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The best bronzing drops are your metaphorical beeline to the beach (no conventional suntanning here, as always) and how many Allure editors stay so consistently glowy. Of course, you could slather yourself in self-tanner, but we understand that the semi-permanent option isn’t for everyone. Enter these quick and instantly gratifying solutions, many of which also contain skin-nourishing ingredients like brightening vitamin C to enhance your natural luminosity over time—score one for short- and long-term results. Whether you want a subtle glow or an all-over bronzed look that'll put the actual metal to shame, we found the best face drops for endless gleam without harmful UV rays.
Our Top Picks
- Best Overall: Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops, $39
- Best Brightening: Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops, $35
- Best for a Long-Term Glow: Tan-Luxe The Face Illuminating Self-Tan Drops, $50
- Best Sheer: Westman Atelier Liquid Super Loaded All-Over Illuminator Drops, $58
- Best Shimmer: Armani Beauty Fluid Sheer Glow Enhancer, $43
- Best for Dry Skin: First Aid Beauty Bronze + Glow Drops, $28
- Best Budget: E.L.F. Bronzing Drops, $12
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What do bronzing drops do?
- How do bronzing drops differ from tanning drops?
- How do I choose the right shade of bronzing drops for my skin tone?
- Meet the experts
- How we test and review products
- Our staff and testers
Best Overall: Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops
Why it's worth it: For a natural, all-over glow in any season, it doesn’t get better than the antioxidant-rich Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Bronzing Drops. Seven years since its launch, it’s still considered the gold standard for glow enhancers‚—even winning a 2024 Allure Best of Beauty Award. The lightweight formula is infused with moisturizing cocoa extract, fine-line-minimizing peptides, conditioning antioxidant vitamin D, and barrier-strengthening vitamin F. Just mix a drop into your favorite moisturizer, serum, or oil for a bronzy boost.
Tester feedback: "As the resident palest-shade-of-foundation tester at the office, it's rare that I reach for bronzer because, like, who am I fooling?" says commerce producer Sarah Hoffmann. "But I was shocked at how much I liked the slight bronzy tint of Drunk Elephant's Sunshine Drops. They’re so easy to mix into a moisturizer to add a bit of glow to a base-free makeup day, and I like adding a bit to the high points of my cheeks and nose to add dimension and color."
Shades: 1 | Key ingredients: cocoa extract, peptides | Who it's for: everyone
Best Brightening: Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops
Why it's worth it: Glow Recipe's Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops took over TikTok's most notable faces (as well as our editors’) before it even officially launched—they’re that good. This shimmery rose-gold bottle contains the same skin-brightening hero ingredient, niacinamide, as its best-selling predecessor, the Watermelon Dew Drops, but with a pearly, gold-bronze pigment to instantly boost luminosity. Wear the drops alone, mixed in with your foundation, or as a highlighter for a glistening (never greasy) finish.
Tester feedback: In her review, Allure tester Talia Gutierrez said this sheer tint stayed put all day without fading. "This formula is an extra layer I can get behind—I wore it all day and it never felt sticky or thick," she said. Commerce editor Sarah Han says it’s as weightless and comfortable as the original Glow Drops and mixes well with moisturizer for an ultra-subtle hint of bronze—her preferred method—but for this story, she wanted to see just how buildable the bronze gets. "My usual application is so subtle on-camera that I decided to go in with two pumps of straight-up serum—and the after photo speaks for itself," Han explains. "I'm bronzed, I'm glowing. I love the customizable coverage that wash right off when I shower."
Shades: 2 | Key ingredients: niacinamide, Centella asiatica (cica), hyaluronic acid, watermelon extract | Who it's for: anyone who wants a lightweight, iridescent, and more warm-toned finish
Best for a Long-Term Glow: Tan-Luxe The Face Illuminating Self-Tan Drops
Why it's worth it: So, you want your glow to last beyond your nightly wash—we totally get that. For a radiance boost that'll last up to four or five days, our editors love using Tan-Luxe’s The Face Illuminating Self-Tan Drops. These facial self-tanning drops can be mixed into your favorite moisturizer to gradually tint—over four to six hours—your complexion without leaning too warm (because no one wants to be orange). As its golden formula seeps in, your skin gets a moisturizing boost from raspberry seed oil, aloe vera, and vitamin E.
Tester feedback: “Listen, these drops are it if you want a customizable glow that makes you look like you just returned from a Mediterranean getaway,” says shopping market editor Angela Trakoshis. “Tan-Luxe’s The Face Illuminating Self-Tan Drops has everything a great facial self-tanner should have: skin-loving ingredients, multiple shades, and a fresh scent.”
Shades: 2 | Key ingredients: dihydroxyacetone (DHA), raspberry seed oil, aloe vera, vitamin E | Who it's for: anyone who wants a more permanent radiance boost
Best Sheer: Westman Atelier Liquid Super Loaded All-Over Illuminator Drops
Why it's worth it: When it comes to shimmer, less is more. When we want an ultra-light, buildable tint, we slather on a few drops of Westman Atelier Liquid Super Loaded All-Over Illuminator Drops. Each drop leaves behind a glimmering, sheer veil of warmth-boosting color as its formula reduces dullness over time with the help of brightening antioxidant vitamin C and a conditioning blend of tsubaki and avocado oils.
Tester feedback: “Westman Atelier's Illuminating Drops are a great entry point for someone who's looking to get into bronzing drops,” says commerce producer Sarah Hoffmann. “The formula is very sheer and doesn't deposit long-lasting color like a self-tanner would—it's very forgiving and beginner-friendly. The texture is similar to a face oil—I like using it on dry, winter days when my skin needs a moisture and radiance boost.”
Shades: 3 | Key ingredients: vitamin C, avocado oil, tsubaki oil | Who it's for: anyone who wants a subtle "just spent my weekend in the Hamptons" glow
Best Shimmer: Armani Beauty Fluid Sheer Glow Enhancer
Why it's worth it: Wear it alone as a precise highlighter, all-over glimmering makeup base, or both—no matter how you apply Armani Beauty’s Fluid Sheer Glow Enhancer, we can guarantee a strikingly glowy finish. This lightweight formula can be blended out for a subtly radiant effect or layered for more drama. All five shimmer-packed shades enhance your natural glow but Golden Bronze is the perfect copper tint for creating a sunkissed, bronzed glow.
Tester feedback: “A lot of bronzing drops don’t mesh with my olive skin tone, but this is the exception,” says contributing editor Deanna Pai. “It practically melts into my skin, and I can just dab a little bit onto my cheekbones for a sheer, subtle bronze that looks like I just got back from a really good vacation.”
Shades: 5 | Who it's for: anyone who wants an ultra-shimmery formula
Best for Dry Skin: First Aid Beauty Bronze + Glow Drops
Why it's worth it: Like all of First Aid Beauty's products, the Bronze + Glow Drops are skin-care focused, but that doesn't mean you won't receive a striking glow from every drop. Its complexion-loving concoction of brightening niacinamide and hydrating glycerin will leave your skin looking bright and plump but its warm, deep copper tint makes it just as essential in your makeup routine as it is in your skin-care regimen. You can wear it on its own for a more dramatic finish, but if you're into a subtle glow, mix it with your go-to moisturizer, foundation, serum, or sunscreen.
Tester feedback: To enhance the glow of her naturally vampiric complexion, Allure commerce writer Jennifer Hussein says she adds a few drops of this bronzy fluid to her go-to skin tint (Lisa Eldridge's Seamless Skin Enhancing Tint). "Its deep-bronze tint is slightly sheerer than other options on the market, so there's more room for experimentation without reaching Oompa Loompa-level warmth," she says. "If you want a more intensive glow, mix these drops with your cream or liquid blush, too."
Shades: 1 | Key ingredients: niacinamide, glycerin, mica | Who it's for: anyone with dry, flaky skin
Best Budget: E.L.F. Bronzing Drops
Why it's worth it: It’s true: The E.L.F. Bronzing Drops are one of the best-performing glow drops for under $20. Available in three glowy shades, each bottle is infused with vitamin E to preserve and enhance your skin's natural radiance, along with a conditioning blend of sunflower, marula, and raspberry seed for a softer, smoother texture over time.
Tester feedback: Trakoshis says she "feels like a million bucks" when she wears any of these shades. "These are not only some of the more affordable ones in the market, but one of the most inclusive options, as most bronzing drops only come in one 'universal' shade."
Shades: 3 | Key ingredients: vitamin E, sunflower oil, marula oil, raspberry seed oil | Who it's for: anyone who wants to boost their natural glow on a budget
Frequently Asked Questions
What do bronzing drops do?
In their most basic form, bronzing drops are pigmented (usually gold- or copper-toned) drops that temporarily boost the warmth and glow of your natural complexion. "Bronzing drops are a lightweight, liquid bronzer that you can add to your favorite moisturizer, serum, or foundation," says Florida-based makeup artist Allison Kaye. Many formulas are also formulated to wear alone and under your makeup, while some bronzing drops have so much glow that you'll want to apply them as a highlighter to the high points of your face or even on your body. Regardless of how you want to use it, you'll love how these drops instantly warm up your complexion and give you a radiance like no other.
How do bronzing drops differ from tanning drops?
The main difference is that bronzing drops are temporary and rinse down the drain once it's time to wash your face while tanning drops usually have a semi-permanent pigment. The latter relies on dihydroxyacetone (DHA), a sugar that safely darkens the skin. However, like many bronzing drops on the market, tanning drops especially made for the face usually contain nourishing ingredients like skin-plumping hyaluronic acid and glycerin for a dewier, more radiant finish.
How do I choose the right shade of bronzing drops for my skin tone?
New York City-based makeup artist Jaleesa Jaikaran adds that factors like blendability, pigmentation, and undertone are important to consider. "Choosing the right shade of bronzing drops will take some trial, error, and experimentation, but generally, you want to aim for a bronzer that is one or two shades darker than your natural skin tone and matches your undertone (cool, neutral, or warm) for a harmonious look," she says.
Unlike contouring, which is meant to intensify the look of your face's natural angles, bronzing adds warmth and color to your skin. As a rule of thumb, your bronzer shouldn't be tangerine-level in warmth, but finding the right shade depends on your skin's natural tone. "Be sure to avoid bronzers that appear overly orange or red-toned in the pan, as it will only come across more intensely when you apply it to the skin," New York City-based makeup artist Elisa Flowers previously told Allure.
Flowers said those with fair-to-medium skin tones should use a bronzer that's one or two shades darker than their natural skin tone and always use a light hand when applying. People with tan, olive-toned skin can wear most bronzer shades as long as they don't stray too far from their natural skin color, but medium and fair skin tones should stick to neutral shades to avoid an orange finish. New York City-based makeup artist Ashunta Sheriff previously told Allure that those with dark and deep complexions will want to avoid bronzers with cooler undertones because they will more than likely create an ashy effect when applied.
Meet the experts
- Allison Kaye, a Miami-based makeup artist
- Elisa Flowers, a New York City-based makeup artist
- Ashunta Sheriff, a New York City-based makeup artist
- Jaleesa Jaikaran, a New York City-based makeup artist
How we test and review products
Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about several factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range inclusive of consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?
For our review of the best bronzing drops, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, and makeup artists to review the products. This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions. We considered each product's performance across four primary categories: ingredients, wear and longevity, packaging, and inclusivity. For more on what's involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
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