If there is one product that’s getting a lot of attention lately, it’s bronzing drops. As a beauty editor, you can’t get into a conversation about them without someone asking if the Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Drops are actually worth the TikTok hype and their sold out status. If you’re someone who finds self-tan too fussy (or for fear of turning orange) bronzing drops are a great alternative to give you an instant glow that washes off at the end of the day.
Often in a serum-like texture, bronzing drops can be used in multiple ways. You’ll often see them being mixed with moisturiser or foundation to add a warmth to the skin, or worn alone on bare skin to add a deeper radiance. The liquid formula means you can customise the depth of your tan by adding more or fewer drops into the mix.
With the success of Drunk Elephant’s bronzing drops, several brands have come out with their own takes, such as E.l.f., Isle of Paradise. Jones Road and Fenty Beauty. So, we decided it was high time we put the most popular ones to the test and find out which are the best bronzing drops of them all.
What Are Bronzing Drops?
Unlike self-tanning drops, which develop on the skin to give you a tan over a few hours, bronzing drops give you an instant glow that washes off at the end of the day. Depending on the formula, they can be mixed into your moisturiser, SPF or foundation for a subtle hue, or used on their own to give your skin a deeper bronzed glow. They’re ideal for days when you might not want to wear a full face of makeup, but still want a little radiance in your complexion. Bridging the gap between makeup and skincare, you’ll often find bronzing drops infused with skincare ingredients (such as hyaluronic acid and vitamin E) in a serum consistency that blends effortlessly into your skin.
How We Tested the Best Bronzing Drops
To help find the best tubing mascaras out there, I enlisted the help of the Who What Wear UK team, testing the bronzing drops across different skin tones. We chose the most highly rated bronzing drops from different retailers and across budgets, and we have shared our honest reviews for each alongside before and after pictures. Ready to find the best bronzing drops for you? Scroll ahead for our tried and tested favourites.
What Are the Best Bronzing Drops?
- Best Overall: Fenty Eaze Drop’Lit All-Over Glow Enhancer (£29)
- Beauty Editor’s Pick: Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Drops (£34)
- E.l.f. Bronzing Drops (£12)
- Westman Atelier Liquid Super Loaded Illuminator (£53)
- Isle Of Paradise Sunny Serum (£16)
- Jones Road Gel Bronzer (£32)
- Templespa Lovely Day Bronzing Gel (£26)
- Lumene Liquid Bronzer (£28)
- Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops (£32)
- L’Oréal Paris Lumi Glotion (£12)
- Morphe Hot Shot Sun Drops (£17)
- Self Glow By James Read Tinted Tan Drops (£18)
- Indeed Labs Nanobronze Bronzing Drops (£25)
1. Best Overall: Fenty Eaze Drop’Lit All-Over Glow Enhancer
Rating: 9/10
Price: £29
Shade Range: 4 Shades
Pros: Hydrating, offers a subtle glow and coverage, ‘no makeup’ makeup finish
Cons: Shade range could be extended further
Customer Review: “Very glowy and hydrating, great alternative to the D-bronzi drops. I use this with my normal skin tint and it adds a nice bronzed glow. A lot of product in my opinion too!”
Our Verdict: I tried out Fenty Beauty’s Eaze Drop’Lit All Over Glow Enhancer. It’s available in 4 shades and I tried out the darkest shade, ‘Bronze Jasper’. I have dry skin with spots of hyperpigmentation here and there, so I usually stay away from glow drops as they don’t provide much coverage and can often leave flaky patches of glitter on my skin. Fenty’s glow enhancer is a lightweight, skin-care-based formula that promises to give a subtle glow and simultaneously hydrate the skin. It contains vitamin E, prickly pear extract and sodium hyaluronate to hydrate as well as pomegranate peel extract to brighten the skin over time.
You can mix the drops into the foundation, but I decided to try it out on its own. I used my favourite foundation brush to apply it and was instantly happy with how much brighter my skin looked. It gave my face a more ‘lit from within’ glow that lasted all day without being glittery. It also had surprisingly decent coverage, covering the larger dark spots on my face, meaning I could wear it on its own on my ‘no makeup’ makeup days. The shade worked well on my skin but I do wish there were a few more deeper shades. I understand that the drops have a lighter coverage to suit all skin tones, but I do feel like once I tan after a holiday, the drops would look a bit too light on my skin on their own. At these times, I’d have to mix them into my foundation or use them as primer.
At £29 I would definitely purchase these drops. A few drops go a long way and I love that it’s a non-sticky formula that doesn’t dry out my skin or leave patches of glitter like a lot of other options on the market, with the only con being the limited shade range.
Fenty Beauty
Eaze Drop’lit All-Over Glow Enhancer
