With warmer weather comes more sun kissed, fresh face makeup looks. I have a hard time finding the best bronzers for fair skin that don’t pull orange or look too dark for my complexion. For reference, I have fair skin with a neutral (leaning cool) undertone. The key to finding the right bronzer is that you:
1) Buy a shade or two darker than your natural skin tone and
2) Test before you buy! That’s not always possible, especially during COVID so I recommend that you shop at retailers that have a solid return policy so you can get your money back or exchange if it’s not the right one for you.
I’ve tried way too many bronzers in my lifetime—way too many. From vegan formulas to drugstore favorites, I’ve rounded up my top five best bronzers for fair skin (and two honorable mentions).
1. Benefit Hoola Lite Bronzer
I feel like Hoola bronzer has been a cult favorite for years. The original shade was gave me a muddy finish so when they came out with the “Lite” version, I was sold. I can wear this bronzer year round, no matter how pale I am and it looks very natural. I should also mention this bronzer is a restock for me. I hit pan on my first one back in 2019. My only complaint about this is the packaging. Get rid of the boxes! Give me a compact, please.
2. Glossier Cloud Paint in Dusk
This is a liquid blush for most people but for me, it’s great for contouring or mixing with blush for a sun kissed glow. I’ll mix with this with the shade Puff (cool pink) and it looks like the perfect glowy mix of blush and bronzer. Apparently Glossier is launching a bronzer this summer so if you love Glossier, you may want to save your money for this launch.
3. Undone Beauty Water Bronzer Stick
This product has made two appearances this week on the blog and that wasn’t on purpose! This is the only cool-toned cream bronzer I would recommend for fair skinned ladies. I have the shade Baked, which is ideal for anyone with blue, pink or red undertones. It’s also a vegan formula (made with coconut water) and only $10!
4. TheBalm Take Home The Bronze Anti-Orange Bronzer in Oliver
The packaging for this bronzer is so cute! I love the velvety finish of this formula and it’s great for pale complexions. It’s a few shades darker than my Hoola Lite bronzer so I’ll be using this more often during the summer months if I develop any sort of color.
5. Physicians Formula Light Butter Bronzer
I’ve tried a lot of drugstore bronzers but this will always top my list if you’re on a budget. It smells like a vacation (which I so desperately need) and I like that it comes with a travel-size brush (although I still prefer an angled contour brush). I also like to use this as an eyeshadow when I want a quick and easy makeup look.
Honorable Mentions:
Charlotte Tilbury Mini Filmstar Bronze & Glow Contour Duo
I never understood the reviews for this duo until I was able to purchase the mini version of this bronze/highlight compact. It’s a nice, subtle bronzer and I like that it comes with a highlighter as well. This size is great for travel or honestly, something that will probably last a long time without a hefty price tag.
No. 7 Bronzer in Golden Sand
Here’s another cool-toned bronzer that can be worn year round, has a matte finish and costs less than $13. I forgot this was in my arsenal of bronzers until I started unpacking everything after the move. I still prefer my PF Butter Bronzer to this but it’s a nice alternative.
Benefit Hoola has been my go-to for years. I rarely try other products just because I know it works and looks good on my light skin! I did try the Butter Bronzer once and loved the smell
Yes, I always come back to Hoola. It’s the only bronzer I’ve ever restocked on! haha