Lorac TANtalizer Baked Bronzer, $32

Lorac's TANtalizer Baked Bronzer is probably one of the first deluxe-sized samples I ever got from Sephora (this little container has been through a lot). I had never tried bronzer before. I mean, at that point I was just figuring out what blush was! As a pale girl who is nervous about melanoma (not to mention that I tan all weird and uneven), I've pretty much given up the idea that I'll ever be effortlessly golden. But, I love wearing this bronzer in the summer to give the illusion that I've had a little shimmering sun kiss my skin.

The color is a mix of warm browns and light, soft golds, and is super shimmery (just make sure you don't accidentally get the matte one). It is highly pigmented, blendable, and buildable, which makes it really easy to get anything from a tiny hint of shimmer to a deeper golden tone.

To me, the effect is a lot like Orgasm's shimmer, but without the peachy-pink tone.

(top/left: Lorac's TANtalizer Baked Bronzer; bottom/right: Nar's Orgasm blush)
In fact, my favorite summer look is to blend the bronzer on top of the blush, creating a peachy-pink-golden-shimmer duo of awesomeness (which I attempted to re-create between the two, above). Then I just dust the bronzer everywhere else--shoulders, collarbone, chest, etc. I love it! It would even make a really pretty eyeshadow if you're a fan of shimmery neutrals.

Final verdict
Cost: $32 is pricey but I think it's worth it. The sample size shown above is much smaller than the regular size. Plus, it comes with a mirror and little brush (shown in the second photo here).
Color: Beautiful and warm, even on pale skin. I think it would work well on many skin tones.
Buildable: It's really easy to put on a little bit or a ton. It's soft and blends really easily.
Repeat offender: Once this is up, I'll definitely buy it again. It lasts a long time and is just a really good product. It does exactly what it's supposed to do, even if it does cost a little extra.

-T

The Toolbox: Brow Know-How by Tarte, $18

I bought this kit on a whim, it was marked down to $9.00 and I thought it would be fun to try something different in my beauty routine. The Brow Know-How kit comes with brow powder, brow wax, brow gel, brow pencil, three brow stencils, mini tweezers, and an application brush. Everything folds up into a little box that also has a mirror on the lid. The kit comes in three different shades to match your hair color, the one I have is “dark.”


I can’t say I’ve ever tried to fill in my eyebrows or do anything other than tweeze or shape them so this was something very new to me. When I used it what I did was apply some of the brow wax to my eyebrow and then used the application brush to pick up a little of the brow powder. I was a little nervous but what I did was apply a little bit of the powder to any places where my eyebrow looked a little sparse. I dusted the powder on evenly and lightly but you can do heavier for a more dramatic effect. After applying the powder I just used the brow gel (it looks like mini clear mascara) to “seal” the powder in place. What I got out of doing this was a little extra polish to my look. It made my eyebrows look very neat and a little more shaped.


I don’t use this everyday because frankly I don’t have enough time. But every once in a while it is really fun to use this toolbox. The kit also comes with three different brow stencils that are good if you really want to change up the shape of your brows or go for a thick and dramatic look. If you have thin eyebrows and do this on a daily basis this would be a good kit to take with you on the go.

Final verdict:
Cost: $18
Is it worth it?:For $9 I thought it was worth trying, but I’m not sure I’d pay full price for it. Though if you think about it, something like this can last you a long time and the mini tweezers would definitely come in handy!
Repeat offender: I don’t think I will ever use this product up! But I love Tarte brand products so I know I’ll be trying different/new things by them.
-M