Sun Kissed! Plus $100 Giftcard Giveaway!

I always love the first warm day of beach season. The beach comes alive, ripe for people-watching. There are beach bikes, kids playing with brand new sand toys, vibrant beach umbrellas, seasoned and not-so-seasoned surfers. ;) Ryan and I took the girls on a walk along the waves and I commented--more of an observation than a question--"How are people already SO tan?!"

I myself am pale-ish for the majority of the year. It's true. I'll admit it. I used to try to get a nice color going, and I can but it takes a lot of sun. The older I get, though, the more I actually protect my skin from the sun. I am seeing the effects of aging from the sun, so I try to minimize unprotected exposure, using sunscreen and broad-brimmed hats.

But that still leaves me with my paleness, right? I am not attempting to get a full-body, deep tan, but I do want to look as though I'm actually alive and breathing. I've tried bronzers in the past with little success. They always leave me looking fake and...a bit odd, so I just assumed they don't work with my skin tone. But when I was sent some Sonia Kashuk Illuminating Bronzer from Target, I thought I'd give it a whirl since that's the brand of eyeshadow I already loyally use (really!).

The first day I used it, no joke, Ryan told me I looked really good. (He didn't even know I was testing the bronzer for this post!) It gives just a touch of color without looking like I'm trying to look tan, more like I just got back from a brisk walk in the sunshine! So, I'll sum up my thoughts for you:
✪ This isn't a major point, but one I really liked: The case is magnetic! How cool! That was the first thing I noticed--that you don't have to fumble with those tabs/buttons/clicking mechanisms, especially if you've just applied moisturizer. Easy open, easy close.
✪ There is another "secret" compartment where the brush is stored--everything is all together for easy access.
✪ It is a light, smooth formula that is easy to wear. A lot of products I've tried are heavy, and I can tell I'm "wearing" something. They make me sweat or they just feel heavy.
✪ It is inexpensive! Not only is it a fraction of the price of a high-end product, I love that I can just grab it at Target while I'm already doing other shopping and don't have to drag the kids to make a trip exclusively for makeup, which would probably just get skipped.
✪ The best thing: It looks natural. You can build color by applying more, but I hardly need to put any on at all for it to show up (an advantage of fair skin?). Just add it to your nose, forehead, cheeks and chin (where you would normally get sun) and you've instantly had a "day in the sun" in a matter of moments.
The only thing I found that you need to watch for is you can add too much. It doesn't show up on the brush, so use a light hand when applying. But when you've found the perfect amount for your skin tone, you will love the sun-kissed look! (This photo is completely unedited.)

Now for a giveaway! BlogHer is offering a $100 Target GiftCard to one of my lucky readers! So, tell me, have you ever used bronzer? Where do you apply it?

Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 6/4 to 6/30.
Be sure to visit the sponsor's brand page on BlogHer.com, where you can read other bloggersí reviews and find more chances to win!


While I was compensated for this post, all opinions are 100% mine.