The best drugstore bronzer will create a "just got back from two weeks in the South of France" sunkissed glow that fools everybody – and all for a lower price point.
Whether you’re looking for the best cream bronzer or a bronzer for pale skin specifically, the high street has some incredible and affordable options that will give you a gorgeous glow to rival more expensive brands on the market. The best budget bronzers will sculpt, contour and add warmth in all the right places.
“You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a good quality bronzer," says pro makeup artist Nicola Chapman. "Bronzers have come such a long way and even the more affordable brands now have great options.” Some of our top picks are from household favourites like Rimmel, L'Oréal and No7.
A good bronzer will come to the aid of lacklustre complexions, offering facial contouring benefits and creating an utterly glorious bronzed base. Want to find out which ones our beauty writer loved the most? Read on for our guide to tried-and-tested favourites.
Best drugstore bronzer deals
Nicola Chapman is a professional makeup artist who first rose to fame with the YouTube tutorials she created with her sister (fellow makeup artist Sam Chapman) under the internet moniker Pixiwoo.
The best drugstore bronzers, reviewed by our beauty team
Why you can trust Woman & Home Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
The L'Oréal Paris Infallible 24H Fresh Wear Matte Bronzer
I must admit that I am much more of a blusher girl and have been slathering on rosy powders and the best cream blushers for as long as I can remember, neglecting bronzers as a result. So when it came to testing the best drugstore bronzers for this guide, I may have been a little less enthusiastic than I should have initially. But after trying this affordable option, my opinion changed.
The powder was so highly pigmented that it sat on my skin like a cream bronzer would and didn't have that dreaded dehydrated skin look that some powder formulas can produce. It had brown undertones rather than orange so I didn't look like my 2010 teenage self, which I (and everyone else) was grateful for. I used it all over my face to add warmth and subtle contour, as well as on my neck to make sure I was looking bronzed all the way to my collar. Another surprise was discovering the handy little mirror underneath the powder, which makes topping up throughout the day a total breeze. I'm a huge fan.
The e.l.f Cosmetics Putty Bronzer
This tiny little pot of bronze goodness really wowed me. The buttery cream blended seamlessly on top of my makeup and looked so natural, too. I found that a little went a long way and I didn't need much product to add a little contour and warmth to my face. I am fair-skinned so I was worried this might make me look over-bronzed but I enjoyed how authentic it looked.
The unique putty cream-to-powder bronzer is also enriched with argan oil and vitamin E, so it sat well on my skin all day long as it had great nourishing ingredients. It also didn't look greasy, which some cream bronzers can, and helped to even out my complexion. Bonus points for having such an extensive shade range, affordable price point and that it can fit in my handbag for touch-ups on the go.
The Rimmel Natural Bronzer
Out of all the best budget bronzers I tried, I think this was the most pigmented of the batch and was the best bronzer that offered the deepest glow on my skin. Delivering a gorgeous bronzed effect, even in the lighter shade options, this gave the impression of an authentic holiday tan – which is why it made the top three of my roundup. It was amazing at providing an all-over face, neck and shoulder base, which didn't go patchy or streaky when applied with a large bronzer brush.
Despite only having four shades to choose from, I think there would be just enough difference in the tones to have something to suit everyone. The pan was also the largest out of the options I tried, meaning it was great value for money. I loved the subtle shimmer this bronzer gave, too, without looking over the top. I can't think of any reason not to rush out and buy it.
If you're wondering how to contour makeup, this is one of the best drugstore bronzer options for this method. The rich cream bronzer is highly pigmented, so you need to make sure that you have both the right shade for you and that you don't load up too much on your brush or fingers.
I went for the light shade, which was ideal as I enjoy more of a natural makeup look. I used my fingers to apply it, as the heat from my hands helped to blend in the creamy formula. I blended into my cheekbones, across the bridge of my nose and around my temples for a subtle contour look. This would also work well doubled up as a bronze eyeshadow, too. I'm genuinely so impressed with this bargain buy.
The Maybelline City Bronzer
If you have really pale skin then this is the best high street bronzer for you. Offering the lightest bronzing effect out of the batch and great for soft glam makeup, it produces a subtle yet believable glow. Great for sculpting or "tantouring" your complexion, as it creates gorgeous shadows, this is ideal for learning how to contour. The micro-milled powder even contains whipped cocoa butter for a more-ish velvety matte finish.
My only issue with this bronzer is that there are just four shade options available, all of which are fairly light, so it isn't suitable for all skin tones – which is a real shame. However, it worked well on my complexion and gave a subtle sculpting and cool-toned bronze.
The Barry M Heatwave Bronzer
For those who are interested in an eco-friendly, cruelty-free and vegan bronzer, this is most definitely going to impress you across the board. Despite being slightly too warm for my pale complexion, this was easily blendable, buildable and highly pigmented. Great for those who have deeper skin tones or warm undertones, it would work so well teamed with your best fake tan for your face before a night out.
I put this powder on my collarbones, cheeks, the bridge of my nose and temples to create a bronzed base and found that it was, without a doubt, better suited for evening makeup looks rather than during the day for my pale skin. There's no mirror within the packaging, but this is to make it easier to recycle once you've finished with it. What it loses in re-apply ability, it gains back in eco credentials.
Those with mature skin will normally find that cream bronzers suit their skin better than powder formulas. Just like the best foundations for mature skin, this offering from Max Factor promises to not sit in fine lines or wrinkles and keeps the skin looking smooth. I enjoyed that this bronzer kept my skin looking radiant and glowing all day long.
This was so highly pigmented, meaning that you really don't need a lot to get a gorgeous bronzy base (be warned as I went in too hard on my first try). Due to this, the colour lasted all day and I didn't need any touch-ups, which was another plus point.
The Collection Cosmetics Cream Bronzer
I had been dying to try out this viral bronzer as it was meant to be a dupe of a well-known and loved designer cream bronzer (to give you a clue, it rhymes with Schmanel). While it undoubtedly looked similar to the luxury version, there were a couple of differences – mostly, the logo.
This high street offering from Collection was nice to apply and blended in very easily, giving me an immediate bronzed glow. It also allowed me to produce a decent amount of contouring but would have been better if it was a cream bronzer rather than cream to powder, as this one was. I found that I had to touch up some of my bronze during the day which was a shame but not uncommon with cream bronzers.
I liked that this also had skincare ingredients like squalane and seed oils which meant it nourished and blended into skin well. I think for its price, it absolutely wouldn't disappoint. It was blendable, highly pigmented and easy to apply, despite the slight fading.
The Nyx Professional Makeup Matte Bronzer
Perfect for any time of year, this natural-looking bronzer is ideal for those who prefer a subtler sun-kissed glow rather than full-on bronze. The shade Light gave me the most natural-looking warmth to my face out of our entire selection of the best drugstore bronzer options so I loved that it's suited to those with paler skin.
I found that if I wanted a little more colour then it was so easy to build up to give myself a deeper glow for evening events. I wouldn't say it's best suited to contouring your face, but you can add depth with a smaller brush. I also found it looked lovely when I added some to my eyelids to give me a golden eyeshadow look. This is definitely one for those who love easy makeup looks.
How we tested the best drugstore bronzer buys
A selection of some of the best drugstore bronzers that we tested for this feature
In order to compile an edit of truly the best drugstore bronzer options, we tried lots of different products, varying in price point, shades, finishes and textures. We wanted to make sure there was a good balance of brands and prices of the best cream and powder high-street bronzer buys. Each product was tested by a member of the W&H beauty team and is one that they would personally recommend.
How to find the right shade of bronzer
Finding the best drugstore bronzer to suit you starts with pinpointing your undertone. Once you've done this, you can choose the kind of bronzer that is best suited to you and your complexion tones. Here's how to do so:
- Understand your undertone: The easiest way to check is to look at your wrist veins. If they appear blue you have a cool undertone, if they look green your undertone is warm. If you are a mix of both then you're neutral. If your veins aren't very visible, try the jewellery trick. If your skin looks healthiest when you hold gold jewellery against it, you have warm undertones. Alternatively, if it looks healthiest when you hold silver jewellery to your skin, you have cool undertones. Torn between the two or suit both? You're neutral.
- Pick your shade: Cool undertones will best suit a peachier-toned bronzer, while a warm undertone will work well with more golden browns. Neutral undertones suit both fairly well, but should avoid overly warm or peachy bronzers.
FAQs
Should I use cream or powder bronzer?
Now you understand your undertone, it's time to figure out if your skin is best suited to a cream or powder formulation before buying one of the best drugstore bronzer buys.
Chapman notes: "The people that love cream bronzer the most normally have dry or dehydrated skin, as it can allow the skin to look fresh and dewy. I have dry skin and I’m 43, so I like a cream bronzer for the glow and it softens my fine lines.
"Combination skin can normally use both cream and powder bronzers," she adds. While those with oily skin types will best suit a powder bronzer as it helps absorb excess oils.
What's the best way to apply bronzer?
We wanted to find out the best ways to apply bronzer – regardless of if it's the best drugstore bronzer or a luxury buy – according to an industry expert. "Bronzer is not contour, so for the best results apply it to the high points of the face, where the sun would naturally hit you first," Chapman advised. "Top of the nose, cheeks bones and over the high points of the forehead."
However, she adds: "There is really no wrong or right with make-up, but I personally feel a bronzer is too warm of tone to use under the cheekbones as a contour."
Do you apply cream and powder bronzers in the same way?
There are different ways to apply depending on whether you are using the best drugstore cream bronzer or a powder formulation. "A nice way to apply cream bronzer, if you don’t want to use a brush, is with a sponge," Chapman says. "It applies the product so beautifully all over the skin for a very natural finish."
She continues: "For powder, I always think it’s really nice to brush a little bit of the bronzer just over the eyelid so that everything blends in."
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