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Note: This post was originally written in 2022. It was last updated in 2024.
This post was long overdue! Since I started getting into makeup, back in 2018, there was one thing that I was always on the lookout for: bronzer. Contrary to what people believe, finding a bronzer that works for you, especially if you have a darker skin tone, is no easy task. Over the last two years more brands have stepped into the bronzer game, providing a beautiful, soft, sun-kissed effect to deeper skin tones. Many well-known brands such as Hoola Benefit, Nars and Chanel have realized that having only one universal shade is not enough.
I spent an inordinate amount of time looking for the perfect bronzer. I would try them out at Sephora or at Nordstrom, but none of them really convinced me in terms of finish. A few brands I have tried are Laura Mercier bronze powder, Guerlain Terracotta, Becca, Tom Ford and even Chanel! When I put on bronzer, I want it to be noticeable and show up on my skin. The brands I listed are renowned brands, but even their deepest shades did not cut it for me.
When applying bronzer, the finish has to be natural but with enough pigment. Many times, before the pandemic, I would apply my bronzer only to find it had completely dissipated in a matter of hours. I would go into Sephora and ask the sales representative if she could see my bronzer – It was barely there. I thought I would never see the day where I could find a powder bronzer from a brand I liked. A tip that I suggest is to apply the bronzer at the store, walk out in natural light and see how you like it.
Thankfully, between 2020 and 2021, there has been a bronzer revolution and Black-owned brands have dominated the bronzer space. Sephora brands that have also stepped up their game.
Bronzer, alongside blush, are two of the most important components for a good makeup look. They make such a huge difference. Many factors go into choosing the perfect bronzer: pigmentation, undertone, formula and finish. Do you want your bronzer to have a sheen? Do you have a preference for powder-based or cream-based formulas? What’s your skin type? It’s not just about dipping the brush mindlessly on the pan and sweeping it on your face. It’s about being strategic with the placement of the brush.
In this post, I will share with you my holy-grail bronzers, brands that I want to try next, and other brands I tried, but I don’t think were worth the hype. Because it would be impossible to list every brand under the moon, I will mainly focus on bronzers, not contour products.
Since I also love browsing through different beauty items at Sephora, I loved asking the employees what their best-selling bronzer was. The answer varied. In some stores, the best selling bronzer was undoubtedly Charlotte Tilbury, whereas in others, it was the new line of the Nars bronzers.
If you’re reading this outside of the US, all the indie, US-based brands I’m listing here ship internationally.
Mented Cosmetics
I discovered Mented Cosmetics during quarantine and I have to say, it is the most beautiful bronzer powder I have ever tried. The finish is so natural and effortless, just mind blowing. It looks even better in person. Given the fact that it is a Black-owned brand, the pigment beats most average bronzers. You only need to lightly dip your brush and softly slide it across your face. It does the job for you. It blends with my skin seamlessly and it really does look like I’ve been kissed by the sun, not by a brown stripe. It has a slight golden undertone that makes my skin glow.
I got it over a year ago and I have yet to see the day where I hit the pan.
My shade is Vacay, but if you have any doubts about choosing the right shade for you, the pictures of the models are really helpful.
NYX Buttermelt Pressed Powder Natural Finish Bronzer
In April 2024, NYX released a new version of their pressed powders bronzers. I found about it on one of my Target trips, and they were almost sold out! This $10 bronzer blends like a dream, giving you a natural sun-kissed glow. It’s so smooth, and a little bit goes a long way! Even if you apply too much, it will not look overdone. However, if you’re looking for cool-toned shades, this bronzer might not make the cut because all the shades are very warm. At the moment, this is my go-to bronzer. The compact packaging would have been perfect for a small mirror, but apparently, this bronzer is very fragile and breaks very easily, so be careful! My shade is Butta Off. Because the shade is so warm, I also like to use it as an eyeshadow. Here’s a picture of me wearing it. As you can see, it’s super warm, but it looks very natural. I’m also wearing a dab of the Saie Dew liquid blush.
Same makeup, different lightning!
Makeup By Mario Soft Sculpt Shaping Stick
After seeing this contour stick so many times on my Instagram feed, I finally bit the bullet and got it! I have to say that I’m very impressed! After trying out three shades, the Sephora employee told me that the shade Medium looked best on me. Light Medium looked too grey and Medium Dark was too dark. If you can, it’s always better to try on a few shades before settling for one, especially if you have medium skin.
Although the product already comes with a brush, it’s very easy to apply with your hands and manipulate the placement of the bronzer. Given that Mario Dedivanovic is Kim Kardashian’s makeup artist, I thought his line was going to be geared towards stage makeup. However, contrary to what I thought, this product looks very natural on the skin. It blends very smoothly and gives the face a natural, effortless bronzy glow. It truly looks like second skin!
The Sephora employee told me that she’s still using hers, which she bought in 2021. I like that the packaging is big and bulky, and that it will last you a long time.
The only con is that the white tube gets dirty very easily. Also, since contour sticks are prone to break easily, I recommend using a brush to pick up the product instead of twisting the stick and applying it directly onto your face. The built-in brush, with its stiff bristles, is meant to use in a tapping motion.
Saie Natural Sun Melt Cream Bronzer
If you’re looking for a cream, buildable bronzer with a smooth velvety finish, then you have to get Saie’s bronzer! I had never tried this brand before, but I love their clean girl aesthetic. Their bronzers had been on my radar for quite some time, but the Sephora employee gave me the extra push I needed to bite the bullet and get them. I tried the shade Medium Bronzer. It’s a golden shade that looks stunning on medium olive skin tones.
Not only does it look amazing, but it glides on the skin like a dream and blends beautifully with other products. The formula is very emollient and the natural finish it gives you is unparalleled I can’t believe it took me so long to try it! While reading the Sephora five-star reviews, I noticed that many medium skin girls like me praised the bronzer. Whether you have medium skin with peach undertones, or medium skin with golden undertones, I like that Saie kept us in mind! It’s also very beginner-friendly.
The finish is so soft that even if you overdo it, it’ll still look very natural.
Fenty Beauty Match Stick Contour Skinticks
I could not write this post without mentioning the influence Fenty Beauty has had in the makeup industry! Even though Fenty’s famous contour sticks came out in 2017, they still continue to be among the top best-selling contour sticks at Sephora. I also asked a few Sephora employees what their favorite bronzers/contours were, and the Fenty contour Matchsticks were at the top of the list!
In April 2024, while I was shopping at Sephora, I did a side-by-side comparison and applied the Makeup By Mario cream bronzer on one cheek, and the Fenty contour stick on the other.
It was very easy to spread the Makeup By Mario cream bronzer with my hands. With the Fenty contour stick, it’s tricky because once it’s there, it’s there. After all, the Fenty sticks are meant to contour your face. Also, the finishes are vastly different. Makeup By Mario is very creamy, whereas the Fenty contour sticks have a powdery dry finish.
I wish she released the Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzers in a cream version! I tried these, but they looked either too orange or too dark on me.
Uoma Beauty
This is my favorite contour stick. It’s super creamy, blendable, and the pigment is off the charts, which is why most of the time I don’t apply it directly on my face, I just dab the brush. What I love the most is that it’s very user-friendly. It looks so natural and the golden highlight gives you a dewy glow. It will last you for a very long time.
If you want a powder-based formula, UOMA also carries a beautiful face palette (High Life Face Palette) in two shades. I’ve seen many face palettes where usually the highlighter is an afterthought. With UOMA, each shade is a standout. From the contour shade to the two beautiful highlighter shades, UOMA beauty just gets it.
Charlotte Tilbury
At some point it looked like every celebrity and influencer with fair skin only used their bronzer duo palette, which worked pretty well on these skin tones. In 2020, the brand released four different bronzer shades. If you have a medium skin tone, I suggest going a tone deeper. My shade is Tan, which provides a beautiful bronzed effect. The formula is finely milled and there’s no sheen to it. Additionally, it’s infused with hyaluronic acid. I’ve tried other products from Charlotte Tilbury, but other than the setting powder, none of them have really impressed me. Their bronzer however, is worth the investment. Plus, the chic and refillable packaging! Some people complain that it’s too big, but honestly, for that price tag, the bigger the better. You’re definitely getting your money’s worth. A little bit goes a very long way with this product. Remember, if you have to layer this bronzer multiple times for it to show up on your skin, you’re probably picking the wrong shade. A few years ago, a Nordstrom sales rep told me that most people that hit the pan super fast on the Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder because they used the product the wrong way. You are supposed to roll the brush onto the pan, not swirl it like crazy.
I also tried the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Contour Wand in the shade medium to deep. With this liquid bronzer, you have to work it very quickly before it dries. I went to Sephora and sampled it by dispensing the product on a disposable wand. It looked absolutely beautiful and yes, it gave me a natural contour that lasted for the rest of the day!
Unfortunately, this shade has been sold out in every Sephora and on Charlotte Tilbury’s website for months. The Sephora employee said: “It’s sold out because someone made a Tik Tok about it. They’ve also been having a shortage in production.” Another option from this brand is their Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow cream bronzer, but for some reason, the formula of that one doesn’t cut it for me. Make sure you enter your email address on the website to get notified when the Hollywood Contour Wand is restocked
Update: I’ve been using this bronzer/contour for the last months and I love it! A lot of people complain that the tube dispenses too much product, but an employee gave me a very useful tip: There’s no need to squeeze the tube every time you’re going to use it. Once you squeeze it for the first time, make sure you use up all the product in the sponge before squeezing it again. A little bit goes a long way!
Nars
Nars bronzers were the first brand I used when I got into makeup, but the old formulation of their shade Casino looked patchy because it was too cool-toned. If there’s something I’ve learned in my search for the perfect bronzer, it’s that my skin does really well with golden and warm undertones. Their new line of bronzers not only includes a new formula in a sleeker packaging, but also an extended range of shades for deeper skin tones. The shade I would love to try is Samoa, a deep golden brown shade.
Too Faced
Every time I walk into a beauty store, I love asking employees what their best-sellers are to get a better assessment of the product I want to try. After asking Sephora and Ulta Beauty employees about their best-selling bronzers, the vast majority of them said Too Faced Chocolate Soleil, specifically the shade Dark Chocolate. I was shocked because I usually tend to associate Too Faced with teens (remember their cinnamon and gingerbread palettes?). I’ve seen it in person many times and I love the shade. Perhaps I will bite the bullet and get it in the near future.
Anastasia Beverly Hills
Anastasia has always had the backs of girls with deeper skin tones. In 2021, they came out with these beautiful cream bronzers that deliver a weightless and buildable formula with a matte finish. I love how inclusive their shade range is, especially for deep complexions.
The packaging resembles Chanel Les Beige. Since these bronzers have warm undertones, if you’re looking for something more cool-toned, I would suggest their foundation sticks. Youtubers have been using them as contour sticks/bronzers for years.
The Sephora salesperson also let me know that ABH’s new face palettes, which come in three different shades and include a bronzer, a highlighter and a blush, have been selling really well. She praised the subtle yet beautiful finish of the bronzers.
Refy
Social media influencer Jess Hunt is the founder of Refy. This brand became an online sensation thanks to their cult-beauty product: the Brow Sculpt.
I absolutely love the aesthetic of the website and their all-inclusive shades. Not only do I want to try their bronzers, but also their highlighters, which look absolutely divine.
Their cream bronzers have a velvety finish and they’ll give you a summery glow all year-round. Also, their products are formulated with natural oils and minerals that blend with the skin seamlessly and help reduce excess oils, which means that you won’t look shiny or break out.
If you’re in the US, you can buy her beauty products through the Sephora website, or through the Refy website. Luckily, this brand ships internationally too!
Rare Beauty
Rare Beauty’s bronzer stick is one of the top cream bronzers at the moment. Unfortunately, I’m between two shades: one is the same color of my skin and the other one is way too dark. The bronzer stick is amazing for darker skin tones, but I hope they expand their medium shade range. I wanted to get it, but after trying the shades, I opted for Saie.
What are your favorite bronzers? Isn’t it awesome the strides the beauty industry has made towards inclusivity?
