7 Best Bronzers For Every Skin Shade & Tone In 2023

Warm up your skin and add dimension to your face with these top-rated bronzers.

Dani Maher

2 min read

September 15, 2023 - 10:37AM

Best bronzers to get your glow on. Pictures: Supplied

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Whether you apply makeup daily or prefer to dabble on occasion, you need good quality products at your disposal.

Bronzer is one of the most common makeup products you’ll need in your arsenal – it can be easily applied with or without foundation to add a healthy warm glow to your face.

But with a huge range of bronzers out there to choose from, how do you know which one is right for you?

BEST BRONZER GUIDE

Don’t stress – we’ve narrowed down your decision making process, with this roundup of highly-rated bronzers according to beauty enthusiasts that will suit a variety of skin tones and makeup application styles.

BEST POWDER BRONZER FOR ALL SKIN TONES

Powder bronzers are a classic. They’re especially good when applied over a base of foundation, and the best ones – like those listed below – can be easily built up to the amount you desire.

theBalm Take Home The Bronze Anti-Orange Bronzer, Adore Beauty, $22.95

theBalm Take Home The Bronze Anti-Orange Bronzer

MAC Bronzing Powder, Adore Beauty, $62

MAC Bronzing Powder

Benefit Hoola Matte Bronzer, The Iconic, $59

Benefit Hoola Bronzer

BEST CREAM BRONZER

Makeup products in cream formulations are my personal favourite, because they’re incredibly easy to apply with or without foundation underneath. They blend naturally into your skin for a no-makeup makeup look.

Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer, Baked, Sephora, $39

Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer, Baked

Huda Beauty Tantour Contour & Bronzer Cream, Sephora, $47

Huda Beauty Tantour Contour & Bronzer Cream

What to check out more cream bronzers? Read our round up of 10 Best Cream Bronzers

BEST LIQUID BRONZER

Similar to cream products, liquid makeup is great for a dewy, glowy appearance. Liquid bronzers are particularly great for those with complexions that change with the seasons, as you can add a few drops to your foundation to warm it up and match your summer tan.

Dr. Hauschka Translucent Bronzing Tint, Adore Beauty, $39

Dr Hauschka Translucent Bronzing Tint

BEST BRONZER PALETTE

If your skin tone changes with the seasons, a bronzing palette can adapt to multiple shades and allow you to blend for the precise shade that best suits you.

e.l.f. Contour Palette, iHerb, $16.30

Budget Buy

e.l.f. Contour Palette

HOW DO I CHOOSE A BRONZER SHADE?

Bronzer should be one to two shades darker than your skin tone, so that it can add a subtle warmth to your complexion.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BRONZER AND A CONTOUR?

They might seem similar, and occasionally they crossover, but there is a difference between bronzing and contouring products. Bronzer is usually warm-toned to imitate a slight tan, and can be used to add a sun-kissed glow to the cheeks, forehead and across your nose. Contour is more cool-toned to imitate shadow, which adds dimension to your face – apply it to the hollows of your cheeks, along your jawline, around your forehead and down the sides of your nose.

HOW DO YOU APPLY BRONZER?

Apply bronzer where the sun naturally hits your face – on your cheeks, temples, nose, and a little on your chin. Powders are best applied with a large, fluffy powder brush that evenly disperses the product; whereas cream and liquid bronzers are best applied and blended with your fingers, a stippling brush, an angled brush, or a damp beauty sponge.