Whether or not you’re getting beach time anytime soon, a bronzer should be part of your beauty arsenal all year round to replicate or enhance that sun-kissed skin. We especially love these because you can have that just-back-from-the-beach tanned look without having to expose your skin to harmful UV rays.
Getting Started
If you haven’t tried bronzers yet, fret not, we’re here to help. To start, what exactly do bronzers do for the face? Raveen Anand, Celebrity Makeup Artist and Founder of Beauty by Raveen Anand, says, “Bronzers elevate your features and enhance its natural appeal. It adds warmth and a sun-kissed glow to the face. Think J-Lo, she is always beautifully bronzed.”
Raveen shares that to wear it correctly and mimic that suntan, swipe bronzer onto the high points of your face where the sun would naturally hit. “So, apply it on the cheeks, across your nose, the temples and a bit on the forehead, chin and neck. Cheekbones should be prioritized, so swipe it onto the lower part of the cheekbones, and add a little bit of highlighter onto the tops of your cheekbones for a radiant glow.”
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For beginners and many who enjoy makeup often too, it can sometimes be confusing – bronzer is brown and well, contour products are brown too. So, how are the two different in usage? “While bronzer adds overall warmth, contouring creates faux shadows in very specific areas to draw those areas in, sculpting and defining the face,” says Raveen.
Thus, contour products are to be placed in the hollows of the face, under the cheekbones, under the jawline, or on either side of the bridge of the nose where shadows need to be created. Whereas bronzers have a broader, more freehand type of placement as compared to contouring.
Before You Bronze
An important thing to remember is not all bronzers suit everyone. The general rule is that the colour of your bronzer should be 1-2 shades darker than your skin tone, and more importantly, the shade of your bronzer should correctly match your skin undertone – warm, cool or neutral. Those with warm undertones need to wear warmer bronzers such as golden-browns or mocha to accentuate the natural tones. If you’re of warm undertone and wear cool-toned bronzers instead, these can make you look ashy.
Raveen shares that deciding on a formula that is, liquid, cream, or powder, to suit your skin type is also vital. “For dehydrated skin, a powder bronzer is not recommended as it highlights any dry patches, similarly for oily skin, a liquid or cream bronzer tends to be heavy and can slide and wear off. So, those with dry skin can opt for liquid or a cream bronzer, while oily or combination skin can use powder bronzers.”
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She advises that while a touch of bronzer will give you a naturally flushed look, if you haven’t had any tan time or sun time, just give your brush two quick taps after taking the product onto the brush and apply sparingly. Because you don’t want it to look unnatural or overly done. Another tip she shares is to test the bronzer under yellow light. “This will help you check what the bronzer would look like on your skin when you’re outside.”
But, do Indian skin tones need bronzers even? Raveen feels that Indians naturally have a warm complexion, so bronzers aren’t necessary, but they do help to enhance the honey-like tones in our skin. “Sculpting those cheekbones or adding just a touch of sun-kissed radiance to the face is a personal choice and if the occasion demands, why not glow better?” We have to agree!
Take your pick from some of these fabulous bronzers and get your glow on:
Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream
We love it for its luxe feel
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This lightweight cream-gel bronzer looks like dessert in a jar! It has a velvet-matte finish and lends the skin a sun-kissed glow. Mineral waxes and powders ensure effortless application, while silica and soft-focus powders deliver an immediate smoothing effect. Its light-reflecting pigments create a natural-looking radiance.
Moira Signature Bronzer
We love it for: The embossed beach effect!
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Okay, just take all our money already! This gorgeous dual-colour bronzer comes in four shades and has a buildable lightweight powder formula that easily blends for an even, sun-kissed look. It also has a gold overspray to warm up your complexion. Simply swirl the shades together with your brush and swipe it on to sculpt your cheekbones.
Kiko Milano Flawless Fusion Bronzer Powder
We love it for: the sleek gunmetal packaging
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Enriched with vitamin E and argan oil, the ultra-fine silky texture of this bronzer brushes on easily and the colour is revealed instantly. It comes in a modern compact with a gunmetal finish, a magnetic closure and an internal mirror, which is great for on-the-go usage.
Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Matte Bronzer
We love it for: its cult status!
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This iconic, award-winning bronzer has a silky soft feel, instantly warms up your complexion and gives a classic matte finish. It comes in four different shades – Hoola, Hoola Lite, Hoola Toasted & Hoola Caramel.
Makeup Revolution Superdewy Liquid Bronzer
We love it for: the easy-to-use targeted applicator
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A holiday feel in a tube – that’s what this liquid bronzer is. With its effortless nozzle applicator, this creamy pigmented formula, can be applied to the face and seamlessly blended in. It comes in three shades, and gives a stunning dewy bronzed look.
Rimmel London Natural Bronzer
We love it for: its easily buildable formula
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Perfect for creating that sun-soaked skin finish, this powder bronzer is velvety and easy to blend. Just sweep it onto the cheekbones, nose and forehead to instantly warm up your complexion and enhance your features.
Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer
We love it for: the fact that it smells like chocolate!
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Nudestix Nudies Bronze All Over Face Color
We love it for: how convenient it is for travel bags
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Bronzer in a stick? Yes please! This bronzer comes in a soft cream balm-like formula in matte and dewy options that melt onto the skin for a natural sun-kissed, and healthy look. It is so handy and is great to carry in your handbag or travel bag. It even comes with a convenient removable blending brush for applying on-the-go.
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Bronzer
We love it for: its pore-blurring effect
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This hyaluronic acid-infused, smoothing matte bronzer comes in four shades. Inspired by Charlotte Tilbury’s bestselling Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder, it uses the same airbrush DNA and finely-milled pigments to blur the appearance of pores. It even has refills available, so you can bronze, refill and repeat for year-round summer skin.
