Beauty fix: It’s bronzer season again, but it always makes me look more grimy than golden. What can I do?

A bit like putting away the woollens until winter, getting out the bronzer gives that sense of a seasonal switch. Bronzer is a cosmetic quick fix we all love, but choose the wrong shade, overdo it or fail to blend and you’ve got a mucky look.

“You’re trying to mimic a sun-kissed look,” says Una Tynan, co-founder of Lisa & Co cosmetics. “If you have cooler undertones, look for something with a hint of taupe. Warmer tones shine in golden shades. And if you’re not sure, it’s best to go for a neutral, beige shade, and build gradually.”

However, even if you are never sun-kissed, and only burn, there’s a bronzer for you.

​How do I choose a bronzer shade for my skin tone?

“If it’s looking muddy, orange or patchy,” says Tynan, “chances are it’s either the wrong undertone or being applied too heavily.”

A fair skin with cool undertones should steer clear of any golden hues, which will look orange on them. Beige is the pale person’s bronzer friend.

Medium-toned skin can make friends with most bronzers, and mocha mousse — Pantone’s colour of the year, a mellow coffee colour — could work beautifully.

Dark skin tones look best with a shade that has plenty of brick red or orange, so the bronzer will pop, and they also do well with shimmer.

​Am I wearing bronzer only to look like I’ve a tan, or can I use it to contour?

“To look like you’ve just come back from a holiday,” says Tynan, “apply to cheeks, temples, the bridge of the nose, even a little on the chest.”

Don’t put bronzer all over your face, though this is tempting in the striving for sun-kissed. All-over bronzer is often behind that muddy look.

Always start from the perimeter of the face, because wherever your brush, bronzing stick or fingers hit first is where the most product will apply. If using a brush, go lightly rather than leaning it hard on to the skin, this way you’ll get a more blendable application.

If over-application is your downfall, tap off any excess powder before applying and put a cream or gel on the back of your hand first and then take it in small doses from there to your face.

If it’s sculpting you’re after, go for a cooler bronzer shade, no matter your skin tone.

“For sculpting, it’s more about in to the hollows of the cheeks, jawline, sides of the forehead. The beauty of bronzer is that it’s so adaptable — it can add warmth, define, or both.”

​Does how and where I wear bronzer change with age?

“It can,” Tynan says. “As our skin changes, we want products that move with it, not sit on top. Creams or finely milled powders tend to be more flattering as they blend seamlessly.

“Placement can also lift the face. As we get older, a good rule of thumb is keep everything upwards. Try applying the bronzer slightly higher on the cheekbones and keeping it soft.”

Tynan advises that cream bronzers work well on dehydrated or dryer skin, as they give a dewy glow and blend very well. Powders, on the other hand, last longer and stay put, particularly in the heat.”

One tip is to use both cream and powder. Cream will fuse with and sink in to the skin for a seamless effect, while powder locks in the colour and gives more emphasis. Blush on top is also crucial, as bronzer alone can look quite flat.

​And what about shimmer?

“A little glow can go a long way,” Tynan says. “In bronzer, it’s beautiful when it’s subtle. Think golden hour, but not glittery and it works best when applied to the high points of the face, but skip the places you’d contour.”

Blending is key with bronzer, she adds. It’s a tweak of your own skin tone, not an attempt at achieving someone else’s. Use a light hand and don’t go in too heavy with the first hit of product, thus making a muddy patch — you can always add more.

However, should you go too strong by mistake, Tynan suggests using a damp blender sponge to diffuse the bronzer, or a little translucent powder on top or around the edges to soften the effect.

​Lisa & Co Cosmetics Bronzer 01, €25, lisaandcocosmetics.com

This brand launched their bronzer earlier this year in a single shade best suited to fair to medium-fair skin types, thanks to its neutral, beige undertone. This makes it good for a tanned look or to use for contouring. A powder product, with moisturising jojoba oil and vitamin E, it blends to a velvety finish and can be built up to a deeper bronzed look.

​Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Bronzer Brush, €45, Brown Thomas Arnotts, charlottetilbury.com

This brush makes bronzing easy, thanks to densely packed bristles that excellently capture powder or cream-to-powder product without taking on too much. The bristles fan out slightly to a domed shape that is a little less dense and so silky-soft that product glides smoothly over the skin. No fear of muddy patches here and its small size makes it perfect for travel.

​Rimmel London Multitasker 3-in-1 Bronzer Stick, €15.99, Boots; available nationwide

This is a very easy-to-wear product, in that it delivers a sheer and glowy finish, though you can build up for a deeper effect. With light-reflective pigments for a bit of sheen, it comes in four shades — light, medium, tan and deep — all of which are on the warm side of sun-kissed.