I have a love/hate relationship with bronzers. Ever since the 1980's, there has never been one bronzer that has worked for my skin tone. A tone that really didn't legitimately exist in the beauty sphere - Olive tone. My skin is actually towards the neutral end of olive. However, if you remember Bobbi Brown when she gained fame, I am yellow or all Asians are yellow and can never be anything other than yellow. As an Asian and as someone who isn't yellow, get off the bull and just say you really don't know how to categorize tones other than beige.
Okay, I will stop the ranting of foundation and continue my tumultuous relationship with bronzer. As I mentioned, I am olive. Every single bronzer has turned orange on me. I don't look great with an orange tone on my face. From the cheap end of the spectrum of beauty products to the luxury brands, bronzer is all orange. And Figma even says so.
The following color palettes are from Figma, a site that explains colors so well.
Terracotta
Terracotta is a saturated orange-brown color reminiscent of fired clay, lending it a warm, earthy quality.
This color does nothing for me. Not reminiscent of fired clay, more like my stomach is on fire. It shows up on my face. The earthy quality is when I throw up, contributing my contents onto the earthy ground. That is how terracotta colored bronzer looks like on me. Not pretty!
Bronze
Bronze is a warm brown infused with orange, giving it qualities of calm and strength.
Can I roll my eyes? I am not a statue! I turn into a fruit - orange!
I thought bronzers were meant to give you that "fake tan". I actually think chemists couln't successfully succeed in recreating the natural tan and just tried to
I remember tan. I grew up when sunscreen didn't exist. Then slowly SPF 2 sunscreen appeared. I also remember Coppertone's self tanner. No one told me my hands would turn orange when I applied it! I was aghast when I woke up the next morning with orange streaks all over my body, bedsheets, and hands! Going to school was a nightmare. It would have been nice to know how to apply it properly. Then again, I thought it was like my SPF 2 sunscreen - just a body lotion!
As I said, I remember my tan this nice neutral brown which Figma describes.
Tan
Tan is a warm, neutral, and versatile color that perfectly balances the earthiness of brown with the lightness of white.
Did you read that? VERSATILE COLOR, PERFECTLY BALANCES. WHY CAN'T WE HAVE A TAN? Probably because under Sephora lighting, it would look like actual shit! Brands and their pan appeal. Get over it! People aren't stupid. Sephora's lighting is stupid! I have bought many wrong tones in makeup thanks to that!
I want a TAN powder. I look good with a tanner. Isn't that what we would call it? Or maybe a tan shaper. That is what bronzers are. They are needed to shape the face and that is important. Yet, the new century is here and we are getting close to the new decade, the third one. So, why do we have to apply bronzer like it is the 1990's, the era of analog media? And why are they still orange?
It is time to shape the face, not just apply bronzer because it makes you look "healthy". I laugh every time someone put bronzer and healthy in a sentence.
20th Century Bronzer Application - 3E
21st Century Tan Shaper Application - Shaping the Face
If you are wondering what I use to shape my face, I use Dasique Muted Nuts. You can find it at IHerb (referral and they ship internationally). I can't find a proper Tan Shaper yet. I will have to franken one someday!
