Review: Maybelline City Bronzer - 200 Medium Cool

Bronzers and highlighters are probably one of those makeup products I can never have enough of. It's the two products I almost always use whenever I do makeup on myself. Bronzer gives my face dimension and color that makes me look alive. You'll know what I'm talking about, if you're on the pale spectrum as well. I have heard only great things of Maybelline City Bronzer and I finally decided to get a shade to see how it goes.

Packaging

It comes in a plastic packaging with metallic bronze rim and transparent lid so you see the product inside. It's one of those cheaper packaging which I hope won't break on me too soon.

In it is 8 grams of products and I got it for 7.88€ on Notino.


Formula

It's apparently a first bronzing and contouring product all in one from Maybelline. Its micro-milled powder contains whipped cocoa butter and should give you velvety matte finish

The formula is in fact quite buttery and it almost feels a tad creamy under the fingers, but not as much as Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer. Powder is definitely super fine and it applies evenly and blends out well. Pigmentation is good for a pretty light color.

It has a faint sort of cocoa coconut scent to it, but I can only detect it, if I smell it up close in the pan, it's definitely not as strongly scented as Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer. 


Colors

It am confused about the shades. On Maybelline site it says it's only available in three shades, but on Notino there are four. It seems like they've added second shades in each tone. I believe this bronzer became popular because of their pale and light shades which are so hard to find in drugstores. However, the range doesn't really cater to medium to dark skin tones.


I was contemplating on getting the lightest shade, but it looked too pale even for my skin tone, so I got 200 Medium Cool. It's a light yellow warm bronze shade which has a bit of that grey undertone that gives your skin some definition. Don't get me wrong, this is definitely warm toned, I don't understand the shade name, but it has just a hint of that grey tone to it.

This shade also contains tiny golden shimmer, but I am not sure, if other shades do as well. I don't really notice it on my skin as I am wearing it, it shows up more on the swatches and under direct sunlight. Finish is matte, but with a very slight sheen of the shimmer.


Comparison

Maybelline City Bronzer 200 Medium Cool - light yellow warm bronze with slight grey undertone and golden shimmer
Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer Bronzer - light warm bronze with grey undertone , it's darker than Maybelline and less yellow
Benefit Hoola Bronzer - light warm bronze with grey undertone, it's the most grey toned and most neutral in tone
The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder 01 Light Matte - light neutral to cool pink toned bronze shade, it's the palest and the most pinky coral toned



Performance

It applies well and blends with ease. Formula is long lasting and it stays on my face descently the whole day. I don't have any fading or patching problem with it. 


I almost have a feeling Maybelline was trying to recreate something in the line of Physicians Formula Butter bronzer and they made a good attempt. Formula is very smooth and applies nice, but it's not as creamy and buttery as the one from Physicians Formula. Based on swatches online I also noticed all shades have a very prominent yellow undertone, especially lighter ones which is good for all of us pale warm tones, but not so good for others. Shimmer is a bit bigger than I would like it in a bronzer, but it actually doesn't look obvious. Slight grey undertone gives your face just a hint of definition, although I wouldn't use this primarily as a contour, because it's too warm for that. All in all, I think the formula is really nice and if you find a shade that suits you, go for it. So far I am really liking it, mostly because of the warm tone, but a light enough shade for my skin tone. 

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