Louise McSharry’s top tips on how to up your bronzer game

The reality is, though, once I’m away, I’m too sweaty to do anything elaborate and usually focus on a bright lip with bronzed, glowing skin instead. Unfortunately, a sun holiday still feels far away, but lately I’ve been cheering myself up by wearing my holiday face at home. Key to this look is a good bronzer.

Historically, Irish women loved to lash bronzer all over their face, usually with a big, filthy, mashed-up brush that spent its life floating around their handbag. These days, I think we’ve taken our bronzing to the next level, but if you haven’t, here are a few tips.

First of all, bronzer should be used to mimic the impact of the sun. Think of what your face looks like after a few weeks of good weather, or if you’re SPF’d up to the hilt (as you should be!), what it used to look like when you were a kid. Where are your freckles? Where do you tan? Where does the sun hit your face? These are the areas to place your bronzer. Across the nose, along the hairline and along the cheekbones.

What product you use comes down to personal preference. There are so many options these days, from the traditional powder to cream and gel products. In terms of powder products, (1) Benefit’s Hoola (€35 at arnotts.ie) has been a favourite of mine for some time. It’s totally matte, which is best if you want a natural finish, and the colour is more of a tan than an orange, which is great for fair skin tones, and the introduction of several other shades means that there are options for skin, from lightest to deepest.

(2) Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Bronzer (€50 at brownthomas.com) is a lovely product as well. It builds beautifully and can actually work to set the makeup beneath, due to it being so finely milled. It comes in a large pan with a big mirror, meaning it’s handy to have in your makeup bag for top-ups, and is available in four shades which cover a wide range of skin tones. If you’re looking for something cheap and cheerful, (3) Rimmel London Natural Bronzing Powder (€7.50 at mellericks.ie) is a classic of the genre and will absolutely do the job.

My personal preference when it comes to bronzer is cream and liquid products, as I find they give the best finish. (4) Sculpted by Aimee’s new Cream Luxe Collection (€18 at molloyspharmacy.com) includes two bronzing shades, which build beautifully when gently tapped on with the fingertips. (5) Nudestix Nudies Matte Blush & Bronze (€32.50 at cultbeauty.com) are cream sticks that work beautifully for warming up the face, with the shade Bondi Bae a favourite of many for this purpose. Huda Beauty’s Tantour Contour & Bronzer (€30 at boots.ie) is a cream-to-powder bronze and contour product which comes in an impressive range of shades for dark skin tones.

My favourite cream and liquid products to bronze with, though, are concealers or foundations a few shades darker than my actual skin. When applied carefully and blended well, you can achieve a totally believable, just-been-on-holidays glow. If anybody accuses you of breaking the Covid restrictions, just send them this column.

Lost in translation

These days, you may notice that some shampoos proclaim themselves to be sulphate-free. But what are sulphates and why would you want to avoid them? Sulphates are cleansing agents that help shampoo to strip dirt and oil from the hair. But sometimes, they work too well, strip away too much and leave the hair parched. People with dry, damaged or coloured hair, curly hair (which needs all the moisture it can get) or sensitive scalp can particularly benefit from sulphate-free products. Just be prepared for the lack of lather!

Something old…

SkinCeuticals’ C E Ferulic (€139.50 at skinshop.ie) is not the most glamourous product, but it is an OG of the vitamin C serum game, and it is lauded in skincare circles for good reason. The combination of 15pc vitamin C (L-asorbic acid) and ferulic acid work together to counteract the impact of UV rays and environmental factors. This product delivers on glow and leaves the skin firmer and more radiant. It doesn’t smell great and the packaging is medicinal, but it works.

... Something new

Drunk Elephant products only recently became available in Ireland via boots.ie, so this one is probably “new” to most of us. The brand’s C-Firma Day Serum (€76) arrived on my desk a few weeks ago and has been used every day since. The texture is a little tackier than a traditional serum, and it leaves you with a gleaming face. Aside from the instant aesthetical impact, the formula again includes the dream team of vitamin C and ferulic acid, which means continued use improves the skin’s texture and appearance. This product feels like magic and I never want to be without it again.