Desperately seeking a sun-kissed glow: Trying the Sun Stalk'r Instant Warmth Bronzer, by Fenty Beauty...

"Bask in that post-vacay bronze year-round with Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer. Rihanna dreamt of an easy-to-use powder bronzer that truly works for everyone, so she created Sun Stalk’r in 8 versatile shades that bring out the warmth in all skin tones, from the fairest to the deepest!

Super smooth, creamy, and easy to blend, this light-as-air bronzing powder builds like a dream yet is hard to overdo, giving you a believable sun-soaked glow that stays put all day without transferring. Whether you’re looking for all-over warmth or the ultimate contour, Sun Stalk’r does it all with the perfect soft matte finish that lets skin look like skin. Plus, it’s backed by mango and papaya fruit extracts to help give skin a natural, healthy-looking glow with every swipe" 


Sold. 

That product description is so awesome that after a look in several nearby Boots stores on a unsuccessful search for Fenty Beauty stands, I went to Harvey Nichols to get myself shade-matched, already sure that I'd buy and love the bronzer.

How has my experience been?

I'm fair-and-neutral toned, but when I went to a Harvey Nichols store to be shade matched, the MUA and I both thought that the bronzer that is meant to match me [India Sun] barely showed up on my skin and had a hint of a weird greyish cast to it. Shady Biz is the second lightest shade in the brand's range of bronzers and is described for being for light with-warm-undertones skintones and is the shade that the MUA recommended to me, and in the store it did look natural and gave a lovely 'sunkissed' glowy look, so I merrily bought it and went home - this is it! I've found a Fenty product I like! I've cracked the code!!

Don't get excited; I just fell for the 'fancy mirrors and artful lighting' trick that is common in many department stores. When I excitedly applied Shady Biz at home, I quickly realized that the shade is borderline too dark for me - it is too warm & orange based for me, so it can easily cross the line from "just got back from holiday", to just making my skin look 'dirty'. I can just about get away with the shade now that it is summer and my skin is a touch darker, but it does take more time & blending, compared to other bronzers I've used and enjoyed [up to now my favourite bronzers are the ones by ABH; the shades Rosewood & Tawny are both great on fair skin].

In a 3 pattern [temples, cheekbone & jawline]

Aside from the iffy shade range at the lighter end of the spectrum [only 1 fair option & 1 light option - no choice in undertones], I found that the powder applies nicely enough, though it's not the easiest blend due to the extra effort it takes to tone the orange down. The formula feels silky on skin, is indeed transfer-proof, and it is long wearing - it holds up well against heat and being caught in the rain. If you can find a good shade match, then I think you'd enjoy this bronzer. Although I do think getting just 6g of product for the price is a bit on the steep side - yes, my ABH bronzers cost £7 more, but you get more product, so the cost per gram is actually cheaper.

In a stripe [horizontal across cheeks & nose]

Sigh. I really did want to enjoy this bronzer and I can still see the potential in the product.

I've not noticed Fenty in-store at at any Boots near me yet; when I do, I think that I'll ask someone to apply India Sun to my face again, to see how it looks away from the iffy lighting that was in the Harvey Nichols I went to, as the transfer resistance & wear of the bronzer are nice....

The Sun Stalk'r line of bronzers are £23, and are available at Boots and Harvey Nichols.