The two humble makeup bag staples that combine perfectly for instant sunkissed radiance

When combined, these two underrated (and inexpensive) staples offer a quick and customisable glow to your skin

A close up of a collection of bronzer and shimmery makeup products arranged on an aesthetic backdrop, with silhouettes and flowers/ in a pink textured template
(Image credit: Getty Images/Kristina Strasunske)

Running low on your go-to body shimmer or can't bring yourself to deal with the high-maintenance of fake tan? This Vaseline bronzer trick offers an ultra-hydrating solution in moments...

While the best fake tans and best gradual tans can be relied upon for a long-lasting tint and radiance, sometimes you just want to add a glow to the skin, without the arduous application and upkeep of self-tanners. Body shimmers offer an instant and temporary alternative, adding a flattering gleam wherever you want it but, they can be pricey and potentially unnecessary, especially if you happen to have a tub of Vaseline and a powder bronzer kicking about in your makeup bag.

Yes, it turns out that along with being a dry skin saviour, the famous petroleum jelly can also lend itself to your beauty regime and in this instance, create an inexpensive glow-booster that leaves both your face and body gloriously sunkissed...

The Vaseline bronzer trick we're swearing by this summer

If you weren't already clued in on the multipurpose prowess of the Vaseline, the list of its uses is staggering. From being a favourite hydrator for the 'Slugging' trend and taming your eyebrows to even turning your favourite powder products into dewy creams (effectively giving you two for the price of one). And it's the latter that concerns us today.

Let us paint you a picture, it's a glorious sunny evening and you're planning to wear a dress with a scooping neckline and just want to add a golden gleam to your decolletage - to match your bronzy makeup. Well, Vaseline has a trick for that...

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Simply take a dollop from your £1.79 tub of Vaseline and mix it with a small amount of your go-to highlighter or best bronzer and voilà - you've got an instant, ultra-moisturising shimmer. And you can also mix it with a liquid bronzer for more of a glassy finish.

This trick, which made it onto Vaseline's own Instagram, is perfect for adding a quick boost of glow to your face, chest, arms, wherever and is especially ideal for travel - when you perhaps don't have the space to pack bottles of glittery body oils along with everything else. Plus, the fact that your bronzer can also double as an eyeshadow, while Vaseline itself can be used as a moisturiser, lip balm and glassy highlighter (the list goes on), just makes them all the more convinient.

This also saves you from purchasing one of the best cream bronzers, if you already have these two products to hand.

Does the Vaseline bronzer trick actually work and how do you do it?

While it all looks and sounds great, naturally we had to put it to the test ourselves. We mixed some original Vaseline with two powder bronzers and a liquid highlighter serum and were pleasantly surprised by the results.

A close-up of Beauty Writer, Naomi Jamieson's arm with three swatches of bronzers mixed with Vaseline applied to the skin

A close-up of Beauty Writer, Naomi Jamieson's arm with three swatches of bronzers mixed with Vaseline applied to the skin

(Image credit: Future)

The Vaseline makes a little go a very long way and if you already have a both products in your arsenal and don't want to splurge on a specifically designed body shimmer oil, this is definitely an easy and effective trick.

You can also apply this same premise to your powder highlighters and blushes, to create cremes and more of a glassy finish. That said, we did find this trick a tad messy and it does remain slightly tacky, unlike oils and lotions that are designed to dry down. So, we would recommend not applying this to where clothes will rub or touch it, as it might stain and smear. But if you're ever in a shimmer-less pinch, your trust Vaseline and bronzer palette are quite the unexpected dream team.

Naomi Jamieson
Digital Beauty Writer

Naomi is a Digital Beauty Writer from woman&home, where she covers everything from skincare to fragrance but specialises, particularly, in makeup and nail trends. Through her work, Naomi gets to share her trend expertise and share her own shopping recommendations and product reviews. Previously, she worked as a Lifestyle News Writer for My Imperfect Life magazine, where she used her savvy for TikTok to bring readers the latest beauty buzzwords, fashion movements and must-have products. 

Before that, Naomi split her time between both GoodTo and My Imperfect Life, whilst training for her Gold Standard diploma in Journalism with the NCTJ, for which she earned a Distinction. Interestingly though, Naomi actually has a background in design, having studied illustration at Plymouth University but leapt into the media world in 2020, after always having a passion for writing. Now, when she isn’t reporting on the best perfumes and latest beauty releases, you can find her drinking copious cups of coffee, drawing and probably online shopping...