Having a bit of a bronzed, sun-kissed glow - be that natural or fake - is a surefire way to level up my self-confidence and leave me feeling like more of less of a 10/10 - whether I'm heading for coffee or going to a mate's wedding. Especially when the weather gets that little bit warmer and you need help to give your face a 'just been to Europe' (with SPF 50+ lathered on, of course) glow. And bronzer is your best friend when it comes to achieving this.
If you have seen my recent review of Revolution Pro's Face Trio here, you will know that I have forever been a powder-only girly - especially when it came to bronzer. But with a plethora of cream-based products on the market which have had rave reviews from make-up buffs in the beautysphere, I needed to dive in and try them out.
What's so good about a cream bronzer then? Well, as stated by Nars lead MUA Rachel Hardie, who recently spoke to Vogue, "The texture allows seamless blendability and looks like a second skin, plus the great thing is that anyone can work with a cream bronzer, even if you are a make-up novice." I was sold.
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This bronzing stick is a gorgeous multi-tasking matte cream formula that has been crafted with "an innovative juicy glow core" that gives your cheeks a gorgeous radiance. The bronzing stick leaves your complexion with a dewy finish as well as a dose of nourishment thanks to its skin-loving ingredients of vitamin E, ceramides and plumping peptides.
As someone who prefers a less is more kind of look, this was music to my ears and getting my hands on five top brands - Clinique, Nudestix, Pixi, Revolution Pro and Ciate - I was excited to get stuck in and find my next go-to bronzer.
To test the blendability of each, the pigment and the intensity of colour, I tested these cream bronzers on my arm first. They were so varied but each brought a different element to the table; Clinique's Curvy Contour Chubby Stick was relatively intense when first applied but blended out easily and beautifully and wasn't as heavy as I was expecting it to be; Pixi's Glow On The Go on the other hand was almost sheer with a medium-deep golden tint that I could imagine would be gorgeous for make-up free days when you need a bit of a colour boost.
What they all gave me was a lovely, light, natural glow which I loved - but one in particular took home the gold medal for me. Let me explain...
Starting off with the Ciate London Dewy Stix Bronzing Balm, £16 at Lookfantastic, the formula is infused with hyaluronic acid and vitamin C so it not only gives you a bit of a boost aesthetically but also a dose of skincare too. The balm, when you first take the cap off, is sparkly thanks to its radiance-enhancing golden pigments but when it's applied to your face, these shimmery pearls turn into a highlighter-esque glow that leaves your skin looking dewy.
Its finish, on me, was relatively natural - more sheer than I was expecting. It didn't leave the points I wanted slightly bronzed (cheekbones, forehead, nose etc) obviously loaded with product but it gave my complexion a healthy, sun-kissed zhuzh - plus, if you want more colour, it's super buildable.
The creamy texture also doesn't feel like it's tugging at your skin, nor does it set immediately so its easy to blend to your desired colour - but one it's in place, it also doesn't budge easily. Testing out its durability at the gym, I was pleased to see my face was still bronzed once my workout was complete.
Next I tried the Pixi On-The-Go Glow (£18, Boots) - which was more sheer than I was expecting. Maybe the colour was too light for my skintone but the hydrating, tinted moisture stick only offered a slight golden finish which I could only see in certain lights.
That being said, it felt lovely on my skin - it didn't tug when I applied it and didn't feel cakey either. I like the oblong shape of the stick too as it covers a larger surface area - great for on the go when you don't have a buff brush. I tried this later on a 'no make-up day' when I looked a smidge too pale for my own liking, and it did add a nice warmth that my face was in dire need of - which I can see being great for holidays.
Clinique's sculpting contour chubby stick (on sale for £20.80 at Clinique) was next and this one surprised me the most. When I first opened the packaging, the stick in which the bronzer comes is a lovely deep tan shade and I immediately thought it'd be far too dark for my olivey skin.
Marketed as a contour stick, I applied the stick underneath my cheekbone and blended upwards to give my face some dimension, which it surprisingly did (considering I have relatively undefined features). As a novice when it comes to contouring (I know, shameful as a beauty writer), I found this super easy to use as it blends like a dream.
As this is a piece on bronzing sticks, though, I wanted to see how it worked as a bronzer and applied it in a light stripe to the high points of my cheekbones (drawing up to my temple).
It was smooth, light and creamy texture was silky. The intense pigment was muted as I blended and it turned into a lovely and shimmer-free post-holiday-esque glow with ample dabbing that was not patchy in the slightest. As a two-in-one, the lush formula is great for taking away with you and can easily be blended with your fingers if you forget a brush.
I loved the look of Nudestix's matte+glow core tan glow, £28.79, to start with. The stick, which is like a lipstick when it comes to bringing it out of the tube, twisting the casing, has two different elements - a matte formula that encases a glowy, highlighter-style shimmery brightening balm. It's quite pretty. Packed with ceramides, vitamin E and plumping peptides, this stick does exactly what it's advertised to do - gives a gorgeous luminosity and dewy glow. The delicate, vegan formula is easily manipulated with your fingers and lasts hours. It's easily buildable too, if you want a darker Tan Glow.
It even gives a nice healthy glow on no make-up days when you need a bit of a boost.
Revolution Pro's bronzing cream formula, which doubles up as a contour stick, was my final option and, for the price it is (on sale for £5.99 on Lookfantastic) it gives an impressive glow that isn't too vibrant or muddy. It's great for contouring your cheekbones to leave your face looking chiselled and blends wonderfully - in you're quick. My only qualm with this stick is that it sets fast and if you leave it too long, it's quite difficult to achieve your desired look with a beauty blender or brush alone.
If you blend in time, however, it will leave your face looking gorgeously sunkissed - and it's relatively mess free thanks to its easy tube applicator that has a buffing pad on the end. I'd use this when I want my face to have a slightly deeper bronzed colour - for me, it's more of an evening product.
While I loved each and every bronzing stick for different reasons, Nudestix's Nudies Matte + Glow Core bronzer, ever so slightly, took the top spot for me (beating Clinique's and Ciate's only just) and has made me want to race to the brand's website to purchase the rosey blush version too.