That you can both have a very different kind of love for beauty is proven by opposites and Amayzine’s beauty editors Coco & Josselin. While one screams ‘full and striking’, the other says ‘subtle and small’. This time it’s a bit the other way around. While Coco prefers to pile on the darkest, yet matte bronzers, Josselin opts for bold highlighters that scream shine. What is now the most convenient thing to do?
Coco: “Applying bronzer is done in three steps, as I here have said before. The tricky thing about bronzer is that you quickly skip your neck if you’re not careful. If you pay attention to this, it’s actually a piece of cake for me, because you don’t have to be too precise. Tip: always check your bronzed skin in daylight. If you’ve applied too much, you can easily wipe it away with a tissue.”
Josselin: “Admittedly, both highlighter and bronzer are a bit tricky to apply. Practice makes perfect, but you can quickly go off track if you apply one swipe too many. With highlighter even worse. Too much highlighter and you look like a walking Christmas ornament with all that shine. But it is certainly chic. I find a highlighter such a plus. So I’m happy to take the time for that practice.
The winner: Coco wins, because bronzer requires just a bit less precision work than highlighter, so you can be a bit messier.
Coco: “Look, with bronzer you’re not busy for hours or anything, but it is the intention that you cover your whole face, so it’s important to check that you haven’t skipped anything. Again: don’t forget that neck!”
Josselin: “Well, this round I’m definitely going to win with flag and eyelash. A highlighter needs a bit of practice, but then you only need to apply a few dots and you’re done. If I unexpectedly have a meeting? Then I always grab a highlighter first to powder a bit above the lip and on the nose. Seriously, it works, because it looks much chicer. So it’s a must-have item at parties. With bronzer, that’s much trickier and you really need a good mirror and good light to get that right.”
The winner: Tricky, but this time Josselin is the winner. You need less highlighter, so you might spend just a bit less time on it and it shines your face up in no time.
Coco: “You can actually wear bronzer for any occasion and touch it up throughout the day. I don’t leave my house in the morning without a brown bronzed look. So investing in a good bronzer is always smart.’
Josselin: “A highlighter usually works well, but sometimes it can go a bit wrong. Too much shine is lurking and normally I’m all about being very subtle, but when it comes to highlighter, I can never get enough. Although it can sometimes be a bit too much.”
The winner: Again a tricky one, but if you’re going for everyday make-up, then Coco is number one. At least in this round.
It was a tough battle. Coco has won, but actually, you could just call it a tie, because bronzer and highlighter go hand in hand and if you want to achieve the best result and create depth in your face, you really need both. Just be careful of the oompa loompa effect and the Christmas ornament 2.0.
- I said it before: Guerlain is really my favorite. This one gives an instant bronzed color and smells nice too. Terracotta Poudre Bronzante, € 48,50, GUERLAIN via de Bijenkorf
- What’s nice about this powder is that it has two textures: a matte and a slightly more shiny one. So you start with the matte side and finish with the shine to accentuate. Duo Bronzing, € 35,95, COLLISTAR via Douglas
- I think Lancôme is such a lovely brand. This bronzer does more than just bronzing: it also smooths out imperfections. Belle de Teint, € 49,95, LANCÔME via Douglas
- No words needed. Perfection in a box. Truly not just perfect for a party, perfect for always.
Harmonie Mariniere, € 54,90, CHANEL via Douglas - Really an essential in your make-up bag. It’s actually a kind of bronzer and highlighter in one, so forget what Coco said above. This is truly a miracle product. Shimmer Brick, € 47, Bobbi Brown via Douglas
- Ideal for mixing the perfect color for your face. You can choose all the colors that best match your face with a small brush, so you can never go wrong.
Aquarel powder, harmonie 1, € 16,95, Douglas
