Nars laguna bronzing cream
Buy now £32.50, Narscosmetics.co.uk
Rating: 7/10
The sunny vibes start with the rose-gold lid, which gives a luxe feel to an otherwise fairly standard plastic pot; it’s lightweight and quite compact, so is good for carrying with you. It’s scented with the brand’s signature floral, coconut fragrance, which comes from monoi perfume oil and while this can be quite intense on first application, it fades fast.
Nars’ bestselling Laguna is perhaps its second most famous shade, after Orgasm, and its powder form has been a staple in our stash for years. If the original Laguna suits your skin tone, you’ll get on well with this: the shade 02 (of five – an impressive range for a bronzer) in the new formula is identical to that of the powder.
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It is incredibly pigmented and intense on first application, so you only need a small amount; go easy while you get used to application – we suggest buffing off the first swipe or two on the back of your hand. Apply it a little dab at a time and it buffs out to a sheerer, more natural tone than it appears in the pot, and can be built up in intensity as suits you.
It’s also quite loose for a cream formula, lifting from the pot on to a brush very easily, and has a nice slip over the skin, meaning you have plenty of time to get it just right before it dries down. Once blended, it is natural-looking – not entirely matte but not sparkly either; just an attractive, light-reflecting glow. Layered with a cream or liquid highlight it’s hard to beat for a “just back from Barbados” radiance.
The formula contains silica, which creates a blurring, line-smoothing effect on the skin, and coconut oil, which some skin types find causes breakouts, but we had no such problems.