This goes out to anyone who's ever tried a new bronzer only to see a patchy, streaky, muddy, or orange mess in the mirror. I know I certainly have. After experiencing one too many run-ins with bad bronzers in high school and college, I'm still hesitant to test a new formula when it comes across my desk. Yeah, that kind of disappointment is hard to forget. That's why I think we're entitled to silky, creamy, natural-looking formulas only.
Luckily, it's 2025, and those silky, creamy, natural-looking formulas are out there. We just have to find them. So I reached out to my fellow beauty editors to ask for their all-time favorite bronzers. I'm talking about the formulas that never fail them and always deliver healthy-looking, sun-kissed skin—even if they haven't seen the sun in too long. Ahead, see 12 of the best bronzers ever, according to editors.
The 5 Best Bronzers, Listed
- Best Overall: Kosas The Sun Show Baked Bronzer
- Best Affordable: Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer
- Best Bronzing Stick: Merit Bronze Balm Sheer Sculpting Bronzer
- Best Bronzing Cream: Refy Cream Bronzer
- Best Shade Range: Fenty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Bronzer
Best Overall: Kosas The Sun Show Baked Bronzer
If you want your skin to look like it's set in a perpetual golden hour—you know, that perfect, ambient light that happens right before sunset—then you'll love this bronzer. Its natural-looking pigments give depth to the skin, while a subtle sheen makes the complexion come alive with a soft, radiant glow. Plus, since it's a baked bronzer, you never have to worry about applying too much. Swirl a fluffy brush in it, and you'll get the perfect amount to fake a golden-hour glow.
Pros: Natural-looking, easy to blend, soft, "golden hour–esque" finish
Cons: None
Shades: Five | Size: 0.21 oz | Finish: Radiant | Best Application Method: Brush
Customer review: "I don’t know this bronzer isn’t viral. This is the best powder bronzer I have used. It leaves such a beautiful glowy finish while being a powder! One tip while using this is to use a not so dense brush and lightly feather it onto the face. I LOVE this!"
As someone who gets very, very pale in the winter, I wear bronzer almost every day (or at least every day I leave my house). Kosas's The Sun Show Baked Bronzer is one of my go-to formulas, especially when I'm short on time because it's unfussy and doesn't require a lot of blending or finagling to look natural against my skin. See what I mean about that golden-hour glow?
Honorary Mention: Make Up For Ever Artist Longwear Skin-fusing Matte Powder Bronzer
This is one of the top-rated bronzers at Sephora. It has a 4.9/5 rating and 99% of customers recommend it because it's such a good, foolproof powder bronzer. It's not trying to do too much. It just gives the skin the most natural-looking kiss of color with a super-flattering velvety finish.
Whether you prefer this one or the aforementioned Kosas bronzer will come down to whether you prefer a radiant or matte finish. Both are exceptional. I keep both in my collection, using the Kosas pick whenever I want a glowier finish and the Make Up For Ever one whenever I'm feeling shiny or like I want a velvety look.
Pros: Natural-looking, easy to blend, velvety-matte finish
Cons: None
Shades: Four | Size: 0.35 oz | Finish: Matte | Best Application Method: Brush
Customer review: "This has to be the best bronzer I have bought to date. It gives you such a natural glow that doesn’t look fake or plastered on like some other brands I’ve used over the years. You won’t regret buying this 💫"
Best Affordable: Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer
You know a drugstore product is good when celebrities like Sofia Richie-Grainge swear by it. That's the case with this Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer. She calls it one of her "secret faves." We can see why. The pressed powder is so silky and luxurious. It blends like a dream, and it makes our skin look sun-kissed despite not having seen the sun in a minute.
Pros: Natural-looking, easy to blend, radiant finish, summery scent
Cons: Some customers say the coconut scent is too much.
Shades: Six | Size: 0.38 oz | Finish: Radiant | Best Application Method: Sponge or brush
Customer review: "This product is AMAZING. It gives me that perfect natural glowy tan look. Not only does it look perfect, but it smells amazing. It smells like summer."
Best Bronzing Stick: Merit Bronze Balm Sheer Sculpting Bronzer
If you love a sheer, natural-looking bronzer, this bronzing stick might be your new fave. The balm-like texture applies smoothly straight onto the skin and blends out easily until it almost has a second-skin effect. Pro tip: Opt for a shade darker than you normally would. Since it's so sheer, many people (myself included) prefer a slightly darker shade.
Pros: Natural-looking, easy to blend, radiant finish, convenient application
Cons: Some customers say it's too sheer for their liking.
Shades: Five | Size: 0.44 oz | Finish: Natural | Best Application Method: Brush or fingers
Customer review: "I absolutely love Merit's products, and this bronzer was no exception. It is very natural, blends into the skin seamlessly, and has a beautiful color. I have very dry skin and this product is not patchy in the slightest. This is one of the best bronzers I have ever tried."
Best Bronzing Cream: Refy Cream Bronzer
Another Who What Wear team fave, this bronzer has the most natural-looking finish. Promise. It's the perfect no-makeup makeup bronzer on the market. Soft, subtle, yet incredibly flattering, this one is a staple in our makeup bags for so many reasons.
Pros: Natural-looking, easy to blend, soft yet radiant finish
Cons: Some customers say it doesn't last as long as other bronzers.
Shades: Four | Size: 0.29 oz | Finish: Radiant | Best Application Method: Brush
Customer review: "This bronzer is the best I've tried in the entire makeup industry. It blends so well on my skin with the duo brush. It looks so minimalist and natural on my skin as if I weren't wearing a bronzer. It's as if it sprouted from my own skin because it is so natural. I chose the tan shade and it was perfect for my skin."
Best Shade Range: Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Bronzer
A two-in-one bronzing and contouring product, Fenty's Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Bronzer comes in seven, expertly crafted shades. Unlike other bronzers on the market that veer too warm or look unnatural on the skin, this one has options for both warm and cool undertones. Are we surprised? This is Rihanna we're talking about, and Fenty Beauty is known for its inclusive shade ranges.
Pros: Natural-looking, creamy texture, natural finish, doubles as contour, good shade range
Cons: Some customers say it can be difficult to blend.
Shades: Seven | Size: 0.22 oz | Finish: Natural | Best Application Method: Brush
Customer review: "This blends very nicely with a brush (I use the Fenty bronzer brush), and the mirrored compact is great. Being very fair, I'm shy about using bronzers, but this feels quite easy to use, with a light, creamy texture."
Jones Road The Bronzer
Another bronzer with a good shade range, Jones Road's The Bronzer is a customer favorite. It's also beloved by Who What Wear's senior beauty editor Jamie Schneider. She says the powder has a silky texture and amazing color payoff. Plus, thanks to eight shades with both warm and cool undertones, it's easy to find your skin's perfect match.
Pros: Natural-looking, easy to blend, matte finish, good color payoff, good shade range
Cons: None
Shades: Eight | Size: 0.20 oz | Finish: Matte | Best Application Method: Brush
Customer review: "This was my first order with Jones Road and I couldn't be more pleased. I purchased the foundation and this bronzer. It is the perfect color for me. You never know whether the colors shown online will look different when you actually wear the product. This one was absolutely true to the color shown and I love it. I award extra points for the generous size of the products. So often, cosmetic companies reduce the size and increase the cost of their products. Not the case with these!"
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer
Who What Wear's beauty director, Erin Jahns, and associate beauty editor, Maya Thomas, both name this one of their all-time favorite bronzers. With a velvety texture and a softly illuminating finish (thanks to Photoluminescent Technology), it makes the skin look sun-kissed and incredibly glowy. You know how your skin always looks so good in candlelight? This is like that but in a bronzer.
Pros: Natural-looking, easy to blend, velvety texture, soft-focus, radiant finish
Cons: Pricey and only three shades
Shades: Three | Size: 0.39 oz | Finish: Radiant | Best Application Method: Brush
Customer review: "This powder bronzer is exactly what I was looking for!! It’s not overly shimmery and it’s really velvety and smooth! It’s not overly pigmented! If you’re looking for something subtle but enhances your features then give this a try"
Makeup by Mario SoftSculpt Talc-Free Blurring Bronzer
If you're allergic to muddy-looking bronzer, this one is for you. Mario Dedivanovic, the celebrity makeup artist behind the brand (and Kim Kardashian's longtime makeup artist) created this formula to have zero fallout and lie beautifully on top of foundation and other complexion products.
Pros: Natural-looking, easy to blend, velvety-matte finish, no-fallout formula
Cons: Some customers say it can veer too warm for cool skin tones.
Shades: Six | Size: 0.42 oz | Finish: Matte | Best Application Method: Brush
Customer review: "The best bronzer I have ever owned! Blends so effortlessly and love that it comes with a mirror as well."
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Matte Bronzer
Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Matte Bronzer has been a social media staple for years. True to its name, it delivers a flawless, airbrushed effect thanks to microfine perfecting powders and microspheres suspended in the formula. It's essentially as if a setting powder and a bronzer had a baby.
Pros: Natural-looking, easy to blend, matte finish, airbrush effect
Cons: Pricey and some customers say the powder can break apart in the packaging.
Shades: Four | Size: 0.56 oz | Finish: Matte | Best Application Method: Brush
Customer review: "I couldn’t imagine my makeup routine without it. Stunning. Has an airbrush effect. I use it daily."
Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream
Chanel's Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream is an icon. Seriously, ask any beauty editor or makeup artist, and I'm sure they'll tell you that they've either A) been loyal to this product at some point in their lives or B) currently count on it. Simply swirl a dense brush in the pan and stipple it onto the skin for the most natural-looking, I-just-got-back-from-the-South-of-France look.
Pros: Natural-looking, creamy texture, easy to blend, velvety finish
Cons: Pricey and only three shades offered.
Shades: Three | Size: 1.0 oz | Finish: Matte | Best Application Method: Brush
Customer review: "The best bronzer ever and I will be repurchasing over and over again!"
Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate Cream Contour Duo
Okay, this is technically a contouring product, but it works so well as a bronzer that I'd be remiss if I didn't mention it. Use the darker shade to add depth and dimension to the skin. Use the lighter shade to illuminate the high points of the face, like the bridge of the nose, the under-eye area, etc. Together, the colors create the most flawless-looking complexion.
Pros: Natural-looking, easy to blend, radiant finish, doubles as contour, includes a light shade to emphasize the high points of the face
Cons: Pricey
Shades: Four | Size: 0.5 oz | Finish: Radiant | Best Application Method: Brush
Customer review: "The packaging is gorgeous! The formula is perfect! Blends out so nicely, is the perfect color, and lasts all day. I would repurchase if lost."
How We Tested
As with all of our buying guides, first-hand testing and expert guidance are the top priority. To determine which of the most highly rated bronzers are worth making the investment, I relied on my testing experience and took note of each bronzer's longevity, pigment, texture, shade availability, and formula. This time around, I also differed to the knowledge of fellow beauty editors, who offered knowledge and product recommendations and to glowing customer reviews from several major retailers.
Why Trust Who What Wear
At Who What Wear, we know that beauty isn't one-size-fits-all. Over the years, our editors have tested thousands of products—including skincare, makeup, haircare, and nails—while also working closely with trusted experts, like renowned dermatologists, celebrity makeup artists, and other leading industry insiders. Together, this ensures every guide is well-researched, inclusive, and relevant to you.
We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they're affordable favorites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how, and what we'd truly recommend to our closest friends and family members.
This story was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
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