The 11 Best Bronzing Drops of 2023

For an irresistible, sun-kissed sheen any time of the year, bronzing drops are your go-to secret weapon. Unlike conventional powders, these liquid wonders lend your skin a remarkable, radiant gloss that replicates the effects of a blissful summer day spent lounging by the seaside or a high-end facial treatment.

As bronzing drops are typically infused with nourishing oils, they offer the added advantage of being more hydrating than their powdered counterparts, a fact to cherish for those with dry skin. They don’t exacerbate dry patches or emphasize skin texture but rather accentuate a natural, healthy glow. Beauty insiders alike champion the use of bronzing drops for achieving that coveted sun-kissed look. “Try applying the drops slightly higher on the cheeks, beneath the eyes, and then softly blend away any severe lines,” several bloggers suggest.

Whether they’re housed in a sleek dropper bottle or a convenient tube, the application remains a cinch: just dab the drops onto your skin and blend out with your fingers, a beauty sponge, or a stippling brush for a more refined finish. The brilliance of bronzing drops is in their transparent, yet layerable formulation. Even if you go a shade too bronze, don’t sweat it! You can always reach for a foundation brush or sponge to temper the tone.

While we all appreciate a comprehensive choice, an oversaturated market can be a daunting place. With a myriad of bronzing drops crowding the beauty counters, each boasting different hues, finishes, and modes of application, pinpointing the ideal match for your skin could be time-consuming. But fear not, we’ve done the groundwork for you. So, continue on with us as we reveal the crème de la crème of bronzing drops for your makeup needs.

Drunk Elephant’s products are always a hit with beauty enthusiasts, and their D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops are no exception.

The product provides you with a bronzed glow that flatters every complexion, and it defends against pollution and environmental stressors. It mimics the antioxidant benefits of vitamin D and supports a healthy barrier function.

Meanwhile, the cocoa in the product provides powerful antioxidant and soothing benefits, while peptides help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Not to mention, it can be used in combination with other serums or oils, making it easy to create your own customized skincare routine.

“I mix a few drops with my favorite lightweight gel-cream moisturizer and rub this satin-like bronzey mix into my face. It soaks in quickly and I get this immediate warm, soft, smooth sun-kissed glow,” explained reviewers.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to achieve a naturally-bronzed glow, Whind’s bronzing drops are perfect for you.

The botanical bronzing agents in the formula tint, hydrate and brighten the skin while gradually building a natural glow. This is great for those with dry or combination skin who want to avoid an unnatural-looking tan. The serum-in-water texture provides a natural finish that won’t look greasy or shiny—perfect for everyday use!

The formula itself is powered by hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and erythrulose, which work together to hydrate and even out the skin tone while imparting a healthy glow. It blends easily into the skin without leaving behind any residue or sticky feeling, which is ideal for creating an instant bronze on all skin types.

TAN-LUXE’s The Body is a self-tanning product that gives you a natural, gorgeous glow.

The secret is in the formula: It evens out skin tone, reduces redness, and helps to give your skin a plumper look and feel with caffeine. It comes in two shades for pinkish undertones that burn easily and darker tones that tan easily.

You can use it with your existing body care regime (like moisturizing), but what we love about this product is that it’s so easy and effective, you’ll want to use it every day. A few drops on your hands and wrists will give you the look of a sun-kissed summer vacation in just four hours—and if you want to speed up the process even further, just pop open an aloe vera gel and rub it into your skin for some extra hydration!

Pai Skincare’s Impossible Bronzing Drops is a luminous, hydrating, and bronzing liquid that makes your skintone look brighter and more even.

If you’re having trouble finding the right bronzer for your skin tone, this product is for you. It comes in three shades: bronze, rose gold, and champagne. The bronze shade is ideal for deeper skin tones (think medium to dark brown), while the rose gold shade is perfect for pink undertones.

Elsewhere, the champagne shade works well on yellow undertones (think light to medium beige).

The brand also uses particles that reflect and refract light like a prism—so they give off that luminescent glow without feeling heavy or greasy. It even contains hyaluronic acid and sea kelp extract to hydrate while boosting luminosity at the same time.

We’re all about the glow, but sometimes that glow can be a little greasy. Caliray’s Just Add Rays is a great fix.

It’s lightweight and non-greasy, which makes it perfect for using on your face or body—or both! It gives you a radiant finish and has a light coverage that evens out your skin tone while leaving it soft and smooth.

The blend of walnut, brazil nut, and sunflower oil hydrates and visibly tones with vitamin E and omega fatty acids, while emogreen softens and balances the skin microbiome. It can be mixed into a skin tint or face primer for an all-day glow, or used alone for a more subtle look.

Best of all, it glides on easily so you don’t have to worry about caking up your face with too much product!

If you’re looking for a natural glow, it’s hard to do better than Fenty Beauty’s Glow Enhancer.

The lightweight, sheer formula gives your skin the perfect amount of radiant sheen—and you can use it in three different ways: wear it alone, mix it with foundation for a soft glow, or even wear it as a hydrating base to extend makeup wear.

And that’s not all! This multitasking product also contains prickly pear extract and sodium hyaluronate to help with instant and all-day hydration; pomegranate peel extract to help brighten over time; vitamin E that’s rich in antioxidants; and milk thistle extract to help reduce the look of pores instantly.

According to reviews, “A great product! I have extremely sensitive skin and this product gives a beautiful glow without irritating my skin.”

The beauty world is full of options, but nothing quite like Live Tinted’s Hueglow.

It’s a highlighter, moisturizer, and serum in one—and it’s infused with hydrating squalane and subtle micro-shimmers that make your skin look radiant. The formula is non-greasy and perfect for all skin tones.

It goes on smooth and adds a subtle glow to your face without making you look like you’re trying too hard or adding extra layers of makeup. You can wear it alone or under other makeup—either way, it’ll look great!

“It blends nicely with my makeup and without it just sparkles like the sun. Truly enjoying this product,” explained one shopper. “You can use a sponge and apply it on top of your makeup which gives a beautiful glow!”

Although it’s technically not bronzing drops, Iconic London’s liquid shimmer is the illuminator you didn’t know you needed.

It’s a concentrate that can be added to your foundation, primer, or moisturizer for a natural-looking glow. The product lends light to dull, lackluster complexions and looks stunning when blended along cheek and brow bones.

It also contains skin-loving ingredients like green tea leaf extract and vitamin E, so you can feel good about your beauty routine while still getting the look you want. Plus, this product comes in three shades, all featuring a radiant finish.

In a world of high-end skincare and beauty products that can run you hundreds of dollars, it’s sometimes hard to find something that’s affordable and beginner-friendly. But this is why we love Versed: it’s an illuminating luminizer that comes in two shades (all of which work well on almost all skin tones) and can be mixed together to create a custom shade.

The formula is lightweight and feels like a serum when you apply it—it sinks right into your skin without leaving behind any residue or feeling greasy or heavy. It contains peptide polyglutamic acid that holds 4000x its weight in moisture, so it really does keep your skin looking dewy and hydrated all day long.

And finally, the most exciting part: it uses light-reflecting pigments to enhance your natural glow! Who doesn’t want that?

We’ve all been there: You’re looking to achieve a healthy, glowing complexion that doesn’t look like you’re actually wearing makeup. But when you try to find the perfect product, you end up with either a foundation that’s too heavy for your skin type or a tinted moisturizer that does nothing but make your skin oily.

But not anymore! Clinique’s Sun-Kissed Face Gelee Complexion Multitasker gives your skin a sun-kissed glow by providing sheer coverage—it’s not heavy like other foundations, but it also isn’t so light that it doesn’t do anything. It works with combination and oily complexions, so it’s perfect for those of us who have trouble finding products that work for our complexions without making them more oily than they already are.

And it blends well with moisturizer or foundation, so if you want to skip the extra step of moisturizing before applying makeup, this product will still give you that healthy glow.

Milk Makeup’s Bionic Liquid Bronzer is a new-age way to get your glow on.

It’s formulated with hydrating hyaluronic acid, mushroom extracts, and vegan collagen to keep skin looking fresh. The liquid formula can be dialed up for a warm, sunkissed finish or sheered out for a soft, diffused contour.

It even has a matte, dewy finish that’s perfect for those who don’t like shimmer in their bronzer. And because it’s so easy to blend in with fingertips or a sponge (we prefer the latter), this is an excellent alternative to bronzing drops.

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How to Choose the Perfect Bronzing Drops

Pigmentation and Adjustability

When it comes to bronzing drops, a proper balance of pigmentation is paramount. While you may be tempted to opt for a highly pigmented product to achieve that desired sun-kissed glow, beware – overly intense hues can catapult you into unwanted orange territory. Instead, look for a product that promises buildable coverage, enabling you to adjust the depth of your bronze from a subtle shimmer to a deep glow. By mastering control of the pigment, you have the freedom to customize your look to perfectly match the season, your outfit, or your mood for the day.

Smooth Blendability

Bronzing drops shouldn’t leave you with harsh lines, conspicuous patches, or an unnatural finish – that’s a quick way to shatter the illusion of a natural tan. An ideal product will merge flawlessly into your skin, blurring the boundary between reality and your beauty enhancements. The goal is a bronzer that subtly accentuates your features, as if you’ve just leisurely lounged on a sunny tropical beach. So, pay close attention to the blendability of the product, it should feel lightweight, non-sticky, and practically invisible on your skin.

Staying Power

Let’s face it, touch-ups can be a hassle. You want a bronzer that, once applied, holds its ground against the trials of your day. Whether it’s a lengthy workday, an intense workout, or a late-night dance-off, your bronzer should keep your skin looking radiantly bronzed without any need for reapplications or fixes. Therefore, your chosen bronzing drops should not only promise a beautiful glow but also longevity, resistance to smudging, and consistency in its bronzing effect.

Quality of Ingredients

Last, but certainly not least, comes the consideration of the ingredient list. Your skin deserves gentle treatment, and using products free from harsh chemicals, synthetic fragrances, and parabens is a step in the right direction. Choose bronzing drops infused with skin-benefiting ingredients like hyaluronic acid for hydration, antioxidants for protection, or vitamins for nourishment. These additives can provide a bonus beauty boost to your skin, making your bronzing drops a double-duty beauty warrior. Remember, your skin absorbs what you put on it, making ingredient quality not just a luxury, but a necessity.