6 Best Vegan Bronzers for a Lush Glow

The right bronzer will help you achieve a warm complexion, and can be used for highlighting and contouring, too.

There are so many options, so we’ve picked out the best vegan bronzers for you to choose from!

In a Hurry? Here’s Our Quick List of Top Picks

• UNDONE BEAUTY Warm Up 4-In-1 Bronzer
• Beauty by Earth Self Tanner
• BaeBlu Matte Bronzer Makeup
• Lavera Mineral Sun Glow Powder Duo
• Skinerals Californium Sunless Bronzer
• Au Naturale Pure Powder Bronzer in Warm

What are the Different Kinds of Bronzers?

On the market today there are various options for people looking to create a just-came-back-from-the-Caribbean look without the sun exposure.

Others perhaps would prefer to use bronzers for contouring their cheekbones and nose or highlighting parts of their face.

Sunless bronzers, or tanners, typically use the active ingredient dihydroxyacetone (DHA) to react with the amino acids on your skin’s surface.

This reaction produces melanoidins which causes the appearance of tan skin within 2 to 4 hours after application.

You can usually find sunless bronzers in cream or spray form, and will most likely need to purchase a mitt for exfoliation and applying the solution to your body.

Bronzer powders and creams on the other hand don’t use an active ingredient to create a tan; these are used to apply color to your skin directly.

Powder bronzers are the most popular type and are used the most for contouring and highlighting.

Liquid bronzers are also used for achieving a naturally contoured appearance, and because it blends well, it’s easy to use on skin with conditions such as acne, eczema, or rosacea.

Finally, cream bronzers are good for heavier coverage similar to a foundation.

How to Choose the Best Bronzer for Your Needs

Normally our goal with cosmetics is to create a naturally beautiful appearance without the caked-on make-up look. Therefore, it’s important to choose the right bronzer or you may risk looking orange or “overdone.”

First consider your skin tone! Here are the basic guidelines:

• Fair to light skin – look for a sheer to slightly rose or peach color bronzer.
• Medium to olive skin – choose a sheer copper to earth-tone bronzer.
• Dark skin – deep brown bronzers with a slight shimmer are usually the best.

In general, it’s a good rule of thumb to not pick a shade more than 2 or 3 shades darker than your natural skin tone.

Next, finding the correct kind of bronzer for your skin type will help ensure your skin looks its best! Here are some tips:

• Normal, oily or combination skin – powder bronzers are best.
• Normal to dry skin – consider using cream or liquid bronzers.
• Very oily or acne-prone skin – powders, gels, or liquids are a good choice, but probably best to avoid cream bronzers or any with shimmer because your skin may appear extra oily.

Things to Look for That Differentiate These Products

There are many common ingredients derived from animals in most cosmetic products on the market today.

In bronzers specifically you can find, among others, ingredients like lanolin which is a wax secreted from the sebaceous glands of sheep, or even guanine that gives fish their shimmery appearance.

As you can see it’s rather important to identify the hidden animal ingredients in the products you put on your skin.

However, even if you find a product that doesn’t contain animal ingredients, you have to beware of their potential toxic and harmful properties.

Traditionally, self-tanners contain chemically-created dihydroxyacetone (DHA) which is the primary skin darkening agent.

DHA has proven itself very toxic because it can cause DNA and mucous membrane damage and even cancer!

The bronzers and self-tanners on our list have all naturally-derived ingredients and are cruelty-free (no animals involved here!). In the self-tanners there is only plant-derived DHA so you can rest assured!

Here you’ll find cream or spray-based self-tanners and bronzer powders for contouring, highlighting and color.

Some people want a self-tanner that’ll react with the proteins in their skin just like the sun, while others would prefer to apply the color as a powder. It’s up to you! So look for those key differences in the products.

How To Use Bronzers

Bronzer application is almost just as important as choosing the right one for your skin tone and type.

There’s a technique to applying bronzers and sunless tanners to accomplish the perfect glow and contour without looking streaky, blotchy or orange.

While you don’t have to be a makeup artist to get it right, there are a few things you can do that will make it look like you are a professional.

First, choose a proper brush and use it to sweep the bronzer in a “3” shape down the sides of your face. Next, you can use the bronzer to define the areas on your cheek bones and jaw line for contouring.

Watch this video for a demonstration:

For sunless tanners, there are a few steps involved to get it right. Usually you’ll first need to exfoliate your skin and make sure you haven’t shaven right before you apply the product.

Next, evenly apply the product using less on your joints like elbows and knees. Then make sure you allow it to dry and start working; which may require a little patience given amount of time it takes to activate.

Keeping your skin moisturized will increase the longevity of your tan, and you will have to apply the tanner less often.

6 Top Picks for Vegan Bronzers

Take a look at our top picks for the best vegan bronzers that will naturally give you the sun-kissed glow you’re looking for!

UNDONE BEAUTY Warm Up 4-In-1 Bronzer

UNDONE BEAUTY’s bronzer powder is multi-use enabling you to highlight, contour, and blend for the perfect bronze shade. You can attain the glow you’re looking for all from one product!

I love there are a few palates to choose from so you’ll be sure to find the one matching your skin tone.

The shades are matte which means you won’t end up looking like a disco ball!

Coconut extract is an ingredient in the bronzer to help you achieve a radiant, dewy glow. That’s because coconut extract is a natural humectant; so it is moisturizing and prevents water loss from your skin.

This product is cruelty-free, vegan, and unscented! It’s also good for all skin tones since it’s so customizable.

Beauty by Earth Self Tanner

Beauty by Earth’s Self Tanner is a cream-based solution that’ll give you a great tan without exposing yourself to harmful UV rays from the sun.

Not only are you avoiding UV rays and the associated dangers, you’re also not applying harmful chemicals to your skin since it’s all natural!

The first few ingredients include aloe vera, shea butter, and coconut oil so it’s like a great moisturizing lotion. Also, the active ingredient, DHA, is derived from sugar cane! Brilliant!

Exfoliation is required prior to application and it’s recommended that you use this every 4 to 7 days to maintain your tan.

Beauty by Earth makes a convenient mitt to use for exfoliation and application. You can buy it as a set with the self-tanner.

BaeBlu Matte Bronzer Makeup

BaeBlu’s bronzer is a creamy powder that is entirely plant-based and gluten-free!

This bronzer is great if you ‘re looking for contouring and blending properties, and is good for all skin types and tones. Also, you can use it as a self-tanner on your body!

The ingredients include moisturizing jojoba and grape seed oil. Extracts like oregano, thyme, olive, and lavender are all great for your skin. Additionally, goldenseal root extract and vitamin E are in there to help protect and heal.

I love this product for not only being a lightweight, creamy powder that blends well; it also feeds and treats your skin with all the naturally good-for-you ingredients!

The powder is hypoallergenic so it’s good for sensitive skin, and you can expect a matte appearance without any orange undertones.

Lavera Mineral Sun Glow Powder Duo

Lavera’s bronzer is powder-based and designed to specialize in highlighting cheeks and brows while providing a nice glow to your face and neckline.

It’s also blendable as it has two shades in the compact for you to achieve the perfect shade for you.

Made with natural, nurturing ingredients for your skin like argan and coconut oil, cocoa and shea butter, and lots of extracts like licorice and linden flower.

The formulation also includes sea buckthorn extract – a natural antioxidant that is known for many health benefits when applied to your skin.

Since this is a great highlighting bronzer there is a slight shimmer to the powder.

Skinerals Californium Sunless Bronzer

This sunless bronzer by Skinerals provides a sun-kissed tan to your whole body without harmful UV rays or toxic chemicals.

It has a nice scent – like green apples! It is fast drying too so you don’t have to worry about streaking or blotchiness.

I love the natural essential oils and fruit and plant extracts! Plus, it has ECOCERT DHA and a couple proprietary pigment blends.

Your tan should last about 4 to 7 days as long as you apply it as directed. You can expect about 4 to 8 full body applications per bottle.

Letting it dry completely, and waiting a little while before getting wet, is an important step in the application to ensure you achieve the best results.

Prior to application you will need to exfoliate. They recommend using their mitt, but it is sold separately. Also, moisturizing will keep your tan awesome for longer!

Au Naturale Pure Powder Bronzer in Warm

Au Naturale’s bronzer is a pure powder containing only naturally-derived mineral pigments, iron oxides, and titanium dioxide.

It is great if you want an airbrushed finish and combines a powder with a spray application.

This bronzer is part of the Au Naturale’s “Clean Beauty Revolution” where each ingredient is scrutinized, and is determined ethical and natural, before ending up in their products.

To apply, it’s recommended that you spray the bronzer onto a cruelty-free bronzer brush (or to the back of your hand) and then apply to your face using the brush.

It comes in three shades: Golden Henna, Kissed, or Warm – so you are sure to find a shade that works for your skin tone.

Top Choice for the Best Vegan Bronzer

There are lots of great choices on our list, but one vegan bronzer stands out among the others – BaeBlu!

BaeBlu’s Matte Bronzer has everything you’d expect from this type of product, and can be used for contouring, highlighting, and as a self-tanner on your body.

The ingredients are my absolute favorite! I love that BaeBlu includes so many beneficial ingredients for your skin like goldenseal, oregano, thyme, and lavender extracts along with nourishing jojoba and olive oil.

It’s nice to have a product you can confidently apply to your skin knowing that every ingredient is good for you instead of harmful.

Plus a little bit goes a long way so you are getting more for your money!

With this product you control the amount of color on your skin, and it goes on like a creamy powder so it’s an all-around great bronzer and our top choice!