Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Bronzer in Daydream

I was so resistant to the Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Bronzer. I'm extremely pale to the point of translucency (partially  because tall buildings and working full time don't lend themselves to sun bathing) so the huge majority of bronzers look strange on me. They're either too dark, or the wrong color match, or they have too much sparkle, and so on in that fashion. Finding a bronzer that just imparts a subtle warmth, and really nothing else, can be hard to come by. Ever since I started to frequent the Edward Bess counter, Edward himself has been very persuasive about the virtues of the Ultra Luminous Bronzer. So I finally broke down and bought it at the last Bergdorf beauty gift card event, and he was so thrilled. He told me, you are going to love this bronzer. And he was so right.

Ultra Luminous Bronzer is the perfect shade for a pale complexion. Not too dark, not at all orange, and absolutely no glitter. There is a slight hint of sparkle in the pan, but it doesn't translate to the face. It's presence just allows the powder to blend with the skin naturally, and not look too flat matte. I don't wear this all that often, but when I do, I use an XL powder brush to pick a little bit of color, and sort of smear it all over my cheeks, temples and forehead. The powder is just sheer enough that you can start light and build. I really do get a subtle bit of color, like I might have sat out in the sun for fifteen minutes. Sometimes when I'm wearing a dark and dramatic lipstick, the contrast can be too harsh with with my skin, and this is such a good way to take the drama down a notch (wouldn't want to resemble a vampire, because vampires are WHACK). With the dark lip being so popular these days, I guess having a good bronzer on hand is important. 

In conclusion, if you're not the bronzer type, and you want something to warm up your skin a little bit, then this is definitely the bronzer for you. For those of you that aren't so pale, this bronzer also comes in a darker shade called Desert Sun. I don't have any personal experience with that color, so I can't say whether or not it would be good for dark skin tones, but hey, at least there are options. Again, Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Bronzer is available from the usual places: Bergdorf in store, Neiman's online, and Zuneta if you're elsewhere in the world. I'm sorry that there aren't any swatches, I just couldn't get it to photograph at all. But I guess that's further indication of how subtle this bronzer really is. 

Rouge Bunny Rouge Bronzing Glow Powder, Review and Swatch

Since ordering online is always so dodgy, one must rely heavily on descriptions. The Rouge Bunny Rouge Bronzer wasn't exactly billed as such. The color I ordered was "At Neatherway Cove," and was described as "satin-finish natural coral-brown." I was basically expecting a blush of the Dior "Bronze Harmony" ilk. Must have been that bit about coral-brown that threw me. But nevertheless, I'm pleasantly surprised. I'm usually not the bronzer type, but this one really does MELT. Don't people use that term all the time, and you're like, that sounds nice, but what does that mean? Usually I don't think of powders as being particularly melty. But what I'm trying to get at, is that this bronzer blends so flawlessly into the skin, that it seems as though you're wearing nothing at all. I could really use the color too. Paleness is in my genes, and then I go around hiding from the sun.

The size of the pan is pretty generous, and the packaging is very charming. The actual color of the bronzer is definitely more pink in base than most I've encountered, which is why it's so well suited for my complexion. The "coral-brown" descriptor turned out to be pretty accurate. The photograph doesn't really do the bronzer justice. It looks very brown and flat, whereas in real life, it's somewhat pinky with a hint of sparkle. I've tried out chanel, dior, and mac bronzers, and out of all of them, this is the most natural and tame in color. It's pretty sheer, and very appropriate for the utlra-pale.

Nice packaging, huh?

In the pan it looks really brown, but there is a coral-peachy quality that is lost in the photo

This is a relatively heavy swatch...

The Rouge Bunny Rouge Bronzing Glow powder goes for £41 on Zuneta.com. Again, definitely a splurge, but the way I figure it, I basically own two bronzers, and those two might as well be the highest quality and most natural looking on the market (my other being the Edward Bess bronzer, review pending). I think this would be a good purchase for someone who either collects bronzers, or for someone who doesn't have a bronzer and needs a place to start.