The 17 Best Face Bronzers of 2022

Hourglass is a popular American makeup brand, which is favored by Hollywood actresses and makeup artists. It is one of the most successful brands introduced by Sephora during 2013 to 2014.

The AMBIENT LIGHTING BRONZER integrates contours and highlighters into one. It can’t be applied to contour noses and jaws due to its glossy texture, but you can apply it as a bronzer to contour the cheeks. The AMBIENT LIGHTING BRONZER is available in 4 shades: diffused, luminous, nude and radiant. The ultra-fine AMBIENT LIGHTING BRONZER has a moderate pigment and contains fine glitter particles, leaving a natural and flawless makeup look with satin gloss. And you needn’t apply highlighters after the bronzer. It is very suitable for dry skin to create a long-lasting finish without stripping.

HOURGLASS will launch a annual kit on every Christmas Day, which integrates the best selling blushes, highlighters and contours.

Kevyn Aucoin is established in 2001 and named after its founder. As one of the most influential and top makeup artists in Hollywood, Kevyn Aucoin created a quick makeup method to apply foundation, concealer and highlighter at the same time. To this day, the method is still followed up by numerous beauty celebrities.

Kevyn Aucoin powder bronzers are available in 3 shades: light, medium and deep. The light is suitable for people with white skin. The medium works for most complexions. The deep targets brown and deep skins. The fine and soft powder bronzer is easy to blend, helping create a seamless finish without cakey. However, it is lightly feathering.

In 2019, Kevyn Aucoin launched the third generation of a combination plate, which combines the three shades with a gradient blush and two highlighters. It is really cost-effective.

Besides powder bronzers, Kevyn Aucoin also released a monochromatic cream bronzer. The soft cream bronzer helps achieve a semi-matte and natural finish after spreading. Cream bronzers are available in three shades: light, medium, and deep. It looks stronger than powder bronzer with higher pigment. It is suitable for experienced makeup enthusiasts, for it requires sophisticated makeup skills.

If you want to have powder and cream bronzers at the same time, the second generation of a combination plate is recommended. It combines powder bronzers, highlighters and cream bronzers with a four-color eye shadow. The combination plates are available in medium shade, which works for most skin tones.

Tom Ford is an American fashion brand founded in April 2005 and named after its founder. There are all kinds of comments about this brand. The founder Tom Ford is regarded as the man who knows women best. Tom Ford launched its own makeup lines by allying with Estee Lauder in 2011. The products are of high quality and very popular.

The SHADE & ILLUMINATE integrates highlighters and bronzers. With a luxurious and elegant package, the moisturizing cream bronzer offers excellent bendability. It helps achieve a long-lasting and flawless and fine finish. It is available in 4 shades, namely INTENSITY 0.5/1/2/3, with 2 and 3 slightly dark. The INTENSITY 1 is reddish hue and can be used to bronzing your cheeks. The INTENSITY 0.5 is suitable for your nose to create a natural look. It offers high pigment, and you need to pay attention to techniques when applying.

The LYSNENDE PUDDER DUO is also worth buying. It is a bronzer with a golden gloss, which can improve your complexion. The powder bronzer contains ultra-fine pearlescent particles, presents a natural lustre. It is recommended to use a brush to apply it due to its fine and compact texture.

In 2017, Tom Ford released the SOLEIL GLOW BRONZER with an exquisite appearance. It helps create a more natural makeup look compared with the LYSNENDE PUDDER DUO. The SOLEIL GLOW BRONZER covers two shades. The #01 GOLD DUST contains fine glitter particles with a light hue; the #02 TERRA is more suitable for a natural look. The lightweight SOLEIL GLOW BRONZER is easy to apply, leaving the skin silky smooth.

Charlotte Tilbury（CT） is a popular British makeup brand founded in 2013. The founder is the chief makeup designer of Tom Ford. The CT products are full of classic retro style both in packaging design and color selection. Moreover, the CT offers numerous practical and high-quality products.

FILMSTAR BRONZE & GLOW is the hero product of CT in a fashionable package. It is in fine and soft texture and very easy to apply. It is available in two shades: medium to dark and light to medium, which integrates highlighter and bronzer into one.

FILMSTAR BRONZE & GLOW is warm hue in a gentle style, helping create a natural look. It contains fine glitter particles, suitable for daily use. It is compact without feathering. Except the regular version, the CT will release a limited edition on evey the Christmas Day. The edition on the Christmas Day in 2019 was fascinating.

The CT launched AIRBRUSH BRONZER at the beginning of 2020, which has a shell-like appearance with four shades. It is a monochrome contour with a large capacity, and can contour the cheeks with a warm hue. The fine and compact AIRBRUSH BRONZER has a matte texture without fine glitter particles.

CT also released liquid contours—Glowgasm Beauty Light Wand. The water-like contour is easy to apply, which helps achieve a natural look with luster. However, you should take a decent amount and be careful when applying.

Fenty Beauty is a makeup brand founded by well-known star Rihanna in 2017. Although it hasn’t been established for a long time, it has made a great achievement.

In addition to regular liquid foundations and lip glazes, Fenty Beauty Amber is very eye-catching. There are various shades for different purposes. It covers foundation sticks, highlighter sticks, and contour sticks; and contour sticks are the most popular products among them. And the contours are available in 3 shades. However, the foundation sticks offer rich shades, and you can choose a foundation stick with a dark hue to conceal. The smooth Fenty Beauty Amber offers an extraordinary staying power, and it is easy to apply without oily and stripping. You should apply it with specific skills because it is in a hard texture. The Fenty Beauty Amber is not cost-effective. There are also a kit that covers foundations, highlighters and bronzers in the store.

Fenty Beauty released the latest Cream series at early 2020. The soft and moisturizing CHEEKS OUT FREESTYLE CREAM BRONZER offers a great blendability, leaving a lightweight skin feeling.

In addition to two cream contours, Fenty Beauty also launched FREESTYLE POWDER BRONZER in 2019, which is more suitable for cheeks, or creating a intermediate color between blushing and bronzing.

Fenty Beauty's cream and powder contours are encased in shiny and metallic shells. And they can be differentiated by the word “Cream” on boxes.

NARS is an American professional makeup brand founded in 1994 by Francois Nars, a French makeup artist who has a background in fashion industry. Products from NARS always have simple, distinctive and stylish packages. NARS has launched concealing products in various textures, including powder, cream, liquid and stick.

LAGUNA helps create a healthy complexion. The BRONZING POWDER LAGUNA contains fine glitter particles, leaving a glossy and natural look. If you don't like pearl concealer, you can choose MATTE BRONZING POWDER released in 2020, which can contour your cheeks effectively. LAGUNA is perfect for your cheeks, while vallarta, taila and olympia are more suitable for your nose and jaw.

Various concealing powders under NARS have the same texture, and it needs some makeup techniques when applying. The highly pigmented and fine concealing powder is easy to smudge, leaving a natural and seamless makeup finish.

"Benefit" was founded by Jane Ford in 1976. Jane Ford and her twin sister Jean Ford opened "The Face Place" a boutique in the San Francisco Bay Area. Initially, they sell some self-made skin care products and cosmetics. Nowadays, the products of Benefit have been sold on about 600 counters in 10 countries around the world. Benefit, Guerlain, MAKE UP FOR EVER, and Fenty Beauty are all under LVMH Group. Benefit is more suitable for young girls with its cute style.

Hoola (a Natural Bronzer) is the first shade released by Benefit, looking like milk coffee, for cheeks and jaw. The Hoola lite (a soft and light bronzer) is based on Hoola, and you need to repeatedly apply it to make a difference.

Besides Hoola and Hoola lite, Benefit also launched Hoola caramel and Hoola toasted, which are designed for people with bronze to darker skin tone. This matte and soft powder cake is not too tightly pressed, so you can’t avoid feathering when applying. With a good bendability, it helps achieve a translucent and natural finish. However, it has a weak staying power, and it can only last for six to seven hours even after setting makeup.

Too Faced, a famous American brand founded in 1998, is highly favored by Hollywood actresses. Too Faced is an interesting and colorful makeup brand, and popular on social media by its food-themed eyeshadow palettes, colorful and smooth blushes, etc.

Chocolate Soleil Bronzer is inspired by chocolate types. From light to dark, it contains milk chocolate, chocolate and dark chocolate for different skin tones. Although named Bronzer, it is suitable for contouring cheeks and jaws. The soft and fine bronzer offers high pigment and good bendability, which helps create a translucent and natural makeup. It is appreciated by cocoa lovers with its rich cocoa flavor and sweet milk aroma. Chocolate Soleil Bronzer is sold in monoblock or combination. The combination contains three colors and three highlighters, which helps create a more three-dimensional makeup finish. It is very cost-effective.

Chocolate Soleil Bronzer achieves a full matte finish. If you want a shiny bronze makeup look, you can choose Sun Bunny Bronzer. It is split into chocolate and dark chocolate. You can create a perfect bronze finish. Moreover, it contains fine glitter particles.

Too Faced often launches diverse contouring powder palettes. In addition to the above two, there are Sweet Peach Glow and Natural Face Palette and other multicolor combination palettes. In mid-2020, Too Faced released Sun Puppy Bronzer which is in a cute package painted with a brown cartoon puppy.

Physicians Formula is an American makeup brand founded in 1937. As an open-shelf brand, Physicians Formula offers products with high quality. Many beauty writers always compare Butter Bronzer, its hero product with competitors such as NARS, Too Faced, or Benefit.

The ultra-fine and soft Butter Bronzer is like a melting butter. It is easy to smudge, which is suitable for beginners. Butter Bronzer is not too tightly pressed, so you can’t avoid feathering. The moderate pigment is available in 8 shades. For every skin tone, there is a right one.

Bronze Booster helps achieve a more flamboyant makeup finish compared with Butter Bronzer. Bronzers in Bronze Booster are in a warm hue and create an energetic makeup look. Although some bronzers contain golden glitter particles, it leaves a natural finish. The bronzers from Bronze Booster have a fine texture with each printed with a beautiful sun totem.

In the mid-1970s, when Giorgio Armani met his lover and partner Sergio Galeotti, he created the Italian brand Armani named after him. Armani started in men’s clothing, pursuing simplicity and details. Its makeup also retain these features and has an elegant and unique Italian style.

The moisturizing NEO NUDE A-CONTOUR helps achieve a natural and seamless makeup look. It is suitable for beginners due to its low pigment. With a cute appearance, it is available in two shades, the brush is the same as Armani lip lacquer. Moreover, NEO NUDE A-CONTOUR has a small capacity, which runs out quickly.

Armani launched the NEO NUDE Compact Powder Foundation from NEO NUDE series in 2019. It is available in 10 shades, of which 6 shades are designed for people with bronze and darker skin tones. But for people with light undertones, they can apply them as a contour. The Neo Nude Compact Powder Foundation is mousse with a certain moisture. It is packed with a soft  brush that helps outline sharp contouring lines.

People have different ideas about liquid contours. Some complain that liquid contours offer low pigment, but others praise for their standout contouring effect. Such contours are easy to smudge, leaving a translucent and natural makeup look.

M·A·C is a brand co-founded by photographer Frank Toskan who is a professional makeup artist, and Frank Angelo who runs a chain of hair salons in Toronto in 1985. M·A·C was acquired by Estee Lauder Group in 1998. M·A·C is always surprising for its avant-garde styles and bold colors.

Omega is the best selling shade from M·A·C, leaving a natural look. However, if you apply Omega to modify the silhouette, you may look unnatural. The fine and compact Omega offers high pigment, which can contour your nose quickly. It should be noted that Omega should be saved in dry places.

M·A·C released the Radiant Matte Bronzing Powder in 2020. With a soft and smooth texture, the highly-pigmented contour is easy to smudge, creating a natural wheatish look. It is available in 2 shades and works for most skin types except for dark skin.

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS (ABH)is a cosmetics salon founded in 1997 and named after its founder who is a Hollywood beauty queen for eyebrows. Initially, it was focusing on eyebrow products. Nowadays it had developed its product lines to eye shadows and contours and become popular gradually.

The Contour Cream Kit is the hero product from the ABH. It is available in three shades: light, medium and deep. The light is designed for people with light skin; the medium for medium skin and deep for deep skin. The Contour Cream Kit covers six colors, which helps highlight, correct, and contour your skin. Like a concealing product, it works for any complexion. Moreover, it is a must for artists with sophisticated makeup techniques. The sweat-proof and oil-resist ABH contour cream has an excellent staying power, which is suitable for oily skin. You should take some skills when applying due to its hard texture.

Powder Contour Kit offers a low pigment compared with cream bronzers, but it is easier to smudge, suitable for beginners. With the fine texture, the Powder Contour can contour your nose and jaw naturally, leaving a matte makeup look. It is more recommend to choose monochrome contours for daily use. The ABH also released Powder Bronzer, which is available in 6 shades.

NYX, an American professional makeup brand founded in 1999, is a classic representative of affordable makeup with high quality. As an open-shelf brand, NYX has rich product series and high-quality products with good price, including various contouring products.

NYX WONDER STICK earned a good reputation thanks to its high pigment and soft texture. It is easy to smudge and available in 6 shades, leaving a natural look. NYX WONDER STICK integrates contour and highlighter. And the lightweight and fine highlighter can brighten your skin and help achieve a translucent and natural finish.

3 STEPS TO SCULPT FACE SCULPTING PALETTE integrates contours, matte and pearl highlighters, suitable for beginners. You only need to follow the steps to makeup. The matte contou is of no gloss but with excellent modifying and shrinking effects. It also helps minimize fine lines to some extent thanks to its fine texture.

L.A.GIRL is a leading American open-shelf brand founded in 1993. With its comprehensive products and affordable price, it is an ideal choice for beginners. L.A.GIRL also has become a cheap alternative to big brands thanks to its high quality and cost-effective products.

GBL481 blush is the best seller under L.A.GIRL. The fine and smooth GBL481 contains fine glitter particles, which helps create a seamless finish. With a cold and light grayish hue, it can contour your side face. But it is not suitable for your nose.

If you want to get a healthy glow, you can apply GBL481 with a contour of a warm hue to achieve a better finish. The GBL481 offers high pigment, but it can’t avoid feathering. So you’d better take some skills when applying.

Too cool for School is a Korean makeup brand founded in 2010 and entered into Sephora and Galeries Lafayette in 2015.

Too cool for school only launched one type of contour with only one shade. The Artclass by Rooin Createur du Contour is the first one of most beginners. It covers three colors, and you can blend an ideal shade for yourself.

The Artclass by Rooin Createur du Contour offers a low pigment and weak staying power, so you need to apply it repeatedly to achieve a better finish. Moreover, you should pay attention to the steps and methods when applying.

E.l.f, a comprehensive and fashionable cosmetics brand, is very popular in the United States, Britain, Australia, etc. Products are made in China. Although it is an open-shelf brand, it is comparable to the professional makeup brands such as M.A.C and MAKE UP FOR EVER.

The Contour Platte is the best selling product under E.l.f, which covers pearlescent highlighter, contours, cold and warm hues. The highly-pigmented contour is available in two shades: light/medium and dark/deep. It is recommended to mix two shades to create an ideal color, which is very practical.

In terms of texture, E.l.f. is not as good as L.A.GIRL. Although it is not fine and soft enough, it helps create a seamless finish.

ETUDE HOUSE is a Korean cosmetics brand under the Amorepacific Group. With a sweet and cute style, it is favored by people all over the world.

Play 101 Stick Contour Duo is one of the first double-headed contouring sticks on the market. It is also the most famous and controversial contouring product under the ETUDE HOUSE. The Play 101 Stick Contour Duo includes the classic version launched in the early years and the upgraded version released in 2019. The classic version is soft paste and is easily broken. You may feel heavy and unnatural due to its oily texture. In 2019, ETUDE HOUSE released an upgraded version. The refill, texture and shade were improved. The refill was replaced by the paste. It turns to powder after smudging, leaving the skin soft and lightweight. However, you need touch-ups due to its weak staying power. The upgraded version offers a finer texture and blends well with the skin. But people with large pores and dry skin may feel cakey. The upgraded version is available in 3 colors. You can choose a right one according to your skin types.