Finding the right bronzer for melanated skin can be a challenge, with many formulas failing to show up or blend naturally on deeper tones. While it might be tempting to skip bronzer altogether, it’s actually a key step in a flawless makeup routine. Bronzer adds much-needed warmth to your face, mimicking the sun’s natural glow. The right bronzer can elevate your look with just a few swipes.
21Ninety has rounded up the best bronzers for darker skin tones based on quality, price, and accessibility because beauty shouldn’t be exclusive. These picks melt flawlessly into deeper complexions and offer rich, radiant finishes that truly show up.
Best Cream Bronzers
- Best Affordable Pick: Juvia’s Place Bronzed Cream Bronzer
- Best Sheer Bronzer: Saie Sun Melt Natural Cream Bronzer
- Best Creamy Bronzer: NARS Laguna Bronzing Cream
- Best Bronzer for Beginners: Tower 28 Beauty Sculptino Soft Matte Cream Contour + Bronzer
- Best Full Coverage Bronzer: LYS Beauty No Limits Cream Bronzer and Contour Stick
Best Affordable Pick
Juvia’s Place delivers diverse offerings for melanated skin types. The brand includes the Bronzed Cream Bronzer among its most popular products. Priced under $20, this bronzer packs rich pigment provides full to medium coverage, and blends seamlessly into the skin.
Best Sheer Bronzer
If natural looking makeup is your go-to this spring, invest in a bronzer that enhances your skin. The Saie Sun Melt Natural Cream Bronzer is a lightweight balm-like bronzer that offers a natural finish on your face. Condense your multistep makeup routine with this bronzer, a little concealer and a shimmering lip gloss to give your face a spring refresh. In addition, this bronzer features skin-loving ingredients like colloidal oatmeal, grapeseed oil, and elderberry extract.
Best Creamy Bronzer
Cream bronzers are best for dry skin because they often contain hydrating and moisturizing ingredients to keep your makeup look flawless, yet glowy. NARS is a longstanding makeup brand that is used by makeup artists and beauty professionals for a reason. This bronzer features Monoï de Tahiti oil that makes the product effortlessly creamy and blendable.
Best Bronzer for Beginners
Those who are new to including bronzer into their makeup routine should try out the Tower 28 Beauty Sculptino Soft Matte Cream Contour + Bronzer. This multi-use product is cruelty free and vegan free, perfect for sampling into your makeup rotation. It adds a natural dimension and sculpt to your face, so you won’t have to worry about blending it out correctly. Essentially, with this bronzer it’s hard to add too much.
Best Full Coverage Bronzer
The LYS Beauty No Limits Cream Bronzer and Contour Stick offers sculpting, blendability, and full coverage. With seven melanin rich shades to choose from, this bronzer is fit for all your future full-glam makeup looks. Additionally, this Black-owned brand’s bronzer includes rosehip oil, which helps reduce the look of dark spots.
What Are Some Tips for Buying Bronzer for Melanated Skin?
When buying bronzer for melanated skin, look for warm undertones. Shades like terracotta, copper, or deep gold will enhance your natural glow without looking ashy. Additionally, opt for formulas with rich pigmentation that show up beautifully on deeper tones, including cream bronzers. Cream bronzers create more full coverage on the face, while power bronzers are typically used to sculpt the face for a finishing touch.
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