Beauty Tips & Inspiration
Buying guide: the best bronzers for instant holiday face
Get a headstart on summer
Ah, bronzers. Nothing perks up tired faces faster – and yet the perpetual quest for the very best can feel exhausting. Powder, cream or gel? Matte, shimmery, coppery or cool? And don’t even start me on the very many ways to apply it (thanks ever so, TikTok…).
Whether you’re looking for a 24/7/365 healthy glow, a sun-soaked summer face or a fast, fuss-free application (for glow on the go), there’s a formulation and finish out there perfectly suited to you.
Longing to find your No 1? Here are my tips for what to look for in your perfect match plus my top seven recommendations – aka the best bronzers, worthy of your time and money.
How to pick your perfect bronzer
SKIN TONE
Opt for a bronzer one or two shades darker than your natural skin tone, bearing in mind that two shades will better suit summer skin. Peach or pink undertones are best for fair skin, while copper and rich bronze shades better suit olive and darker tones.
FORMULA
Powder, cream, liquid or gel? Normal to oily skins may prefer pressed powders, while cream and gel-based bronzers work best on dry or more mature skin types, finger-smudged in or applied with a sponge. Makeup artist Cassie Lomas recommends ‘liquids or creams for daytime (gel textures work especially well for outdoor events) and powders for “big day” evenings and events.’
FINISH
First, think about lighting. ‘If your skin is looking a bit dull or lifeless then a hint of shimmer will always make you look better,’ says Lomas. ‘It gives your complexion a healthy radiance and helps to create the illusion of looking fresher and younger. In turn, matte finishes work really well with moody lighting and heavier makeup.’
TYPE
How do you apply makeup? Are you a ‘dip your face in and hope for the best’ type? Opt for in-built wands or applicator sponges to make reapplying on the go a doddle. But if you do have the time/talent then potted powders and creams are dreamy.
WHERE TO APPLY
Bronzer looks best applied lightly to all the spots where the sun naturally shines, including the temples, cheeks, nose and chin.
7 of the (very) best bronzers
/
For year-round healthy glow, try Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser Bronzer, £22.95
For year-round healthy glow, try Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser Bronzer, £22.95
Between us, if you’re looking for great glow 24/7/365, bronzing moisturisers are the ones. Laura Mercier’s NEW cream bronzer offers a wash of mid-winter colour (when your skin needs it most) yet is light enough to wear on hot sticky summer days too. Available in six shades – and boasting all the benefits of a moisturiser (12 hours of hydration + non-comedogenic, so won’t clog pores) – it’s fabulous, fuss-free and gives GREAT (natural, streak-free, sun-kissed) glow.
Love multitasking makeup? Try Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Matte & Glow Bronzing Trio, £39.00
Love multitasking makeup? Try Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Matte & Glow Bronzing Trio, £39.00
If you have combination, acne-prone or oily skin, or simply have a penchant for powders, then pressed is best. Estée’s combo contour contains two matte (oil-free) bronzers (medium and deep) and one luminous highlighter for instant holiday face. Use individually or blended for a custom bronze across the face, shoulders and décolletage, safe in the knowledge that multitasking makeup doesn’t come more decadent than this.
Beach bound? ‘Skip the bronzer altogether, unless it’s a waterproof stain, and go for a self tan instead,’ advises Lomas. ‘If you’re going to be in the sun all day, try a bronze-coloured liquid lip product on your cheeks to give a healthy radiance that won’t budge.’
/
Best for dry or more mature skin: NARS Laguna Bronzing Cream, £32.50
Best for dry or more mature skin: NARS Laguna Bronzing Cream, £32.50
Buildable, blendable and deliciously decadent, NARS’ new cream bronzer delivers instant sun-kissed colour, with a side of silk. Perfect for dry or more mature skin, and those who prefer a seamless, glides-on second-skin finish, Laguna is best applied with your finger or a sponge and gives great ‘golden hour’ glow. Available in five (long-lasting) shades, it’s loaded with Monoï de Tahiti Oil to lock in moisture, tone and firm.
/
On a budget? Try Benefit Hoola Matte Bronzer Mini, £15.50
On a budget? Try Benefit Hoola Matte Bronzer Mini, £15.50
With over 300 five-star reviews and counting, Benefit’s multi-award-winning bronzer deserves its top spot in the beauty hall of fame. This silky-soft powder bronzer has a matte finish (perfect for combination and oilier skin types) and comes in four shades: Hoola, Hoola Lite, Hoola Toasted and Hoola Caramel. Prefer a sun-soaked finish? Mix it into your moisturiser for an all-over glow.
/
For glow on the go, choose Rodial Bronze Glowlighter, £38.00
For glow on the go, choose Rodial Bronze Glowlighter, £38.00
Like Spanx for your face, only more summery, nothing will dial up your cheekbones quite like a swash of Rodial Glowlighter. The perfect poolside plus one, or one for nights out-out, this cream bronzer hybrid adds a jolt of warmth and luminosity. Use to define your best bits, contouring the face – or to infuse your daily moisturiser or foundation. Fast and fuss-free, think of it as an ‘instant face lift’ with a smattering of sunshine.
/
Want WOW results, fast? Try Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Contour Wand, £30.00
Want WOW results, fast? Try Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Contour Wand, £30.00
Want to feel like an A-lister but don’t have the time (and/or bank balance)? In sashays Charlotte Tilbury’s Hollywood Contour, the perfect pocket-sized, hands-free handbag hero for busy people and glow-getters. Created to ‘carve out killer cheekbones’, it’s the perfect lightweight, blendable, buildable formula for instant ‘Hollywood face’. Best suited to lighter skin tones, this magic wand boasts a brand-new-to-market cushion applicator to dispense product evenly and siloxanes for easy blending.
The No 1 best bronzer? CHANEL Les Beiges Bronzing Cream, £46.00
The No 1 best bronzer? CHANEL Les Beiges Bronzing Cream, £46.00
IMHO Les Beiges Healthy Glow is the BEST bronzer in the business – the creme de la creams, if you will. And I’m not the only one. Search ‘CHANEL Les Beiges’ in TikTok and you’ll be met with millions of megafans (none more enthusiastic than the hilarious Kat Farmer). The downside? It does sell out – if you do stumble upon one, stock up, stat.
Why is it so wonderful?
This unique, easy-to-blend cream-gel bronzer is all things to all people – lightweight and delicate with a cashmere-soft finish, pigmented, long-lasting and (swirled on with a kabuki brush) it gives an undeniably decadent sun-soaked glow.
CHANEL Les Beiges is one of those routine-changing, one-of-a-kind unicorn buys – there’s life before Les Beiges, and then there’s life now – bronzed and undeniably beautiful. Sure, I sound like I’m being dramatic, but hand on heart, I’ve recommended it to nine friends and they’re all hooked too. Then throw in the fact that the generously sized jar lasts an age (mine’s a year old and still going strong) and that the travel size is ideal for hand luggage, handbags and on-the-go glow, and you know that you’re onto a winner.
