Nothing spells healthy quite like glowing bronze skin and if you’re the type to avoid the sun (Skin cancer! Premature aging!) but want to emulate that healthy sun-kissed glow, your best bet is to reach for some bronzing powder. At its core, a bronzer’s purpose is to add warmth and a glow to your skin, masking any uneven skin tone and blemishes. But bronzers these days have evolved beyond that! They can even give you that sculpted cheekbone look as if you just got cheek fillers. In addition, your bronzer could enhance your jawline and define your collarbones. It’s all about playing with light and shade to get the best version of you.
How To Pick Your Perfect Shade
When deciding on a bronzer, there are a few things to consider. You need to choose one that matches your skin tone. It’s always best to opt for a shade or two darker than your original skin tone.
Light skin tones will look best with a neutral bronzer while darker skin tones will be best accentuated by bronzers that have a golden hue.
As with lipstick, there are different types of bronzers out there, from creamy to matt to shimmery, but don’t worry, we’ll be covering the spectrum and bringing you the best bronzers to add to your look.
The gold standard when it comes to bronzers, Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Bronzer has received glowing reviews from makeup artists, beauty editors and celebs alike. This matte, silky powder wonder has a formula so finely milled that it blends seamlessly into your skin, leaving no trace of chalkiness or white With the added ingredient of hyaluronic acid for a flawless finish, this product has been love at first swipe for those chasing a healthy glow.
Combines skincare with power of makeup
Refillable
Not drying on the skin
None
Very pigmented colours
Bigger bronze slot
Name a better duo than this cool-toned matte bronzing powder from the Queen of Cheekbones herself, Victoria Beckham. Housed in a chic, compact tortoiseshell case, this super fine and seamless Bronzing Brick adds a sun-kissed look to your skin. We love the cool tone powder for definition and the warmer shade for sculpting. Either way, you won’t have to use a beauty filter when this bronzer gives you that soft-focus matte finish in real life!
Safe for sensitive skin
Long lasting coverage
Limited skin tone range
Comes in small size
Bring out the best of your cheekbones with this light-as-air, non-greasy cream bronzer that melts like butter into your skin. If natural is the look you’re aiming for, the Fenty Bronzer allows you to achieve that. With 7 shades available, you can build up your look and go darker or keep it light and simple but either way, you’ll find something for all skin tones here. The formula is touted to be sweat-resistant and buildable so glowing, fresh from a vacation look is just a few taps away.
Easiest cream bronzer to apply
Wide range of shades for all skin tones
Coverage is sheer but buildable
Cream bronzers expire faster than their powder counterparts
Pricey
BeautyTok (beauty section of TikTok) has been raving about Undone Beauty’s Water Bronzer and we can definitely see why. This ultra-blendable, water-based bronzing stick format makes it super easy to be in control of how much colour you apply, reducing the risk of over-streaking or over-lining. The innovative water-based technology makes the effect look perfect on bare skin for that no makeup or low-key makeup look you can wear daily. At only $10, this is a beauty steal that won’t break the bank!
Innovative water based technology
Easy to apply applicator
Formulated with coconut water for added glow
Small size
Maintain that summer look throughout the year with this revolutionary weightless cream bronzer. This versatile product adds multidimensional colour and gives you that snatched, sculpted look without looking too overdone. Non-greasy, their long-lasting formula will have you looking fresh without having to keep reapplying your makeup every few hours. Available in 7 buildable shades, this luxe cream bronzer can take you from soft to sculpted in a matter of minutes.
Pigmented colours
Difficult to blend
Fades after a few hours
Glossier was a runaway success the moment they launched their base beauty products and the fans have expected nothing less from them when they announced a Glossier bronzer was on the menu. Solar Paint does not disappoint. Using light reflecting pearls, this cream bronzer blesses your skin with the radiance of a day spent outdoors in the summer. The gel crème is pigment rich so you don’t have to apply multiple swipes to achieve a darker look. And with their Desert Milk™ infusion, (a micro-emulsion of plant oils and extracts like Jojoba and Aloe) your skin will be conditioned and nourish while looking perfect.
Doe foot applicator
Heavily pigmented
Combines skincare with makeup
Limited shade range
This convenient dual-ended cream highlighter stick helps you effortlessly achieve a soft matte no-makeup makeup look. Glide the highlighter end over your cheekbones, jawline, eyes and lips and once done, start blending with the high-quality build in brush on the other end to give you that fool-proof, sleek, finished look. We’re not surprised this multitasking beauty tool won a Best of Beauty Award.
Built-in blending brush
Easy to use
Winner of a Best of Beauty award
Can fade or separate after a few hours of wear
No bronzer works harder to give you that silky, shimmery glow quite like GloWish by Huda Beauty. A perfect mix of shimmering and matte powders, this radiance boosting bronzer will help you get that one swipe airbrushed look that will bur our pores and imperfections. Damascus Rose Oil ensures that this product is non-drying and locks in moisture.
Silky lightweight texture
Made with nourishing ingredients
Has powerful antioxidants and Vitamin C
None
Liquid bronzers don’t get a ton of love because of their reputation of being messy and hard to apply. But don’t let that notoriety make you miss out on BareMinerals Bare Pro Glow Bronzer. This super durable bronzer has been known to last for up to 16 hours and provides a beautiful shimmering effect on skin due to the light-reflecting mineral beads they contain, blurring the visility of pores, fine lines and access oil from the surface of the skin. Best of all, it’s suitable for all skin types and gives you an enviable glow.
Seamless and crease free
Suitable for all skin types
Liquid form which not everyone likes
A bronzer that sells out faster than it can be restocked? We just had to add Milk Makeup’s Matte Bronzer to the list. This stick cream bronzer is easy to apply and so blendable you can’t go wrong even if you’re a bronzer newbie! Matte products might be known for not gliding onto the skin as easily but the mango butter and apricot oil ingredients sure cancel out that problem
Easy to apply
Cruelty free
Can look muddy after a few hours
Pricey
This luxe, velvety bronzer is a staple amongst beauty editors and influencers in the know. The luxurious formula has a whipped gel-cream feel but still remains lightweight and easy-to-blend. The price might give some pause to some but the generous sized jar and blurring effect of it’s light-reflecting pigments make this bronzer worth the splurge. Use a kabuki brush for that effortless glide on.
Generous sized jar
Longwear formula
Buildable without getting cakey
Expensive
This 4-in-1 palette is for those who like to mix things up a little. Get creative and build a custom highlight for yourself by mixing these ultra pigmented shades and colours to your liking to create a glowy yet sculpted look. Unlike a cream based blush, this powder blush gives off a natural matte finish that stays in place throughout the day, minimal touch ups required. Great for contouring, shading, sculpting, and highlighting.
Has two shimmery shades and 2 matte shades
Works well as contour and bronzing
Comes with a huge size mirror
Both matte shades are cool toned
Takes time for visible result
With so many incredible bronzers on the market, the bronzer you choose will depend on your texture preferences, budget and skin tone concerns. Go forth, experiment with your look and most importantly have fun!
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