Even though I’m from Southern California, my skin is still ghostly pale from the long winter season, so once summer rolls around, I always warm up my complexion with a few sweeps of bronzing powder. The best thing about bronzer is that it truly helps give your skin a tan glow, even if you’re naturally pale and avoid the sun. And it’s not just for looking tan: I often use bronzer simply to make my skin look more lush and healthy.
Kim Kardashian always has bronzed, glowing skin.
Yet I’m sure we have all had similar bad experiences when it comes to finding the perfect bronzer. You know the deal: while some are barely noticeable, others make it look like you just wiped dirt across your face – not exactly an attractive look. It’s true: finding the right bronzer is a difficult process.
But luckily for you, this post will help you find the perfect bronzer that will make you look like a glowing goddess ready to hit the beach: no trial and error required! Even better, we’ve found picks to fit any budget.
1. Rimmel London Natural Bronzer in Sun Dance – $5.49
Get Yours: Buy at Walgreens
In my opinion, this is the best drugstore bronzer out there. I was a bit skeptical when I first bought it because it looks orangey in the packaging and I was not sure whether it would show up on my skin. To my delight, the pigmentation was amazing and it gave me that perfect sun-kissed glow.
If you’re unsure about purchasing bronzer or just want to try out a bronzer to see how it looks on you, I would definitely go with this one. It’s a great drugstore bronzer and the quality is amazing. You would think for such a cheap bronzer it would turn out orange, but instead it will give you glowing skin without the hefty price tag.
2. Physician’s Formula Bronze Booster – $14.95
Get Yours: Buy at Drugstore.com
Although it Physician’s Formula is a bit pricey for a drugstore brand, their amazing bronzing powders are well worth the money. Physician’s Formula has a great selection of different bronzing powders, but my favorite is definitely their Bronze Booster.
I’m not the kind of girl that likes to look super tan because I have relatively light skin, so bronzer often looks unnatural on me. But this bronzer gives me a great amount of color without looking too orange or dirty. This bronzer is best for fair to light skin tones because the pigmentation is light, so keep that in mind before you buy. I often use this bronzer during the winter season when I’m really pale but for the summer it may be too light for darker skin tones.
3. MAC Refined Golden Bronzer – $22.00
Get Yours: Buy at Nordstrom
Of all the high-end brands, I love MAC’s bronzers the most because they’re relatively cheap and offer terrific color pigmentation. I also love MAC’s bronzers because they’re surprisingly really buildable. If you’re like me and just like a light application, this bronzer will do the trick. But as the same time, if you want a darker application, all you need is a couple more swipes. If you want a mid-priced bronzer with terrific pigmentation, MAC is the way to go.
4. NARS Laguna Bronzer – $32.00
Get Yours: Buy at Sephora
Despite their high prices, NARS is world-renowned for their blushes and bronzers because they offer amazing pigmentation and a wide variety of shades. And NARS Bronzing Powder in Laguna is probably the most well-known, and highly-rated bronzer in the makeup world.
In my opinion, Laguna is the best bronzer for medium-dark skin tones. This is because the color pigmentation is absolutely amazing. It only takes a couple swipes to make your skin look golden. Many women rave about how this particular bronzer helps them slim down their face (who doesn’t want to look slimmer?) and gives them the most incredible glow. However, it can be tough to justify spending over $30 on bronzer, especially if you’re light skinned and don’t need the extra color pigmentation as much. But if you love bronzer and you’ve been dying to get your hands on a great product, than I would definitely invest in this one!
Your thoughts?
What are your favorite bronzers? Are you going to buy a bronzing powder for the summer season? Let me know what your thoughts are!
I’ve found that Elf bronzer works really well. It’s three dollars at Target and comes with four different colors. The lightest one works well as a highlighter and the other three work well as normal bronzer.
bronzer is a must in the summer!
love to buy brushes,have about 100 of them
I agree that Rimmel is the best drugstore bronzer, but I use the Sun Bronze. It doesn’t have shimmer in it like the Sun Dance does. In the summer it’s about all I wear in regards to foundation/powder so I like to use a little swipe all over. The Sun Bronze doesn’t make me look all weird and unnaturally shiny!
I love this post. I would love to recommend to anyone who likes mineral bronzer, Tarte’s Mineral Bronzer – Park Avenue Princess shade. Its amazing. I looked like a pale freak all winter and the day I bought this my skin looked like a natural glowing tan and its totally blends in with your skin tone. 🙂 LOVE IT!
I used to use the rimmel london bronzer before I switched to the NARS Laguna.
The rimmel london bronzer is good for the price! But I have gone nars, and I cant go back. It’s simply incredible. Everyone raves about how naturally tan i look, when really its all just the bronzer! 😀
Im freckly, light-medium skin tone and it works really well. 🙂 I highly recommend it as a splurge
Jessica: I looked at that picture and thought the same exact thing, hahah!
I usually don’t use bronzer but I’ve heard really good things about the Physicians Formula one so I think I’m gonna try it.
Kim Kardashian really looks like her mom in that photo. Maybe it’s because she’s wearing such light colored makeup.
I would have to agree – NARS Laguna is AMAZING and totally worth the splurge. If you use it properly, it’ll last you a while too, and it truly makes you look like you’re glowing and not just tan!
I love Neutrogena Custom Glow Blush! It’s blush and bronzer in one pallet. so pretty and super easy!
Great post! Although I’m from Germany I really like your posts + they always inspire me 🙂 I did not try any of the bronzers you mentioned, but I am VERY pale, porcellaine / ivory when it comes to make up. I have pink undertones and for me it is really hard to cope with the regular bronzers, they’re too golden. But I found the perfect one: It’s by Guerlain, Bronzer for Blondes 01 and it has gold / brown in it, but also pink! I really love it and use it every day, it gives me a nice, natural glow. So if you’re pale like me, I really recommend Guerlain.
Keep up with your great work, I wish we had all these great products in Germany ! 🙂
the Rimmel one is awesome i love how it’s very matte, so if you’re scared it’s gonna reflect some lighting especially if you use it in the night-time+take pics (w flash), it wont. =) and it looks amazing.
oh and Clinique’s TrueBronzed line is amazingg!!! its so highly pigmented so u dont need very much. except it has reflective particles but i think it’s super perfect in the day time. =)
amazing post nonetheless. 😉
anyone notice how kims face and chest are 2 different colors,..
and to ria, get brinzers that are dark enough to show up on your skin (the do exist lol im nc50) i like orangey ones because the give off a goldy-orange glow that darker skin carries well. NYC has a dark bronzer/ highlighter duo i wanna get next time i go to walmart its = ) its like 3 dollars. i say go cheap until u find a color family that suits you
Also try Milani Powder Mosaics! Drugstore-cheap but super awesome, because it’s a mix of four colors you can use separately to highlight/darken, or all at once to glow. 🙂
One of the best bronzers I’ve ever used is Benefit’s Hoola bronzing powder. It came in the cutest little package and the best is that you don’t need to use a lot of it because the colour is so strong. For some people it could make them look a little dirty, but I’ve found it to be one of the best bronzers.
Hoola by Benefit is the perfect olive tone bronzer, and it doesn’t have any glitter in it
fab post …KK looks ravishing here
…my fave bronzer is Benefit Hoola Bronzer but I hate the brush it comes with …I use my own.
SO glad to see that NAR’s bronzer in Laguna made the list. It is by far my favorite bronzer and well worth the money. I’ve had it forever and whether I am pale or tan at the time, it still looks fabulous! <3
Bare Minerals has amazing bronzers. I love them because they’re not loaded with shimmer like most other bronzers 🙂
Great post. Kim Kardashian’s makeup always looks flawless. I have a question though..what if someone has naturally tan skin (think nc40 in mac) ? I’ve seen people with naturally tan skin use bronzer to give them a healthier glow, or to bring out their cheekbones and such. I’m kind of afraid to try it out though, any tips?
I love CoverGirl Trublend Naturally Luminous Bronzer in Natural Bronze.
I use the one from MAC. I don’t use their products usually, but this one is great. Very natural look and feel!
great post!!!
although im extremely pale and my skins kinda pinkish so i dont know how these would work out for me.
so im still searching for the perfect bronzer….
I use Soap and Glory solar powder and it’s amazing! Relatively cheap and it gives the most natural glow, plus you can build it up to as strong or light as you like. I’m in the UK so not sure if you get it anywhere else though.