Expert tips

Make-up advisor Cyril Nesmon from Nivea Beauty answers all our bronzing questions.

How do you go about choosing the right bronzing make-up?
First principles: choose the right product for your skin type. If you have fair skin, go for caramel or hazelnut shades, and if you've got matte skin, coffee, copper and gold will suit you. Avoid anything too dark, even if you're tanned - it will look fake. Beware of make-up that mattifies your skin too much, because they can weight down your complexion. Go for slightly satiny textures with subtle golden shimmer to add radiance. Always aim for a natural, transparent result. 

How do you apply bronzer without getting streaks and lines?
Never apply bronzing powder straight on top of moisturiser - anything greasy or liquid can combine to give you streaks. Dab your face with a tissue and them apply a lighter powder all over your face. Then apply your bronzing powder wherever you want to highlight your sunkissed look. For a natural finish, apply bronzing shimmer using a large brush, tapping away excess on the back of your hand and then adding a final touch to your face and neck.  

Are there areas to avoid and areas to highlight?
For a sculpted look, apply to your temples, cheeks, hairline, the point of your chin and cheekbones. Take care with the contours of your eyes which is a really sensitive area. To avoid tell-tale lines, dab glow enhancer or bronzer on in small quantities.

How should glow enhancers be used?
In the right quantity! A little is all you need. It's essential to apply with your fingers evenly so that you don't put too much on or get lines.

When choosing blusher, should you go for powder for a matte finish or a compact blusher (like an eyeshadow) for a shiny finish?
It depends on what you want to achieve, but satin textures give more of a healthy glow. Blushers are very rich in pigments, so the best thing to do is get hold of a matte/shiny duo for colour and light. And if you're very tanned, use a blusher with gold lights in it.