30 Days of Bronzing with Sephora

This is too good to miss!  Sephora has been road testing their bronzers with staff members over the past month, and posting their comments on a blog.  All of the products are there as well as photos of the results and links to where you can buy them. 

To see what I'm talking about, click here.

Sugar is hot, and so are you!

I'm kind of over self-tanners.  I've been a slave to them since I gave up sun-baking about 8 years ago, and although I love the glow they give me, I can't stand the smell and the residue they leave on my clothes and bed sheets.  This year, I decided to try experimenting with body bronzers; the technology has gotten so good that many of them (like Lorac's and DuWop's) truly are transfer resistant.  I've been walking around work for days playing with these lotions--for the record, I've also tried Sephora's (too light for me and I don't like the scent) and Smashbox's (ditto for them).  

So today I decided to venture into the world of powder bronzers for the body.  Why not? I wasn't getting the amount of shimmer I wanted from the lotions (they're all designed to give more color than shimmer, and I was looking for some serious Jennifer Aniston glow).  The other thing I like about powders is practical: they're easier to clean off my clothes, and they don't get all over my hands when applying.

I was excited when I came across Sugar's new Platinum Body Shimmer; the package's description, "sheer, shimmering bronze pressed powder adorned with flecks of silver and gold" had me enthralled.  When I read that it also tasted like sugar, I was hooked--with all that skin I plan on showing this summer, you never know! ;).  When I finally got a chance to try it out, it did not disappoint.  Indeed, it does taste sugar, and leaves my skin with a veil of color and shimmer that's not dense enough to ever be streaky or blotchy.  I experimented tonight and, although it's great on dry skin, it looks positively gorgeous over body oil (I was feeling dry, so I used this amazing one from Huiles & Baumes I bought at Space NK).   With this kind of a glow, I'm not missing the tan at all!

Turn up the heat - Hollywood Style!

Hi, my loves!  Welcome back from your holiday weekend.  I have an hour before I have to go to work, so I thought I would take a minute to tell you about a product that I hope has finally arrived at my Sephora store!  It's the LORAC Hollywood Heat collection.  Everyone knows I love LORAC products.  They're the creation of make up artist Carol Shaw, who does celebrities' makeup for red carpet appearances.  I love LORAC products because the quality is through the roof--especially all of her powders, which are so velvety and silky!  This is because they all have a secret ingredient: Nylon-12.  This little beauty helps them go on smoothly, blend easily, and ride flawlessly over any little imperfections in the skin.  

So, given my undying devotion to all things LORAC, I was thrilled to see that this gift set was coming out for summer.  The Hollywood Heat Collection--which is valued at $100 but retails for only $35(!)--is exclusive only at Sephora, and I'm pretty sure that it won't be there for long.  It's amazing!  Here's what it includes:

- TANtalizer : this temporary body bronzer is the best product on the market of its kind.  While it's not a self tanner, it is truly long lasting.  You must apply it to totally dry skin and let it set--do your makeup naked--but once it's on, it's on.  I wore TANtalizer to a wedding at the beach in California last summer, and not a drop of it rubbed off on my Missoni dress.  That's pretty impressive given the heat, sweating, and dancing!  The color of TANtalizer works great on a variety of skin tones, is delightfully shimmery (but not sparkly), and is deliciously (but lightly) scented.  

- Hot & Spicy Blush/Bronzer Duo: I love everything peach for summer because it plays up a tan in an unexpected way.  It looks gorgeous on everyone--from the fairest blond to Alek Wek.  How?   The secret is in the pigment; it's so highly concentrated that its color shows up on any skin tone.  Also, peach is an especially youthful color, and any woman who is concerned about aging will be especially pleased.

- Mocktail gloss in Tropical Dream : this sweetly flavored shimmery peach gloss will leave everyone's lips looking plump and fresh.

- Bronze Bombshell eye shadow trio : these new colors are exclusive to the kit; you've got LORAC's signature formula in three new bronzey nudes that coordinate perfectly with the rest of your look.  With shimmery shades ranging from pale highlight to deep, you've got looks for day to night.

All of this comes packaged in a gorgeous bronze makeup case which will look hot in your beach bag.  These haven't arrived at my Sephora store yet, but they're already available online.  Check out the model below for the finished look you'll get from the kit:

Happy Bronzing!