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FAQs
How do I choose a good bronzer?
Like foundation and concealer, bronzer can go catastrophically wrong if you use the wrong shade for your skin tone. As a general rule, you want to steer clear of any bronzers that look too orange or too grey, as these hues can make you look unnaturally tan or washed out. It’s a good idea to check out how the colour looks on your skin in natural light to ensure it’s a spot-on match.
If you have fair skin, New York City-based makeup artist Elisa Flowers recommends looking for a shade or two darker than your natural skin tone and always using a light hand when applying. Those with light-to-medium complexions can also benefit from choosing shades one or two hues darker than their natural skin colour. However, when it comes to undertones, neutral options will always look the most organic. “Be sure to avoid bronzers that appear overly orange or red-toned in the pan, as it will only become more intense when you apply it to the skin,” says Flowers.
People with tanned or olive-toned skin can get away with wearing most bronzer shades as long as they don’t stray too far from their natural skin colour, says Flowers. However, she also says to choose terracotta hues with a hint of red, as they look beautiful on tanned complexions.
Finding suitable bronzers for dark and deep skin tones can still unfortunately prove rather tricky — but brands like Danessa Myricks, Fenty Beauty, and Saie have the right ideas with their comprehensive and inclusive range of shades.
Is powder or stick bronzer better?
To be honest, it’s pretty hard to say which is best, because they’re not really the same thing. Cream bronzer sticks are designed to be applied straight to the skin, and have more opaque and buildable formulations that make them ideal for really building your desired level of warmth and depth. But powder bronzers are sheerer in pigment, and are therefore best suited to adding more subtle definition on top of foundation that’s already been laid by your cream or liquid bronzer.
Does powder or cream bronzer look more natural?
Really easy to build-up and seamlessly blend into the skin, cream bronzers generally look the most natural. Really light and dewy, they look a lot less heavy than powder — especially for those with dry skin. In fact, makeup artist Tomy Rivero even recommends applying a spritz of setting spray or a hydrating mist just before you do your cream bronzer if you want ultra-dewy results. “Not only does it help the bronzer go on smoother and more evenly, but once the moisture dries down, it naturally sets the cream bronzers for a more skin-like finish,” he explains.
However, it’s still totally possible to apply a powder bronzer in a more muted and natural-looking way — just remember to lightly tap your brush on the side of the packaging to remove any excess product. “This prevents you from applying too much bronzer at once, which can result in a heavy or patchy application,” Marco adds.
How to apply bronzer, according to MUAs:
As for application, “always apply bronzer on the high points of the face, like the forehead and cheekbones, and take it down onto the neck and chest area to make sure it blends seamlessly and there isn’t a contrast between the neck and the face,” says Adeola.
Use circular motions with your bronzer brush, then sweep back and forth to avoid any stripes. “Focus on the outer perimeter of your face, blending the bronzer into your hairline for a seamless finish,” says Marco. “A sweep across the chin will tie it all together.”
You can also use bronzer for corrective purposes, says Adeola. “For example if you get a lot of warmth in your neck and chest area, you can use a bronzer with a similar tone on the face to help balance it out. Or if you have a lot of redness on the face and neck area, use a more golden toned bronzer to help even out the skin.”
Your choice of tool is also crucial. With this in mind, Andrew prefers to use a larger brush with less product. “Bronzing products can sometimes be very highly pigmented,” he explains.“So using a larger buffing brush with a small amount of product will create a mistake-proof, soft halo of colour rather than a concentrated application of product.”
