10 Bronzers That Make a Fake Glow Look Better Than a Real Tan

We all love looking like a bronzed goddess who lives off the Amalfi Coast, but it’s 2024 and we know that however good we think the sun makes our skin look now, we know it won’t hold true when we’re older. Not only that, we have to keep our skin protected from UV radiation, which is the leading cause of skin cancer. 

So how does one enjoy the toasty glow of a summer tan without actually having to sit under the sun? With the best bronzers on the market, of course. Here’s our list of the top 10 tan-emulating bronzers to get you that coveted glow all year-round.

1. OFRA COSMETICS Bronzer in Versatile Matte

We’re starting off the list with a smolder! This one can be used as a traditional bronzer, a body bronzer, or an eyeshadow—the choice is yours. The deeper shade in a matte finish mimics sun-soaked skin, and the high color payoff means you don’t need much. snatched-girl summer, here we come!

"This is beautiful and bright," one Ipster says of this shade. "I'm very happy with the glowy look it gives my skin. I also use it on my eyelids as a shadow—so pretty."

2. SOPHIA + MABELLE Two Pretty Palette in Sunlit Sand

This double-duty palette is a gleam team come true, with a sculpting powder and highlighter that gives you the best of both worlds. Build up a warm day-on-the-sand look with the matte bronzer or use it to carve out your fave features, then use the brilliant shimmer to bring out the high points of your face. 

One Ipster said “...this is the perfect product for adding warmth and glow to your complexion. I love how perfect this is for travel, I keep it in my makeup bag in my purse for touch ups on the go.”

3. ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Cream Bronzer

This iconic bronzer is everything you need for a seamless, natural-looking tan without any of the streaks or patchiness. The creamy formula glides over your complexion like butter, giving you a flawless, soft-focus finish that lasts all day. 

Ipster adventuresnabbyland says “I love the creaminess and how well it lasted in the terrible summer heat. It gave me the perfect sun-kissed look as if I had been out in the sun all day...without having to spend time in the sun!”

4. CIATÉ LONDON Bamboo Bronzer

This fresh and lightweight powder can be used all over to warm up your complexion, or concentrated under areas like your cheekbone, along the hairline, or under the chin to define your features. It’s giving snatched all summer long, sans sun damage. Best part? The formula keeps you shine-free and fresh all day long. 

An Ipster states “It is a very nice bronzer. It blends well and lasts. I have bought it 2 times.”

5. ICONIC LONDON Sheer Bronze

Ready for melt-in-your-skin glowiness that gives you a second-skin finish? This gel-to-watercolor formula gives you just that. It’s enriched with antioxidants to help protect your skin from pollution and free radicals, too, leaving you with a sheer and luminous radiance. 

“So perfectly sheer, dries quickly and feels so smooth,” says a pleased Ipster.

6. TOO FACED Sun Bunny Natural Bronzer

Silky smooth and lightweight, this bronzer creates that perfect pinched-pink and golden-brown glow that is just what you need to recreate a slightly sunburnt look. The shimmery finish gives cheeks a luminous glow that looks like you’ve just arrived fresh off a yacht or from the French alps. 

One Ipster fan states: “The finely milled powder applies smoothly and blends effortlessly, allowing for buildable coverage from a subtle contour to a bronzed goddess look.”

7. KEVYN AUCOIN The Sculpting Powder

You can’t list the best bronzers without this iconic powder. It’s a must-have in every makeup lover’s bag for the flawless wash of warmth it adds to your complexion. Perfect for chiseling your cheeks as well as faking a sun-kissed tan, this sculpting powder is the real deal.

One Ipster agreed that this product gives you a “pro like contour.”

8. FIRST AID BEAUTY Bronze + Glow Drops with Niacinamide

We love a skincare-makeup-hybrid, and these dewy sun-kissed bronzing drops are just what you need for a healthy and radiant glow. Spread this over your face before your makeup application for a lit-from-within look that stays on for 24 hours without feeling heavy. You’ll love how even and bright your skin will look, thanks to the niacinamide and micro-pearls in this formula. 

One Ipster writes, “I love a bright and luminous finish, and even better when I am running late and need to skip makeup.”

9. BAREMINERALS Complexion Rescue® Liquid Blonzer in Kiss of Mauve

Is it blush? Is it bronzer? It’s both, and we’re obsessed! What better way to get that flushed-out, toasty sun-burnt look without the sunburn? This silky powder goes on seamlessly and helps blur texture and fine lines. Build up the intensity or keep it sheer. Either way, the luminous and natural-looking finish will enhance your complexion any time of the year. 

Ipster DotMeow cannot believe the gleam she gets from this bronzer, adding that “it creates the most realistic day-at-the-beach flush.” 

10. JUST XIMENA The Bronzer

This bronzer is perfect for dusting all over your face, adding warmth and a subtle hint of luminosity to your complexion without having to soak up the sun. We love the golden glow this stuff gives us, and its ability to sculpt is on another level. 

One Ipster says “I use it when my makeup looks too pale or when I want a super natural looking contour. It’s been my go-to product for the summer. You can’t go wrong with this!” 

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