The Secret to Glowing All Year
Let me tell you something I’ve learned over the years: you don’t need a tropical vacation to glow. Don’t get me wrong - I’ll never say no to sunshine and sand - but if we’re being honest, most of us are navigating real life with kids, deadlines, weather that doesn’t care about our skin, and mornings that start too early and end too late.
And yet, people ask me all the time, “Sharon, how do you keep that golden, lit-from-within look even in the middle of winter?”
So, I figured it’s time to spill the bronzed beans. These are my not-so-secret secrets to keeping your skin radiant, your vibe warm, and your confidence turned up - no matter what the season.
1. Start With the Skin, Not the Makeup
Here’s the truth: makeup can’t fake healthy skin. And as someone who built Bronzer.ca around the power of glow, I’ll be the first to say that it all starts with skincare.
I keep things simple. In the morning, I rinse with warm water, pat on a gentle vitamin C serum, follow with a lightweight moisturizer, and always - always - finish with SPF. Yes, even when it’s snowing.
At night, I cleanse thoroughly (don’t skip this), use a retinol a few times a week, and then lock in moisture with a barrier-repair cream. My skin thanks me every morning, and so does my bronzer - it goes on smoother when the canvas is soft and hydrated.
2. My Everyday Glow Formula: Cream > Powder
I used to swear by powder bronzers back in the day (shoutout to 2006), but once I discovered the magic of cream bronzers, I never looked back. Cream formulas melt into your skin like a second layer, and when you blend them with your fingers or a damp sponge? Girl. That glow is chef’s kiss.
Look for formulas that have skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid or plant-based oils. I use a peachy-bronze tone with a touch of warmth - nothing too orange, nothing too gray. I swipe it over my cheekbones, forehead, and just under the jawline. Not to change my face. Just to wake it up.
3. Fake a Vacation With This Trick
This is a little weird, but stay with me. If I’ve had a rough night (hello, insomnia, my old friend), I mix one drop of bronzing serum into my moisturizer. It gives me that "I just spent the weekend in the sun" vibe without having to lie.
Top it with a tinted balm and brushed-up brows, and I’m ready for the day - even if I’m just working from my kitchen table in fuzzy socks.
4. Hydrate Like It’s Your Job
You’ve heard this before, but I’m going to say it again: drink water. And then drink a little more.
I start every morning with warm lemon water. It sounds fancier than it is. Half a lemon, hot water, and a pinch of Himalayan salt. That’s it. It gets my digestion moving, flushes out puffiness, and gives my skin a fresh start. When I skip it, I feel it.
If you’re not a plain water person, try herbal teas or fruit-infused water. Hydrated skin is happy skin.
5. Glow From the Inside (This One’s Free)
No product, no serum, no bronzer in the world can beat the kind of glow that comes from feeling good in your own skin.
So do things that make you feel beautiful. Dance in your living room. Laugh loudly. Take a nap when you need one. Say no when you want to. Put on your favorite lip gloss, even if no one’s going to see it but your dog.
Your energy? It shows on your face.
Want More Glow in Your Life?
So if you’re looking for bronzer recommendations, skincare guides, or just someone to remind you that you’re already beautiful - you’re in the right place.
Here’s to glowing a little more, stressing a little less, and choosing warmth - in our skin and in our hearts.
You deserve to feel radiant.