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7 Best Liquid Bronzers That Deliver Sun-Kissed Color Without the Sun
While powder bronzer and cream contour have long dominated, the best liquid bronzers have quietly become the hero product for softer and more seamless sculpting. These lightweight formulas deliver believable warmth, layer easily over bare skin or foundation, and melt in without clinging to texture. Whether you’re aiming for a sun-kissed wash or full definition, today’s formulas are designed to flex with your makeup routine.
To separate the streaky from the standout, we tapped makeup artists to break down exactly what makes a liquid bronzer work across skin types and tones, and which formulas they reach for in their kits, and for themselves. We also polled Allure editors on their most-used picks, including multitaskers that double as contour and skin-loving options that hydrate while they bronze.
Our Top Liquid Bronzers
From budget-friendly to high-end options, these seven liquid bronzers were selected for their blendability, buildable coverage, and healthy glow. Whether you prefer subtle warmth or dramatic contouring, there’s an option for every preference.
Best Overall: Makeup by Mario SoftSculpt Bronzing & Shaping Serum
Why we love it: Is it bronzer or contour? Well, the magic that is Makeup by Mario’s SoftSculpt Bronzing & Shaping Serum qualifies as both. This liquid bronzer can add subtle definition or dramatic warmth, depending on how many layers of this buildable formula you apply. To enhance its blendability, this subtly shimmery bronzing serum is spiked with two skin-hydrating favorites, hyaluronic acid and vitamin E. As a bonus, each bottle is designed with a pump and wand applicator for effortless application.
“The cool thing about this liquid bronzer is that it does two things: You can pump out the product to mix with your favorite moisturizer for an all-over bronzey glow or use the doe-foot applicator for precise contouring and bronzing. Don’t ask me which application method is my favorite because I’m obsessed with both.”
“The reason I love the bronzing and shaping serum is because of the flexibility the product provides. First off, the packaging itself provides a pump if you’d like more control to pump product onto a palette and use a bigger brush for a wash all over the face. Then you can unscrew the cap and expose a doe foot for a more detailed application. The formula has a subtle amount of warmth, balanced with cool undertones, allowing you to use it as a contour or bronzer.”
- Key ingredients: glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin E
- Finish: natural
- Shade options: 7
Best Dewy: Saie Dew Bronze
Why we love it: Some days, we want our makeup to look barely there, which is why we fell in love with the flexible bronzing effects of Saie’s Dew Bronze Liquid Bronzer. Like its name states, this bronzer has a radiant, dew-enhancing effect—it’s as if you were just out sunbathing and got a hint of color. We love its lightweight, sheer finish, but its layerable formula can create more dramatic effects without erring on harsh, bronzy streaks, making it more forgiving for bronzer newbies.
Tester feedback from former associate manager of special projects Talia Gutierrez
“If bronzer, specifically liquid, intimidates you, this buildable tint is your goof-proof answer. I find myself applying it twice to sculpt my cheekbones to the gods, and the rounded doe-foot applicator makes for mess-free (and precise) application, no matter how many layers you wish to apply.” —Talia Gutierrez, former associate manager of special projects
P.S. She suggests pairing this bronzer with Saie’s Big Brush for a seamless blend.
“For the dewy glow girls, the Saie Dew Bronzer blends like a dream and gives you a hydrating sculpted finish. [It’s] very similar in the way [it] sheers out on the skin, and the customization of the doe foot is unmatched!” —Dominique Gordon, makeup artist
- Key ingredients: glycerin, licorice root extract, and silica
- Finish: dewy
- Shade options: 6
Best Matte: Westman Atelier Sun Tone Bronzing Drops
Why we love it: Westman Atelier’s Sun Tone Bronzing Drops create a sun-kissed glow that looks incredibly believable. It melts into skin with zero streaks or excessive shimmer, and application is just as effortless. Shake well, squeeze onto desired areas, and blend with fingers or a brush, focusing on high points for contouring or bronzing. You can wear it solo for a lit-from-within look or over foundation to add depth. Another highlight is this formula’s skin-care focus: Carrot oil helps firm and support cell turnover, while the prebiotic moisturizing complex and Hydra Nourish Blend hydrate and soothe without leaving skin sticky or clogged. In other words, these drops are fabulous for those with sensitive or dry skin.
“I use the Westman Atelier Sun Tone Bronzing Drops in Soleil Parfait 3, but I mix in a bit of shade 4 when my summer tan deepens. The natural matte finish never looks flat or pulls orange on my neutral undertone, and it diffuses effortlessly with a large, dense brush for a soft, sun-kissed effect that feels weightless on the skin. I’m also biased to the squeeze packaging because it’s easy to control how much you use, and note: a little goes a long way.” —Jailynn Taylor, contributor
- Key ingredients: carrot oil, prebiotic moisturizing complex, hydra nourish blend
- Finish: matte
- Shade options: 4
Best Blurring: Natasha Denona Hy-Sculpt Liquid Bronzer
Why we love it: Natasha Denona’s Hy-Sculpt Liquid Bronzer is a filter in a bottle. The serum-infused formula glides on weightlessly and dries down to a natural-looking matte finish that looks more skin than makeup. Blend it along the cheekbones, jawline, and temples for a sculpted look, or apply it across the apples of the cheeks and nose to mimic sun-kissed skin. Its gripping technology ensures pigment stays put for buildable coverage, while the self-setting, waterproof formula locks in for all-day wear, making it ideal for underpainting or layering over your base. It’s also infused with sodium hyaluronate to support both short- and long-term hydration, so your skin never feels tight or cakey.
Tester feedback from commerce editor Sarah Han
“As a devoted contour stick user, I might be changing my tune. This is the first liquid bronzer I’ve used that actually looks natural on my skin tone. Even if it looks intense on my skin as I dot it out, it blends out so well that I’m left with a natural-matte finish that looks like I’ve gotten a bit of sun—even when I’ve been in the office during most daylight hours. It’s incredibly lightweight and also serum-like in texture. I love a skin-care-infused makeup product!” —Sarah Han, commerce editor
Expert feedback from Gordon
“Natasha Denona is such a slept on brand! The Hy-Sculpt Liquid Bronzer is my favorite liquid bronzer as an artist. The pump applicator is sanitary for my kit and gives me more control to warm up the product before I apply. I also love how buildable it is and still has a soft-matte finish.” —Dominique Gordon, makeup artist
- Key ingredients: sodium hyaluronate, grape fruit extract, jasmine leaf cell extract
- Finish: natural matte
- Shade options: 6
Best Contour Hybrid: E.L.F. Camo Liquid Bronzer & Contour
Why we love it: Whether you’re aiming for defined cheekbones or beachy warmth, E.L.F.’s Camo Liquid Bronzer & Contour makes sculpting and bronzing feel effortless. This $7 multitasker adapts to your needs depending entirely on where you place it. Sweep it across the high points of your face for a sun-kissed look or dot it along the hollows of your cheeks and jawline to add sculpted definition. Despite its lightweight feel, the formula is richly pigmented and blends smoothly without skipping or patchiness. The rounded, grooved applicator delivers precise placement, and the finish has impressive staying power.
Tester feedback from Taylor
“If you’re looking for a low-barrier entry into the liquid bronzing game, I always recommend the E.L.F. Camo Liquid Bronzer & Contour to my friends. It’s easy to apply, forgiving when blending, and only $7. I use the shade Medium, and it gives a subtle, natural finish that looks like my skin—but better. It never reads like a bad tan or leaves my skin looking oily. It also layers well over foundation and skin tints and under setting powders without slipping or separating.” —Jailynn Taylor, contributor
- Key ingredients: sodium hyaluronate, rosa damascena flower water, castor seed oil
- Finish: natural
- Shade options: 10
Best Applicator: Tarte Sculpt Tape Contour
Why we love it: Tarte’s Sculpt Tape Contour is your foolproof shortcut to easily applying liquid contour. It comes in a twist-and-lock tube with a cushion tip applicator that deposits just the right amount of pigment to carve out cheekbones, chisel the nose, or define the jawline. Just dot the product where you want dimension and then blend with a brush or sponge. The ultra-blendable and buildable formula delivers a luminous finish thanks to diamond powder, which subtly blurs and reflects light without appearing glittery. Meanwhile, shea butter and licorice root give the skin moisture and brightness, so your contour looks more like a natural shadow.
In her review of the Tarte Sculpt Tape Contour, Trakoshis said she applies the product in “four dots across [her] forehead, four across [her] jawline, three on each hollow of my cheeks, and a few dots down the bridge of [her] nose.” “It doesn’t dry down fast and is extremely blendable. However, this stuff is very pigmented, and a little definitely goes a long way.” After blending, she was impressed with the results, saying once everything was blended, she was left “tan, chiseled, and glowy.”
Expert feedback from Hernandez
“I love this product because of the wide range of bronzed tones they provide. Lightest of sun-kissed for my fairest of skins and the richest of bronze for my deep ebony beauties. It’s best for the person who has a hard time finding a bronzing shade that works for them! I love using this product with a big, fluffy brush to give me broad strokes to warm up the whole face, the anti-contour, so you look like the sun has kissed you all over.” —Alexa Hernandez, makeup artist
- Key ingredients: shea butter, licorice root, diamond powder
- Finish: natural
- Shade options: 13
Best Buildable: Juvia’s Place Bronzed Liquid Bronzer
Juvia’s Place
Bronzed Liquid Bronzer
Why we love it: What sets Juvia’s Place Bronzed Liquid Bronzer apart is its pigment flexibility, building seamlessly from a hint of warmth to full-sculpted definition. Application is straightforward: Dot across your forehead, cheekbones, jawline, and nose, and then blend outward with a sponge or brush for a lifted finish. What makes this bronzer versatile is its breathable, buildable coverage. Mix it into your foundation for an all-over toned base, or layer it under powder bronzers for extra longevity. It works well for dry, oily, and combination skin, and the shade range is thoughtfully designed to complement a variety of undertones, not just span from light to dark.
- Key ingredients: n/a
- Finish: dewy
- Shade options: 8
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose my liquid bronzer shade?
Multiple makeup artists we chatted with agree that choosing a shade two to three tones darker than your natural skin tone—depending on how dramatic you want your results—is key for creating a natural-looking glow. In terms of undertones, New Jersey-based makeup artist Brielle Pollara recommends opting for warmer-toned shades that create a tan-like finish instead of cool tones, which simply contour. “It’s a common misconception that contouring and bronzing are the same thing; they are actually very different,” she explains. “If you want to contour your face, using cool tones will create the illusion of shadows versus using warmer shades of bronzer, which will warm up your face and give you the bronzed, tanned look.”
What’s the difference between liquid bronzers and bronzing drops?
According to New York City-based makeup artist Neil Scibelli, the main difference between the two bronzing products is that bronzing drops are a mixable add-in to your complexion base like foundation, concealer, or even your moisturizer, whereas liquid bronzers can be used as a standalone step in your regimen, similarly to its (albeit less pigmented) powder and cream counterparts. “Liquid bronzer is a ready-to-use product that has been formulated with emollients to be used directly on the skin,” he explains. “Bronzing drops are typically a concentrated form of liquid bronzer that can be infused into your existing products like moisturizer, foundation, and even liquid highlighter.”
How do I apply liquid bronzer to my face?
The beauty of liquid bronzer is that it can be worn as an all-over glow booster or concentrated on certain areas of the face for a more contoured appearance. While many people choose to apply bronzer over foundation or concealer, Pollara loves what she calls the under-painting method. “This is when you add the liquid bronzer to your face first and then your foundation on top for a seamless finish,” she explains.
Both Scibelli and Pollara agree that a beauty sponge or dense foundation brush will give you the most natural-looking results. “With any liquid product, I always recommend using a dense brush to apply it,” says Pollara. “This will give you more control over the product placement.”
In terms of placement, Scibelli suggests applying on areas of the face where the sun’s light would naturally hit your face, including your forehead, across your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, and across your jawline. “These are great areas for contouring as well, so you’ll also be creating more dimension and a sculpt with this technique,” he says.
For a softer, natural-looking finish, both makeup artists recommend applying your liquid bronzer to the back of your hand and picking up product with your brush before applying it to your face. “This will avoid any harsh lines and make it super easy to blend it out,” says Pollara.
Meet the experts
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of the best liquid bronzers, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from professional makeup artists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
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