Bronzers, done right, can add dimension and warmth to the face. Done wrong, you can look like you stuck your face in a bag of Cheetos. I think we all like to think we’re doing the former when, in reality, it’s the latter. I definitely had my fair share of orange face days, especially when I was younger but thankfully I have a naturally darker skin tone so the Cheeto looks I see around town I would really need to work hard to achieve. There is definitely a fine line between right and wrong and its usually not the fault of the applicator. You can use a light hand with the wrong colored bronzer and it ends up looking orange or muddy. This can be especially difficult for those with fair skin.
Some tips when applying bronzer.
- Whenever you’re applying a powder, it is best to take the product on a brush and lightly tap the brush so the excess product comes off. This will prevent too much product build-up and make your makeup look more natural.
- With your bronzer (and foundation) make sure to bring the product down your neck. This will prevent you from having a clearly defined line on your jaw that is a dead giveaway that you’re wearing makeup (and not applying it properly).
Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Matte Bronzer
This has been a holy grail bronzer since before I can remember. The application is smooth and gives a good amount of pigment with each swipe. This bronzer works well for all-over use and also for contouring. Their shade range has gotten better over time, now covering lighter and darker skin tones. The main issue I have with this product is in the packaging. The container is small and restrictive when you’re trying to use a large fluffy bronzer brush. This can lead to an uneven application of the bronzer on the brush and therefore on your face. Recently Benefit came out with a value size product, which is a larger container, but it only comes in one shade.
Long-lasting: Yes
Shade range: 4 shades
Price: $40 0.28oz/ 8g
Formula: Pressed Powder
You can buy it here
Huda Beauty Tantour
This bronzer comes in a cream and dries as a powder. The application requires more technique than a regular bronzer as you are essentially contouring and bronzing your face at the same time. Because it starts as a cream, it is very blendable and sits very nicely on the skin. Its also ultra-pigmented and the payoff is amazing with using a small amount of product. The shade range is very inclusive of all skin tones.
Long-lasting: Yes
Shade range: 5 shades
Price: $38 0.42oz/ 12g
Formula: Cream
You can buy it here
Tom Ford The Ultimate Bronzer
Now looking at the price of this I am completely unsure as to how I justified spending basically $150 including tax ON A BRONZER. I am insane clearly. I love this bronzer because of the formula, which glides on very well and has the perfect amount of pigmentation. As you can see, the insane price is (kind of) justified because there is a lot more product compared to the other bronzers in this list. The pressed powder itself is in a large pot which makes it ideal for dipping a large bronzer brush into and will give an overall even application. The shade range of this product really disappoints me. Thankfully this color works great for me but Tom Ford should really work on this, especially because the brand is so established.
Long-lasting: Yes
Shade range: 1 shade
Price: $132 0.74oz
Formula: Pressed powder
You can buy it here
Bianca's Beauty 