During the warmer months, I can’t resist a good glowy, sunkissed makeup look. When BareMinerals released 3 new blush/bronzer hybrids, I knew I was going to pick them up. BareMinerals is one of my favorite brands. It was one of the first high end makeup brands I used when I first got into makeup, but aside from the nostalgia bias, the products are quality. They don’t release too much too often, and when they do put out a new launch, I’m rarely disappointed. I consider it to be one of the most sophisticated brands. And by that, I mean I feel a lot of its audience isn’t into the gimmicky, fast marketing some brands are into and instead cater to a devout following. The concept of a blonzer was an interesting choice to me. So what’s up with these blonzers? We’ll find out in this BareMinerals Gen Nude Blonzer review.
The Basics
The BareMinerals Gen Nude Blonzer is a limited edition extension of the Gen Nude blush line for Spring/Summer 2021. It’s a hybrid blush/bronzer situation that is supposed to give the skin a sunkissed glow with the rosiness of a blush and warmth of a bronzer. The Gen Nude Blonzer comes in 3 radiant, skin flattering shades* and retails for $25.
The formula contains a blurring mineral complex, which means mineral-based light-reflecting pearls help smooth the look of imperfections on the skin. They’re also formulated to be talc-free, gluten-free, cruelty-free, and vegan.
The Formula
BareMinerals describes this formula as an effortless, fresh-from the beach glow kind of product. It’s formulated to combine the glow of a bronzing powder with the flush of a blush in one step, while soothing and minimizing the look of imperfections on the skin. It features a silky texture that blends seamlessly and effortlessly builds color, leaving your skin with a luminous finish that mimics your skin’s natural radiance after spending a day in the sun.
That’s a bold claim. So does it hold up?
I’d say yes, from a formula standpoint.
The powders feel silky and smooth in texture, and they apply to the cheek the same. I was a little nervous that, because the formula is quite thin and so velvety smooth, it might adhere to some of the dry areas I have on my face. However, I didn’t notice that to be the case. It glided over my skin seamlessly without being patchy or sticking to those dry areas.
We’ll talk more about the shades in a moment. But the powders are pigmented and do add a ton of warmth and sun-kissed color to the cheek, as the claims suggest. The wear time is also incredible. I find these last significantly longer than a lot of blushes I have tries, being noticeable up to 8 hours after application.
The Shade Selection
The BareMinerals Gen Nude Blonzers come in 3 sun-kissed shades that will flatter all skin tones.
- Kiss of Pink* is a warm pink
- Kiss of Copper* is a copper peach
- Kiss of Rose* is a bronzed rose
I purchased my blonzers from SEPHORA, and at the time, SEPHORA had them listed as “Light,” “Medium,” and “Deep.” So, thinking the deep shade wouldn’t suit my skin, I only purchased 2. However, looking at the SEPHORA site now and looking at the BareMinerals site, that’s not the appropriate way to list the shades. Kiss of Pink is definitely the lightest color of the 3, and Kiss of Rose is the deepest, but I think the formula truly allows each of these shades to be workable on any skin tone.
At any rate, I purchased the shades Kiss of Copper and Kiss of Pink.
The Review
Once warm weather hits, I am all about the sunburnt blush look. I reach for my most bronzed bronzers, golden highlights, and blushes that give me the most sun-kissed finish. So these BareMinerals Blonzers were right up my alley.
My Thoughts on the Shade Options
I won’t lie, I opened these up and was a little disappointed at what I saw. The promo photos showed these vibrant powders with noticeable depth and dimension. But when I opened the package, they looked dull and dry in the pan, like any other blush I might have in my collection. Kiss of Pink was incredibly lackluster in the pan, and while Kiss of Copper looked more vibrant, it looked like it was going to be metallic and chunky. However, as I started to run my fingers over the powder and swatch them on my skin, I noticed their true power.
The powders are so smooth and velvety to the touch, and once on the skin, they pack such a punch. Kiss of Pink is definitely lighter in pigmentation than the other shades initially, but you are really able to build it up to a statement, petal pink on the cheek. It’s beautiful and fresh. Kiss of Copper, on the other hand, is bold from the get go. Use a light hand, especially if you’re fair like I am. But I can see all of these shades working on light, medium, and deep skin tones.
I also think the shade selection is quite diverse. While only having 3 shades, each of the 3 are vastly and noticeably different on the skin. Sometimes brands release only a few blush shades, but they are all so similar to each other, it almost seems pointless. That’s not the case here.
My Thoughts on the Formula
As for the formula, these are some of the most pigmented, warm toned blushes I own. And I love it. They’re easy to use, but definitely require a light hand. At least this is true on my fair skin. They honestly give me the most beautiful sun-kissed glow. Now, do they blur my imperfections? I’m going to say no. But the formula doesn’t cling to dry patches or emphasis imperfections.
The Bottom Line
The BareMinerals Gen Nude Blonzer is a win in my book. If you love that almost sunburnt type of blush look like I do in the summer, I think these are a really great option for you.
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