought no way would that work for my fair skin.   It’s actually much darker than the shade comes across here, it has a slight shimmer and is deep toned.   However, it works on my skin tone.  It’s not golden- but more rich, and this would look great on darker skin as well.  $58.00

Erika from Makeup Bag gave me this Blushed Bronze Duet just because she’s so super nice.   Thank you Erika!  This duo is one side blush in the shade Echo Radiance, and the other side bronzer in the shade Sun Kissed.  $65.00  The blush is more coral looking than the bright pink it comes across as in the photo, and the Sun Kissed Shade is a beautiful, light golden shimmer shade.   This duet is very nice on fair skin – a perfect combination.

They also have a single bronzer for $55.00 available in two shades.   One shade is the Sun Kissed, talked about above, and the other shade is a deeper shade for darker skin tones called Sun Drenched. 

The variety of bronzers are a nice sheer powder option, with a choice of shades to work well with any skin tone.  Available at Neiman Marcus or le Metier de Beaute online.

I’m not sure why this is called MAC Skinsheen “Leg” spray.  Seriously – why not use it on your arms and torso?   Fine if you don’t want to use it on your face, but really, just “leg” spray?  Whatever!

I’m not a huge MAC fan in my “upper years”.  I loved it when I was younger, and I’ll still pick up a lipstick or a blush here or there and love the whole Viva Glam campaign, but overall it’s just too youthful.   I mean have you seen some of  the collections lately like the eye shadows in “Style Warrior“?  Don’t be THAT adventurous with your makeup when you’re over 40!

But, I wanted to see their Naked Honey Collection – some of the things looked pretty neutral and wearable.  While checking it out, I heard the SA talking to a customer about Skinsheen, so I had to evesdrop.   I then fully engaged in the conversation after hearing a bit and she demonstrated it on my arm.

This mousse-like bronzer works like this;  spraying this mousse-like foam onto something plastic is best, then swirl a large body type brush to work it into the brush.   Then brush it on your body.   Don’t be fooled by the shade names.   I am pretty dang fair/pasty white skinned and the shade Medium Dark is my shade – it’s actually the lightest shade, but the name implies otherwise.  

Being I can’t logistically take a photo of my arms side-by-side and my husband is seemingly inept at phototaking,   you’ll have to take my word for it that it’s just a nice soft golden brown tan – not orangey.   In fact it hardly left color at all, but just seemed to add an ever so slight golden shade to tone down the pasty color in my skin.   I suppose if you layer it on, you could get a darker tone. 

This does wash off, so it’s not a self-tanner that works gradually over time.    This works with your skin, and doesn’t sit on top of the skin.  This is perfect if you haven’t had time to use a self-tanner and want some instant color on your body.   Give yourself time to put it on – it takes more than a few minutes, but it’s really worth the soft, summery glow.  $22.50

Dior has such beautiful makeup.  From the exquisite packaging to the dreamy colors throughout the line and everything in between – pure quality and class.  How does a beauty fanatic like me know where to start other than digging right in?  Hello – ask a Dior makeup artist that’s how!   So I did, and Dior makeup artist Timm Holmly answered all my bronzing needs.

I let Timm explain in his words which bronzer he likes and why – turns out there are many!   1)  the new Original Tan Dior Bronzer:  I like it because it enhances both the color and condition of the skin.  It gives a luminous and natural sun-kissed tan to the face, leaving the complexion fresh and energized.  It also gradually improves the skin, leaving it soft and smooth.  Dior has patented their EXCLUSIVE SUN MINERALS, which are mineral pigments that activate with the sunlight to instantly give the skin an energized and fresh look.  It’s actually pretty cool, I’ve got to admit.  I really love the way it looks! $42.00

2) My next fav:  The Dior Bronze Harmony Blushes.  They come in two color palettes, warm and cool.  They add light and radiance to the face, creating a natural color, plus they also protect the skin against free-radicals.  Keyingredients are micronized pigments that create a soft veil on the skin;  rose extracts that soothe the skin and ensure comfort, and ginkgo biloba, which protects the skin from the free-radicals.  They are VERY user friendly, give a beautiful color and glow to the skin. $42.00

3) And finally, my last favorite, which is exclusive to Nordstrom and Bloomingdales for the summer:  The Haute Couture Palette.  It’s a lovely distressed brown Dior clutch which contains a beautiful multi-tone gold sun powder, a gold eye and cheek highlighter and a beautiful tinted coral lip gloss.  It also includes 2 retractable brushes.  You could also remove the product tray and use the clutch for an evening out, as it has the Dior “D” hardware logo in gold on the front.  It’s really quite lovely.  $80.00

Thank you Timm for all your expertise!   You have made me want to go out and buy every one of them!

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Could it possibly be that summer is FINALLY here?  Even though it’s not officially summer till next week, we’ve had an unusally cool late spring here – last week I even turned the furnace on for a day!   But now that it’s nice out, all I pay attention to is my pasty white skin and especially my pasty white face.

Oh, I am OK with embracing my glaring white skin – at times.   Unfortunately I was not blessed with my father’s very dark skin.  Sometimes I just need some color, desperately.

So I want to share with you throughout the remaining month of June some great bronzers that are worth taking a look at.

This Erno Laszlo Multi-pHase Bronzer is a great multi-shade dimentional bronzer.   It is not too golden, not too pink and not too deep bronze that someone as fair skinned as me couldn’t use it.   There are 5 shades varying from a creamy golden to a deep bronze shade so it’s able to work with many skin tones.   No muddiness on pale skin, and I used it on my sister who has been tanning – (tsk, tsk, tsk) and it gave her a nice warm glow.

Then top your cheeks with this Multi-pHase Blusher, a multi-shade-dimentional blush.   Not too pink not too mauve, not too peach.   Again the 5 varying shades of color lets your blush brush pick up all the shades and offers a nice flush to your cheeks without them screaming a specific color.

Each of the bronzer and the blusher are $38.