Friday, December 16, 2011

Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Bronzer: Then and Now

Edward's been tinkering with Ultra Luminous Bronzer ($45)! The change is ever so slight, but there is a subtle difference between the two shades from their earlier incarnation and the new shades. My photo shows Daydream, the best shade for me, before (in the round compact) and now (rectangular compact). The new Ultra Luminous Bronzers come with a brush, which can be handy on the go.

My photos were taken with an overcast sky, so they aren't as bright as I'd like. What I perceive - no matter how the shades appear in the pan - is that the new Daydream is a tiny bit lighter and more golden on my skin. I checked with Susan at Bergdorf Goodman, and she confirmed that the newer shades in both Daydream and Desert Sun are more golden than their predecessors. She said the tilt toward a more golden hue made the bronzers more flattering to everyone.

I took a few photos to attempt to show you the differences. I applied old Daydream at the top of my arm with a sponge-tipped applicator. Then I applied old Daydream with Edward's Luxury Face Brush. Underneath the old swatches, I repeated with the new Daydream applied the same way. I would love to have taken full-sun photos, but I had to settle for what I could get this week.

I tried to apply the same amount of product in "like swatches." I think the very subtle difference in hues can be seen most easily in my stripe swatches. Can you see that the lower one (new Daydream) is slightly lighter than the top one (new Daydream)? That wasn't the result of my application technique. I think the differences are harder to see in the larger swatches - and in person. Can you see them - or do you think I'm smoking something?

Does the introduction of new versions of Daydream and Desert Sun mean that all Edward Bess fans need to rush to purchase a new bronzer like I did? I don't think so. If you are content with your Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Bronzer, why not wait until you run low on your old shade to purchase the new version? However, if you found the older one to be just a little "off" in color on your skin, you might want to invest in a new one.

If you don't own Ultra Luminous Bronzer, you are in for a treat. It truly captures the glow of skin bathed in warm sunlight. The ultra-fine powder delivers sheer, luminous color for an extremely natural look. I love the soft, subtle powder for sculpting and contouring. Daydream is one of the best bronzers I own - in either version.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty

17 comments:

Eileen said...

Daydream has become such a classic that you'd expect any tinkering to be very subtle, right? Looking at your swatches, though, I can definitely see a difference between the old and new versions. When it comes time to replace my Daydream (I've hit pan!), I'll have to take a look at it at the counter. Hopefully, the tweaking accomplished it's goal of making it more flattering without altering its overall effect because Daydream is one of the best and most natural looking bronzers on the market.

Charlestongirl said...

Hi Eileen,

Totally agree...Daydream is a daydream.

Anonymous said...

I assume they're discontinuing the old version? Thanks for the heads up! They also changed the packaging of their lipsticks and glosses. I like the older packaging better, unfortunately. It just looks more sleek and it saves space in my dresser drawer. Most of their new packaging looks bulky, and feels a little less substantial. But I suppose it's the product itself that counts... hopefully the quality is still excellent! I love my EB bronzer, eyeshadows and lipsticks.

Charlestongirl said...

Hi Anonymous, the newest bronzer does take up more space. I think you'll love it, though. The quality is just as magnificent!

Mamavalveeta03 said...

I'm going to treat myself to something by edward bess, but I have yet to decide what it should be. Eyeshadow? Lipstick? Gloss? Any ideas about your favorite thing(s)?
valhoff 3 at yahoo dot com

dempss01 said...

I can't wait to try the EB Bronzer. I love all the EB purchases I've made so far, and I think this would be a welcome addition to my collection :)

Charlestongirl said...

Gosh, MamaVal, try anything! The whole line is amazing. I'd start with the lighter eye shadow shades, blush, bronzer. You can't go wrong with anything by Edward Bess.

Charlestongirl said...

Hi dempss01!

This bronzer has earned its stupendous reputation. :)

Swathi Narumanchi said...

I always wanted to order EB and RBR from Zuneta but never got around to it. I should this month !!!

On another different note, I just bought te Dior Holiday palette , the brown eyeshadow palette with the brown eyeliner. The shades are fantastic !

Charlestongirl said...

Oooh, Swathi, head over to Zuneta to play! It's such a fun site.

Anonymous said...

When I saw the new version of Daydream at BG a few weeks ago, I immediately bought one of the last of the old compacts, Since I'm almost hitting pan, which I never do. I'm so "change adverse" on products that I use everyday.

Now, I'll have to wait until summer to try the new version or just give in and try this one now :)

Beth

Charlestongirl said...

Too funny, Beth. I know exactly what you mean. I often resist change.

If you just got a new one, use it up! They aren't THAT different on my skin. Then again, they might be for others. That's why I wanted to see for myself. :)

debbick1 said...

So excited to see this review. I'll be in NY and have this bronzer on my list to check out. Thanks!

Charlestongirl said...

Yea, Debbick! Have fun! Edward's bronzer is deserving of the love.

Julia said...

Noooo!!! Why do they have to change such a beloved product? Not only do I see a shade difference, but they've made the packaging much larger/bulkier in order to accommodate a brush most of us won't use. Boo :(

Gail said...

Do you know if they changed the ingredients as well?

der bildverlust said...

did he got rid of parabens in the new daydream?...