Bronzer for Pale Skin

I'm pale, and I like it. I'm not saying that I don't like a lovely bronzed look, I just personally don't like it on myself. The being said, I do have quite a lot of bronzer in my makeup collection. 'Why?' I hear you ask - because it's really quite handy, even for a pale girl.

I use bronzer pretty much every day, but use different products depending on the look that I am going for (or need, in some cases). 

Sculpting and Contouring

Quite possibly the only thing I've taken from the Kardashian overload that we have been getting over the last few years. I've never been much of a fan, however you cannot argue that they use makeup perfectly (or their makeup artists do) to get absolutely amazing cheekbones. 

For basic contouring, take a matte bronzer and a small, dense brush (Real Techniques Contouring brush from The Core Collection is perfect). Next, you suck in your cheeks and apply the bronzer into the hollows. After doing this, apply a bit of blusher and then a little highlighter just above the blusher at the top of your cheekbones. (I remember reading in a magazine years ago that you treat your cheeks like a Neapolitan ice cream - chocolate on the bottom, strawberry in the middle and vanilla on the top.) I then take a clean brush and blend the edges in together so that you don't have any harsh lines and so that it looks beautifully natural.

You might also like to try applying some bronzer under your jaw line and in the shape of the number 3 from your forehead meeting into the line under your cheekbones to give a more sculpted look. 

A matte finish bronzer is best for contouring, something like Bourjois Delice de Poudre Chocolate Bronzer is brilliant for this. I use the Bourjois bronzer in shade 52 and it doesn't look too dark or too orange on my pale skin, so if you are quite pale like me then it is definitely a good option. Plus it smells divine. If this bronzer isn't for you then Benefit Hoola or Seventeen Instant Glow Bronzing Powder are both good alternatives. The main thing to remember is it needs to be matte - no shimmer. No, not even a little bit.

A Summer Glow

I wrote a post last week about how I achieve glowing summer skin as a pale girl, you can see it here. But you can also achieve this by using a sheer bronzer with a slight shimmer helps to give you more of a 'glow'. I say 'slight' because too much will make you look like you are taking part in a 1990s dancing display and have been attacked by glitter spray. Not a good look. The shimmer gives the skin a halo effect when the light hits making the skin appear to be more, well, glow-y. Something like Seventeen Instant Glow Bronzing Rocks or Laura Geller Bronze'n'Brighten are both good for this and don't have too much in the way of glitter so help to avoid those oh-so-glittery flashbacks.

What are your pale skin bronzer tips? I'd love to hear them!