We Found the 6 Cream Bronzers That Give Our Faces a Deceivingly Natural Tan (2024)

I always strive to look like I just returned from Santorini’s sunny coast with glowing and refreshed skin, but even taking a faux-cation still requires work (hi, self-tanning). However, the best cream bronzers have hydrating formulas that warm up my complexion in 30 seconds or less. “Since cream formulas often contain emollients and humectants, the bronzer will blend into the skin seamlessly, whereas powder bronzers can sometimes sit on the surface of the skin and accentuate fine lines,” explains makeup artist Neil Scibelli, whose client roster includes stars such as Elle MacPherson and John Legend.

To get radiant, summery skin in the warm seasons and beyond, you must first consider a few factors, like how skilled you are at applying bronzers and whether a matte or dewy finish better suits your complexion. I spent a month testing a dozen cream bronzers against these variables (plus a few others, such as longevity and shade pigmentation). The following six gave me a year-round glow.

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Best for Dry Skin:

Chanel Glow Bronzing Cream

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Why We Love It: This pocket-sized bronzed baby and I are practically attached at the hip. No matter where I am—be it a crowded locker room or a claustrophobic subway car—I can uncap the small golden tube, twist it from the bottom, and swipe it on my skin. The slim, rounded tip allows me to create clean, straight lines across my features, and it’s easy to blend. My preferred method is patting the soft formula with my fingertips. In less than 15 seconds, my complexion emanates warmth and has a stunning radiance. If your complexion is oily (like mine), you’ll notice that the finish looks like a subtle highlight, almost as if someone is casting warm lighting on my face. As temperatures tick up throughout the day, this bronzer never looks greasy and stays put on my sweat-slicked cheekbones.

Who It’s For: People who are new to using bronzer (or anyone honing their contouring skills) will love how easy this stick-style tool is to use. Since it layers super well over base makeup and has a very buildable formula, you can use it for everyday makeup or a more dramatic serve. And the gleaming tube is also a pretty addition to any shelfie.

Shades: 5 | Finish: Natural | Size: 0.44 oz

Why We Love It: I consider these ColourPop Bronze Stix my future travel companions, as they’re in a tube that’s slimmer than my lipstick. Each of the six shades looks natural on bare skin, so even if I’m headed to a destination that’s not sunny, I’ll still come home looking bronzed. Similar to the brand’s Shadow Stix (a.k.a. cream eye shadow), they glide across my skin as seamlessly as a serum, never pilling or leaving a trail of clumpy product in their wake. They also mirror the eyeshadow in terms of application, as the stick configuration allows you to apply the bronzer directly to your skin and enhance specific features, like the very top of your cheekbones or the area right below your hairline.

Who It’s For: This long-lasting cream bronzer is my best friend when I plan on staying out from dusk ‘til dawn. I hesitated when I initially applied it because even though it blended beautifully with my other makeup, it did feel a little tacky. However, I think its texture may be the key to its long-lasting power.

Shades: 6 | Finish: Matte | Size: 0.28 oz

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  • We Found the 6 Cream Bronzers That Give Our Faces a Deceivingly Natural Tan (16)

Why We Love It: I couldn’t stop piling the Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream, which is lighter than a face lotion but equally moisturizing, onto my cheekbones and along my jawline. It has a glorious satiny texture that goes on like a tanned, hydrated second skin. After getting a little burnt at an all-day park picnic (I promise I wore sunscreen), a single layer of the lightest shade helped extend my tan. Some days, I did need a mattifying primer to prevent the product’s slicker texture from slipping off of oilier spots on my face, but generally, it stayed on for hours.

Who It’s For: Although I historically haven’t shopped for luxury makeup, I have to admit this bronzing cream is well worth the price for its long-lasting performance, gorgeous finish, and stunningly rich shades. Plus, it has an expensive, fresh, and clean smell that reminded me of the fragrance inside Bergdorf Goodman. As another bonus, applying the soothing cream feels like wrapping a 100 percent silk scarf around your face, so those with sensitive skin can feel good about using it, too.

Shades: 3 | Finish: Matte | Size: 1.6 oz

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  • We Found the 6 Cream Bronzers That Give Our Faces a Deceivingly Natural Tan (19)

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Why We Love It: Putting cream bronzer on oily skin sounds like combining oil and water (a.k.a. they don’t work well together), but this Nars Bronzing Cream is the exception. I tested it during the hottest and most humid week of summer, and it simply refused to budge from where I’d applied it eight hours earlier. While this was a pleasant surprise, the shade threw me for a loop—it goes on much lighter than it looks in the jar. I suggest going one shade darker than you usually would for a natural look and two shades darker if you’re using it to contour.

Who It’s For: I’m a firm believer that my friends with oily skin can still rock a dewy look—they just need to use the right product. Although this bronzer’s finish leans more toward matte, it didn’t wash out my other cream blushes and highlighters. It helped me achieve a lustrous look while minimizing shine.

Shades: 5 | Finish: Natural | Size: 0.67 oz

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  • We Found the 6 Cream Bronzers That Give Our Faces a Deceivingly Natural Tan (30)

Why We Love It: Even when I’m in my absolute worst mood, Nudestix’s bronzer (particularly Sunkissed, a pink, blush-like shade) makes my cheeks look cheery, bright, and pinchable. Although I hardly needed one swipe to achieve my desired look, I could really pack on the pigmented shade, and it continued to warm up my features instead of forming clumpy layers. Like any great stick-style tool, it has a brush on one side to blend the cream. However, I rarely used it because it was more efficient to buff out the product with the bottom part of my palm. Still, the thicker formula blended in completely after about 30 seconds.

Who It’s For: This is the best product I’ve found for layering with blush that doesn’t make me mirror a rodeo clown. It sweeps over other types of makeup without pilling, and the shade enhances my blushes’ colors rather than mixing into them and creating an unsightly mess. Another note: This product is matte, but it still gives skin a noticeable glow.

Shades: 8 | Finish: Matte | Size: 0.25 oz

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  • We Found the 6 Cream Bronzers That Give Our Faces a Deceivingly Natural Tan (36)

  • We Found the 6 Cream Bronzers That Give Our Faces a Deceivingly Natural Tan (37)

Why We Love It: Contour palettes aren’t typically my jam (they’re intimidating!), but that changed with this ingenious duo from Patrick Ta. Firstly, the color payoff is subtle, allowing me to add layers until I’m comfortable with the amount of pigment. I used it throughout fashion week for more high-glam looks that required minimal effort on my end. In fact, I received more compliments on my healthy-looking, glowy skin than I did on my outfits (sort of a bummer), which I attribute to this duo’s radiant finish.

Who It’s For: Makeup artist Kyle Brown swears by this duo, saying that “the crème contour is great for sculpting prior to setting your base and then adding warmth with the powder bronze.” If you don’t like a dewy look, follow Brown’s advice for applying it since the cream leaves skin a little shimmery. However, overlaying your look with the bronzer mutes the glimmer for a gorgeous natural matte finish. If you want additional warmth, you can put cream blush over powder bronzer.

Shades: 5 | Finish: Natural | Size: 0.24 oz

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  • We Found the 6 Cream Bronzers That Give Our Faces a Deceivingly Natural Tan (40)

  • We Found the 6 Cream Bronzers That Give Our Faces a Deceivingly Natural Tan (41)

  • We Found the 6 Cream Bronzers That Give Our Faces a Deceivingly Natural Tan (42)

Our Testing Process

After speaking with makeup artists, digging deep into the market, and consulting with the InStyle beauty team, I selected 12 cream bronzers to test. For four weeks, I incorporated the bronzers into my everyday makeup routine, wearing them at work, on vacation, and during different events. I evaluated how well they held up throughout the day and night, noting any color changes and how long it took for each formula to fade. I also considered the ease of application, including whether the product blended into my skin seamlessly, layered well with other makeup, and caused any pilling. Additionally, I judged each bronzer’s overall look, determining whether it had the versatility for both casual and high-glam looks, gave my skin a gorgeous warmth, and looked natural against my skin tone.

What to Keep in Mind

  • Finish: Whether you choose a matte or radiant finish depends on the look you want to achieve. If you’re seeking an all-around radiance, try a cream bronzer with a shimmery formula that accentuates the areas where you apply it. Matte finishes tend to look a bit more natural and can work well if you’re trying to define a certain area of the skin, such as the high points of your cheekbones, or if you want to add shadows to your features after applying foundation. Skin type also plays a role in your decision. “If you tend to be on the oilier side, you want to lean into matte versus satin and shimmers,” says makeup artist Jessica Candage.
  • Shade: Regardless of your skin tone, Brown says the first rule of choosing the right bronzer is to go one or two shades deeper than your natural skin tone. But it’s not enough to only look at the shade’s depth, according to Uzo, the global artistry director for Nars. It is equally important to consider the shade’s undertone and find one that matches yours—whether it's cool, neutral, or warm. In general, makeup artist Elizabeth Seropian says warm undertones work well with yellow, peach, or golden hues. For neutral undertones, “a light tan brown shade gives the most natural glow without looking orangey,” says Uzo. Finally, soft colors such as beiges and light pinks complement cool undertones best.
  • Skin Type: Many powder bronzers have natural matte finishes that make them a popular option for those with oily skin. However, don’t be intimidated to try a cream, even if you have shiny skin. Many formulas on this list have a lightweight texture that blends into complexions seamlessly for pillow-soft skin without the added dewiness. You can also opt for this type of bronzer when you want to add hydration back into dry complexions or seek a more dramatic look.

Your Questions, Answered

Is cream bronzer better for older skin?


Mature skin can rock any type of bronzer—cream, liquid, or powder. However, Candage explains that since mature skin is typically drier and has texture from fine lines and wrinkles, a dewier formula may blend better across this skin type. “Cream bronzer doesn’t grab the dry bits of skin like a powder can, and it doesn’t accentuate the lines on the face like a powder, which is why our mature skin friends feel much more confident with a cream,” she says.

Is a cream bronzer the same as a cream contour?

Using any bronzer is similar to contouring. However, whereas contour is meant to add dimension by shaping and sculpting the face, Uzo explains that “bronzers are a shortcut to adding natural-looking warmth and a sun-kissed glow to the skin” without stepping foot in the sun. Brown adds that contour shades are “usually more matte and cool-toned, whereas bronzer can also be matte, but most have a natural shimmer to create an overall glow.”

However, keep in mind that makeup really has no hard-and-fast rules, especially when it comes to a product as versatile as a bronzer. You can mimic the appearance of shadows, like you would with a contour, by taking a deep-shaded bronzer to your cheeks’ inner hollows. Or you can use a lighter contour shade to add warmth to the top of your cheekbones or jawline. At the end of the day, it’s whatever gets the job done and feels best to you.

How do you apply cream bronzer?

Scibelli tells us to consider the “three” technique when it comes to your bronzer placement, applying it around the forehead, cheekbones, and jawline. These are the places where the sun naturally hits your skin. And don’t forget to blend down your neck, he says.

“Since the formula is a cream, you'll want to apply it with a synthetic makeup brush—I like a fluffy foundation brush,” suggests Scibelli. If you prefer a more chiseled look, Uzo adds that you can apply the bronzer “to the perimeter of the forehead (along the hairline), hollows of the cheekbones, and under the jawline” with a smaller, denser angled brush.

Why Shop with Us

Irene Richardson is a fashion and beauty commerce writer for InStyle. For this story, she researched and tested a dozen bronzers. She also interviewed the following experts:

  • Neil Scibelli is a celebrity makeup artist who has worked with clients such as Elle MacPherson and John Legend. You can also find Neil's work in print and online editorial magazines, across major runways during New York Fashion Week, and on performing arts stages at Lincoln Center and Broadway.
  • Jessica Candage is a Nashville-based celebrity makeup artist. Her clients have included Lainey Wilson and Brittany Aldean.
  • Uzo, whose clients include Naomi Campbell, Kirsten Dunst, and Tessa Thompson, has over 30 years of beauty industry experience. She’s currently the global artistry director for Nars Cosmetics and recently launched her own skincare and cosmetics brand, UZO.
  • Kyle Brown is a makeup artist based in New York City. He’s supervised makeup for Broadway shows and worked with brands such as Smashbox Cosmetics.
  • Elizabeth Seropian is a Los Angeles-based makeup artist with over a decade of professional experience. She’s worked with celebrities such as Cindy Crawford and Noah Cyrus.
We Found the 6 Cream Bronzers That Give Our Faces a Deceivingly Natural Tan (2024)

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