There are countless ways to get your skin to glow. But if you’re looking for a beauty product to get you that enviable “I-just-got-back-from-a-fabulous-beach-vacay” warmth, there’s only one you should be turning to: bronzer.

“Bronzer is a product that is used to create warmth and radiance to the skin, which is similar to an authentic tan created by being in the sun,” Mac Cosmetics senior national artist Michelle Clark tells WWD.

Not to be confused with contour — which Clark says is meant to define and sculpt the face and has a cooler undertone and more matte finish — bronzer is meant to warm the skin and can have shimmer and iridescence to it. Celebrity makeup artist Jamie Dorman agrees, adding that bronzers tend to encompass warm browns and red browns in color and should be placed on skin where the sun would naturally hit.

Celebrity News

Autumnal Glam Was All the Rage at the Time 100 Next Gala

Celebrity News

Cara Delevingne Pulls Double Duty in New Romantic Glam

How you use bronzer is dependent on which type you opt for, but Clark says you’ll generally want to start slow and then build on color until you get the shade of tan you want, so you don’t overdo it. Regardless of what type of bronzer you choose, she says a good rule of thumb is to place product on the high points of the face — the forehead, cheek, and jaw – to create warmth.

How to apply bronzer

There are three main types of bronzer: powder, liquid, and cream. With powder bronzer, Clark says that you can use a variety of brushes to create different depths of bronzing. Something like a powder brush will give you more color, while a fan brush can add subtle warmth to your entire complexion. And you’ll want to work in round swirling motions to create the look of a sun-kissed tan. Powder bronzers also work best with oily skin, as she says that they won’t add extra shine.

Liquid bronzer can be used alone or mixed with other products. When used alone, Clark suggests placing it in dots on the high points of your face like the forehead, cheekbones, bridge of the nose and chin to create a more natural deep tone. She says you can mix it into your foundation to slightly deepen the shade and add radiance.

Cream bronzers are similar to liquid formulas, and you can use either your fingers or a soft bristle brush to buff out warmth all over. For dry or dehydrated skin, you’ll want to stick to either a liquid or cream bronzer, as those will be more hydrating and won’t accentuate dry patches.

How to find the best bronzer for your skin tone

When picking the right shade for your skin tone, Clark suggests going one or two shades darker than your natural skin tone to make it look most natural. “I recommend considering the way a person naturally tans,” Clark says. “People with medium to deeper complexions tan with a warmer more red undertone, so choosing a bronzer that has a bit more of that shade in it will look most natural.” Dorman adds that those with pink undertones should opt for a bronzer with redder undertones, and warm skin tones can opt for ones that are more yellow-toned.

There are so many bronzers out there, and it can be overwhelming to find one that works well for you. To help narrow it down, Clark and Dorman break down their picks of the best bronzers for every skin tone, budget and need. Read on to find your perfect match.

Top Bronzers of 2022

Best Bronzer for Dark Skin Tones: Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Powder Bronzer in Deep
Best Cream Bronzer: Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream in Soleil Tan de Chanel
Best Drugstore Bronzer: Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer Murumuru
Best Bronzer for Medium to Dark Skin tones: Nars Bronzing Powder In Laguna
Best Powder Bronzer : Westmore Beauty 3-In-1 Pore Mattifying Bronzer
Best Clean Bronzer: Ilia Nightlife Bronzing Powder
Best Bronzer for Fair Skin: Mac Cosmetics Bronzing Powder
Best Bronzer for Medium to Olive Skin Tones: Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Bronzer
Best Splurge Bronzer: Guerlain Terracotta Sun-kissed Natural Bronzer Powder
Best Liquid Bronzer: bareMinerals Barepro Glow Bronzer
Also Consider Bronzer for Dark Skin Tones: Sleek Face Form Bronzer In Daym
Also Consider Cream Bronzer: Fenty By Rihanna Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Bronzer
Also Consider Drugstore Bronzer: Wet N Wild Color Icon Bronzer
Also Consider Bronzer for Medium to Dark Skin: Mented Cosmetics Bronzer in Yacht Life
Also Consider Powder Bronzer: Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer
Also Consider Clean Bronzer: Tower28 Bronzino Illuminating Cream Bronzer
Also Consider Bronzer for Fair Skin: Urban Decay Beached Bronzer
Also Consider Bronzer for Medium to Olive Skin: Yves Saint Laurent Les Sahariennes Bronzing Stones
Also Consider Splurge Bronzer: Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Matte Bronzer
Also Consider Liquid Bronzer: Clinique Sun-Kissed Face Gelee Complexion Multitasker Bronzer

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Powder Bronzer in Deep

Best Bronzer for Dark Skin Tones

For deep skin tones, Clark suggests looking for bronzers with a red mahogany shade. She says these will warm up the richest skin tones and create an unbelievably gorgeous bronze. Her pick is Estee Lauder’s Bronze Goddess powder bronzer in Deep. It’s an oil-free powder that keeps skin shine-free, making it ideal for oily skin, and gives you that natural-looking glow.

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Powder Bronzer in Deep

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Powder Bronzer in Deep $45 Buy Now

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream in Soleil Tan de Chanel

Best Cream Bronzer

Dorman picks Chanel’s Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream in Soleil Tan de Chanel for the best cream bronzer. It has a gel-cream texture that goes on super lightweight and gives you a velvet-matte finish. It contains light-reflecting pigments to give you that natural-looking radiance. She especially loves this for those with light to medium-deep skin tones.

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream in Soleil Tan de Chanel

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream in Soleil Tan de Chanel $50 Buy Now

Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer Murumuru

Best Drugstore Bronzer

Some of the best bronzers are also super wallet-friendly. Backed by over 20,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, the Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer Murumuru is smooth as butter, super vibrant and blends so easily into the skin. The cream formula is packed with rich pigment for a very nice glow. It’s also made with murumuru butter, essential fatty acids and pro-vitamins to nourish skin, lock in moisture and give it that shiny finish.

Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer Murumuru

Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer Murumuru $16 $9 Buy Now

Nars Bronzing Powder In Laguna

Best Bronzer for Medium to Dark Skin tones

For medium to dark skin tones, Dorman says to look for bronzers with warm undertones. Her pick is the beloved Nars Bronzing Powder in Laguna. Beauty lovers know to turn to Nars for their complexion needs, and its bronzing powder delivers one of the best long-lasting sun-kissed glows on the market. The shade Laguna in particular gives you color with a super pretty gold sheen finish.

Nars Bronzing Powder In Laguna

Nars Bronzing Powder In Laguna $38 Buy Now

Westmore Beauty 3-In-1 Pore Mattifying Bronzer

Best Powder Bronzer

Dorman’s pick for the best powder bronzer is Westmore Beauty’s 3-in-1 Pore Mattifying bronzer. “[It’s] a versatile shade that blends super easily,” she says. This powder smooths out the appearance of fine lines and pores. It also has a matte finish so that you don’t look too shiny but still gives you a radiant glow.

Westmore Beauty 3-In-1 Pore Mattifying Bronzer

Westmore Beauty 3-In-1 Pore Mattifying Bronzer $32 Buy Now

Ilia Nightlife Bronzing Powder

Best Clean Bronzer

The Ilia Nightlife Bronzing Powder is talc-, cruelty- and gluten-free. It’s also vegan and made with recyclable packaging, making it one of the best clean bronzers out there. Its creamy powder formula consists of pearl pigments, a natural powder called silica beads and a smooth mineral called matte mica to give you color with a matte finish. It also has jojoba seed oil to hydrate and nourish the skin. It blends in easily and is buildable to give you the warmth and glow you’re looking for.

ILIA Nightlife Bronzing Powder

ILIA Nightlife Bronzing Powder $34 Buy Now

Mac Cosmetics Bronzing Powder

Best Bronzer for Fair Skin

Clark suggests going one shade deeper than your own shade if you have fair skin. To get that natural-looking glow, she recommends looking for golden tones as opposed to yellow or peachy reds. Her pick is the Mac Cosmetic Bronzing Powder, which is a buildable sheer powder. It has a super smooth application and enhances your skin tone.

Mac Cosmetics Bronzing Powder

Mac Cosmetics Bronzing Powder $30 Buy Now

Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Bronzer

Best Bronzer for Medium to Olive Skin Tones

Dorman says that those with medium to olive skin should look for bronzers with neutral undertones. Her pick is the Benefit Cosmetics Hoola bronzer. It’s a finely-milled powder formula that blends into the skin seamlessly for natural-looking color. Plus, it comes with a mirror and a brush for easy application.

Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Bronzer

Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Bronzer $30 Buy Now

Guerlain Terracotta Sunkissed Natural Bronzer Powder

Best Splurge Bronzer

The Guerlain Terracotta Sun-kissed Natural bronzer powder is a long-time favorite for beauty lovers. This pressed powder is made with argan oil and naturally-derived ingredients to give you a natural-looking glow while also nourishing the skin. It also has a silky smooth feel and is super lightweight. It’s definitely worth the splurge.

Guerlain Terracotta Sunkissed Natural Bronzer Powder

Guerlain Terracotta Sunkissed Natural Bronzer Powder $56 Buy Now

bareMinerals Barepro Glow Bronzer

Best Liquid Bronzer

Dorman’s pick for the best liquid bronzer is bareMinerals’ Barepro Glow bronzer. She likes that it comes in a variety of shades and gives a natural satin finish. It’s free of any glitter and instead contains light-reflecting mineral pearls to give skin a hint of shimmer. It’s also made with bamboo and green lentil extracts to smooth out the appearance of pores and absorb any excess oil, so you won’t look too shiny.

bareMinerals Barepro Glow Bronzer

bareMinerals Barepro Glow Bronzer $29 $23 Buy Now

Sleek Face Form Bronzer In Daym

Also Consider Bronzer for Dark Skin Tones

Dorman agrees and says deep skin tones look best in warm-toned browns. Her pick is the Sleek Face Form bronzer in Daym. It’s a pressed powder formula that is buildable and blends in seamlessly. Use this to get that nice golden glow.

Sleek Face Form Bronzer In Daym

Sleek Face Form Bronzer In Daym $6 Buy Now

Fenty By Rihanna Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Bronzer

Also Consider Cream Bronzer

Another lightweight cream bronzer, the Fenty By Rihanna Cheeks Out Freestyle cream bronzer just melts into the skin for easy application. It comes in seven buildable shades and undertones suitable for all skin tones. It’s also sweat- and water-resistant, so no need to worry about color fading or streaking. You can expect a sheer finish for a subtle but natural glow.

Fenty By Rihanna Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Bronzer

Fenty By Rihanna Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Bronzer $34 Buy Now

Wet N Wild Color Icon Bronzer

Also Consider Drugstore Bronzer

One of Dorman’s favorite drugstore picks is the Wet N Wild Color Icon bronzer in Ticket To Brazil. This powder-to-cream bronzer has a gel-infused formula that is super lightweight and long-lasting. The Ticket To Brazil shade is a light neutral to give skin a natural-looking luminosity.

Wet N Wild Color Icon Bronzer

Wet N Wild Color Icon Bronzer $5 $3 Buy Now

Mented Cosmetics Bronzer in Yacht Life

Also Consider Bronzer for Medium to Dark Skin

The Mented Cosmetics bronzer is a pressed powder that’s super soft and blends in so smoothly into the skin. The shade Yacht Life is a deep bronze with warm undertones that is perfect for those with medium to dark complexions. You get a matte finish and buildable coverage. As an added bonus, this bronzer also has nourishing skin ingredients like vitamin A and E.

Mented Cosmetics Bronzer in Yacht Life

Mented Cosmetics Bronzer in Yacht Life $22 Buy Now

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer

Also Consider Powder Bronzer

A bronzer that gives a nice matte natural glow and smells like Hersey’s Kiss? The Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte bronzer gives you the best of both worlds. Its powder formula is rich and long-wearing, so you don’t have to worry about it fading as you go about your day. It’s also made with 100% real cocoa powder, which gives it that sweet chocolate scent.

Two Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer $34 Buy Now

Tower28 Bronzino Illuminating Cream Bronzer

Also Consider Clean Bronzer

If you’re looking for a bronzer that gives you a strong glow turn to the Tower28 Bronzino Illuminating cream bronzer. It’s a cream formula with intense color payoff to give you the most illuminating glow. It feels super smooth against skin and is buildable if you really want to pack on the shine. As an added bonus, it’s made with mango butter and green tea extract to soothe skin and is silicone-free.

Tower28 Bronzino Illuminating Cream Bronzer

Tower28 Bronzino Illuminating Cream Bronzer $20 Buy Now

Urban Decay Beached Bronzer

Also Consider Bronzer for Fair Skin

Dorman likes light bronzers, like Urban Decay’s Beached bronzer, for fair skin tones. This fine powder formula goes on creamy for even application to give you a natural glow. It also contains highlighter-performing pigments, which provide rich color that won’t fade or streak. Use it on your face or on your body for those beachy-tan vibes.

Urban Decay Beached Bronzer

Urban Decay Beached Bronzer $31 Buy Now

Yves Saint Laurent Les Sahariennes Bronzing Stones

Also Consider Bronzer for Medium to Olive Skin

If you’re looking for color without any excess shimmer or shine, then Yves Saint Laurent’s Les Saharieennes Bronzing Stones should be at the top of your list. This is a super lightweight powder that gives you the ultimate matte finish. It blends in easily so you get that sun-kissed-looking glow while also enhancing your natural radiance. It comes in two shades, perfect for those with medium to olive skin tones.

Yves Saint Laurent Les Sahariennes Bronzing Stones

Yves Saint Laurent Les Sahariennes Bronzing Stones $30 Buy Now

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Matte Bronzer

Also Consider Splurge Bronzer

The Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush matte bronzer is another great splurge if you’re looking to treat yourself. It’s made with micro-fine perfecting powders to deliver that color with a matte finish. It’s also made with skin-care ingredients like hyaluronic acid to hydrate skin and keep it looking soft. It goes on super lightweight and feels super smooth on.

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Matte Bronzer

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Matte Bronzer $56 Buy Now

Clinique Sun-Kissed Face Gelee Complexion Multitasker Bronzer

Also Consider Liquid Bronzer

The Clinique Sun-Kissed Face Gelee Complexion Multitasker bronzer ticks off a lot of boxes when looking for a good bronzer. Its lightweight liquid gel formula is oil-free and won’t clog pores. It’s also easy to blend to give you that natural-looking glow. But the best part has to be that you can mix it in with your moisturizer or foundation to get that radiance-from-within look that is just so enviable.

Clinique Sun-Kissed Face Gelee Complexion Multitasker Bronzer

Clinique Sun-Kissed Face Gelee Complexion Multitasker Bronzer $31 Buy Now

WWD Recommends

Most Popular

WWD

Get all the top news stories and alerts straight to your inbox.

Enter your Email

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

The 20 Best Bronzers for Every Skin Tone

Recent Articles by Audrey Noble

Related Articles

How to apply bronzer

How to find the best bronzer for your skin tone

Top Bronzers of 2022

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Powder Bronzer in Deep

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream in Soleil Tan de Chanel

Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer Murumuru

Nars Bronzing Powder In Laguna

Westmore Beauty 3-In-1 Pore Mattifying Bronzer

Ilia Nightlife Bronzing Powder

Mac Cosmetics Bronzing Powder

Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Bronzer

Guerlain Terracotta Sunkissed Natural Bronzer Powder

bareMinerals Barepro Glow Bronzer

Sleek Face Form Bronzer In Daym

Fenty By Rihanna Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Bronzer

Wet N Wild Color Icon Bronzer

Mented Cosmetics Bronzer in Yacht Life

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer

Tower28 Bronzino Illuminating Cream Bronzer

Urban Decay Beached Bronzer

Yves Saint Laurent Les Sahariennes Bronzing Stones

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Matte Bronzer

Clinique Sun-Kissed Face Gelee Complexion Multitasker Bronzer

Tags

WWD Recommends

Ferran Torres Talks World Cup and That Hat

Most Popular