Lise Watier Sun Destination Summer 2013 - Sun Bronzing Powder, Sensationelle Dry Oil and Illuminating Bronzing Gel

I'm continuing in my mission to Pretend It's Summer, Dammit. I've been testing out some of the items from the Lise Watier Sun Destination Collection, which I received last week, and let me tell you, nothing lulls you into a blissful estival dream like sun-shaped bronzers, shimmery lotions and white-floral scented oils.

I love using a dry oil spray in the summer, as a lotion or cream can sometimes feel too sticky or uncomfortable on overheated skin. A dry oil feels lighter, and if the combination of oils used is well balanced, it will be both nourishing and protective.

The Sensationelle Dry Oil contains: Sweet Almond, Baobab, Argan, Cotton, Plum and Abyssinian oils. The first three especially are highly beneficial oils, and as a whole I found that this absorbed into the skin nicely, leaving behind a satiny finish that should look amazing on tanned skin, especially in the evening. The key for me is to apply on damp skin, massaging in to allow the water to emulsify with the oils. This allows the oils to work into the skin better, while "trapping" the hydration of the water within the surface of the skin.

This is recommended for the body, face and hair, and I have used it on my hair with nice results - a teeny bit on the ends of damp hair lends a lovely shine and controls the summer flyways. As with any oil product, don't over-apply or you'll have pond-water hair. I can't vouch for it for facial care, as I tend to break-out when I use argan oil or sweet almond oil on my face.

Sensationelle has a gorgeous, white-floral scent reminiscent of Tiaré blossoms. I was sure it contained Monoi oil, but it doesn't, so it must be an added perfume. Regardless, it's lush and tropical, yet still a bit breezy. Very appropriate. (Though if you do have sensitive skin, I would also be wary of using this on your face. Scented products tend to be more problematic in facial care.)

I wan't expecting to like the Illuminating Bronzing Gel as much as I do. When I first squeezed out a dollop, I had a big "Oh HELL no" moment, in fact. This came out looking opaque an waaayyyy too shimmery. I was picturing ABBA-esque 70s Glam cheekbones. Which is a look. Just not MY look.

Then I took the tiniest little drop and buffed it lightly over my cheekbones, and lo and behold, I was disco-free. Applied judiciously, the effect is a subtle, peachy-gold shimmer that should look especially beautiful on medium and olive skin, but is not at all overwhelming on lighter skin tones like mine.

If you're feeling especially wary, it can be mixed with a bit of foundation or moisturizer to diffuse the glow further. A little does go along way, so I can see a tube of this lasting for a while,even if you were to use it more liberally on areas like your collarbone or down your shins for some extra glow. (For extra Golden Goddess points, it can be mixed with the dry oil in the palm of your hand and applied all over.)

Pea-sized drop, spread out slightly.

Tiny drop, buffed out with a eyeshadow blending brush.

And then there's the Sun Bronzing Powder. Bronzers is something Lise Watier tends to do very well, and this is no exception. The packaging is simple and elegant, and the stylized sun design is pretty, though stunning in the way of Guerlain bronzers. As far as I can tell, the inner gold portion goes all the way down, and is not a gilded overspray.

The powder is soft, nicely pigmented, and easy to blend out on the skin. The inner gold portion is quite metallic, so I would be careful about using that by itself, but it has really nice payoff, and can easily be used as part of an eye look. 

The darker outer outer portion is a slightly reddish-toned bronze. It does have some shimmer, but buffed into the skin it reads more sheeny. I would personally use it lightly over the cheek, chin and forehead for a glowy, tanned effect rather than trying to use it as a contour.

The two shades blended together make for a light golden shimmer that is more yellow-toned and obvious on the skin than the shimmer from the Illuminating Bronzing Gel. It's something I would personally reserve for the evening, because the effect is more dramatic (and less flattering to my 35-year-old skin in the harsh light of day), but I love the combo dusted on the cheekbones, with a bit of the darker shade blended over the cheeks instead of blush. It's best paired with stiletto sandals and a long summer night.

Top: Interior portion of the bronzer.
Bottom: Exterior portion.

Both sections blended together and applied with a fluffy brush.

Availability: Currently at most Lise Watier counters, including those at The Bay and SDM/Pharmaprix. The Dry Oil is 42$, the Illuminating Bronzing Gel is 30$ and the Sun Bronzing Powder is 39$. All prices are CAD. The Lise Watier website does ship to the US, but this collection doesn't seem to be up just yet. The collection is limited until the end of July.

Pros: All the items have multiple uses - the oil can be used on the body, face and hair, and can be mixed with the gel to create a body glow. The gel can be used as is or mixed with foundation or moisturizer, applied lightly to highlight the face or more strongly to accent points on the body. The bronzer can be used as a bronzer and to highlight the cheekbones, or can be used as part of an eye look. The textures of all the products are lovely, and both the gel and the powder blend out on the skin without any problems, and can be used to surprisingly subtle effect.

Cons: As always, scent preferences are personal, so the white-floral fragrance of the oil may not appeal. If you're acne-prone, I would recommend testing the oil before applying it to your face. The shimmer in the bronzer makes it trickier to wear in the daytime.

(These items were provided by the brand, to be considered for review. This post is not sponsored or compensated.)