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Looking for the best bronzers for pale skin? I've wrangled some bronzers that actually work on my fair, cool skin tone. (I'm NW20 in the MAC range, so I'm pretty pale and cool, but I'm certainly not the lightest skin tone out there.) If you're familiar with my blog, then you know that in the past I've had something of a hate-hate relationship with bronzers. I can't just pick up any bronzer out there and expect it to work on my pale skin. Inevitably, I end up looking unnaturally orange.
But thankfully I have found seven pale skin bronzers that work on me. These are the best bronzers for fair skin that I've found, and they are particularly good for pale + cool skin tones. I find that if I apply them with a big bronzer brush (like the Charlotte Tilbury Bronzer Brush), the color is diffused a bit and ends up looking less harsh than if I use a smaller, more targeted brush. That's how I tested the bronzers I gathered in preparation for this post.
Below, I list all my top picks for bronzers for pale skin in order from lightest to darkest. Then, I'm going to give you three bonus alternatives to traditional brown/coppery bronzers that you might like if you have pale skin!
My Top 7 Bronzers for Pale Skin:
1. Benefit Hoola Lite Matte Bronzer (Matte): As far as I'm concerned, this is the best bronzer for pale, cool-toned skin, hands down. I can use this product liberally without turning orange. The only thing I don't like about it is the boxy packaging, which makes it inconvenient for storage and travel.
2. Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Powder in 310 Sun Beige (Matte) - Ok, this is technically not a bronzer - it's simply a matte powder in a deeper shade than I normally wear - but it works perfectly as a matte bronzer if you have pale skin. I learned about this "bronzer" from Thataylaa, a YouTuber, who recommended it on her channel as a good dupe for Hoola Lite (watch her full video here). It is a smidge (and I mean just a smidge) darker than Hoola Lite, but it's really close.
3. Physicians Formula How-To-Wear Bronzer in Light Bronze (Matte) - This is a nice bronzer, but as of this writing is only available for purchase on Amazon and doesn't appear on the Physicians Formula site. However, I wanted to include it here because it is a really nice matte bronzer for pale skin, if you can get your hands on it. The packaging is kind of cheesy, though. And bulky.
4. Maybelline Fit Me Bronzer in Light Bronze/Sunlight (Slightly Luminous) - This is an almost-matte bronzer that is on the light side, but is a bit warmer than Hoola Lite or the Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Powder in 310 Sun Beige. A solid product.
5. Pixi Beauty Bronzer in Subtly Sutouched (Luminous) - When I got this bronzer in the mail, I summarily concluded that it was way too dark for me. However, it applies and wears differently on my skin than it looks in the pan. It has a slightly pink tone to it, which makes it nice for cool skin tones. It's very pretty.
6. Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer in Light (Luminous) - Physicians Formula Butter Bronzers are a cult favorite for a reason. They blend like a dream and the coconut smell is wonderful. It's on the darker side (as far as pale skin bronzers go) and I have to use a light touch with it, but as long as I do, I end up with a nice, light glow.
7. Makeup Geek Bronzer in Sunkissed (Luminous) - Makeup Geek markets this as a fair skin bronzer, yet it is the darkest/warmest of my picks. That said, it is quite buildable and as long as you use a light touch, it works well on pale skin.
If you want to see how these bronzers stand up next to each other, check out the swatches below:
3 Honorable Mentions That Aren't Exactly Bronzers:
Another option for us pale skin girls is to skip the bronzer altogether and simply swipe a lighting powder or luminizer over the skin for a non-bronze glow. Nobody ever said you HAD to use a bronzer every day, right? Here are three products that I like to use for a little luminescence without the added bronze effect.
1. Givenchy Healthy Glow Bronzer in Moonlight Saison - This is technically marketed as a bronzer and is the lightest of the Givenchy bronzers. But in my opinion, it is not a bronzer at all because it is too light. I consider it to be a glow-y luminizer, and it imparts a subtle glow-from-within radiance on the skin.
2. Wet n' Wild Color Icon Bronzer in Reserve Your Cabana - This is also marketed as a bronzer, but is just too light to really be a bronzer. In my book, it's a luminizer. It is also inexpensive!
Here are the swatches of these three beauties:
Complete List of Links for Products Discussed in This Post:
Benefit Hoola Lite Matte BronzerMaybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Powder in 310 Sun Beige
Physicians Formula How-To-Wear Bronzer in Light Bronze
Maybelline Fit Me Bronzer in Light Bronze/Sunlight
Wet n' Wild Color Icon Bronzer in Reserve Your Cabana
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light
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