Up until this day, bronzer is something that’s been missing from my makeup bag. I feel like I just missed the wave circa 2001 when Benefit brought out its Hoola formula, and everyone who didn’t have the same skin tone as myself went wild for the stuff.
“It makes you look like you’ve just been on holiday,” I was told when I enquired about said hype. This however was often followed by the words: “you don’t need to worry about that”, or something to the effect.
And honestly, I didn’t, along with a lot of other things the problematic 2000s beauty industry decided they didn’t need to bother marketing to people of colour in general.
Fast forward 20-something years later; shade ranges have been expanded, while inclusivity isn’t a thing that brands shy away from.
So why still no bronzer in my go to makeup products? I mean, I have blusher, even though being once casually asked: “Why do you even wear blusher, you can’t even tell when you blush?!”
I think in general, I am stickler for habit like many when it comes to makeup. I still use the same shade blusher a MUA at a makeup counter in Macy’s NYC sold me in 2006 (‘Gingerly’, for anyone wondering).
I haven’t reached for bronzer because I’ve never used it. Where do I even put it on my face? Where the sun would naturally hit the high points of your face, I was told after a quick YouTube search.
With summer still feeling like a lifetime away here in the UK, and ready to try something new, I looked to address the issue. I approached the search for my perfect shade with hesitancy and enthusiasm-levels I normally reserved only for new-jeans shopping.
The best powder bronzers for dark skin
Here’s what I found on my search for the best bronzer for my skin tone…
Charlotte Tilbury Airbush Bronzer in shade Deep, £44.99
One swipe and I’m sold! Surely this cannot be the ‘job’ I put off all this time?
With this bronzer, I quickly saw what was missing from my whole makeup routine. It gave just the right amount of warmth and glow to my skin, and the pigment provided a natural glow that looked effortless.
Jones Road Beauty The Bronzer in shade Terracotta, £32.00
If you are bronzer newbie like me, or prefer something really natural, this is for you.
I really don’t think you can make a heavy-handed mistake as I found the pigment to be quite light and super buildable, allowing you a lot of control over your finished look. This product definitely gives that ‘are you wearing something?’ vibe.
Rimmel London Natural Bronzer in Sunbathe 004, £6.99
I found this to be probably too cool a colour for my skintone; it added more depth to my face, but lacked the warmth I needed.
The formula however offers good coverage, and it’s easily buildable with no sign of a white cast. Not mad at it.
Victoria Beckham Beauty Matte Bronzing Brick in 04, £56.00
After checking my face against the model on the website (who I appeared to have a similar skin tone to), I went with shade 04. I was initially concerned when seeing it in the pan that it would be too light, but put your trust in Victoria Beckham; she knew even if I didn’t on first sight, that this was going to be my perfect match!
A stylish compact that is begging to be on show with a blendable duo of bronze shades, I think this is my winter-to-summer look, sorted.
Vieve Modern Bronzer in Tan, £31.00
This bronzer duo is highly pigmented and a little goes a long way. The lighter shade gives the warmth and the darker, cooler tone offers definition.
I love the warm tone alone but if you’re more confident than me, go in with the cool tone and sculpt yourself a whole new face. It gives drama!
L’Oréal Paris Infallible 24H Longwear Soft Matte Bronzer in Deep Tan,£12.99
L’Oréal’s bronzer gives good coverage, and it’s easy to build up the pigment. I have a feeling that come summer, I would need to go up a shade though. The undertone is warm but probably more on the pink side than I would have liked.
I LOVE the fact that you can flip the compact for a mirror on the other side, which is an added bonus.
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