Review: Revlon PhotoReady Bronzer in Bronzed & Chic (+ Comparison to Guerlain Terracotta 4 Seasons)

This bronzer was released as part of the Summer 2012 Escapism collection by Gucci Westman, and I'm not sure if it was limited edition. Some sources say it is, while others don't, and I don't recall if I have seen it in stores lately, and that may even vary by location! In any event, I still want to share my thoughts on this bronzer, and hopefully provide you some information in case you can still purchase it! The cute pattern in the powder is what initially caught my eye when this first came out. Then, the thought of a matte drugstore bronzer with multiple shades just drew me in. I had to get it, and I'm sorry I didn't share it with you guys sooner!

revlon photoready bronzer review
revlon photoready bronzer close up

The packaging is a typical plastic one, and the size is quite rectangular to accomodate a brush and a small mirror. I could do without some of these features, but I can see how it could be handy for on the go application for those of you who do reapply, etc.The powder itself does have a nice texture - no complaints there. It is not as long-wearing as my experience with some high end bronzers, but it does last around 7-8 hours on me. I also think this may be good for fair skin - here's a shot of the two darker shades blended together on me -

This bronzer does seem to have some red in it, which was unexpected for me but not bad on my complexion. You will see what I mean when you see the swatches - they definitely have a red tone to them, in comparison to my Guerlain Terracotta 4 Seasons Bronzer in Brunettes. I did find it a bit harder to blend than some of my other bronzers, which to me just means a few extra blending motions than I would normally use.

I also realized that I didn't include a swatch of all the shades blended together! Eeek! If you are interested in seeing those, please let me know and I can update the post. (I do plan to eventually, but if you are interested I can definitely update sooner rather than later!)

So how does it compare to one of my favorite bronzers, Guerlain Terracotta 4 Seasons in Brunettes?

revlon & guerlain bronzer comparison

 In the pan, these shades definitely look quite similar, but once you swatch them, there are noticeable differences!

revlon vs guerlain bronzer swatches

Revlon's bronzer is noticeably more red in comparison to Guerlain. This may not work for you, but I imagine that Revlon's bronzer is probably more blush-like on a variety of skin tones, and might even be more wearable for those afraid of too orangey bronzer? (Do let me know if you have thoughts around this!) Guerlain's looks a bit more orange-y here, but it really does bring a warmth to my skin that is quite lovely. While my Guerlain bronzer is the darker shade option, this Revlon bronzer clearly encompasses a wider range of fair to medium tones. Overall, I think this bronzer is a great affordable matte bronzer, which is so hard to find these days! Guerlain bronzers will always have a special place in my makeup collection, but I think this is an amazing alternative!

Again, I'm sorry my photos are inconsistent - I took these over the last month or so on a few separate occasions from my hotel room. It has been a bit tricky to work with the sun and figure out the best times to photograph!

I'd love to hear what you think about these bronzers! Have you tried either one, and if so how do you think they compare? Do you have a bronzer favorite you'd like to share? :)