Team Byrdie Tested Bronzing Drops—These 10 Gave Us a Serious Glow-Up (2024)

TL;DR

Our Top Picks

Key Ingredients: Cocoa extract, Matrixyl 3000 peptide blend, chronocyclin | Shades: 1 | Size: 1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

While other beauty brands have released bronzing serums or tinted makeup over the years, Drunk Elephant’s beloved D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops, which launched in 2018, have often been credited with establishing “bronzing drops” as a category in its own right. And with good reason—in our testing, they topped our best-of list, hands down. Holly Rhue, Byrdie’s editorial director, has been using them several times weekly for over five years.

What’s so special about them? Rhue credits their smooth, serum-like texture and luminous finish; when she mixes three to four drops with her usual moisturizer, they breathe a subtle warmth into her fair skin for a dewy, natural-looking glow. There is no streaking or pilling under sunscreen or makeup, either! She also loves the drops’ skin-friendly formula (think: lots of antioxidants) and dropper-style applicator, which makes it extra easy to apply the product with precision.

Holly Rhue, editorial director: “These drops are smooth and serum-like. I find that using three to four drops at a time breathes subtle warmth into my skin and gives it a dewy, lightweight finish.”

Key Ingredients: Vitamin E, sunflower seed oil | Shades: 3 | Size: 1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

For quality bronzing drops on a budget, reach for the e.l.f. Cosmetics Bronzing Drops. Byrdie editor Eden Stuart first picked them up five months ago and hasn’t stopped using them since. Typically, she mixes two to three drops with her foundation or moisturizer and finds that they add a beautiful, natural glow that’s not too glittery or overwhelming.

Also, although the drops’ packaging is relatively utilitarian, it’s very easy to control application, and the product travels easily without any leaks or spills. Overall, though, the standout feature of this product is its value—Stuart says that these drops do exactly what they promise for less than $15.

Eden Stuart, editor: “These drops have a beautiful, natural incandescence—nothing glittery or uncanny. After adding two or three to your base product, you just look like yourself with the brightness turned up.”

Key Ingredients: Plant-derived glycerin, olive-derived squalane, rosehip seed oil | Shades: 3 | Size: 1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Byrdie editor Adi Giesey recommends Saie’s Glowy Super Gel for bronzing drops for the face and body. Giesey, who has been using this product almost every day for six months, loves to add this product to her moisturizer or foundation, as well as use it as a primer or base layer; it can also be worn alone on the body—like your chest, collarbones, shoulder, or legs—for an added glow. (She notes that it has a decent pigment payoff, so she recommends starting with one or two pumps and building up from there.)

Its finish, Giesey says, is dewy and shimmers when the light hits it just right—she describes it as a hydrator, highlighter, and bronzer in one. Also, the gel-like consistency (be advised that it’s slightly thicker than traditional “drops”) is also less messy to apply, and its pump applicator is precise and easy to use. All in all, if the goal is a quick makeup routine that imparts a dewy finish, this product is the missing piece to the puzzle.

Adi Giesey, editor: “I love how versatile this formula is—it has a dewy finish that shimmers when the light hits it just right. It has also become a must-have for travel because I typically use it multiple times (in different ways!) throughout the day.”

Key Ingredients: Natural mineral pigments, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, cocoa, hazelnut, ceramides, collagen peptide, ferulic acid, vitamin E, algae | Shades: 1 | Size: 1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

In addition to creating a sun-kissed glow, Vacation’s Studio Tone drops provide broad-spectrum SPF 50 coverage and nourishing ingredients such as niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides. They’re also a favorite of Byrdie senior editor Lauren Pardee, who’s been using them daily for more than four months.

In particular, Pardee loves that they impart a natural-looking brown glow—no need to worry about looking orange, she says—and that their texture is incredibly easy to blend and apply. This product also layers beautifully under other makeup products. Another standout feature? Pardee notes that these drops have a subtle, sweet scent that’s delicious without feeling overpowering. (Also, crucially, she’s never experienced breakouts while wearing these drops for weeks at a time.) Overall, Vacation’s bronzing drops act as hard-working skincare that looks great, too.

Lauren Pardee, senior editor: “These drops deliver a classic bronze that doesn't disappoint. They impart a subtle brown glow—no need to worry about looking orange. I love how they add some color to my face (and SPF coverage!) on days when I don't want to wear makeup.”

Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vitamin E | Shades: 7 | Size: 1.01 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Makeup by Mario’s SoftSculpt Bronzing and Shaping Serum comes in an impressive seven flexible shades to accommodate a range of skin tones—one of many reasons it’s a go-to for Byrdie associate editor Ali Webb, who has incorporated it into her makeup routine over the last several months.

Webb, who opted for the shade Light, says that the product has a natural, subtly glowy finish. She also notes that its texture is lightweight and serum-like, gliding easily over her skin when blended with moisturizer. (She adds that this product was subtle enough to apply over makeup, as well.)

Another standout feature is this product’s innovative packaging: Its dual-ended top includes both a pump and a wand, which lets you choose your preferred application method. All in all, if your priority is finding a shade that closely matches your skin tone, this is one of the best liquid bronzing products on the market, full stop.

Ali Webb, associate editor: “This formula creates a healthy, natural looking glow, and its packaging is just as innovative: The dual-ended top has both a pump and a wand, giving you more flexibility to find your preferred application method.”

Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, centella asiatica, hyaluronic acid, watermelon | Shades: 1 | Size: 1.35 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Many of the bronzing drops on this list have skin-friendly ingredients, but Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops is our top pick of the bunch. Byrdie editor Olivia Hancock, who has dry skin, raves that its formula soothes and moisturizes her skin immediately post-application, thanks to ingredients like hyaluronic acid and centella asiatica; she also highlights its long-term, glow-boosting effects due to the inclusion of niacinamide.

This product’s finish is second to none, as well. Hancock says the lightweight gel texture is easy to blend, and that, even though it dispenses as a deep bronze shade, it sheers out and absorbs directly into her skin, leaving her with a warm, natural glow sans any patches or streakiness. (Hancock typically wears this formula on no-makeup days as the last step in her skincare routine, but she’s also mixed it with her go-to foundation, noting that it enhances overall radiance.)

Olivia Hancock, editor: “As someone with dry skin, I've loved using these drops because the formula feels so soothing. As soon as I apply it and rub it in, my skin feels more hydrated and calm.”

Key Ingredients: Allantoin, bisabolol, niacinamide | Shades: 2 | Size: 1.01 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Ciele’s Bronze & Protect SPF 50+ Bronzing Concentrate can be worn in many ways, and Byrdie associate editor Alyssa Kaplan can attest. Since incorporating this formula into her routine three months ago, Kaplan has mixed it with her moisturizer to boost her complexion, mixed it with her foundation to deepen its tone, and worn it on its own over makeup as a liquid bronzer.

Every time, she says, it renders a sun-kissed bronze finish that never looks orange, adding that its lightweight texture is incredibly easy to blend. Bonus: These drops also include broad-spectrum SPF 50 protection. Overall, for truly versatile bronzing drops, reach for Ciele’s version.

Alyssa Kaplan, associate editor: “This super-pigmented formula can worn in so many ways: mixed in with moisturizer, mixed with foundation, or over makeup as a liquid bronzer. No matter what, its tone is bronzey without ever looking orange, and its finish is truly like a second skin.”

Key Ingredients: Amazonian clay, mineral pigments, vegan squalane | Shades: 4 | Size: 1.18 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Byrdie associate editor Abby Dupes was skeptical about bronzing drops until she tried Tarte’s Key Largo Glow Bronzing Drops a few months ago. She credits their lightweight feel and lit-from-within finish for immediately winning her over.

She says this formula is also foolproof for beginners—it’s versatile, and its serum-like texture is ultra-easy to blend. Although she often mixes it with her favorite liquid or cream foundation, her favorite way to wear it is paired with moisturizer on her bare face for a sun-kissed glow. She also notes that the coverage is sheer but buildable, and it comes in four hues to accommodate different skin tones.

Abby Dupes, associate editor: “This formula is foolproof for beginners—versatile, easy to blend, and buildable. It gives your no-makeup makeup look a glow from within.”

Key Ingredients: Tranexamic, polyglutamic acids | Shades: 1 | Size: 1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Those with fair skin types know that finding a bronzing or self-tanning product that doesn’t look uneven or orange can be a challenge. Enter BeautyBio’s Bronding Blendrops, a favorite of Byrdie updates writer Allison Lax.

Lax, who incorporates the Blenddrops into her routine twice a week, notes that, even though the drops’ pigment is noticeable, she was surprised at how easy they were to blend in—and how they made her fair skin look glowy but never too glittery or streaky.

Allison Lax, updates writer: “These drops are fairly easy to blend in, which was a nice surprise on my fair skin. They made my complexion look glowy but not too glittery, which I appreciated—particularly as someone who’s not hugely into sparkle.”

Key Ingredients: Avocado seed oil, vitamin C, tsubaki oil | Shades: 3 | Size: 1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

The best bronzing drops should feel like a glow-up in a bottle, and Westman Aterlier’s Liquid Super Loaded Tinted Illuminator more than delivers on that front. Byrdie beauty and style writer Amanda Rosenthal, who has used this product for several months, raves about its radiant finish. Although its pigment is fairly sheer (translation: it’s not the most bronzing product on this list in the true sense of the word), it imparts a luminous tint. It’s also offered in lighter shades that work as more traditional highlighters on fair skin.

Rosenthal adds that this formula’s serum-like texture is very blendable—she tried it alone on bare skin, as well as mixed with foundation, moisturizer, and even a prepping milk—and that it feels virtually weightless. However, her one qualm with this product is its scent, which she says is pungent at first but dissipates over time. All in all, for a healthy glow in a bottle, we stand by this product, which also happens to look chic on any vanity.

Amanda Rosenthal, writer: “This product illuminates the complexion—its finish is radiant and it gives the skin a beautiful brightening tint.”

FAQ

• How do you apply bronzing drops?

  In short, it depends on your desired look. Bronzing drops can be used alone on a bare face or mixed with complexion products (like a moisturizer) or other makeup (like a liquid foundation) for an all-over glow. “If you're going for a minimalist aesthetic, apply your bronzing drops first, and then do your other complexion products on top of it, so you get that really beautiful, natural, fresh bronziness,” recommends Spickard.

  Bronzing drops can also work as the last step before blush and highlighter. Rebecca recommends dispensing a few drops onto your hands, then using a fluffy powder brush to pick up the product and lightly apply it in a “three" shape—on the forehead, cheekbones, and jawline, similar to a more traditional contouring product—and blending it out so are no harsh lines.

• What are the benefits of bronzing drops?

  Bronzing drops are incredibly versatile. They enhance the complexion in seconds, they’re largely simple to apply, and many formulas contain good-for-the-skin ingredients, making them a true makeup-skincare hybrid.

• What’s the difference between bronzing drops and self-tanning drops?

  Certain bronzing drops are purely makeup, while others have a self-tanner component. “A bronzing drop in a makeup category is not going to permanently alter the tone of your skin for the next five to seven days.” says Rebecca. On the other hand, bronzing drops with a self-tanner component contain different active ingredients, most commonly dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which interacts with the amino acids in the skin's outermost layer to produce a tint that mimics a natural tan.

  FYI, none of the winners on Byrdie’s list contain DHA, but if you’re curious about self-tanning bronzing drops, be sure to do your research and pay attention to the brand’s instructions for use.