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Note: This post was originally written in 2022. It was last updated in December 2024.
This post was long overdue! Since I got into makeup back in 2018, I was constantly looking for the perfect 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 up their bronzer game. Many well-known brands such as Hoola Benefit, Nars and Chanel have realized that having only one universal shade is not enough.
On my quest to find 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 tried were Laura Mercier, Guerlain, 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 make the cut for me back in 2017-2019. I also tried the old bronzing powder line of Nars (now discontinued), in the shade Laguna and Casino, but they were too grey.
When applying bronzer, the finish has to be natural yet highly pigmented. Oftentimes, I would apply my bronzer only to find that it had completely dissipated in a matter of a few hours. I would go into Sephora and ask the sales representative if she could see my bronzer – but it was barely there. I earnestly thought I would never see the day where I could find a powder bronzer from a brand I liked.
Thankfully, between 2020 and 2024, there has been a bronzer renaissance. In other words, there’s never been a better time to buy bronzers. I highly suggest to apply the bronzer at the store, walk out in natural light and see how you like it.
Bronzer, alongside blush, are two of the most important components for a killer 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? Bronzer is not about mindlessly dipping the brush 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. 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 the 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, most of these brands ship internationally!
Laguna Bronzing Cream by NARS
In the beginning of this post, I said that Nars’ old line of bronzing powders looked muddy on me. If you were into makeup back then, I’m sure you’ll remember the old packaging. Well… with the sheer competition in the makeup space, Nars has stepped up their game and perfected the formula of their bronzers because my goodness… this is probably the most beautiful cream bronzer I’ve tried to date. I was very surprised that their original shade, Casino 02, looked so beautiful on me. I tried a darker shade, but it was leaning toward a reddish undertone.
Nars has also released a new line of bronzer powder formulas, but if I had to choose, the cream gives you an effortless look while still being highly pigmented. I don’t know what they formulated this bronzer with, but it feels like velvet on the skin. It blurs your skin texture and after you apply it, it looks like you’ve been gently kissed by the sun.
As opposed to other bronzers, this one doesn’t fade! Since 2017, I’ve been repurchasing their foundation over and over. When Nars gets their formula right, they hit it out of the park. I’ll continue to repurchase this cream bronzer in the years to come!
This is a luxury bronzer and there are cheaper ones out there yes, but the finish of this new line of cream bronzers is unmatched. I wasn’t surprised when I went on their website and saw that this bronzer won an award on the prestigious Allure’s “Best of Beauty” 2023 list.
Here are a few reviews. It really is worth all the hype!
“This product is one of the greatest makeup products I have ever bought in my 45 years. It’s a crème yet so light it could be put on with a blush brush. It blends effortlessly, looks so natural & has staying power. I used it to contour my face and it’s amazing how much younger I look. Excellent product!” – User Nenna (Nars.com)
“Hands down THE best product NARS has ever made. I’m usually not good with cream anything but this literally melts into your foundation. If your pre on the fence, buy it!” -User kpink (Nars.com)
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. You don’t need dip the brush in the pan multiple times. The bronzer already does the job for you. It blends with my skin seamlessly. It also has a slight golden undertone that makes my skin glow.
I got it during the pandemic 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 powder 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 looked 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 it 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 be used 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 it. I tried Medium, 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, Saie has you covered! It’s also very beginner-friendly. The finish is so soft that even if you overdo it, it’ll still look very natural.
Note: because of the natural finish, I have to dip the brush in the pan a few times to build it up.
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 their lists!
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 were vastly different. Makeup By Mario is very creamy, whereas the Fenty contour sticks have a powdery dry finish.
I wish Rihanna released the Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzers in a cream version with more shades! I had tried them before, but the shades looked either too orange or too dark on me.
Double Take Freed Contour Freed by UOMA
When I originally wrote this post in 2022, UOMA had the Double Take Contour Stick, which has been discontinued. It was my favorite contour stick: creamy, blendable, the pigment was off the charts and it was very user-friendly. On the other end of the stick, there was a creamy highlighter. If I had to choose between that contour stick and Tom Ford’s $95 contour palette (which I bought a long time ago 😞), the former is the winner for me.
Since UOMA is Black-owned, their first iteration of the contour stick was specifically made for darker skin. In 2023, they released the Double Take Freed Contour Stick in six different shade ranges for all skin tones. I can’t wait to try it!
Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Matte Bronzer
At one point, it looked like every celebrity and influencer with fair skin only used their bronzer duo palette, which worked pretty well on fair skin. In 2020, the brand released four different bronzer shades. If you have a medium skin tone, I suggest going with a deeper shade. My shade is Tan, which provides a beautiful bronzy glow. 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, don’t forget the chic and refillable packaging! Some people complain that the packaging too big, but honestly, for that price tag, the bigger the better, right? 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’ve probably picked the wrong shade. A few years ago, a Nordstrom sales rep told me that most people hit the pan super fast on the Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Flawless Finish setting powder because they used the product the wrong way. You are supposed to gently roll the brush onto the pan, which will pick up a lot of product. Most people swirl the brush on the pan 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 TikTok about it. They’ve also been having a shortage in production.” 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!
Too Faced’s Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer
Every time I walk into a beauty store, I love asking employees what their best-selling products are to get a better assessment of what’s in right now. 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’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.
Update: In 2024, Too Faced released a cream version of the Chocolate Soleil bronzer powders! I’m not going to lie, I’m extremely tempted to try it!
Rare Beauty
Everything Selena releases turns into gold, and Rare Beauty’s bronzer stick has been one of the best-selling bronzers at Sephora this year. Unfortunately, I’m between two shades: one is the same color of my skin and the other one is way too dark. This bronzer stick seems to work wonders on darker skin tones. I hope they expand their medium shade range!
What are your favorite bronzers? Isn’t it awesome the strides the beauty industry has made toward inclusivity in the last few years?
What do you think?