Best cream bronzer 2023: Get a sun-kissed glow at home
Want to recreate a post-holiday glow safely and with minimal effort? These are the best cream bronzers you can buy
Finding the best cream bronzer is a game-changer when it comes to healthy and glowy skin. The right formula will melt seamlessly into your base and create that just home from the spa gleam. Cream bronzers are a great option for dry skin, as they won’t go cakey or patchy after a long day in the office and generally need zero touch-ups throughout the day. Instead, the warm and creamy hue will help define your face and give skin a tanned glow without even having to leave your living room.
Incorporating them into your routine might seem daunting at first but trust us, they are completely beginner-proof. You have complete control over the intensity and can gently layer until you’re happy with the finished look. They can be buffed in easily with a makeup brush, a beauty sponge or even your fingers.
For anyone unsure of where to start, we’ve tested a whole range of cream bronzers. Below you can find our guide on how to find the best one for you, as well as a list of our favourites for every skin type and budget.
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Best cream bronzers: At a glance
- Best overall: Nars Laguna Bronzing Cream | £31
- Best for oily skin: Charlotte Tilbury Sun-Kissed Glow | £44
- Best for lasting all day: Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream | £46
- Best on a budget: Makeup Revolution Ultra Cream Bronzer | £6
- Best shade range: Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Bronzer | £29
- Best for a glow: Glossier Solar Paint | £17
How to choose the best cream bronzer for you
Cream vs powder bronzer: Which is better?
There’s no right or wrong answer and both cream and powder bronzers can fit easily into your makeup bag depending on which sort of look you’re wanting to create. Cream bronzers tend to be better for natural, dewy finishes and look great in daylight. However, you may prefer a powder bronzer for a more intense and glamorous, nighttime look.
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If you have dry or dehydrated skin, you might find that powder bronzers appear patchy on the skin and therefore, would be much better suited to a hydrating cream formula. Similarly, if you have oily skin, you might not get on as well with a dewy, dream bronzer. If you have mature skin, you also may find a cream bronzer sits better on your face without creasing or accentuating fine lines and wrinkles. Powder bronzers may seem easier, as it’s the makeup product many of us are used to but a cream bronzer can also be applied in the same way.
Tips for applying a cream bronzer
If you’ve decided that a cream bronzer is the choice for you, here are a few things that will help fake that perfect holiday glow.
Undertones: Identify the undertones in your skin and aim for a few shades darker for the ultimate bronze shade to suit your face.
Sides: Start with one side of your face at a time, so you have time to fully blend it into the skin.
Location: Apply it to places where the sun would naturally hit, such as the temples, cheeks and nose.
Blending: This is key. Make sure to take your time blending the product into your hairline and from the apples of your cheeks up to your outer cheekbones. Make sure it’s fully blended before adding another layer.
How we test cream bronzer
At Expert Reviews, we know that hands-on testing delivers the most complete information about a product. To test the cream bronzers, we compare the different types of cream bronzer available on the market, applying them using various methods. Where cream bronzers are recommended for a particular skin type, we test on that skin type to ensure we make an accurate recommendation.
When testing, we diligently follow application directions, evaluating a product’s overall ease of use, accuracy of the shades on offer, and the final result. We also consider how well cream bronzer holds throughout the day. Finally, we confirm the size of the product.
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The best cream bronzers to buy in 2023
1. NARS Laguna Bronzing Cream: The best cream bronzer for most people
Price: £31 | Buy now from Cult Beauty
This is a silky-smooth formula that instantly delivers the most flattering sun-kissed glow in seconds. Simply go in with your chosen tool and buff the product into skin in circular motions. The bronzer contains Monoï de Tahiti (a cosmetic oil) for additional moisture and customers love how it smells like a holiday.
A little goes a long way and it’s easy to layer for a darker intensity if you wish. The compact packaging means it’s small enough to fit into your makeup bag if you’re travelling and the lid screws on tightly allowing the product to stay fresher for longer.
Key details – Shades: five; Weight: 25g
2. Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer: The best cream bronzer for oily skin
Price: £42 | Buy now from Charlotte Tilbury
You can always count on Charlotte Tilbury for delivering the glow. The brand recently launched its creamy bronzer which promises to blur, hydrate and give a wash of beachy bronze to your look. It’s a powder/cream hybrid which almost dries matte, making it perfect for those who may find usual cream products a little too oily for their skin type.
You can gently pat the product into your skin with a fluffy brush (never drag it) and watch it blend seamlessly. It’s worth noting that the bronzer is huge, making it great value, but it’s something to be mindful of if you’re trying to save on suitcase space for your next weekend away.
Read our full list of the best Charlotte Tilbury products here.
Key details – Shades: four; Weight: 21g
3. Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream: The best for all day glow
Price: £43 | Buy now from Boots
Chanel’s Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream is a vacation in a jar. The classic formula, which has been around for over 12 years, is a game-changer when it comes to a velvety, yet long-lasting base that will absolutely not budge. It’s non-comedogenic, which helps avoid clogged pores and breakouts, and doesn’t go patchy throughout the day.
The product truly is a life-saver for staying fresh-faced during busy days at the office. To use, simply swirl around a kabuki brush and buff into the high points of your face. It’s a little on the expensive side but as many of the reviewers say, once you’ve tried it you’ll never want to go back to your old one.
Key details – Shades: three; Weight: 30g
4. Makeup Revolution Ultra Cream Bronzer: The best on a budget
Price: £6 | Buy now from Look Fantastic
If you’re looking for a gleamy and velvety bronzer that won’t break the bank, you’ll love this vacay-ready innovation. After being featured on This Morning, it’s had hundreds of great reviews praising its coverage, blendability and uplifting bronze shade.
Like the other bronzers listed it contains no sparkle or glitter, meaning you can achieve a true sun-kissed look without the added glam effect. We love how the packaging is simple and small meaning it can easily squeeze into the busiest of makeup bags.
Key details – Shades: five; Size: 12g
5. Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Bronzer: The best cream bronzer for shade range
Price: £29 | Buy now from Boots
Resistant to sweat and water, Fenty’s much-loved cream bronzer is in it for the long haul and refuses to falter in the hot sun. It’s creamy and buttery, without being too greasy and customers love how well it blends on top of makeup.
It’s available in seven warm, neutral and cool shades meaning you have more control over your desired look. ‘Amber’ is a cool-toned bronze ideal for those who find normal bronze shades too orange and can also double up as a sculpting contour for defined cheekbones and a chiselled jaw.
Key details – Shades: seven; Size: 23g
6. Glossier Solar Paint: The best glowy cream bronzer
Price: £17 | Buy now from Glossier
Glossier’s first bronzer, Solar Paint, was highly-anticipated by the beauty community and it exceeded everyone’s expectations. It’s packed with light-reflecting pearls and promises to look “just as natural in broad daylight as it does in your bathroom mirror”. The formula does almost verge on sparkly at first glance, but when applied to the skin looks very natural, with zero harsh lines.
It contains Glossier’s signature Dessert Milk, an emulsion of plant oils and extracts like jojoba and aloe, to ensure hydrated and nourished skin. The packaging is different from many of the other bronzers we’ve reviewed and we like how it’s ideal for applying on the go. Simply dab a few dots on the top corner of your cheekbones, or wherever you like your bronzer, and then blend in with either a beauty blender or fingers for a subtle, glowy finish.
Key details – Shades: four; Size: 13ml