Phyto-Touches de Sisley Sun Glow Pressed Powder

Phyto Touches de Sisley Sun Glow Pressed Powder in Golden Peach (Peach-Gold Duo at $105), used by Alex Colaianni during my Sisley makeover at Neiman Marcus in June, has become a favorite combo blusher/bronzer.

Fair skin? This duo will help you achieve a sun-free, golden complexion year round! It's traditional advice that those with fair skin should go easy on bronzer and consider peach-toned blushers for a summer glow. Traditional bronzers can be too dark and make you look like you're wearing bronzer - not always natural. That must be what Sisley had in mind when they created the duo Sun Glow in Golden Peach - two perfect summer colors for fair skin: peach and gold. Sun Glow Pressed Powder is also available in a darker duo called Honey Cinnamon for those with medium and darker skin tones.

Alex taught me a few tricks using Sisley's Sun Glow Duo Brush ($40). You can purchase the kabuki-like brush (with a flat top) alone or in a set with the Sun Glow Pressed Powder for $120. That's the best buy if you can find it.

The Sun Glow duo of fine powders gives your skin a sun-kissed, radiant, peachy-golden glow with the look of a natural, velvety tan. There's no shimmer in this one, as you can see from my arm photo. The photo, top to bottom, shows the colors mixed (a bit heavily to show you the shade), the light color alone, and the darker color alone (the latter two applied with a lighter hand).

Alex dabbed the flat top of the brush on both shades and used it to contour my cheekbones, extending the subtle color down the far edge of my face down to my jaw on either side. Then he used the side of the brush to show me how to do a quick eye-enhancing look without shadow (for days in a hurry, he said). He applied the Sun Glow and lightly swept it on a diagonal line (using short strokes) from right above my eye to the corner of my brow. Amazing! It was very flattering. I've replicated the look many times since then.

Non-comedogenic and suitable for all skin types and complexions, Sun Glow is formulated with camellia, hawthorn, and calendula extracts for softness and comfort. Sisley's cosmetics always include treatment ingredients in them - one of the reasons I love them. Phyto-Touches compact powder is virtually intangible once applied; it glides onto the skin very naturally for a velvety, tanned look. The powder is a great "tool" for defining and/or highlighting key areas of the face, wherever you want to use it. The directions that come with it say to sweep the paler tone across the middle of the face and use the darker tone to highlight any area illuminated by the sun (tip of the nose, arc of eyebrow, cheekbones, forehead, chin, and even ear lobes). Other suggestions are to use the powder to blend "problem areas," refine strong jawbones, or reduce the appearance of a broad forehead. Of course, there's your body too! There should be no limit to your imagination - or experiments!

You can purchase Sun Glow Pressed Powder at Neiman Marcus, Saks, and select Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom stores.

Product photos courtesy of Saks and Bloomingdale's