#TFWOC Project Week #5 - MakeBelieve Sunbeam Bronzer Review

There’s only a few more weeks left of the #TFWOC project – BOO! I’m definitely going to miss it, and I’m going to miss all of the strange looks I get when I tell people I wear fake tan!

But before I shed a tear let’s get started with this week’s product. Yet another item from the generous people at MakeBelieve – the MakeBelieve Sunbeam Bronzer*. I don’t actually own any bronzers so I was really excited to try this.

As with all MakeBelieve products, the packaging is gorgeous; the gold and matte black make it feel very decadent. Inside houses the matte bronzer and a white kabuki brush with a little mirror for when you’re on the go. I was a little put off by how matte the bronzer was, I mean isn’t the whole point of bronzing powders for you to look more bronze? – as opposed to more tanned.

When I first tested the bronzer I really didn’t like it. I found it quite chalky and the colour didn’t suit my skin. Another gorgeous #TFWOC blogger suggested that I try and use a different brush to apply it, and surprisingly the results were better.

Remember the MakeBelieveTinted Moisturiser that I tried recently and promoised to revisit? Well, I decided to use it as a highlighter with the bronzer …

Just a bit of foundation – please excuse the eyebrows, appointment booked for tomorrow!

I dotted the tinted moisturiser on my cheekbones and blended with a stippling brush. I like the result; it definitely works a lot better as a highlighter than as a tinted moisturiser.

With the Sunbeam Bronzer – and some lip gloss!

Honestly, I didn’t like the bronzer. In fact, I don’t even think it should be called a bronzer. Whilst I wouldn’t say it looked horrible on me, it really didn’t make me looked more ‘bronzed’. It took a lot of product to even get it to show up on my skin and when it eventually did it just looked very chalky.

You can barely even see it swatched on my wrist here.

(blurry, sorry)

Bottom line: I don’t think matte bronzers are really suitable for WOC (the darker end of the spectrum) - or this one at least. I’d say this was perfect for contouring for someone with a lighter skintone. But for my dark skin? Not so much. I actually prefer to use it as a finishing powder on top of my makeup as the translucency is perfect. I wish it came in perhaps a darker shade, or perhaps with a subtle shimmer.

MakeBelieve Sunbeam Bronzer is available from the MakeBelieveBeauty website, priced at £15.

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