which bronzer for this summer?

this summer i'm really on a bronzer trip! i think this year i bought almost all bronzers out there - you know i never do it half ;)
but still, i find my little selection very varied. today i want to give you a short overview of this year's summer powders from the most common brands plus some permanent products for everybody who don't want to buy several products.
click on each title to get to its separate post.

Chanel bronzer in Bronze Rosé

i think this bronzer would be the most suitable for fair cool skin tones of this year's bronzers since it's sheerly pigmented and its colour is quite mauvey brown. it has that additional pink stripe so i can also use it as a rosey brown blusher. it can make me look a bit muddy so i have to be careful with application. it is limited edition.

Benefit Hoola

is a higher pigmented powder, it's a neutral brown with yellow/ochre undertones that can be easily used as contour powder since it's matte and doesn't have too much red or pink undertones. i don't really like it as a bronzing product since it lacks the fresh kick.
i could be used also on darker skin tones to maybe MAC NC/NW 45 (?). this is a permanent product.

Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Bronzer in Daydream

is a lovely golden bronze with fine shimmer that warms up my complexion and let's me look sunkissed. a great texture to apply, always looks soft and even. in combination with Hoola as contour i like to use this so soften up and bring everything together. it's not too orange but has a peachy undertone. i think it's great on fair-medium warm skin tones. it's a permanent product.

Guerlain Terra Inca

is very shimmery, so nothing to use all over or on bigger areas for me! it reminds me of MAC's MSFs, but is a lot softer and finer. it's like a golden bronze highlighting product that i like to apply very very sheerly on the top of my cheekbones. this can emphasize enlarged pores and unevenness on your skin. it would look great on the body, it emphasizes your tan. i also use it as a shimmery bronze eyeshadow. it has a divine jasmine scent. definitely only for shimmer-fans or for Guerlain-lovers (the packaging is a treasure itself!). otherwise i find it too expensive for occasional usage.

Estée Lauder Sea Star Bronzing Blush

in my opinion the most beautifully pressed powder this year (although the compact is not as brilliant). a lovely subtle shimmering pinky peach shade that i exclusively use as a blush on my cheeks although it also warms up my complexion. some girls complained about it to be too powdery, but i don't have any of these issues using a soft squirrel hair brush and not swirling too much inside the pan but tapping the brush into both coloured parts (i generally don't like to swirl in my pressed powder products because they will mess up that way). it's beautiful - definitely try it if you still meet one left!

Dior bronzer in Aurora

the most beautiful packaging of this year is by Dior. i love it! the powder itself is also very good, it's soft and finely milled. it's a really peachy (fortunately not orange) tan on me and freshens up my complexion. it gives me a warm luminous look, no obvious shimmer. i can use it as bronzer but also as a blush.
i think this is a great product for fair-medium warm skin tones. this is a limited product.

i swatched all of them together:

Chanel Bronze Rosé - Benefit Hoola - Edward Bess Daydream - Guerlain Terra Inca - Estée Lauder Sea Star - Dior Aurora

Chanel Bronze Rosé - Benefit Hoola - Edward Bess Daydream - Guerlain Terra Inca - Estée Lauder Sea Star - Dior Aurora

Chanel Bronze Rosé - Benefit Hoola - Edward Bess Daydream - Guerlain Terra Inca - Estée Lauder Sea Star - Dior Aurora

out of the six my top rates are:

1. Dior Aurora

2. Edward Bess Daydream

3. Estée Lauder Sea Star

(while Edward Bess combined with the Sea Star or any other peachy pink blush would be my top pick)

my tools of choice to apply bronzer:

• the Edward Bess Luxury Face Brush is great for sheer bronzers (this will get a proper review soon).
• the Paula Dorf Powder Brush is soo soft and fluffy and has the perfect thin paddle shape for bronzer, you can apply with the thin side on the hollows of your cheeks and with the wide side on the sides of the face. it will give a sheer wash to your face.
• the Trish McEvoy Bronzer Brush #37 is round and tapered and also perfectly sized and shaped for bronzer, it's soft but has a lot more resistance than the Paula Dorf so it buffs out your bronzer better and is great for a more apparent bronzed look.
• for a contour with the Benefit Hoola, you know i always use my MAC 138 or Hakuhodo S103 (not on the pic)

there are some bronzers left that i really want to try since i started to discover the perfect placement and dose for my skin tone: the Giorgio Armani Sheer Bronzer in #1, the cream bronzer by Chanel, a Terracotta Bronzer by Guerlain and a Matte Bronzer from Dior.

what about you? do you have some of these or can you recommend any else? do you use bronzer on a regular basis? for my part i usually skip it in a work make up, but if i have more time, i always like to add some dimension to my face ;)