KEY POINTS:
Bronzers are the safest way to build up what looks like a natural looking tan - no risk of sunburn and no dodgy colours from fake bakes or bottles. I'm a fan of failsafe powders, but good liquid bronzers, and illuminators, work like foundations (or over them); just be sure to blend carefully.
1 Shiseido The Makeup, Multi-Shade Enhancer in Terracotta Glow $46
Comes with a brush that sits in the tidily-sized compact. Either mix the five graduated shades with a swirl of the brush or concentrate on the top or bottom halves of the compact to get the light or dark tones you want.
2 Elizabeth Arden Sun Goddess Bronzing Powder in Medium $59
Comes in a pretty compact with a separate kabuki brush that's ideal for application but will need to be protected in a makeup bag. In medium and deep, both options are darkish shades with an uplifting gleam. Elizabeth Arden also does a Colour Intrigue Bronze Beauty duo compact in two good everyday tones.
3 Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder in Medium $63
A single, flatter, shade offers good coverage, but your cheeks will need perking up with a blush or highlighter. Comes without a brush, but if you're a Bobbi Brown devotee you'll have bought a brush kit by now.
4 The Bodyshop Sun Lustre Bronzer $45
A big round compact with a gold bronzer that is more illuminator than all over darkener. Gives a pretty light result over a foundation or tint or on young, clear skin.
5 Chanel Moisturizing Bronzing Powder in Terre Epice $88
Good for fairer complexions, the colour takes a while to layer up, so you won't look like you've slapped on something 10 shades too dark but, like the single-tone Bobbi Brown, it needs lifting with cheek colour. A good way of getting a matte-style finish with controlled colour.
6 Clinique Shimmering Tones Powder Quad in Golden Bronze (01) $65
A multi-shade bronzer in a smallish square compact meaning this may prove trickier to isolate individual colours than with a duo, but it offers more separation than some of the wavy colour blends. Works as eyeshadow also. The shades have gentle shimmer and blend well. No brush.
7 Model Co Glow Summer Bronze $69
The slimline raspberry-pink compact is a nice change from the seemingly obligatory bronzes. It has a large mirror, but there's no brush. The bronzer has a young-looking sheen.
8 L'Oreal True Match Bronze Glow $35.99
Very liquid, this golden illuminator dries quickly and needs to be blended well, but it's an affordable way to go gold. In several shades, some a bit glittery.
Lancome Star Bronzer Magic Brush $72
This is more of a touch-up bronzer for on the go than for all-over application. Puff the powder from the bottom of the brush and dust it where the sun strikes cheeks, nose, collarbone. The retractable brush protector is well designed, but the bronzer can flow too freely, so apply with care. Lancome also does a compact bronzer I prefer, with a subtly glistening powder in a range of colours.
Maybelline Dream Mousse Bronzer in Glistening Sun $20.49
A little pot of colour you dab your fingers in to, then spread the cream where your skin needs a lift. Won't last long, but is portable for the sort of golden gleam you'll only want in small doses.
Smashbox Blush/Bronzer Duo in Cosmopolitan $47
Two versatile colours in a neat little compact, one a mid-tone bronzer for all over the face and the other a peachy-pink blush. If you're not a big bronze fanatic this would be a good value way to introduce yourself to its use.
* Available from pharmacy and department store brand counters. Smashbox from Life Pharmacies.
Glow and go
* Build colour gradually to avoid looking like Paris Hilton overdosed on Fanta.
* Blend bronzer on the back of your hand before applying if you're worried it's coming out too strong.
* Use a big fat brush you can swirl across your face, rather than anything skimpy or sharp-edged.
* For natural looking colour, play up facial contours, either by shaping them with differing colours (as you would apply deeper blush under your cheekbones and something warmer on them) or by simply applying bronzer where the sun strikes your face (the cheeks, nose, forehead).
* Don't forget to blend colour on your throat if you're using bronzer on your whole face.
* If you're using bronzer as facial highlighter, then also highlight your collarbone and decolletage.
* Keep glitter to a minimum, just on your cheekbones, but don't be scared of more subtle shimmer all over.
