The best drugstore bronzer buys for an affordable, authentic glow

The best drugstore bronzer will give you that ‘I’ve just got back from two weeks in the South of France’ sunkissed glow that has everybody fooled. 

Whether you’re looking for the best cream bronzer or the best bronzer for fair skin you’ve come to the right place – especially if you're looking for a bargain. The high street has some incredible and affordable options which will give you a gorgeous glow to rival even the most expensive brands on the market. The best budget bronzers can sculpt, contour and add warmth in all the right places. 

“You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a good quality bronzer," says pro makeup artist Nicola Chapman. "Bronzers have come such a long way and even the more affordable brands now have great options.” Some of our top picks are from household favourites like Rimmel, L'Oreal and No7. 

A good bronzer will come to the aid of lacklustre complexions, offering facial contouring benefits and creating an utterly glorious bronzed base. Want to find out which ones our Beauty Writer loved the most? Read on for our guide to tried-and-tested favourites.

Nicola Chapman

Nicola Chapman is a professional makeup artist who first rose to fame via the Youtube tutorials she created with her sister (fellow makeup artist Sam Chapman) under the internet moniker Pixiwoo. 

HOW WE TESTED THE BEST DRUGSTORE BRONZER BUYS

In order to come up with our edit of the best drugstore bronzer options, we tried lots of different products, varying in price point, shades, finishes and textures. We wanted to make sure there was a good balance of brands and prices of the best cream and powder high-street bronzer buys. Each product was tested by a member of the W&H beauty team and would be a product that they would personally recommend. 

The best drugstore bronzers, picked by our beauty team

I must admit that I am much more of a blusher girl and have been slapping on rosey powders and my best cream blush for as long as I can remember and neglecting bronzers as a result. So when it came to testing the best drugstore bronzer options, I may have been a little less enthusiastic than I should have been. But after trying this affordable option, my opinion changed. 

The powder was so highly pigmented that it sat on my skin like a cream bronzer would and didn't have that dreaded dehydrated skin look that some powder bronzers can produce. It had brown undertones rather than orange so I didn't look like the 2010 teenage version of myself, which I (and everyone else) was grateful for. I used it all over my face to add warmth and subtle contours as well as on my neck to make sure I was looking bronzed all the way to my collar. Another surprise was discovering it also had a handy little mirror underneath the powder so it makes topping up throughout the day a total breeze. I'm a huge fan.

This tiny little pot of bronzy goodness really wowed me. The buttery cream blended seamlessly on top of my makeup and looked so natural, too. I found that a little went a long way and I didn't need much product to add a little contour and warmth to my face. I am fair-skinned so I was worried this might make me look over-bronzed but I enjoyed how authentic it looked. 

The unique putty cream to-powder bronzer is also enriched with Argan Oil and Vitamin E, so it sat well on my skin all day long as it had great nourishing ingredients. It also didn't look greasy, which some cream bronzers can and helped to even out my fair complexion. Bonus points for having such an extensive shade range, affordable price point and that it can fit in my handbag for touch-ups on the go.  

Out of all the best budget bronzers I tried, I think this was the most pigmented of the batch and was the best bronzer that offered the deepest glow. Delivering a gorgeous bronzed effect, even in the lighter shade options, this gave the impression of an authentic holiday tan – which is why it made the top three of my roundup. It was amazing at providing an all-over face, neck and shoulder base, which didn't go patchy or streaky when applied with a large bronzer brush.

Despite only having four shades to choose from, I think there would be just enough difference in the tones to have something to suit everyone. The pan was also the largest out of the options I tried, meaning it was great value for money. I loved the subtle shimmer the bronzer gave, without looking too OTT. I can't think of any reason not to rush out and buy this! 

If you're wondering how to contour makeup, then this is one of the best drugstore bronzer options for this. The rich cream bronzer is highly pigmented so you need to make sure that you have both the right shade for you and that you don't load up too much on your brush or fingers. 

I went for the light shade which was ideal as I enjoy a natural makeup look. I used my fingers to apply as the heat from my hands helped to blend in the creamy formula. I blended into my cheekbones, across the bridge of my nose and around my temples for a subtle contour look. This would also work well doubled up as a bronzy eyeshadow too. I'm genuinely so impressed with this bargain buy.

If you have really fair skin or only wear soft glam makeup, then this is the best high-street bronzer for you. Offering the lightest bronzing effect out of the batch, this produces a subtle yet believable glow. Great for sculpting or tantouring your complexion as it creates gorgeous shadows, this is ideal for learning how to contour. The micro-milled powder even contains whipped cocoa butter for a more-ish velvety matte finish. 

My only issue with this bronzer is that only has four shades which are all fairly light, so isn't suitable for all skin tones which is a real shame. However, it worked well on my complexion and gave a subtle sculpting and cool-toned bronze. 

For those who are interested in an eco-friendly, cruelty-free and vegan bronzer, then this is most definitely going to impress you across the board. Despite being slightly too warm for my pale complexion, this was easily blendable, buildable and highly pigmented. Great for those who have deeper skin tones or warm undertones, this would work so well teamed with your best fake tan for your face to get you ready for a night out. 

I put this powder on my collarbones, cheeks, bridge of my nose and temples to create a bronzed base and found that it was without a doubt better suited for evening makeup looks rather than during the day for my pale skin. There's no mirror in the pack – but this is to make it easier to recycle once you've finished with it, so what it loses in re-apply ability, it gains back in eco credentials. 

Those with mature skin will normally find that cream bronzers suit their skin better than powder formulas do. Just like the best foundations for mature skin, this offering from Max Factor promises to not sit in fine lines or wrinkles and keeps the skin looking smooth. I enjoyed that this bronzer kept my skin looking radiant and glowing all day long. 

This was so highly pigmented and meant that you really don't need a lot to get a gorgeous bronzy base (be warned as I went in too hard on my first try). Due to this, the colour lasted all day and I didn't need any touch-ups, which was another plus point. 

I had been dying to try out this viral bronzer as it was meant to be a dupe of a well-known and loved designer cream bronzer (to give you a clue, it rhymes with Schmanel). While it undoubtedly looked almost identical to the luxury version, there were a couple of differences – mostly, the logo. 

This high street offering from Collection was nice to apply and blended in very easily, giving me an immediate bronzed glow. It also allowed me to produce a decent amount of contouring but would have been better if it was a cream bronzer rather than cream to powder, as this one was. I found that I had to touch up some of my bronze during the day which was a shame but not uncommon with cream bronzers. 

I liked that this also had skincare ingredients like squalane and seed oils which meant it hydrated and blended into skin well. I think for the price of this, it absolutely wouldn't disappoint, it was blendable, highly pigmented and easy to apply, despite the slight fading. 

Perfect for any time of year, this natural-looking bronzer is ideal for those who prefer a subtle sun-kissed glow rather than full-on bronze. The shade 'light' gave me the most natural-looking warmth to my face out of the round-up of the best drugstore bronzer options and I loved that it's suited to those with fair skin. 

I found that if I wanted a little more colour then it was so easy to build up to give myself a deeper glow for evening events. I wouldn't say it's best suited to contouring your face but you can add depth with a smaller brush. I also found it looked lovely when I added some to my eyelids to give me a golden eyeshadow look. This is definitely one for those who love easy makeup looks.  

Looking just like a designer rival, I thought this bargain buy was seriously impressive before I'd even tried it out. Offering three shades, this drugstore bronzer ticks a lot of beauty boxes; natural healthy glow, easy to blend and completely shine-free. Sign me up. 

It is difficult to build up a strong colour with this one, which means it's totally suited to those with fair skin tones and think it is definitely one of the best drugstore bronzer options for those who are after a natural-looking glow. It's best for providing an all-over bronzed base rather than contouring benefits but if you're after a trustworthy bronzer, then this won't let you down.

HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT BRONZER SHADE FOR YOU

Finding the best drugstore bronzer for you is all about discovering your undertone first. Once you've done this you can choose which sort of bronzer is best suited to you and your complexion tones. Here's how to do this:

1. Understand your undertone: The easiest way to check is to look at your wrist veins. If they appear blue you have a cool undertone, if they look green your undertone is warm. If you are a mix of both then you're neutral. If your veins aren't very visible, try the jewellery trick. If your skin looks healthiest when you hold gold jewellery against it, you have warm undertones. Alternatively, if it looks healthiest when you hold silver jewellery to your skin, you have cool undertones. Torn between the two? You're neutral. 

2. Pick your shade: Cool undertones will best suit a peachy-toned bronzer, whilst a warm undertone will work well with golden browns. Neutral undertones suit both fairly well but should avoid overly warm or peachy bronzers. 

FAQ

I hope this tried-and-tested piece has proven that you don't need to break the bank to invest in a good bronzer. Gorgeous, glowing skin has never been so affordable.