Sunny complexion with La Mer – the Bronzing Powder 2017

Summer again and even though I’m not always focused on all SS-makeup releases, there are a few recurrent lines that I find interesting. One of them being The Bronzing Powder by premium skincare brand La Mer.

The reasons for my fascination with this product – a limited edition item of the brand’s permanent Solei de la Mer™ collection –  are threefold.

First of all: the packaging. We talk about That Luxurious Feeling in here and what may qualify a product for it. I would say that when something so ordinary as a bronzing powder (let’s face it, every brand got them) lands on your desk, you open the box and out glides a heavy round compact large enough to cover the palm of your hand and it looks all pretty with its mirrored taupe toned metallic finish, then it is kind of hard not to pay attention. When you then open up the compact to discover its magnetic closure, then at least I am sold. And we haven’t even reached to the real product.

With all kinds of powder products, baked or loose, there is always a risk of leakage from the lid. I’m happy to report that with La Mer spending some extra money on the sturdy, heavy magnetic locked compact; your product rest safe even while traveling. Very impressive.

Then, as we open her up, my second reason for falling in love with this product emerges: shades and textures.

Maybe it is somewhat unfair of me as a woman of color and living in a sunny destination to even say this: but I really don’t like bronzing products in general! There you have it. I either find them too orange (for most people), too glittery (it’s a no no to look like a disco ball all over your face) or the opposite: they lack of pigment and makes you look murky, not tanned. I also don’t enjoy some of them being highly fragranced or heavy.

And then La Mer makes it all right. For last year’s edition, the colours where not for me. I really wanted to love it but I felt that you needed a pink undertone to your skin to be able to enjoy it. For the 2017 limited edition I think the company must have listened to the feedback because the four shades featured are absolutely beautiful and harmonious together. Going from a light dust, via a cold taupe shade, meeting a warm brown with a yellow undertone and finishing with the most exquisite golden bronze shade you can apply it shade by shade with a smaller brush or use a large powder brush and swirl it around all the shades to achieve maximum colour balance.

I’ve found it quite encouraging that after reading over fifty reviews of this product for my research, some claim it to be absolutely beautiful on pale skin while others rave about it as a product well suited for darker skin tones. No one seem to think that it is murky or muddy and it definitely won’t give you that orange oompa-loompa tan!

Do I only like this one because it is La Mer, it is limited edition and expensive? Well, yes and no. I do recommend it because it is part of the Solei de la Mer™ range, and I’ll get back to explaining why in a second. For the other parts, I couldn’t really say that they are the reason to why this product should be a winner.

The texture and finish are those reasons. About a week ago, world renowned Makeup Artist and  Lancôme Color Global Director Lisa Eldridge uploaded a tutorial on YouTube with a sun-kissed look. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive and one of the reasons where that she featured and used the La Mer the Bronzing Powder to show an example of how to to a bronzed summer look without any sheen, sparkle or glitter. These four shades are divided into two matte colours and two with a slightly illuminating base. They are meant to be worn to enhance your own skin structure, looking balanced and velvet. Even though these are pressed powders, they apply lightweight and you don’t need to be heavy handed to achieve skin looking healthy and bronzed. I won’t say healthy and tanned, as we all know that tanned skin are not healthy skin.

For the illuminating effect, La Mer have infused the powder with small particles of gemstones to reflect the light.

My third reason for getting That Luxurious Feeling (other than packaging and the product’s performance) is of course the science.

This is why I claim it to be likeable just for being a La Mer item. You see, the company is first and foremost a skincare brand based on 12 years of intensive research made by Dr. Max Huber; research resulting in what the brand call the Miracle Broth™: 

“A blend of sea kelp, calcium, magnesium, potassium, lecithin, iron, Vitamins, C, E and B12, plus oils of citrus, eucalyptus, wheat germ, alfalfa and sunflower go into the broth, but its “miracle” lies in the way these ingredients are combined – a process called biofermentation. This 3-4 month process results in a whole far greater than the sum of its parts, with the power to transform the skin’s appearance.”.

ALL of La Mer’s products are infused with the broth and when they re-launched their skin makeup range (foundation, concealer and loose powder) they made sure to include the compound in high concentrate. This is skincare-makeup, not face makeup and the same goes for the sun care range! The bronzing Powder holds an extensive INCI-list; it is not a simple product even though talc is listed and there are some fragrance to it if you’re sensitive. Let’s take a look at some of the top ingredients:

  • Algae Sea weed extract: as the main ingredient for the broth, Dr. Huber learnt to use the energy saved in sea weed that grows in cold waters to heal skin cells. This why the company is the Ocean. 
  • Sesame seed oil: Maybe the oldest crop-seed ever known, it is one of the most loved and respected ingredients in skin- and hair care. Its high concentration of essential fatty acids like linoleic- and palmitic acids makes it antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and a powerful antioxidant due to Vitamin E. It also holds Vitamin B complex and D as well as Calcium. It is not a cheap ingredient to extract but vital for assisting skin to hold on to its moisture.  
  • Eucalyptus leaf oil: well established as an anti-inflammatory agent if you take it orally or use it for dental care it is also used topically in skincare products for the same reason. Other than that, this oil, in company with other oils acts as a carrier to help skin absorb the product better. It supports the moisturizing process and some claim it to act like a natural sunscreen. (Note that La Mer doesn’t claim the product to have any UV protection!). In other words, added into a powder, it make sure that the powder acts as a skincare beneficial.
  • Tourmaline: a charged crystal that works both as illuminating particles but mostly as the conductor for the plant energy of the sea kelp. Crystalline energy is known to boost skin (and body if you charge water with it) with energy, vitamins and to hold on to and energise the skin by promoting cell turnover of topically applied.

Now, I do know that this product (as it was released earlier in The U.S. is sold out on some online stores, I still want to let you know that being recently launched in this part of the world, it is still accessable! There are very few bronzing products on the market which actually make you look nice (CHANEL Tan de Solei being one of them) and therefore I;m happy to recommend this bronzing powder to you readers, male of female. It is elegant, luxurious and well worth its price tag. ♥

 

Product provided for review consideration. 
10
12 Comments
  1. Wow, this bronzer is amazing. I’m normally exactly like you. I hate bronzers that are too pigmented but don’t like the ones that don’t show up. I don’t like glittery or shimmery ones and a lot of them look patchy and orangey on me. But this sounds absolutely gorgeous. Thanks for this review.
    Lots of love, Desi (stunnydesi_loves on IG)

    1. Desi!! YES exactly how I feel about bronzing products in general. I’m super fuzzy about them and when something looks ok at the counter, I go out in the daylight and it’s all orange or murky FAIL. I’m crazy happy that La Mer decided to send me this one for testing. Love you sweetie, xoxox, M

    1. Wonderful Rich, you can’t know how much it means to me that you read and comment even though the product itself won’t end up in your shopping cart. It means so much. Thank you for complimenting the pictures as well!!! Have a fab day sweetie. Mwah! M

  2. I am seriously looking for a bronzing powder. I have very few. I do have a new cream bronze from Tom Ford, beautiful. But I want a powder as well. Now, I’m going to go and watch that video and I will probably pick up this powder. If I can’t find it, I’ll look for the Chanel one.

    1. HI Gorgeous Janine!! OMG the Lisa-video just made me wanna look like a bronzed goddess with natural shades, not like Beyoncé hihihi. I hope you’ll enjoy that video. Let me know if you find a good product and I shall try out your TF cream bronzer!!! xoxo, M

  3. That looks so beautiful! I’m also very excited about a bronzer that can work for my complexion as a woman of color. Nothing worse than applying a bronzer only to end up looking ruddy. 😢

    1. Hello Darling! Welcome to That Luxurious Feeling :). I know exactly what you mean and it is frustrating to find bronzing products for tanned skin that aren’t murky or orange! Thank you so much for reading and leaving such a beautiful comment. xx, M

  4. My complexion is fair and I avoid the sun so even in the summer I don’t get very dark (although I happen to tan pretty well when I do spend time in the sun). I rarely wear bronzer but this compact and your information makes me want to try it again. On the note of Tourmaline, Aveda used to have a lovely mask with this ingredient and it truly did give the skin radiance. Sadly they’ve discontinued the products. I enjoyed the details about the ingredients and science behind the brand.

    1. Hi wonderful friend!! Oh wow I’m so happy to see you taking the time to read and to comment in here as well. That’s so very kind of you! Yes I remember the Tourmaline AVEDA mask, it’s really sad they don’t make it any longer because it was really popular! For me, my skin is darker but I still stay out of the sun and if I do get a lot of sunshine I still burn easily! No fun at all…kisses Traci, xoxo M

    1. Hahaha I really enjoy La Mer – not just because I’m now privileged enough to be working with the brand but because of the results I see. Especially with the new, lighter range as the serums and oils. The sun powder is just an extension to that luxury 🙂 xoxo M

Leave a Reply to Kelly Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.