As a long-standing Glossier loyalist, any new make-up launch from the brand automatically piques my interest. Futuredew remains one of the only products I immediately replace after draining the dregs from a bottle, while Cloud Paint is perhaps the only blush compatible with my flush-phobic predilections (shade Dusk is the perfect taupe for those averse to coquettish pinks).
But there’s one thing in the line-up I’ll admit disappointed me. Solar Paint was the brand’s first skin-warmer, and perhaps the product in the line-up that received the chilliest reception. The cream bronzer lacked subtlety in shade and longevity in formula: it never really settled into skin, turning cheeks streaky and rogue hair sticky. As someone categorically allergic to glitter and glimmer, the sparkles turned me off, while friends at both the lightest and darkest ends of the spectrum found their shades leant too orange or too red to look natural.
But with its latest launch (which follows a quiet discontinuing of Solar Paint), Glossier is happily back on top: Glossier Cloud Paint bronzer has arrived today. This one likely needs little explanation: it’s the creamy, just-pigmented-enough formula of everyone’s favourite blush, now in five shades of tan. Really, it delivers everything you likely want in a cream bronzer: it’s lightweight and luminous, blends well, and doesn’t stick to your hair or shift any foundation you’ve applied beneath (the brand’s own Stretch Foundation, if you’re really doing things right).
Glossier Cloud Paint in Drift
Glossier Cloud Paint in Sail
A liquid formula was a no-brainer for a brand known for its natural, easy aesthetic. As Celia Burton, European make-up artist for Glossier explains, 'liquid and cream formulas mimic the natural texture of skin much better than powder,' meaning you’ll never get streaky lines or that unflattering caky residue settling in pores. 'You can blend and layer without adding too much weight, and the finished look is fresh and dewy,' she adds.
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And the best way to apply? 'To control the amount of product on the skin, I like to use the back of my hand as a palette,' says Burton. Her top tip for a natural result is not to stop at your cheeks: a common bronzing crime. 'Cloud Paint works best with a pea-sized blob, applied via a fluffy brush in circular motions across the cheek, cheekbone, temple, and bridge of the nose: essentially, wherever you want to add colour.' And don’t be afraid to expand your horizons: try using whatever is left on your brush to add just a hint of definition to your eyes and lips. 'It ties everything together beautifully', says Burton.
And to complete your classic Glossier glow? 'Blend everything together with a damp sponge before applying any powder. This will keep everything light and skin-like,' adds Burton. Just what a Glossier product should deliver.
Glossier Cloud Paint in Dusk
Glossier Cloud Paint in Eve
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