The Summer of the Bronzer

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Every time I turn around I swear there is another new bronzer being released.  Out of the new bronzer releases that have caught my eye I have purchased one limited edition and one permanent release.  I already did a full swatch post of my purchases from the limited edition Mac 2020 Summer Bronzing Collection if you want to check that out.  But in this post, you will get to see how the shade Totally Taupeless from that release compares to some others.

I also purchased the newly released NARS Bronzing Powder in the shade Punta Cana**, if you have been wondering how that shade compares to other bronzers on the market.

Since Mac’s Bronzing Powder is the newest bronzer to the market that I’ve personally purchased that is the shade I used in every comparison grouping.  I included limited edition (LE) products that I own just in case anyone might be wondering how these new bronzers compare to items they may already have.  For foundation shade reference I am Mac C8 in studio fix fluid and Estee Lauder 4W4 in double wear (click this link to see them applied).

Group 1

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Ultimate Mineral Infused Matte Bronzer in 04 Hot Spell (LE).  I have a full review of this bronzer along with swatches of this shade and 03 brazen.  You can check that post out by clicking here.

NARS Bronzing Powder in Punta Cana**.  This looks darker in person than what I was expecting based on the product photos.  It is well pigmented and it does build to a shade that is a little deeper than I would have expected.  It blends easily and has a touch of red to it, which I personally prefer.  This is a good shade for my entire face, which can be tricky for me at times.  I need something with more of a red tone on my forehead area or it can look ashy.  But around my jawline, if the shade goes too red it looks like I applied blush in the wrong spot.  This is a great shade for all over for me.

Mac Radiant Matte Bronzing Powder in Totally Taupeless (LE).  I was surprised by the amount of powder kick up I experienced when using this bronzer.  Despite the mess, this blends very easily and was pigmented enough for me to see the color on my skin tone (Mac C7/C8, Estee Lauder 5W1/5W1.5).  Considering this shade is called totally taupeless and described as a brown with a yellow undertone, I was surprised to find that this shows up red on me.  As I mentioned above, I can’t go too red with bronzer along on my jawline but it works fine on my forehead which is darker.  This bronzer looked very red on my jawline, but the fact that it is easy to blend made it possible to blend it mostly away and cover with a different shade.

Group 2

Becca Sunlit Bronzer in Ipanema Sun

Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder in Elvis Duran, $44.00 (unfortunately this shade was possibly limited edition or has been discontinued).  Bobbi Brown does still have 5 other shade options** and if you need to see this shade compared to the shade deep, you can check out my swatch post for them by clicking here.

Mac Radiant Matte Bronzing Powder in Totally Taupeless (LE)

Group 3

Mac Next to Nothing Bronzing Powder in Sun Soaked Strip (LE)

Mac Aladdin Powder Blush in Your Wish Is My Command (LE)

Mac Radiant Matte Bronzing Powder in Totally Taupeless (LE)

If you are in the market for a new bronzer my personal recommendation would be the Becca Sunlit Bronzer.  It makes you look healthy with a slight sheen to it, but it doesn’t look sparkly or glittery on the skin.  If you aren’t into a satin finish and would prefer a matte finish, I’d check out the Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder.  I have dry skin and both of these formulas still work for me even over foundations that are not set with powder.  I do also like the new NARS Bronzing Powder in Punta Cana**, but it doesn’t give me the healthy skin look that I get from Becca, so it doesn’t top my list of favorites.

If you are looking for a bronzer that is newer to the market, a few that have recently been released and seem to be getting good reviews are:

Makeup Revolution Splendour Matte Bronzer, $12.00**

Zoeva Radiant Bronzer Highlighter, $26.00

NARS Matte Bronzing Powder, $38.00** (To see a swatch and my thoughts, you can click here)

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Bronzer, $56.00**

If you enjoyed this post, please consider sticking around and checking out more of my content. 

• Brands A-Z: Check out this index if you want to know what products I have posted about in the past.
• MAC Cosmetics:  I likely have some swatches you’ve been searching for if you love Mac as much as I do. 
• Shop My Stash:  Join me as I share swatches of my products and occasionally search for alternatives to new releases. 

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