I have mentioned this bronzing powder before but I’ve never written a dedicated review on it. It’s now or never, since this seems to be getting discontinued and is available on very few retailers, typically at a clearance price. Bittersweet, since you can get it cheap now, but never again.
The 01 Première Saison shade is a very light golden brown, with strong yellow undertones.
Texture and application: this bronzer is what’s called a powder gelée formula: it’s dense, smooth to the touch, and firmly pressed without being dry. It will never be powdery (although the Givenchy Healthy Glow powders feel closer to traditional powders than your typical powder gelée formula). It’s best applied with a dense brush and a heavier hand, a flimsier brush will not be able to pick up enough product. As expected with a powder gelée, this applies and blends out like a dream.
Pigmentation and finish: pigmentation is medium, and it has a sheerness quality to it, but it is buildable. The shine is, again, typical for a powder gelée: very soft, natural looking, but luminous, like part of a very healthy looking skin. And the more I blend it in, the more the powder becomes one with the skin.
Longevity: not its strong suit, I did noticed it already had faded quite a bit by the 8 hour mark (I set my face with powder, but no setting spray). After 10 hours it faded more, and started to look uneven.
Packaging and other info: the packaging is quite compact and light for something that holds 10 grams of product. It does not feel super luxury but it’s not flimsy either, and there is a mirror inside. It’s actually a great one to travel with. Price was 49,50€, but my guess is you can find it for much cheaper on the few retailers that still sell it (although boots.com is currently selling it at full price).
Final thoughts: a lovely product. If it wasn’t for the fact that I have never finished up a bronzer in my life, I would buy a backup. It is so easy to apply and looks wonderful on the skin. I hope that whatever they are planning to replace this with meets these high standards.
