18 of the Best Bronzers for the Ultimate Sun-Kissed Glow

You don’t have to be a tan fanatic to appreciate the virtues of a good bronzer. The best bronzers elevate a sallow complexion while imparting a sun-kissed glow to the face, décolletage, arms, and even legs—and on all skin tones. At times when sunshine is difficult to come by, they are a lifesaver, and a speedy way to make skin look healthy with hardly any effort. 

What a good bronzer can also do is add definition. It can create cheekbones where perhaps there were none before, as well as enhance collarbones and the jawline in an instant. It’s all about adding light and shade, creating shapes, and acquiring a lit-from-within radiance that looks natural. Like you, but better.

How do I find the best bronzer?

It’s all about working with your natural skin tone. Most experts advise looking for a bronzer one or two shades darker than your natural tone, but it also pays to understand your undertone, and whether you are cool, warm or neutral. Those with warm undertones can get away with a lot of the golden bronzers on the market, while those who are cool should look to peach hues. If you’re neutral, it can be tricky to find the perfect powder, but pink tones are best overall.

As for what consistency to go for, that’s really up to you. Oily skins typically lean towards powder formulas for their mattifying effect, but for dry or normal skin types, cream and liquid bronzers deliver a very natural, glowy effect. 

How do you apply bronzer?

The idea is to create sun-lit skin by applying bronzer to the areas of the face that the sun would hit naturally. While many of us grew up applying it in a “3” shape on either side of our face in pursuit of contoured cheeks, make-up artist and global senior artist for MAC, Dominic Skinner, has debunked this particular age-old trick.

“You end up with hamster cheeks!” he says. “Instead, get your brush and buff in from the top of the ear to the corner of the mouth for your first line. Then, at the same angle, apply from the corner of the eye to the temple. It creates this idea of cheekbones, whereas the ‘3’ shape blocks out the whole cheek with one color. Placement is everything.”

His other key tip is to find a blusher that is neither a traditional bronze nor blush shade—try a pinky brown hue in order to bridge the gap between your contour and skin. “It becomes a transitional color—apply the blush on the cheeks to help it all seamlessly blend in.”

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.