Found: The 13 Best Bronzer Sticks for a Realistic-Looking Glow

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If, like me, you want nothing more than to live in a constant state of tan a la “I just got back from a dreamy ocean front vacay,” then you’ve come to the right place. I honestly can’t remember the last time my skin was actually kissed by the sun, but you’d never be able to tell from my glowy complexion. And that’s on bronzer. But not just any type of bronzer; bronzer sticks in particular.

Never tried a bronzer stick before? Allow me to turn you onto one of the easiest-to-use-products that can make a huge difference in your appearance. Think about it– when you’re tan, you look more well-rested, sculpted and overall healthier. I could go on and on about these magic wands, but I’m not the only one– makeup artists swear by ‘em too. I asked Carly Fisher, a celebrity makeup artist and Lilit Caradanian, the founder and CEO of Elcie Cosmetics to spill on the bronzer sticks that they keep in their kits. Here are our faves.

If you're like me and love the look of a bronzy glow but spend all your outside time under an umbrella wearing sunscreen with SPF 50, you're a very smart person (unprotected sun exposure is the enemy of good skin everywhere), and you're also in the right place. Today we're talking bronzer sticks, one of my absolute favorite makeup products for giving skin a luminous, just-back-from-vacay look. Not only are bronzer sticks easy to use, they can be used a million different ways—like as a contour, cream eyeshadow, and in some cases a highlighter too.

So to get you started on your bronzer sticks journey, I tested and reviewed a ton of different formulas and reached out to two makeup experts (shout out to celebrity makeup artist Carly Fisher and CEO of Elcie Cosmetics Lilit Caradanian) to create this list of the 13 best bronzer sticks for every skin type and tone. Here's a sneak peek:

Keep reading for full list of the 13 best bronzer sticks of 2023 along with expert info for choosing a bronzer stick and tips for using a bronzer stick like a makeup pro.

Nudies Matte Cream Bronzer

Fisher and celebs like Sophia Richie are major fans of this easy-to-use bronzer stick from Nudestix. "There are tons of different shades to choose from and the versatility is unmatched," says Fisher. My favorite part is the removable, built-in makeup brush that actually works. Usually, dual-ended prods fall flat with the applicator, but this one is superior and blends out pigments without any streaks or patchiness.

THE REVIEW: "I love the rosy-toned color of this bronzer. It's perfect for my fair skin and keeps me looking sunkissed and not orange. Definitely the best for a realistic glow," reads one tester review.

Bloom, Bronze & Glow Bronzer + Highlighter Duo

Fisher loves the duality of this bronzer and highlighter stick, saying that “it’s great for my makeup bag and saves room in my kit.” In addition, Fisher says that it’s “just a great formula overall" and "loves how the creamy consistency melts into skin for a believable bronze and glow."

THE REVIEWS: “The highlighter is gorgeous—not too shiny, but adds a nice subtle glow. The bronzer is really great too and blends super well. I will definitely purchase again," reads a tester review.

All Aglow Bronzer & Highlighter Stick

I love a bronzer with a little bit of shimmer in it, and this one from Burt's Bees has just the right amount, IMHO. And the radiant light-reflecting sheen isn’t all you get; hydrating oils impart a natural dewy glow, too. In the center of the stick, there’s a moisturizing combo of coconut oil, jojoba oil, and cupuacu butter that leaves skin ultra smooth. I like using it on my decollete and down my shins for a head-to-toe glowy vibe.

THE REVIEWS: “The Burt’s Bees All Aglow Bronzer is a great product. It’s extremely moisturizing and stays on all day. It blends very easily and sits on my skin beautifully," one reviewer writes,

Match Stix Matte Contour Skinstick

For the longest time, bronzer was available in only one or maybe two shades. Wild, I know. But, then Rihanna and Fenty launched these sticks with nine shades, totally changing the game. They’re categorized as contour sticks because they have cooler undertones, but you can easily find a shade that’ll work to use as a bronzer among these cream-to-powder stick formulas.

“The color formulation is on-point for shadowing and the texture is a dry cream that's almost powder-like, making it perfect for that effortless blend and doesn’t add layers of product to your skin,” explains Caradanian. And the longevity is unmatched—I find that the pigments last longer on my skin than any other bronzer/contour stick I've tried

THE REVIEWS: “This is just lovely and blends out nicely with my other cream make up for a natural makeup look," writes a reviewer, adding that "the formula wears well even though I don’t set with powders.”

Hollywood Contour Wand

Ok, maybe it’s not technically a cream stick, it’s more of a liquid-dispensing wand, but for application purposes, you do hold it like a stick, so I’m going with it. Caradanian likes this bronzer/contour wand from Charlotte Tilbury because "the liquid formula is easy to blend and build and you can do so with a brush, your fingers, or a makeup sponge."

THE REVIEWS: “I have fair skin with neutral undertones and this matches me so perfectly. It blends with no effort. I really, really think this looks better on my skin than any other.”

Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick

Another one of Cardanian’s picks, these bronzer sticks are easy to use and won’t call attention to the fact that you’re wearing much makeup. “It’s key to have your bronzing/contour sticks be thin in formulation so that it doesn’t cake up the face over or under foundation,” says Caradanian. And this one is the perfect consistency for warming up the skin in an almost undetectable way—even on the fairest of skin tones.

THE REVIEWS: According to one reviewer, “I’ve never used cream bronzer before so I was nervous to try this, but this product is foolproof! Blends out seamlessly and is such a great neutral color on my fair skin!”

True Color Skin Perfecting Stick Foundation SPF 15

Lemme let you in on a little makeup hack. Cream foundation sticks double as fab bronzing sticks. Choose one that’s a shade or two darker than your natural skin tone and voila, you've got yourself a bronzer. This makeup trick works especially well when you’re using the same foundation formula, too, because the two will blend together perfectly. And I’m not the only one who loves this hack, Caradanian recommends it, too.

THE REVIEWS: “I've been purchasing Black Opal for years because it's the only brand for women of color that I've found to be non-greasy as well as it doesn't make my skin look ashy. Perfect match!”

No Limits Cream Bronzer and Contour Stick

The shape of this bronzer stick is unique in that it’s a triangle shape rather than the typical rounded version. This makes it easy to hug the contours of your face so that you can score a sculpted, snatched look in a few quick swipes. Also great? All the skin-loving ingredients—including smoothing rosehip oil, plumping hyaluronic acid, and antioxidant-rich green tea extract—in the formula.

THE REVIEWS: “This bronzer stick glides onto skin so beautifully, allowing me to add color and warmth to my cheeks with ease," writes a tester. "I love that it’s made with skincare ingredients that actually help to hydrate my skin and fade dark spots, all the while keeping me looking nice and bronzed," reads another review.

Face Trace Cream Contour Stick Ganache

At $48 this bronzer stick is absolutely splurge, but the price is totally worth it if you ask me—and Caradanian agrees. The packaging super chic, and the clean formula inside is just as luxe. The ultra-creamy formula is infused with jojoba oil to improve skin hydration, but it's also got kaolin clay to absorb excess oil so the pigments don't slide off your face during the day. I like to use it under my cheekbones, along my jawline, and down the bridge of my nose for a sculpted, sunkissed look.

THE REVIEWS: “I finally bought this product. Some negative reviews delayed my purchase but what a surprise. Amazing product, easy to use, a staple in my makeup routine. The HOLY GRAIL of contour product for medium olive skin. Love it.”

MegaGlo Makeup Stick Conceal and Contour

The price can’t be beat and the high-performance formula doesn’t come to play. Wet n Wild's MegaGlo sticks are available in concealer, highlight, blush, and contour so you can get a full look with these wallet-friendly sticks. Because the rounded stick is larger than some others, it takes only a few swipes to achieve your faux glow.

THE REVIEWS: “Such an underrated product!! I love that it’s creamy and consistent, no smudges or drying out and it STAYS ON ALL DAY! I put the product on with a brush and then on my face but I love how pigmented it is, a little goes a long way. I love it and will be buying more!!”

Double Take Contour Stick

Finding a bronzer for dark skin is hard, but finding a highlighter can be even harder. So many turn up ashy or gray on deeper skin tones, but this duo from Uoma Beauty offers the best of both. Upon application, both formulas melt seamlessly into the skin and have a richly- pigmented, longwear finish.

THE REVIEWS: “Beautiful coverage for brown skin gals with neutral to warm undertones! A small amount goes a long way and it allows you to achieve a beautiful natural bronze or contour...would recommend for sure!”

Matte Cream Bronzer Stick

Got greasy skin? The struggle of makeup melting off and disappearing is real, I know. That’s where matte formulas like this one come in. After you swipe on this bronzer stick and blend it in, the creamy formula dries down to a matte, skin-like finish that won’t ghost you midday.

THE REVIEWS: “I get the hype!! It quickly became my go-to bronzer. It blends easily with a sponge and looks super natural. You can build it up and it never looks patchy. My fave part is that it doesn’t lift any of the makeup underneath so you can really get a nice finish overall. Love it!!”

So Soft Multi Faceplay

Fisher says that she regularly uses these sticks on her clients because they “have a buttery and really easy-to-blend formula” that she uses for bronzing and contouring. Because they’re infused with hydrating squalane and nourishing vitamin E, the creamy texture is a breeze to apply. It glides instead of dragging, leaving behind a gorg natural glow.

THE REVIEWS: One tester raved, “I'm a cream bronzer lover, and I was so eager to find one in a stick format that also had a formula I'd like. This is IT, people! Summer is the perfect warm shade without being orange. It blends like a dream and has the hydration of a cream, but the anti-budging, non-sticky quality of a powder. EM aced this one.”

Is a bronzer stick the same as a contour stick?

Although they’re often used and named interchangeably, bronzer sticks and contour sticks are technically different. “A contour stick should be more cool-toned since you are using it to shape and sculpt your face,” explains Fisher.“When using a bronzer stick, you want to use a warm tone to look sunkissed.” This isn’t to say that you can’t use a contour to bronze or vice versa—it’s just that contours and bronzers have different purposes.

Contour is meant to enhance the look of shadows to create a more sculpted appearance while a bronzer is designed to warm up the complexion. Hence, the difference in placement. Some people may choose to use both products in their routine while others prefer to use only one. In terms of formulation, both products are the same except for their undertones aka a bronzer is warm-toned and a contour stick is cool-toned, says Caradanian.

How do you use a bronzer stick?

Caradanian says you use the stick to draw directly on your skin and then blend it out or you can use a brush to pick up product before applying. Fisher prefers the brush method as it helps control the placement of the product and doesn't muddy-up your face.

Simply take your bronzer stick and rub it on the back of your hand. Then, “tap the product on the natural points on the face where the sun would hit,” says Fisher. This includes the cheeks, top of the forehead, nose bridge, and a little on the chin.

How to choose the best bronzer stick

Color is key.

If your skin is on the lighter side, Caradanian says to look for shades with less orange pigment and more golden and warm tones. But for those with darker skin, more of an orange or red undertone will mimic an actual sun tan.

Find the right texture.

For the most part, bronzer sticks are going to be creamy, but it can help to swatch a few to see which consistency feels best on your skin. If you have oily skin, a matte formula would be best, but if you’re on the drier side, opt for something with moisturizing ingredients, like jojoba oil or squalane.

Meet the experts:

• Carly Fisher is a celebrity makeup artist in Los Angeles, CA who has worked with Bella Hadid and Claudia Schiffer. Fisher’s bronzer stick go-tos are Jouer, Nudestix and EM Cosmetics.

• Lilit Caradanian is a makeup artist and is the founder and CEO of Elcie Cosmetics and Elcientials Skincare. Her favorite bronzer sticks include Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood, Rare Beauty, and Westman Atelier.

Why trust Cosmopolitan?

Lisa DeSantis is a contributing beauty writer at Cosmopolitan who has been in the beauty industry for nearly 10 years, including writing stories like the best lip liners and Latinx-owned makeup brands. She has tested thousands of products and considers herself a professional guinea pig who’s always on the search for the next big trends in beauty, wellness, and beyond.

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