Bronzers; How-To's, Do Not's and When, Where and Why.

We're still in Spring people. While you might want to start warming up your make-up it does not mean you can go all cray cray with the bronzer. Here's why...

Everyone remembers this contour faux pas committed by one of the biggest lovers of contouring not too long ago. After we all got over Kim K-West's decision to go platinum we were shocked to see the state her make-up was in. Having said that she is a mum, a celebutante and career woman so no one can expect her to look dressed to the nine's every time she steps foot out of her bed. Still ... I would fire the make-up artist who let her walk out of the house looking like that.

Back to the original question. When is the right time to turn the dial up on the heat and pull out all the stops?

The same way fashion and style changes with each season and therein trend we too should allow our make-up habits and style to follow suit. This doesn't mean that you can't contour your face four seasons a year it just means that you should be conscious that no one is going to look like they just came from a wild weekend in Ibiza in the middle of Winter all the time. A simple, and quite practical tip, is to use cooler tones in Autumn and Winter and warmer tones in Spring and Summer.

When it comes to bronzer and contouring tools it is really up to you and what you prefer to work with in accordance with your skin type. You can use loose powder, pressed powder, bronzing pearls, darker coloured concealers or even a darker shade of foundation. The same applies to highlighting products.*

*A great tip in case you're short on cash/simply do not want to splash out buying specific bronzing or highlighting products.

So here is a list of Avon products you can use to contour and how-to's ...

Bronzing Pearls come in shades 'Cool' and 'Warm'.

Although this is part of the summer range mostly advertised during Spring/Summer seasons you can easily use this in Autumn/Winter with a less dense brush such as an all over face brush so you pick up less pigment.

Bronzing Powder comes in Matte 'Light Bronze' and 'Medium Riveira' and Shimmer 'Warm Glow' and 'Deep Glow'.

I would suggest keeping anything Shimmer for the Spring/Summer as having a sparkly face during rainy weather might look a little like you've been clubbing with someone whose obsessed with Fairy Dust.

Ideal Flawless Concealer sold in the UK in shades 'Fair', 'Medium' and 'Dark'.

Best used in combination with a liquid foundation you literally draw a line in the areas you want to contour such as just below the cheekbones, sides of the nose and along the jawline depending on your face shape and then you need, no, HAVE TO BLEND! This step is so vital otherwise you'll be left with blotchy skin. If anything grab a brush that has foundation on it to blend the contour colour.

So these are the three typical products to use for bronze and contour. Of course they come in various different packaging and forms across all the make-up brands but essentially the theory is the same. On a final note here's a Bronze/Contour How-To with Avon's Global Celebrity Make-Up Artist Lauren Anderson.