Sienna Miller's secret to getting a glowing complexion means tanned skin with no sun damage

Getting Sienna's just-back-from-vacation glow is easier than you think

Sienna Miller headshot at the Chloé Womenswear Spring-Summer 2025 show
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Sienna Miller's makeup artist accidentally revealed the actress would never risk sun damage just to get a tan - instead, she relies on a product that can give you a glowing, tanned complexion all year round.

No matter your skin tone, when summer rolls around, we all want to get out in the sun and let it work its magic in warming us up and tanning our skin. But it comes at a price; sun burn, dark spots, sun damage. So what do we do? Of course, we want to slather on a generous layer of facial SPF and keep reapplying throughout the day. And we can always rely on the best self tans to perk things up for us. But on the delicate skin of our faces, we can't always trust it not to break us out or go patchy on dry skin.

Enter Sienna Miller with the solution. Even in the dark days of winter, she seems to be tanned with that just-back-from-vacation glow about her. And now we know how she does it, as her makeup artist shared a snap of Sienna getting ready to Instagram story and right there on her bathroom vanity sat the Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Sunshine Drops.

And it's not just Sienna who's impressed by this product; our beauty editor, Fiona McKim, gives it a glowing recommendation too. "D-Bronzi is a hugely - and deservedly - popular tanner that's pretty unique on the market. Most tanning products take a good few hours to develop, which requires a level of forward-planning I can't always implement. These can be chucked on last-minute like makeup, but unlike most powdery bronzers, they give a sheered-out, juicy and subtle glow that's especially flattering on dry skin. Thank the sophisticated skincare-packed formula for that, as you'd expect from Drunk Elephant."

Sienna Miller is pictured with blonde wavy hair at the US Premiere Of "Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1" at Regency Village Theatre on June 24, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

(Image credit: Getty Images/Steve Granitz/FilmMagic)

Sienna's Glowing Complexion Secrets

While some were rightly taken in by Sienna herself as she posed for a photo in the bathroom mirror, we were more drawn in by the array of makeup and skincare products scattered around the marble countertop. Immediately, though, we were grabbed by the Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops sitting pride of place with their cap off, proving that Sienna had just used them to add a fresh-faced and bronzed glow to her flawless makeup.

The bronzing drops can be used in a multitude of ways to add a sun-kissed glow to your complexion, with the one rule being that you want to mix them with another skincare or makeup product before applying them as they're incredibly concentrated and pigmented. On makeup free days, you can mix a few drops into your serum, sunscreen or best moisturizer and then apply as usual, or add some to your favorite skin tint or lightweight foundation for a bronzier hue to your usual shade.

Not only does it act like sun rays in a bottle, similar to the best instant tan, the drops also give skin a gorgeous, lit-from-within glow thanks to the skin-loving ingredients the product is formulated with. While chronopeptide and vitamin F work to replenish skin and support a healthy skin barrier, a mix of antioxidants protect against pollution and environmental stressors, so your skin can feel as good as it looks.

The bronzing drops also have the added benefit of year-round use. As well as applying them in the summer to bring a tanned glow to your face (in place of stepping out without any sun protection just for a tan), you can keep using them throughout the seasons so you always have a luxe, glowing complexion.

The drops aren't the only Drunk Elephant glow-booster Sienna uses and her glowing skin is given even more of a healthy sheen and shine thanks to her also using the brand's Goldi drops. Alongside her go-to perfector for glowing skin, Charlotte Tilbury's cult-loved Flawless Filter, Drunk Elephant's Goldi drops were also spotted in the Instagram story. Unlike the bronzing drops, this product will not add a rich tanned look to the skin but instead bring in a glowy highlight and healthy sheen. Mix a few drops in with your moisturizer or foundation for a glowing finish, then add even more shine by dabbing some extra onto your cheekbones.

Sienna isn't the only fan of the Bronzi drops, they're a much loved product that has gone viral online and shoppers love the life-giving effect they have on skin. "D-Bronzi by Drunk Elephant gives my skin a really natural, healthy-looking glow without making it feel oily or sticky," one shopper said. They added, "I usually mix a drop or two into my moisturizer, and it just makes me look more awake and refreshed. It’s become a go-to for days when I want a little warmth without wearing a full face of makeup." Clearly, they're a good alternative to the best fake tan for the face if you want instant-yet-wash-off results.

The Goldi drops are similarly loved, with one shopper saying, "These drops are a lifesaver when my skin looks tired. Just a couple drops mixed with my base or moisturizer give that soft, lit-from-within glow. No visible shimmer, just healthy radiance. Love that you can control the intensity!"

Another said, " This product works wonders for my skin so far. It brightens up my skin and makes me look so glowy which I love. I also recommend putting it on your collarbones for extra glow!"

Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse
Freelance news writer

Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse is a freelance royal news, entertainment and fashion writer. She began her journalism career after graduating from Nottingham Trent University with an MA in Magazine Journalism, receiving an NCTJ diploma, and earning a First Class BA (Hons) in Journalism at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute. She has also worked with Good To, BBC Good Food, The Independent, The Big Issue and The Metro.

With contributions from