My Collection ~ Summer Beauty Highlighters, Bronzers & Blushes, Oh My!

Now that we're coming into the second half of the summer months I want to do a roundup of some of the bronzers, blushes and highlighter products I've been using recently for the perfect sunkissed summer look.

Blush

Being the blush fiend that I am it was hard for me to not simply pile all my pink, peach, coral, and nude blushes into this post. I picked a couple that I've been using a lot so far this summer.

My new obsession is the Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look In A Palette in "Beauty Glow". I'm on the fair to medium side of the skin tone spectrum and this is perfect if you want a slightly darker yet still natural look. The "swish" blush shade is extremely pigmented and a little goes a long way so be wary when applying to your brush. The shade is fantastic; I have nothing like this in my collection and I'm super into it for the Summer transitioning into Fall look. The "pop" shade, while not exactly a unique shade, is a lovely warm pink. It's also quite pigmented so go in gently and build it up if you need to.

A quick side note that I'll be writing a full review of this product at some point, I just haven't gotten to it yet.

Tarte's 12-Hour Amazonian Clay Blush in "Captivating" is a pretty underrated shade in the Amazonian Clay collection. It's a bright peach shade and is one of the blushes from this collection that I receive the most compliments on. I'm not sure why it's not talked about more but if you enjoy the tightly packed, slightly dusty formula of these Tarte blushes, I encourage you to give this one a look.

The Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush in "Sparkling Bellini" by Too Faced is my favorite blush by the brand. I have a few others but I don't reach for them like I reach for this one. It's a fantastic color for Summer; it reminds me of papaya or some other tropical fruit that makes me think of warm climates. The three shades can be combined (bottom swatch), used individually or blended however you see fit. There is sparkle in this blush so using in conjunction with a highlighter may be a little overkill depending on the look you're going for.

Swatches (T - B)

Charlotte Tilbury - Cheek Swish

Charlotte Tilbury - Cheek Pop

Tarte - Captivating

Too Faced (Sparkling Bellini) - Left

Too Faced (Sparkling Bellini) - Middle

Too Faced (Sparkling Bellini) - Right

Too Faced (Sparkling Bellini) - Swirled

Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look Blush, Tarte Captivating, Too Faced Sparkling Bellini

Bronzers

I decided to include my three of my most used bronzers in this post (but maybe I'll make a post dedicated to all my bronzers which seems like a good idea now that I think about it). 

The top one is by Hourglass Cosmetics in the shade Luminous Bronze Light. It's a great, year-round medium bronzer for my skin tone (light/medium). It's marbled; a warm-pearl shade with bronze and all-over shimmer. For light/medium skin tones it will act as a bronzer whereas with darker tones it would add more of a shimmer effect to the skin. I like this bronzer for a more glamorous look. I rarely use it all over my face as I do get a tad shiny throughout the day, but to dust lightly over my cheeks it's perfect. If you're more on the dry side and aren't concerned with a little extra side, this may be the bronzer for you. You get 0.39oz for $50.

The middle one is the Marc Jacobs Tan-Tastic O!Mega Bronzer Coconut Perfect Tan. I included this one because even though it is Limited Edition, it is virtually the same as the permanent line bronzer which, while it doesn't smell of coconuts and has black packaging, is the same formula. It's a medium brown with neutral-to-warm undertones and a "radiant-matte" finish. The powder is smooth and silky feeling to the touch and builds up easily. It's the bronzer I prefer to use to make it seem as if I just spent a long weekend at the beach. For me, it's my Summer-going-into-Fall shade because even though I live in California, I'm not going to get any kind of tan in the wintertime (unless it's during the random heat wave that occurs sometime in February). The compact of this bronzer is huge. Yes, the price tag seems outrageous but if you haven't seen it in person, it's a shit ton of bronzer ($49 for 0.8oz). 

Becca Cosmetics Sunlit Bronzer in Bali Sands is my go-to everyday shade. It's a warm-toned, soft golden-beige that works well for all seasons with any sort of tan (or lack thereof). It's meant to be a neutral bronzer so appearing "orange" shouldn't be an issue. For me, I use it to add a little warmth to my face but not necessarily to "bronze" it. If you're fair and need a sheer brush of warmth to mask the fact that you've been inside all day, this is your shade. It has a satin finish. You get 0.25oz for $38. 

T - B: Hourglass Luminous Bronze Light, Marc Jacobs O!Mega, Becca Bali Sands

Highlighters
I bought the Marc Jacobs Glow Stick Glistening Illuminator just before I went on vacation to the Florida beaches back in May as a body highlight. While I don't wear this product to work, I've been wearing it for outdoor festivities all summer long. My family loves to barbecue so I've been bringing mine with me whenever I go to visit in case an impromptu BBQ occurs. Nothing makes you feel more like you're living the high life than sipping on an ice cold daiquiri while you collarbone and shoulders gleam in the sunlight. It's easy to throw in an overnight bag as well and if you're feeling a little humorous, you can always admit it's a designer deodorant (I'm still surprised this isn't a thing yet)

The NARS Banc de Sable Highlighter Palette is Limited Edition but is still available on their website (NARS LE products tend to be available for awhile). I often see this product mentioned by those who enjoy a more subtle highlight. I will concur that the shades are more on the subtle side when applied dry. Of course, you can apply wet for maximum impact but I rarely do that with product unless it's for an eye look. All three shades do have a bit of shimmer to them and are more on the dry side to the touch. The darkest shade I can really only use for a few weeks out of the year as a highlighter so I tend to use it to accent the "outer v" area around my eyes or, occasionally, to dust over my cheeks lightly if I'll be in the sun to add a little sparkle.

NARS Banc de Sable & Marc Jacobs Glow Stick Glistening Illuminator

NARS Banc de Sable (left-most 3) & Marc Jacobs Glow Stick (far right)

I hope this post was helpful to anyone considering purchasing any of these products. If you have experiences with these, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!