How to Create an Effortless Base Tan With Just 2 Products

It's ridiculously simple

By Taylor Stephan Apr 17, 2017 8:40 PMTags
ESC: FreestyleE!

Who doesn't want to look like a bronzed babe right about now?

Looking tan, well-rested and fresh off the heels of a tropical vacay is always the goal, but if you have to fake it, it's essential to know what you're doing. So what does it take to create that natural-looking glow in an uncomplicated way? Lucky for you, celeb makeup artist Paul Blanch has a few tips. Even better: His product recs are cream-based (a.k.a super-easy to apply).

"It's most important to prep your skin with a moisturizer and to make sure your skin is hydrated, because if you don't, you will end up putting on too much makeup," he said. In other words, using a hydrating cream first ensures that low-key, glowing-from-within look, which is exactly what you want.

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Next use a foundation brush to apply a cream bronzer, like L'oréal Paris Sublime Bronze Summer Express Wash-Off Face Bronzer Cream SPF 20, to your face the same way you would apply your foundation. "You can use this in the place of a tinted moisturizer or a BB cream; it's just a little more punch in the color department," he described.

Once you've blended this to perfection, you'll immediately notice a nice, bronzed tint as your new base color. However, you'll need to sculpt and define your features so the look doesn't feel flat.

 

This brings us to the next product: highlighter. "A cream formula makes it easier to create a softer, more natural look as opposed to a powder," explained the expert. To apply the cream illuminator (the pro used L'oréal Paris True Match Lumi Liquid Glow Illuminator), be sure to apply it with a fluffy eye shadow brush, which will help keep the application light-handed. "Your goal is to highlight the high points of the face: right under the eye, the top of the eyebrows, a tiny bit on the center of the nose, the inside corner of the eye and just on the cupid's bow," he elaborated.

As you'll notice, when you pair these two products together, the results are eye-catching, subtle and simple.

Bonus: If you want even more color, you can simply use a powdered bronzer right along your cheekbones for an additional contour.

There's more! For more tips on adding to your tan beauty look, click here!