Who needs sunshine when there’s a world of brilliant bronzers to discover? Say hello to natural, sun-kissed radiance with our pick of the best bronzers for every skin tone, and how to apply them like a pro.
How to choose the right bronzer for your skin tone
The secret to natural-looking bronzer that looks like your real skin, sun-kissed, starts with finding the best bronzer for your skin tone, and a general rule is choosing a bronzer that’s no more than two shades darker than your skin, which’ll help you create the type of radiant glow that your skin would naturally go when it tans.
“Lily Lolo Pressed Bronzer in Montego Bay is a great bronzer for olive skin, and our darkest bronzer shade Honolulu looks great on brown and black skin, plus both are infused with a subtle sheen that really enhances your glow,” says Lily Lolo founder, Vikki Khan.
“Miami Beach is our best-selling bronzer shade, and its really wearable, golden bronze hue makes it the ideal bronzer for fair skin. If you’re really fair, and tend not to tan at all, a peachy blusher can be a great summer alternative to bronzer, creating a soft flush that will warm up your complexion while still looking natural – try our Lip & Cheek Cream in Dahlia, which is one of my favourite products right now.”
Applying bronzer: the makeup artists’ trick
The beauty of mineral makeup is that the ultra-fine pigments melt and blend in for a real-skin finish that feels so right for summertime’s easy and effortless makeup looks. Once you’ve found your perfect bronzer shade, playing around with application techniques will help you create a gorgeous, natural glow.
“Always apply bronzer where the sun would naturally hit your face,” says Lily Lolo makeup artist Jane Bradley. So that means, unlike blusher, you should strategically apply bronzer to various areas of the face and neck. Use a large soft brush (our fluffy, vegan Bronzer Brush is specifically for this) to sweep bronzer across the cheekbones, the bridge of the nose, brow bones and chin and the bonier areas of the forehead, not forgetting to blend at the neck and even down to the décolleté – basically anywhere you’d naturally pick up a tan. This way, you’ll achieve an altogether more realistic-looking bronzed glow.
Boost bronzed skin’s radiance
If your favourite bronzer is matte, adding some subtle shimmer and shine will create a healthy radiance that looks like you just stepped in from the sunshine. Sculpt & Glow Contour Duo contains a universally flattering matte bronzer and a fresh and lustrous pressed highlighter that instantly imparts skin with a sheer glow. Simply dust a little highlighter on the top of bronzed cheekbones, brow bones and wherever you want to add a little luminosity.
More favourite products for feel-good summer beauty
Make the most of summer’s soft, flattering light and switch your foundation for a fresh BB Cream. Our BB is silicone-free, which means it won’t clog pores, and it’s infused with lightweight and hydrating ingredients that feel great on the skin during hot, dry summer weather. Tempted to pack away the foundation for summer altogether? The nourishing formula of our new Cream Concealer works well under eyes, on blemishes and blurs redness and pigmentation, so you can use it wherever you like for targeted, buildable coverage, creating a flawless canvas without applying full-on foundation.
“Whatever the weather is doing, I’m never without a nude lip,” says Vikki. “This summer I’ll be wearing our Vegan Lipstick in Au Naturel – it’s soft, subtle, so easy to wear and the perfect shade for bronzed skin.”