Anybody else love to look radiant? Well, my friends, let’s chat about bronzers! Whether it’s late summer (like the day I am writing this) and you want to deepen your sun-kissed skin, or it’s the middle of winter and you need a little pick-me-up color,  bronzers can be your best friend! They always have a place in your makeup routine, because everyone can use a touch of radiance and warmth, all year round!

Not sure how to use them? Are you unsure if you need a cream or powder, or a matte or shimmer? They all have a place, so let’s discuss the benefits and uses of each. 

I’ll also share my personal favorites in both luxury beauty and clean beauty. Why luxury? Because some of the long-time makeup artist staples have earned that luxury spot for a reason. And there are a few in clean beauty that are just as fabulous. So glowy treats all around!

Cream Bronzer Vs Powder Bronzer

Creams are great for their ease of use and natural looking glow. You can use them on the go and just use your fingers to blend them out. So easy and pretty. They are especially pretty in winter when your skin is drier. Cream bronzers are also a great choice for more mature skin and the over 40 crowd. Of course, cream bronzers (and all cream products) don’t wear as long on their own, which you can remedy with setting powder. 

Powder bronzers are so pretty and fun! And yes, they could even be layered over a cream bronzer if you are doing a full makeup application. Of course, use them on their own as well. Powders are more of a workhorse than a cream, in that you can more easily use them all over the face to warm things up and look sunkissed. You can use them on your neck, which is often needed since our necks are typically lighter than our face. Just be sure to blend well! Let’s discuss that further and talk about mattes…

Matte Bronzer Vs Shimmer Bronzer

Mattes vs shimmers? 

Mattes can be used anywhere on your face that the sun would give you color, or they can be used as a contour. Mattes are also really beneficial to use on your neck, to make sure you don’t have that makeup line with a darker jaw line and pale neck! Yes, bring your tinted moisturizer or foundation down past your jaw line, but also darken your lighter neck with a matte bronzer. This is a trick that many makeup artists swear by, and Bobbi Brown even shares in her masterclass! So trust me – or trust Bobbi – it’s worth doing!

Shimmers are gorgeous and can double as a highlight, but should stay in those limited highlight areas. You don’t need shimmer everywhere! Where do I love to see it? On the tops of cheekbones or substituting completely as your bronzer/blush/highlighter in one, and it’s beautiful to add to your eyes! It can be simple in the crease, mix it into your eyeshadow look, and even line your eyes with it! So pretty!

There are a lot of bronzers out there. It is worth your time to sample a few different options on your skin tone, since your personal undertone definitely makes a difference in how the bronzer will read on you. But I know, you want to know about the ones that look good on everybody, right?! Well, here is a roundup of a few of my favorites.

Clean Beauty Bronzers

Rms Beauty Buriti Bronzer. This is a cream, oil-based bronzer that comes in a pot, as most of the RMS Beauty products do. I had read about it, seen the rave reviews, but didn’t get around to it as soon as I should have. But now that I have tried it, I have fallen in love. It is the prettiest shade, just a perfect mix of warm and cool tones to look stunning on all. In a pinch, or a “No-makeup makeup” day, this can be your monochromatic color product for cheeks, eyes, and lips. It’s that pretty. It’s one of their best-sellers for a reason. Get ready for the compliments. It is not going too far to call this the holy grail bronzer of the makeup world. Try it and you will see what I am talking about.

Now, the RMS bronzer is a recent discovery for me. And I would be remiss in not sharing my tried and true everyday bronzer for the last four-plus years of my life. The Beautycounter Caramel bronzer (cream blush) stick is so flattering, so easy to wear. Again, it can be used on your cheeks, lips, and even eyes (my go-to look for summer days). I love a good multi-stick, and this one lasts and lasts and lasts! I probably tell people in conversations about this Beautycounter stick once a week. It’s a no-brainer. 

Of course, there are other clean beauty options to love, too. If you want a beautiful cream bronzer and highlighter duo, Kosas makes a gorgeous compact in Tropic Equinox. And one of the really lovely things that they do will all of their cream blush/bronzer duos is to offer them in a second “High Intensity” option. So if you are a darker skin tone, or just want a darker option, you have that choice! Such a great color expansion execution by Kosas! And the colors are really just beautiful.

Okay, are you really just not a cream bronzer girl? Committed to a powder formula? There are some great options in both matte and shimmer in powders.

If you are a Hoola bronzer fan, you will be super happy with Lily Lolo’s Pressed powder bronzers. They are a natural, mineral powder line, and build and blend so easily. Love the simplicity of this UK-based line. Super easy to wear.

Kosas also has a powder bronzer/highlighter duo. Always love a duo and a highlighter, and like the cream option, they do a higher intensity option for darker skin tones or those who love to bronze things up! Kosas is doing an amazing job as a company of competing with any high-performance luxury brand. There is great press on the founder as being the next “Estee Lauder.” Great products, beautiful wear, gorgeous packaging and branding, impressive woman running the show. 

If you are ready to go for some glow, try this stunning powder option from Beautycounter, Topaz. It is actually sold as a highlighter, but doubles as a bronzer for fair to medium skin tones, and is a true highlighter for darker skin tones. It also works as a beautiful eyeshadow. There is a sheen to it, providing light reflection that is – again – insanely gorgeous. I’m obsessed! Of course, Beautycounter has regular bronzers (with less sheen) as well that can be used all over your face that are also beautiful options.

Luxury Beauty Bronzers

And in the luxury beauty world? What bronzers are in a professional makeup artists’ kit? The ones you will see over and over again include the original cream Soleil Tan de Chanel, Marc Jacobs’ gorgeous powder bronzers, and of course, the quads from Dior. (And while not pictured, I have to mention my forever favorite, the Guerlain Terracotta bronzer. Loved it in the 80s. Love it today). I’ve also seen the Charlotte Tilbury ones and they are SO pretty, and especially perfect for fair to medium skin tones. So much gorgeousness from all of these brands. They are best-sellers for a reason. They look so good on everyone, they wear so beautifully, and they get you that gorgeous “natural” glow that we all want. So if you want to splurge on a high end bronzer, try one of these out. You won’t regret it!

If you didn’t know you needed a bronzer or two in your life, trust me. You want to add this to your personal makeup kit. Bronzers are your best friend! Warm, glowing radiance year-round? Yes, please!

Did I list any of your favorites? Do you own more than one? I’d love to hear your comments about bronzers below!