Review: Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer in Light Bronzer

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Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer in Light Bronzer

(retail: $14.99, 0.38 oz.)

I have heard so many raves about this bronzer from the beauty community that I just had to buy it back when Rite Aid was having one of their 40% off sales several weeks ago. But PF always goes on sale so there's probably a new sale happening at any of those retailers as you read this. You can check my Weekly Drugstore Makeup Sale Wrap-Up here for details.

So did this one live up to the hype? Keep reading for my thoughts...

This bronzer comes in two shades: Light Bronzer (the one I purchased), and Bronzer.

Made in Italy

We're off to a good start here! I find that many of the best powder products are made in Italy (Milani Baked Bronzers, Baked Blushes, Rose Blushes, and Illuminating Face Powders, Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks, various Laura Geller products, various MAC blushes, various Burberry blushes, and the list goes on and on and on).

Ingredients

I actually wasn't familiar with Murumuru Seed Butter before I purchased this product, but I see that Paula's Choice gives it a "Good" rating. Apparently it helps soften the texture of skin and also helps keep moisture in the skin. 

No amount of photos can really capture this adorable packaging--the colors, the design, it's beautiful. Here's a closer look at the metallic ombre thing going on here:

Back of compact

This compact has the signature Physicians Formula dual chamber. Product on top, applicator on bottom. There's also a mirror:

I have to hand it to Physicians Formula. They are always coming up with interesting applicators for their face products, and this one is definitely interesting!

This applicator is shaped like a brush, but it's a sponge. 

I love the design of this powder. It's quite "sensual" with its soft curves. It's like melty, soft butter that's been gently stirred. 

Hopefully you can see in this close-up that there is some shimmer here, but the glitter particles are very fine.

Apologies for my blotchy skin but I was swatching a bunch of lipsticks for an upcoming review when I did these swatches. Hopefully you can see that the shimmer in this bronzer is VERY subtle. In real life, it gives the skin a subtle glow--it does NOT read as glittery or sparkly on the skin.

The color of this bronzer is what I would describe as a soft golden beige. It definitely has a yellow undertone to it, but it doesn't look orangey on the skin. On my NC20 skintone, this bronzer adds beautiful, subtle warmth to the skin; it does not really function as a true "bronzer" for me, but I'm absolutely OK with that because what it DOES provide (warmth) is gorgeous. 

I've been using this bronzer constantly since I purchased it, and there is not one thing that I do not love about it. This product is scented, and to me it smells like coconut suntan lotion. It's a very fun, sweet, fruity scent and I can smell it while I'm applying this product, which gets me in a very "tropical" or "beachy" state of mind. Fun! Once this product is actually on my face, I can't smell it, but once Mr. G did tell me that he could smell it when he kissed my cheek, and that was about two hours after I applied it.

Another thing I love about this product is that it gives my skin this soft, warm glow, but it doesn't look like an orange glitterbomb, and it also doesn't make my oily skin look greasy. It's such a subtle product, but it really just seems to take my overall look up a few notches when I apply it to the tops of my cheekbones and across my forehead. This is the type of product that would be EXCELLENT for beginners who perhaps are afraid of bronzer, but it's also perfect for experts who desire some subtle warmth and know just where to place it. You literally can't overdo it with this product due to its subtle nature, and I love that for when I'm in a hurry and just want my face to look a bit warmer before I rush out the door. It's great for when you're wearing a matte, longwear foundation and you want to and some glow and dimension to your skin, without a bunch of color. 

So let's talk about the texture. Oh my goodness. Well first, let's skip the sponge applicator--I tried it and nope. Not great. I have been using my Sephora Multi-Tasker Brush with this bronzer and I LOVE it. It's easy to pick up the product with that brush and it's a dream to blend. And let me just tell you, NO FALLOUT when you swirl your brush into this compact. None. Zip. Zero. It's seriously like a $50 highlighter in that respect. In fact, I find the texture and consistency to be even better than some prestige products I own. This bronzer truly lives up to its name--it is BUTTERY. So smooth and silky and it has a little bit of moisture to it (it's more like a creamy powder, if that makes sense), which lends to the smooth, buttery texture. The only time I notice any fallout is when I'm blending. There's usually a TINY bit of powder in the air when I'm blending, but it's nothing significant and I certainly don't knock off any points for that because really, the texture here is amazing and who doesn't love a perfectly clean compact after a brush swirl?

Staying power has also been great for me. I only notice fading after about 6-7 hours of wear, and even then this product fades evenly (it's not blotchy) and it does not oxidize on my skin. 

FINAL VERDICT: If you're looking to add some subtle warmth and glow to your skin, and you want a completely luxurious experience from start to finish, I cannot recommend this product enough. From the packaging to the scent to texture to the color, this product gets five stars all around from me. It truly lives up to the hype. I would say that the only people I would NOT recommend this to are those who are looking for a true bronzer that delivers lots of pigment. This product is subtle, and it may not work for every skintone, but remember that there are two shades to choose from, so hopefully one of the two will work for you. Seriously, if you're looking for soft warmth and glow, I think you may be incredibly pleased with this one.

Do you own the Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer? Do you agree (or disagree) with my assessment? I would love to hear from you!

The products featured in this post were purchased with personal funds. For more information, click here..