Our Best Bronzers for Dark Skin Tones

Before Blitzed and Spaced recently joined our Matte Bronzer lineup, Naezrah, Milk Fam member and makeup artist based in New York City, struggled to find a flattering bronzer for dark skin. “A lot of deeper skin complexions don't get to do glam like everybody else can because there are no bronzers and contours dark enough,” she shares with Milk Makeup. In lieu of bronzer, Naezrah would use eyeshadow—and as she points out, no one wants those pigments on their whole face.

Luckily, the latest shades of Matte Bronzer fit the bill for melanin-rich complexions. They're some of our best bronzers for dark skin. Naezrah inspired us to create rich hues with just the right undertones for deeper complexions: not too gray, too red, too green, or too purple. They have a color payoff that actually makes an impact and provides the spent-a-week-in-the-sun effect you're looking for.

Keep scrolling to find out more about our bronzers for dark skin tones, plus where to add it to your face.

Can you use bronzer on dark skin?

You absolutely can use bronzer on dark skin. No matter how melanated you may be, bronzer can still create stunning sunkissed warmth when you get the correct shade. “Wear what you want,” says Sara Wren, Milk Makeup’s Director of Artistry. “Bronze it up.”

Should bronzer be darker than your skin?

Yup. To understand why it should be darker than your natural skin tone, Naezrah compares contouring and bronzing to drawing a portrait. “You’re shading your face,” she says. “When you're shading something in, you're making it darker; you're giving it more angles and structure.”

What bronzer colors should I use for dark skin?

Overall, your bronzer should be warm-toned while your contour shade will be on the cooler-toned side, Naezrah says. With that in mind, the ultimate bronzer shade for your skin tone would be the mid-tone between your Sculpt Stick and foundation shades, she explains.

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Which bronzer formulas should I use?

Choosing between a cream and a liquid bronzer comes down to the finish you desire. If you’re hoping to achieve a more soft-focused, velvety complexion, reach for Matte Bronzer. The creamy, ultra-blendable formula gives skin natural-looking, shimmer-free warmth in seconds. You can easily swipe it onto your skin directly from the stick, then buff it in with your fingertips.

Prefer a dewy, glassy glow? Bionic Bronzer should be your pick. Its shimmer-free liquid formula is infused with deeply hydrating ingredients, like snow mushroom, reishi mushroom, and hyaluronic acid. You can easily amp up its intensity from a more sheer wash of warmth to a more dramatic just-returned-from-Bali vibe.

Where does bronzer go on dark skin?

A fun, easy placement for bronzer is a W shape across your cheeks and nose, Sara says. “Then, softly blend it along the jaw and hairline,” she adds. Also, think of the places where the sun naturally hits your skin, and focus your bronzer on those areas. Keep in mind: Bronzer isn’t for sculpting and adding shadows, so avoid adding it along the sides of your nose and hollows of your cheeks. You can swipe Sculpt Stick onto those.

If you’re working with a liquid bronzer, like Bionic Bronzer, Sara recommends putting some product on the back of your hand and coating a brush with the pigment before dabbing it onto your face. With a cream bronzer, you can use it directly from the stick. Just be sure to blend it out with a brush or fingers with care to avoid any harsh lines.

Whichever formula you choose, our new shades will be sure to keep you gorgeously bronzed and sunkissed, all year long.

Meet the Experts

Naezrah (she/her) is a New York City-based makeup artist and content creator. She first went viral after creating the now-famous pastel under eye look on her melanin-rich skin tone, and since then, has built a following on social media of more than 289K on TikTok and 355K on Instagram. When she’s not inspiring her followers with her highly conceptual and artistic makeup looks on her own face, she’s lending her talents to the faces of celebrities like SZA.

Sara Wren (she/her) is the Director of Artistry at Milk Makeup. In her role, she does all the makeup artistry and direction for our Milk Makeup global campaigns, educates the staff and field team on application methods, stars in the brand’s social media videos, and travels to different markets spreading Milk Makeup’s good vibes. When she’s not on set, Sara loves experimenting with DIY hair colors, eating tacos, watching basketball, and scouring for vintage cosmetics to add to her impressive collection.