Best bronzer for mature skin for the perfect healthy glow

Available in four different shades, this matte finish bronzer is super subtle and easy to apply in a buildable way. It provides a silky smooth finish on the skin and is designed to be hydrating on the skin thanks to the addition of hyaluronic acid. It's got great staying power throughout the day and comes in a huge compact, with a mirror for easy application.

Our reviewer, beauty writer Suzanne Baum, aged 51, says: "This is a beautifully packaged product that is perfect for on-the-go beauty as the compact has a fabulous mirror and feels art-deco like. Out of the four shades available I used the medium bronzer that gave my skin a lovely glow. The result is amazing as it glides on to the skin and three swipes using a highlighter brush creates a flawless and silky effect. Skin actually feels like velvet with this on. Although this is a bronzer I feel it is also a contour product as it helps create an uplifting effect to my cheeks. With its key ingredient of hyaluronic acid the dry patches on my upper cheekbone magically disappeared."

Suitable for a wide range of skin tones, NARS offer an array of bronzing shades, ranging from both cool and warm shades. It's a super silky formula, ideal for comfortable everyday wear that blends in easily with the rest of your makeup.

Our reviewer, beauty writer Suzanne Baum, aged 51, says: "There are nine different shades to choose from and even the lightest one – a very light bronze with neutral undertones – adds some deep warmth to the face. The powder formula is very light but I’d advise using a specific bronzing blush to apply as you need to do three or four swipes of the cheek to create dimension. If you are new to contouring this powder is easy to use as the silky pigments help to create an uplifting look to the face, highlighting the cheekbones. I added this to my forehead and neck area too as it gives a sunkissed look."

If it's contouring you're looking to achieve, then you'll need a contour stick for easy application before blending. Available in six shades, the formula is non-greasy and weightless for an easy-to-blend and easy-to-wear bronzer. It's perfect for giving the appearance of defined cheekbones and jawline. This is a great product to try if you're a contour beginner but want to have a go.

Our reviewer, beauty writer Suzanne Baum, aged 51, says: "Available in six shades, if you are after an effortless bronzing stick this is it. It glides on so easily and feels like you are spreading butter, it is so lightweight. The warm wishes shade gave me an instant sun-kissed look and has a slight shimmer to it which is lovely. You literally just do one swipe, blend with your fingers and it sits beautifully. With a botanical blend of lotus, gardenia, and white water lily, this formula helps soothe the skin. The undertones of this shade gave my cheeks warmth and helped give my complexion a very healthy look."

This liquid bronzer has a buildable formula designed to define the facial features with ease. Simply disperse a little product onto your face using the applicator cushion before blending out with your favourite brush or sponge.

Our reviewer, beauty writer Suzanne Baum, aged 51, says: "As well as cream and powder based bronzers, there are also some liquid bronzers on the market. One of the most popular ones is the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Contour Wand. Available in two shades; light to medium and medium to dark, I used the first one which still comes out dark so you need to really blend it in to get the right colour. Out of all the bronzers I found this gave me the best cheekbones and illuminated my face. It has a lovely consistency delivered through a cushioned applicator so you just dab on and blend. I’d advise adding setting powder to ensure it lasts all day."

Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Glow Bronzer comes in a large compact with mirror that has Hollywood glamour; it's a luxurious cream bronzer with a decadent swirled finish. Plus, the enriched cream helps to keep skin hydrated. Apply with the Charlotte Tilbury Bronzing Brush for a deep sun-kissed shade. Use a small amount and build it to achieve the bronzed look you desire. It smooths out textured skin and gives a glowing and sculpted finish.

Our reviewer, beauty writer Suzanne Baum, aged 51, says: "I absolutely love this compact as it comes with a large mirror so you can use it on the go. It comes in four shades and I used the medium which gave me a lovely light tanned look. The beauty of this bronzer is that it is designed for both the face and body and I found it gave me a very healthy-looking glow. The cream bronzer blends extremely well in to the skin and feels luxurious to use because not only does the product look so pretty but once on the skin it almost dazzles. And because it is packed with skin-boosting ingredients including hyaluronic acid and sunshine provitamin D3 which converts to vitamin D on exposure to sunlight – it stops the skin from drying out."

RMS Redimension Hydra Bronzer comes in an elegant mirrored compact or as a refill. It's a shimmery gel-to-powder bronzer that's available in four different shades. It effortlessly glides onto skin and gives a sheer, lightweight golden glow.

Our reviewer, beauty writer Suzanne Baum, aged 51, says: "This bronzer adds a lot of shimmer to the cheek so only needs to be used sparingly. I found it enhances the cheekbone and gives an uplifting effect which is good if skin has become saggy. It comes in four shades and I am wearing the Beachwalk Betty one that works best for fair skin tones. This shade gave my skin a sun kissed effect, which lasted all day. Glides on easily and the nourishing texture of the product felt very smooth on the skin."

Clarins Ever Bronze Compact Powder has two matte shades in one slim compact, so you can adapt the level of shading depending on your complexion. If you've been on holiday you can use the darker shade. Or use both shades for contouring. It contains organic coconut oil that gives great coverage with a moisturising feel. The powder is lightweight and gives a natural finish.

Our reviewer, beauty writer Suzanne Baum, aged 51, says: "This powder comes in three shades and I wear the lightest one as the other colours are too dark for my skin tone. It is a really lovely bronzer to use as the mirrored compact has two shades so you can buff, blend and highlight easily. I may be a beauty editor but I still can’t master the correct art of blending make-up, but this is easy to use as I swipe the lightest colour beneath my cheekbone and then the darker one above it and then mix the two together with a bronzing blush. The result is a natural glow, with skin feeling soft and looking bright."

For a sculpted look and radiant skin Pixi On-The-Glow Bronze is a top option. It's a tinted moisturiser stick that's hydrating and pigmented to give a sun-kissed look. The packaging is travel-friendly and the slim stick format makes it easy to apply. Also, it can be used on top of foundation, so it's ideal if you're wanting to enhance your makeup while you're out and about.

Our reviewer, beauty writer Suzanne Baum, aged 51, says: "Out of all the bronzers this was the nicest one to apply as it comes in a cute roll on stick which is lovely to use. It doesn’t require a makeup brush to blend in; I used my fingers to pat it onto the skin. Packed with vitamins for antioxidant benefits, this bronzer is ideal for mature skin as it keeps it hydrated and doesn’t dry it out. I used the soft glow colour (there are four shades in total) and it added enough warmth to my cheeks that I didn’t need to apply blusher. It has a sheer effect on the skin and sat nicely on top of my foundation without feeling sticky or heavy."

If you're new to bronzer or want one that's good for year-round use, then Benefit's Hoola bronzer is a classic bronzer with a matte finish. It's buildable and blendable, so you can achieve a flattering contoured effect. This Hoola Toasted tone gives a deep tanned finish, whilst the other three shades in the range suit mid to fair skin.

Customer says the matte effect is particularly flattering for their skin – no shiny cheeks here! It has a strong pigment, so be aware this is not subtle makeup, but it's great for accenting cheekbones a giving a sunkissed look.

Another customer says that this bronzer lasts for ages. But some customers comment that it's a small product for the price.

We love the packaging – it's made of cardboard so it can be recycling and it has a cute mirror inside.

We know it might seem a lot for a bronzer, but this clever Ambient Lighting Bronzer from Hourglass is made using photoluminescent technology to give your skin a natural sun-kissed glow and radiant skin finish. This technology also refracts light to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and uneven skin tone for a youthful glow.

For a radiant glow, this is a top pick. Customers praise this bronzer for adapting to one's skin tone and providing a shimmer without being too shiny. It's lightweight, beautiful to apply and long-lasting.
The positive reviews reinforce it as a quality cosmetic purchase. It's worth paying a bit more for makeup that gives a luminous bronzed complexion.

Ideal for contouring and warming the face up, this palette contains a range of cool and warm contour shades along with some lighter shades that act as highlighter to accentuate the different dimensions of your face. Not only is it super affordable, but with eight different shades to choose from, it's great value for money too.

This palette has hundreds of positive reviews, with customers commenting that it's good value for money. It's a budget option for contouring, with a few mixed reviews about the effectiveness of the highlighting shades.

Overwhelmingly, 85 per cent of customers recommend NYX Professional Makeup Highlight & Contour Pro Palette and if you love being creative with makeup this is a great choice.

For an affordable yet reliable bronzing option, opt for L'Oreal's Back to Bronze option, which promises an instant tan effect all year-round. It has a matte-finish and buildable formula, allowing you to customise your look with ease. It's designed to be brushed over the areas where the sun naturally catches your face, with a warmer undertone.

Customer reviews are positive, with one commenting that they've tried a lot of high street bronzers and this is the best for giving fair skin a sun-kissed shade. It's great value for money, buildable and results in a natural colour.

Some reviews comment that it's not the strongest bronzing powder; it's better for giving a sun-kissed glow rather than contouring or defining your features.

If it's a bit of shimmer you're looking for, then this bronzer from Iconic is ideal, especially for the summer months or warm holidays where you might want the sunlight to radiate off your skin. Available in five different shades, it's suitable for a range of skin tones as well as multiple uses including highlighting, blush and bronze – ideal for holiday skin.

Customers comment that it feels buttery when you apply it. The bronzer is buildable and reviews praise the shades for giving a golden glow, without looking too red or orange. It gives a matte finish which can be as natural or as contoured as you like.

Milk Make Up Bronzer contains mango butter and apricot oil to nourish and hydrate skin. It's a stick format bronzer that comes in a range of shades. It has a creamy texture that's easy to apply. You can use the stick directly on your face too, though some reviews have found that it's a bit large, so prefer to apply with a dense makeup brush instead.

In addition, customers have praised this bronzer for blending really well and being strongly pigmented yet lightweight; it's great for giving a medium skin tone a sun-kissed glow. It's even been described as a dupe for the Chanel Soleil De Tan. But, it's also been mildly criticised for being a bit too warm for pale skin.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser Bronzer is a liquid cream bronzer that's available in six shades. Dab a small amount under the cheekbones and blend in; build up the tone as much as you like. It gives more of a contoured look, rather than a bronzed glow.

This moisturising bronzer also gives up to 12 hours of hydration. It contains prickly pear to hydrate skin and a fruit seed complex that repairs and conditions dry skin.

This bronzer is best for those who are confident with applying makeup as liquid bronzer needs to be applied sparingly and built-up.

Customers praise this Laura Mercier bronzer for its range of shades. Also, for being lightweight and moisturising. Do bear in mind that it's more of a tinted moisturiser than bronzer, but it's perfect if you're looking to gently enhance your skin colour. A little goes a long way, so be sure to apply just a dot and then build it up.

This is our favourite blush bronzer for mature skin. bareMinerals Gen Nude Bronzer comes in a pretty palm-sized compact of pressed powder. It's a hybrid blush and bronzer than gives a rosy, sun-kissed glow. In addition, its light-reflecting pearls soften and smooth skin to blur wrinkles and other skin imperfections.

Customers highly praise this blush bronzer for its smoothing effect on skin. In consumer trials, this blush bronzer was praised by 97 per cent of users for being smooth and weightless. Plus, 83 per cent said it gave skin a healthy glow. Just remember, a little goes a long way and just a few brushes is ample to give a lovely, refreshing glow to skin.

Perhaps you've seen this one on TikTok? Drunk Elephant Bronzing Drops contains cocoa extract, platinum peptides, vitamin K and virgin marula oil to nourish and protect skin from environmental stressors. It's a liquid bronzer that blends in to skin beautifully. We recommend this product for giving pale skin a delicate, subtle bronzed look.

Customers praise Drunk Elephant Bronzing Drops for giving a healthy glow to a fair complexion. Plus, it can be applied over other creams and makeup. Just bear in mind that it gives a subtle tanned effect once blended.