Marie Claire Marie Claire
  • Celebrity
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Culture
  • Power
  • Nice Talk
  • Fashion Month
  • More
    • Politics
    • Career Money
    • Health Fitness
    • Power Play
    • Travel
    • Promo Codes
    • Food Cocktails
    • About Us
    • Subscribe
    • Sex Love
  • Newsletter SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Marie Claire
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    Want to add more newsletters?

    Marie Claire Daily

    Delivered daily

    Marie Claire Daily

    Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Sent weekly on Saturday

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Exclusive access to expert shopping and styling advice from Nikki Ogunnaike, Marie Claire's editor-in-chief.

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Once a week

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Insider tips and recommendations for skin, hair, makeup, nails and more from Hannah Baxter, Marie Claire's beauty director.

    Livingetc

    Once a week

    Livingetc

    Your shortcut to the now and the next in contemporary home decoration, from designing a fashion-forward kitchen to decoding color schemes, and the latest interiors trends.

    Homes amp; Gardens

    Delivered Daily

    Homes Gardens

    The ultimate interior design resource from the world's leading experts - discover inspiring decorating ideas, color scheming know-how, garden inspiration and shopping expertise.


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • NYFW
    • Life In Plastic
    • Cari Champion
    • New Books
    • Postpartum Psychosis
    1. Beauty

    Sarah Creal’s Just Like Paradise Cream Bronzer Solves Complexion Concerns at Every Age

    Both my 56-year-old mom and I are equally obsessed.

    Samantha Holender#039;s avatar
    By Samantha Holender
    Published 5 April 2025 In News

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    mature skin testing sarah creal bronzer
    (Image credit: Sarah Creal)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    My mom is what you would call a beauty product hoarder. She has approximately 100 lipglosses and 50 foundations, and don’t even get me started on her eyeshadow collection. That said, it’s not uncommon for her to give me a beauty recommendation. She’s turned me onto dark circle erasing concealers, smoothing primers, and even eyeliners. But we rarely agree on bronzers—until Sarah Creal’s Just Like Paradise Cream Bronzer made its way into our routines.

    Here’s the deal: I struggle to find a formula that flatters my skin tone. I’m incredibly pale and insanely cool-toned, so most bronzers end up making me look tired, sunken, and ruddy (not the vibe). Mindy, on the other hand, is what I would call a stickler for texture. “I used to love powders, but when my skin got older, it also became drier,” she tells me. “I had to switch everything over to a cream base—otherwise it won’t blend out on my skin.”

    testing sarah creal bronzer

    (Image credit: Future)

    But Sarah Creal, a brand designed specifically for women over 40, managed to create a bronzer that solves every makeup concern—regardless of age. Available today and retailing for $50, the matte, cream bronzer prides itself on being mistake-proof, easy to blend, and incredibly hydrating. The secret sauce, so to say, is a trio of deeply moisturizing ingredients.

    Click open the easy-to-unlock orange container, and you’ll find a compact filled with okra extract, which assists with moisture retention, mushroom extract, which boosts elasticity, and a proprietary Skinlastic peptide complex, which makes skin strong and resilient.

    testing sarah creal bronzer

    (Image credit: Future)

    I found that the best technique was to apply the product with my brush in just a few swirls, followed by circular, upward circle motions along my cheekbones, bridge of my nose, and forehead. The formula left no harsh lines whatsoever, and shade 1 (a light, golden bronze) left me looking like I had a mid-summer tan. The best part? There was no oxidation.

    You may like
    • mature woman taking a selfie on a sparkly orange background with two cc creams next to her At 56, I’ve Finally Discovered a Foolproof Complexion Product for Mature Skin
    • A woman in a black top with her hair pulled back looking at the camera to show her bronzed skin. She is next to a bottle of bronzing water called Tea to Tan from By Terry. I Gave This TikTok-Viral Bronzing Mist a Try to See If It's Actually Worth the Hype
    • a dark brown background with portraits of two white women wearing bronzer next to two palettes with bronzer, one in blue and one in white My Beauty Editor Hack to Looking Sun-Kissed All Year Involves Zero Self-Tanner

    Mindy, for her part, gives it a “double thumbs up,” primarily because of the blendability. “It really goes on so smoothly. I can’t get over it. It’s very workable, and while I thought the colors looked really cool-toned in the jar, they’re actually pretty neutral. It’s definitely going in my daily rotation.”

    If you, too, want to see what the Sarah Creal hype is about, shop ahead.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    Just Like Paradise 12h Peptide Sculpting Cream Bronzer

    Sarah Creal
    Just Like Paradise 12h Peptide Sculpting Cream Bronzer
    $50
    $50 AT SEPHORA

    The Adults Are Talking Solid Serum Lip Repair Balm

    Sarah Creal
    The Adults Are Talking Solid Serum Lip Repair Balm
    $42
    $42 AT SEPHORA

    Back of the Cab Volumizing amp;amp; Tubing Mascara

    Sarah Creal
    Back of the Cab Volumizing Tubing Mascara
    $40
    SHOP NOW

    Lip Grip Peptide Priming Treatment

    Sarah Creal
    Lip Grip Peptide Priming Treatment
    $36
    SHOP NOW

    Samantha Holender
    Samantha Holender
    Social Links Navigation
    Senior Beauty Editor

    Samantha Holender is the Senior Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she reports on the best new launches, dives into the science behind skincare, and shares the breakdown on the latest and greatest trends in the beauty space. She's studied up on every ingredient you'll find on INCI list and is constantly in search of the world's glowiest makeup products. She's constantly tracking the biggest nail and hair trends to pop up in the beauty space, going backstage during fashion weeks, tracking celebrity looks, and constantly talking to celebrity hair stylists, nail artists, and makeup artists. Prior to joining the team, she worked as Us Weekly’s Beauty and Style Editor, where she stayed on the pulse of pop culture and broke down celebrity beauty routines, hair transformations, and red carpet looks. Her words have also appeared on Popsugar, Makeup.com, Skincare.com, Delish.com, and Philadelphia Wedding. Samantha also serves as a board member for the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME). She first joined the organization in 2018, when she worked as an editorial intern at Food Network Magazine and Pioneer Woman Magazine. Samantha has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs. While at GWU, she was a founding member of the school’s HerCampus chapter and served as its President for four years. When she’s not deep in the beauty closet or swatching eyeshadows, you can find her obsessing over Real Housewives and all things Bravo. Keep up with her on Instagram @samholender.

    Read more
    purple background with models wearing blush and the milk makeup cheek and lip cream blush stick
    Makeup I Can’t Stop Wearing the Blurred Blush Trend Milk Makeup’s newest drop makes it easy.
    By Samantha Holender
    a girl with a blue shirt and brown hair with cream blush swatches next to cream blushes
    Makeup I’ve Worn the Same YSL Lip Shade for Two Years—Now It's My Go-To Blush Came for the color, stayed for the formula.
    By Siena Gagliano
     
     
    red background with dr diamond metacine products in cream packaging with red writing
    Skincare PSA: You Can Reverse Your Lip Age—Without Filler Volume loss and lip lines have officially met their match.
    By Samantha Holender
    two girls wearing brown lipstick on a yellow background next to brown lipstick on chocolates
    Makeup My Fair Skin and I Are Finally Getting on Board the Brown Lipstick Trend for Fall Violette_FR's new Chocolat Bisou Balm is the most flattering shade.
    By Samantha Holender
     
     
    Latest in Beauty
    mariska hargitay collage from the emmys
    Beauty Mariska Hargitay and I Just Debriefed on the Emmys Over FaceTime
    a woman outside with long blonde wavy hair next to yellow sunflowers and a bunch of skincare products
    Skincare I Won’t Gatekeep—5 Incredible Skincare Brands You’ve Never Heard Of
     
     
    two women with blow buns and low ponytails on a liquid golden background
    Hair The Reign of the Slick Back Bun Is Over
    a white woman in a gold dress with dark brown hair
    Nails Selena Gomez's 2026 Emmys Manicure Is All About a "Frosted Sunset" Finish
     
     
    Latest in News
    A split image of Zizi Strallen in costume as Mary Poppins and Princess Kate and Princess Charlotte with their heads together at the Commonwealth Games
    Royals Princess Charlotte Had a Special Backstage Experience Orchestrated by Mom Kate
    collage of New York Fashion Week guests and celebrities wearing the statement skirt trend
    Fall fashion New York Fashion Week's Easiest Outfit Formula Starts With a Statement Skirt
     
     
    Prince Harry looks at Prince William on the Buckingham Palace balcony as both wear military uniforms
    Royals Prince William's Stance on Prince Harry Has Changed to a "Cold War"
    collage of the best celebrity looks at the 2026 Toronto Film Festival
    Celebrity Style TIFF 2026's Best-Dressed Stars Are Bringing Their Fashion A-Game to Toronto
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Marie Claire
    RSS
    • About us
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Advertise Online
    • Newsletter
    • Terms and conditions
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • Careers
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.