What it is and what it is for?
The face powder was once called rice powder. And although it was applied to the face with the intention of bringing the woman closer to the standard of beauty in force at the time, its use followed very different standards from the current ones. If before the intention was to load the layers of powder to hide the natural color of the skin, today the touch of the brush is subtle and aims to give a better finish to the makeup, valuing the natural beauty of the woman.
Bronzers are an option for tanning or temporary sunless tanning. Once applied, they create a tan that can be easily removed with soap and water. Like make-up, these products dye or stain the skin only until removed.
What are the most used ingredients and their function?
The composition of both loose and compact powder is the same, with talc, mineral components, calcium carbonate and zinc oxide.
Bronzers, on the other hand, usually contain talc, magnesium stearate, mineral components, parabens, and, most importantly, dihydroxyacetone, which leads to the formation of a pigment responsible for tanning the skin, melanoidin.
Which types exist and what are their differences?
The composition, texture and finish offered by compact or facial powder are similar. The compact, as its name implies, presents the powder "pressed" in the packaging and is ideal to be loaded in the bag in order to touch up the makeup. The facial is presented loose. The application can be made with the use of the sponge, which usually accompanies the product, or with the aid of an appropriate brush. For a better finish, it is important to remove excess dust with a clean brush.
Bronzers come in powder, stick, cream and bronzing pearls. Powder bronzer is the most common, being the one that best adapts to any type of skin; stick or cream bronzers are the most recommended for dry skin; bronzing pearls are less common and provide more light than powdered bronzer.
What is the most used packaging format and what are the most frequent sizes?
As previously mentioned, powders are commonly presented in compact boxes and bronzers are presented in powder, stick or cream.
Usually, sizes vary between 5gr and 30gr.
What to take into account when choosing a powder/bronzer?
When choosing a powder/bronzer you should take into account your skin tone, to create a natural and subtle result.
You should also take into account the texture of the product in order to apply what suits your skin type: powders for oily skin and creams/liquids for dry skin.
What are the recommendations for use and tips?
For an ideal powder finish, minimal product application is important. Thus, it is advisable to start with the chin and, in upward movements, spread the face powder all over the face, ensuring a velvety touch to the skin.
More mature women need to redouble their care, as overuse of the product can enhance wrinkles and expression signs. In very dry skin, the use of powder is not recommended.
It is important to use a sunscreen when using bronzers as the skin remains sensitive to the sun.
What are the pros and cons of using a powder/bronzer?
The main advantage of using powder/bronzer is to perfect your face in the following way: tune and shade your cheekbones; decrease the chin in the jaw line; as a shadow to blend or mark the concave; like blush and highlighter.
Many suntans use chemical fragrances that can cause skin allergies or can trigger asthma. In addition, some of them contain parabens that can affect the endocrine system.
