Tarte Park Avenue Princess Mineral Powder Bronzer

Yes, I know bronzers are a bit of an odd topic for a fall post on a stormy day, but I'm feeling the need for some color, so a bronzer it is. I could definitely use a more lively look this week, that's for sure.

Six or seven summers ago I was still maintaining a tanned appearance (and having the occasional mishaps with self tanners). Back then I was going for the darker shades since I tan very quickly, easily and deeply, so one of my summer staples was Tarte Mineral Powder Bronzer in Hotel Heiress (I hate the name to this day). It's a mid-summer tropical vacation kind of bronze that I can no longer wear: my religious use of sun blocks that revealed that I might be olive-toned but also naturally ashy gray, which requires a far more subtle approach to bronzing. All in the name of not looking so dead.

Tarte Park Avenue Princess Mineral Powder Bronzer, the lighter shade of their two popular products, was not really on my radar, but I got the mini size as a GWP a few months ago. My sister has been using it for years, but she's much (MUCH!) lighter than me, so I never thought Park Avenue Princess would be nice on me. But I tried and got hooked, despite the fact Tarte has loaded it with shimmer. The texture is very light and delicate, so with careful application (a fan brush, not a regular bronzer brush, unless I'm adding color to my shoulders or shins) the final result is glowy more than shiny. I only use a little and place it on the bones, where I'd regularly use a highlighter, so this is a sort of a multi-tasker.

I swatched the bronzer somewhat heavily, so you can get a better idea of the actual color. It's more golden than orange and should look nice on most light-to-medium skin tones.

Bottom Line: nice to have (but nothing beats Edward Bess bronzer. Nothing!).

Tarte Park Avenue Princess Mineral Powder Bronzer ($29) is available from Sephora, Ulta and tartecosmetics.com