My mom is what you would call a beauty product hoarder. She has approximately 100 lipglosses and 50 foundations, and don’t even get me started on her eyeshadow collection. That said, it’s not uncommon for her to give me a beauty recommendation. She’s turned me onto dark circle erasing concealers, smoothing primers, and even eyeliners. But we rarely agree on bronzers—until Sarah Creal’s Just Like Paradise Cream Bronzer made its way into our routines.
Here’s the deal: I struggle to find a formula that flatters my skin tone. I’m incredibly pale and insanely cool-toned, so most bronzers end up making me look tired, sunken, and ruddy (not the vibe). Mindy, on the other hand, is what I would call a stickler for texture. “I used to love powders, but when my skin got older, it also became drier,” she tells me. “I had to switch everything over to a cream base—otherwise it won’t blend out on my skin.”
But Sarah Creal, a brand designed specifically for women over 40, managed to create a bronzer that solves every makeup concern—regardless of age. Available today and retailing for $50, the matte, cream bronzer prides itself on being mistake-proof, easy to blend, and incredibly hydrating. The secret sauce, so to say, is a trio of deeply moisturizing ingredients.
Click open the easy-to-unlock orange container, and you’ll find a compact filled with okra extract, which assists with moisture retention, mushroom extract, which boosts elasticity, and a proprietary Skinlastic peptide complex, which makes skin strong and resilient.
I found that the best technique was to apply the product with my brush in just a few swirls, followed by circular, upward circle motions along my cheekbones, bridge of my nose, and forehead. The formula left no harsh lines whatsoever, and shade 1 (a light, golden bronze) left me looking like I had a mid-summer tan. The best part? There was no oxidation.
Mindy, for her part, gives it a “double thumbs up,” primarily because of the blendability. “It really goes on so smoothly. I can’t get over it. It’s very workable, and while I thought the colors looked really cool-toned in the jar, they’re actually pretty neutral. It’s definitely going in my daily rotation.”
If you, too, want to see what the Sarah Creal hype is about, shop ahead.
