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Wallet-friendly options for scoring sun-kissed skin.
Byrdie
Nothing beatsbronzerwhen it comes to making your complexion look healthier and more youthful.
And you dont need to shell out the big bucks for a fabulous one.
Wetested45 formulas over two weeks in our New York City lab and at home.
PHOTO: Ulta
Based on our findings and insights from MUAs, we compiled this list of the absolute best drugstore bronzers.
While the finish is matte, it never looked flat, another major win.
But once we did, it was more than worth it.
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Christina, tester with cool undertones:I would definitely recommend this product to most of my friends.
I think it goes along with the matte trend and theno-makeup makeup trend.
Thats what makes this pickwhich comes in eight colorsthat much more noteworthy.
PHOTO: e.l.f Cosmetics
Further, the colors pack a punch, so you may actually need less product than you think.
Whether we applied this on bare skin or over foundation, it blended equally well.
With this two-in-one, theres no need to choose.
PHOTO: Byrdie / Andrea Valencia
Use one, the other, or layer themthe choice is totally up to you.
All of the shades were gorgeous too, and the shade range is wide enough to complementdark skin tones.
The texture of both formulas felt smooth and lightweight.
We truly couldnt find anything wedidntlike about this product.
FYI, it may look a lot darker when you first put it on than youd expect.
But its easy to blend into the skin.
Whether we applied it with a brush or a sponge, it went on equally well.
Despite being creamy, it never made our complexion appear oily or shiny, always a win.
Cara, tester with a neutral skin tone:It’s very smooth and goes on feeling really lightweight.
The buildable pigment means it’s possible for you to easily tailor the amount of color to your liking.
While it only comes in three shades, our tester felt it matched her skin tone surprisingly well.
Its beautifully creamy and silky, immediately blending seamlessly into the complexion.
PHOTO: Juvia’s Place
This may also have a bit of a tacky feel, even after it dries down.
But this bronzer went on so smoothly at first swipe that I did a double take.
It never accentuated prominent pores or other texture irregularities.
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We even liked the tropical scent (though we recognize it may not be for everyone).
The balm-like formula is reminiscent of alip balmin terms of feel and appearanceeasy to swipe on and blend in.
Erin, tester with a neutral skin tone:I love the stick software.
PHOTO: Ulta
Id swipe and go and felt like I was instantly glowing.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes a five-minute makeup routine.
Alisa, tester with a neutral skin tone:The texture was smooth and lightweight.
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It did work well with the texture of my skin and didn’t get cakey.
It was a natural shimmer and was just barely noticeable.
In a word, not really.
PHOTO: Amazon
Contours should be the colors of shadow.
If you use abronzer to contour, it will probably just look more orange, Sotomayor points out.
Plus, if theres shine in your bronzer it will end up highlighting rather than sculpting.
PHOTO: Byrdie / Ciara Grovert
Larger, fluffierbronzer brushesare best, according to Sotomayor.
He also suggests opting for synthetic bristles over animal hair, as the latter eventually becomes scratchy and brittle.
PHOTO: Milani
PHOTO: Byrdie / Sarah Felbin
PHOTO: Amazon
PHOTO: Byrdie
PHOTO: Pixi Beauty
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