“Every summer I like to find new and modern ways to approach summer make-up. I say out with obvious shimmery ‘glows’, in with a hint of 70′s California girl biking in a dusty desert” KM

Watch how to get Peony Lim’s summer look, left on becauselondon.com here

This week Kay and I wanted to do a post, not on the conventional ‘best for summer bronzing’ products, rather feature products that really make a difference and give you all a different take on the shades you should use to boost your tanned appearance – as seen in shows such as Rodarte and Michael Kors- so whether it is for contouring (where you use shadow rather than tan to accentuate cheekbones or even jawline), boosting your bronze (moving away from the ‘terracotta’ orange shades and opting for neutral, natural tones) or going for an all over tan; I’ve got the products and Kay’s got the tips so read on to find out more on our new take on tan.

Contouring:

Kay loves contouring (above Carolyn Murphy for Iceberg by Mert+Marcus) alongside bronzer and less blusher this season. For recent shoots she’s opted much for more the sculpted, contoured look and has added depth in her choice of colours and textures on other areas of the face (i.e a shocking lip or deep, sultry eye). The best contouring powder Kay has comes across recently is the Kevin Aucoin (always a favourite in her kit as you may well have noticed from these posts) Sculpting Powder in medium (£34)….. .It is exactly as I described earlier – a neutral take on skins’ natural shadow. It’s dark enough to give a slight bronzed appeal but not OTT and definitely not ‘terracotta’. Simply dust it under the cheek bones and follow it by a dusting of the highlighting Celestial Powder in Candlelight (£34) to accentuate the contour.

Bronzing:

If you feel naked without your bronzer and are unwilling to give them up, we’ve found a few newbies on the block that give you that summer glow but stay away from the old-fashioned uber tan. (Liu Wen for Michael Kors SS12 right)

As a general rule go for shades that are not too far removed from your own skintone. If you go too far away from your natural shade you’ll end up looking cheap with a very old fashioned bronzed effect. For bronzers that are new on shelves and steer clear from the dated ‘terracotta’ shades:

Clarins Bronzing Duo

Now both Kay and I had never used Clarins extensively until recently, however I’ve been blown away by their new Ever Matte ranges and was even more so when I saw this new trio of Bronzing Duo Mineral Powders. They come in three shades and each offers a different texture; from the completely matte (and slightly darker) 03, and mid toned and slightly shimmered 02 and a lighter but much more shimmered 01. The palettes all come with a lighter and darker half but they hav really tried to cater to all looks without offering a unanimous ‘toasted’ look to take the range over the edge to tacky.

Available from 28th May 2012.

Clinique Superbalanced Powder Bronzer

I’ve never been a fan of loose bronzers but with the new ‘twist and grate’ packaging, they are much more manageable and far less messy. Clinque‘s Bronzed 1 is a great all rounder shade and gives a fabulous glow when dusted over the temples and on the ridge of the nose and cheekbones. It would also be a great one to dust over your collarbones as well.

£25, available from 4^th May 2012

Neal’s Yard New Mineral Bronzers

Kay is loving these loose powder pots. They are new to the NYR makeup range and are full of antioxidants and completely free from talc, parabens and silicones.

They are great for an all over glow and mimic the effects of cult bronzing products, such as NARS Laguna (Kay’s all time favourite for creating the perfect, natural fake tan), really well.

Products like these really show you don’t have to scrimp on quality to create an amazing, inexpensive product.

£16.50, www.nealsyardremedies.com

For an all over tan:

I swear by the He-Shi Express Liquid Tan (£17.85 – www.feelunique.com) for my all over body tan. It’s a dark, laquer-like liquid that has an accurate colour guide and that is applied with a mitt. Make sure you moisturize beforehand to avoid streaks as the liquid is absorbed very quickly (I love Keihls Crème des Corps) and leave it for a few minutes before doing anything to allow it to dry.

It gives a universally tanned looked to most skintones (I’m very pale) and develops to a slightly darker tone that the one that appears during application.

A must have for prepping for your summer holidays.