Brush on Block Touch of Tan vs. Translucent
Have you found yourself wondering, “what is the difference between Brush On Block mineral powder sunscreen in Translucent and Touch of Tan?” Have you ever thought that maybe your skin is on the deeper side and so Touch of Tan might be the best choice for you? Let’s talk about the two shades and how to pick the one you will like best.
Translucent was the original Brush On Block SPF 30 Mineral Powder Sunscreen shade, and it was designed to work for almost every skin tone, from lightest to darkest. It goes on almost invisible on most skin, although darker skins may notice that it looks light and matte at first. If this is you, be patient. After a few minutes, the oils in your skin come to the surface and combine with the powder, taking away the powdery look and making it look like your skin. After years of trying the Translucent on a rainbow of skin tones, we can honestly say, this shade works for just about everyone.
Touch of Tan was born from customer requests. People asked us for a bronzer with sunscreen. There are several complications with that … first, bronzers usually come in different colors for different skin tones. Second, people rarely reapply bronzer in the middle of the day, because the color builds up. Third, bronzers are generally not applied to the entire face, but rather tops of cheekbones, forehead and jawline. Just a reminder—your whole face needs sun protection, not just those areas, and it needs to be reapplied.
After giving the request some thought, founder Andrea Wetsel decided that the best way to overcome those complications was to create a shade of Brush On Block that would give just a hint of warmth, making it something that can be worn all over the face, neck, arms and hands; and also be reapplied without making skin look unnaturally “tanned.”
The only issue that couldn’t really be overcome was making it work for all skin tones. Because of this, we recommend Touch of Tan for the “medium” range of skin, from about a Fitzpatrick Type 2 to a Fitzpatrick 4, or maybe even 5, depending on the skin’s undertone. Touch of Tan is warm-toned, so on the Fitzpatrick Type 5, it will look nice on a warm undertone, but may look “off” on a cool undertone. A Fitzpatrick Type 1 can often use Touch of Tan once, but reapplication during the day can build up too much color to look natural, so consider using Touch of Tan in the morning as your finishing touch, and then using Translucent for reapplication.
The most important thing to remember about Touch of Tan is that it is not an actual bronzer, but just gives the skin that overall healthy glow, as if you have been out in the sun. It is perfect when you have been very good about protecting your skin from the sun, but still want a little bit of color. In the fall, it is ideal for extending your summer glow so that you don’t look pale and washed out as the seasons change.
