Save Story Save this story Save Story Save this story Gone are the days of the heavy-handed, often orange-hued bronzers of the past. Today, the best bronzers have had something of a facelift, with more nuanced undertones, easily blendable textures, and finishes designed to mimic a natural sun-kissed glow. Not to mention, many now incorporate skin-care ingredients as an added benefit, resulting in lightweight formulas that can be worn on bare skin or layered seamlessly over other color cosmetics.
Take, for example, Rhode’s buzzy summer launch, centered entirely around bronzed, sun-kissed skin. The collection introduced what would quickly become a bestseller for the brand: a peptide-infused bronzing stick in a format identical to its Pocket Blush. It was a reminder that bronzer is no relegated to full glam—it can be the missing puzzle piece in an everyday, pared-down makeup routine too (that’s right, minimalists! There’s no need to be afraid.) At times when sunshine is difficult to come by, bronzers can be a speedy way to make skin look healthy with little effort. Even as we bask in sunny days through the end of summer, it amps up the warmth with ease.
Plus, a good bronzer does more than just deposit a luminous sheen—with proper placement, it can enhance cheekbones, define the jawline, and add dimension to collarbones. Playing with light and shade allows you to create depth for a lit-from-with-radiance that looks deceivingly natural.
Whether you’re searching for a shimmering golden hue that doubles up as a great highlighter, or a matte brown ideal for contouring, find Vogue ’s pick of the best bronzers below.
Key Ingredients : Kaolin, tocopherol, glycerin, tamanu seed oil, peptides Type : Cream Finish : Natural, slightly dewy Shades : 8 Love It Leave It Natural, skin-like finish For those with neutral undertones, some shades might be too warm Peptide-infused formula Best Sheer : Merit Bronze Balm Sheer Sculpting Bronzer Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Merit
Key Ingredients : Microfine pigments, fatty acids, silica Type : Semi-sheer balm Finish : Satin Shades : 5 Love It Leave It Semi-sheer finish is easy to blend and beginner friendly Shade range may not be suitable for deeper skin tones Vegan and cruelty-free Best Bronzing Drops : Westman Atelier Sun Tone Bronzing Drops Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Westman Atelier
Key Ingredients : Glycerin, mica, corn starch, carrot sativa seed oil, sunflower seed oil, vitamin E Type : Serum Finish : Radiant Shades : 4 Love It Leave It Hydrating and buildable formula Formula isn’t entirely non-comedogenic, so may not suit acne-prone skin Provides a believable just-tanned look, with long-wearing results Best Neutral Undertones : Saie SuperSuede Radiant Baked Bronzer Vogue’s Conçetta Ciarlo uses Saie SuperSuede Radiant Baked Bronzer Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Saie
Key Ingredients : Plant-derived squalane, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, silica, mica, licorice root extract Type : Baked powder Finish : Natural, blurred Shades : 6 Love It Leave It Natural, blurred finish Some feel the deeper shades lack range Clean, non-comedogenic formula Best Powder Bronzer : Charlotte Tilbury Bronzing Powder Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Charlotte Tilbury
Key Ingredients : Mica, hyaluronic acid, silica Type : Pressed powder Finish : Soft matte Shades : 8 Love It Leave It Large pan of product Some find the shade undertones skew warm Blurred finish Best Shade-Inclusive : LYS Beauty No Limits Cream Bronz…