8 Bronzers Makeup Artists Swear By for Older Women (2025)

Our skin loses color and reflectiveness as we age, so a bronzer is a great way to get back to your natural warm glow. It's a worth-it step, but makeup artists caution that there are some bronzer pitfalls to avoid if you have mature skin: a dry or chunky powder can be hard to blend and accentuate fine lines and uneven texture while a shade that's too dark or isn't blended can cause harsh lines or make you look too sunken. To find a formula that makes mature skin look bronzed, glowy, and fresh you want to think about your skin type and concerns. Read on for the best pro tips and product picks.

What bronzers work best on mature skin?

"Creams and liquids are best for mature skin because they don't settle into fine lines or wrinkles," says RaeDawn Johnson, Gayle King's go-to makeup artist. That means you should skip most powder formulas. Celebrity makeup artist Neil Scibelli agrees and adds that creams and liquids are more emollient, so "they give a hint of glow to your skin." If you love the ease of a powder (we get it), then opt for a finely milled or baked formula, which is less likely to look chalky or settle into any crevices, says Alex McCormick, makeup artist and director of global artistry development for Hourglass. But "avoid using anything too shimmery, which can accentuate fine lines and texture."

Tips for applying bronzer on mature skin

One of the biggest mistakes when applying bronzer is using the wrong color. "I find that many women choose colors that are too close to their skin tone, which can make skin look muddy or dirty," says Johnson. Instead, pick a color about two shades warmer than your natural tone. Also, avoid anything too orange or gray, McCormick notes.

Remember a little goes a long way. "A common mistake I see is that people dust bronzer all over their face when it should only appear in areas that the sun would naturally give you a glow," Scibelli says. He's a fan of the "three method," which means that you draw the shape of a three onto each side of your face as you brush on bronzer. Start above your brow, circling around to your cheekbone, and then down to and across the jawline.

When in doubt, always apply bronzer higher than you think. Ideally, it goes juuust under the cheekbone, but even putting it on the cheekbone is better than too far under it. "When bronzer is too low it can make the face look sunken or gaunt," says McCormick. "And on mature skin, you want to apply bronzer a little higher and blend upwards for a lifting effect." Below, we rounded up the best bronzers for mature skin for every skin type.

Yes, it has the word powder in the name but this unique formula has taken everything we love about a cream and powder product and merged it into one. "It melts into the skin like a balmy butter, and dries down to an airbrushed finish," says Johnson. It's a multipurpose product, which means it comes in a large variety of shades and makes it easy to try Johnson's tip of choosing a shade that's two to three shades deeper than your complexion. Scibelli is also a fan of this brand for bronze makeup looks. (Shout out to the Skin Glow Serum, which he also loves to use and says it can be worn on its own or under foundation.)

This formula comes highly recommended by Johnson and for good reason: you've never met a creamier and easier-to-blend formula, she says. It's very pigmented and offers full coverage, which is great at blurring fine lines, blemishes, large pores, and more. However, despite its rich color payoff, it melts seamlessly into the skin and takes no effort to blend. The moisturizing texture comes from rosehip oil, which is rich in antioxidants and can help improve the look of dark spots; soothing green tea extract; and hydrating sodium hyaluronate to plump skin.

If you want a powder formula (we get it—creams can feel intimidating), try this one, which is so light and airy that there's no chance it appears chalky or dry. When choosing a powder formula, bronzer, or otherwise, McCormick says you'll want something that's finely milled. A bonus to this formula is the photoluminescent technology, which means it contains tiny particles that manipulate and refract light to make skin appear luminous. "This is my go-to because it gives the perfect amount of glow without highlighting fine lines and texture," says McCormick.

"I've been loving this formula, which is perfect for mature skin," says Scibelli. It's a makeup-meets-skincare hybrid formula that contains ingredients like hyaluronic acid and vitamin E that moisturize and plump the skin. "It creates a watercolor-like flush to the skin," says Scibelli. The hydrating texture is thin and lightweight, like a serum, so you can use it with a brush or blend it with your fingers. The doe-foot sponge applicator allows you to be precise with your application.

High-quality makeup doesn't have to mean expensive. Case in point? These less-than-15-dollars bronzing drops that Scibelli says he's been using in his kit forever. "The lightweight liquid formula contains antioxidants and hydrating skincare, but my favorite part is it gives the skin a realistic-looking, beautiful, bronzed glow," says Scibelli. You can mix a couple of drops with your daily moisturizer or face oil for an all-over glow. Or, you can apply a couple of drops on the back of your hand and then blend it on the contours of your face with a brush.

New York City-based makeup artist Suzy Gerstein says this formula is worth its high-end price tag. The cream-gel texture and light-reflecting pigments make skin look radiant without emphasizing texture, she says. It's also incredibly buttery, but it doesn't budge once it's on thanks to the soft-focus powders, which blur imperfections and make your complexion look soft and smooth. Use a kabuki brush to apply.

"These liquid bronzers have a soft-focus effect that is incredibly flattering," says Gerstein. Available in seven shades, you can use this in more ways than one because it has two applicators. You can pump it on the back of your hand and mix it with your moisturizer for an all-over glow or apply it directly on the areas you want to warm up with the doe-foot wand applicator. Whatever you choose, the formula (infused with hydrating hyaluronic acid and vitamin E) blends in effortlessly, offering a second-skin-like finish.

TikTok's favorite reviewer, Bethenny Frankel, raves about this budget-friendly bronzer in this viral video. “It’s creamy, it’s toasty, it’s chocolate-y, it’s drugstore!" she says in the clip. After putting it to the test, we can confirm that it does feel as luxurious as other high-end bronzers we've tried, but for a fraction of the price. Not to mention, between the super-pigmented formula and the big pan, it's sure to last a long time.

Our beauty team is dedicated to finding you the best of the best formulas. We spoke with makeup artists to learn about what to look for in a bronzer for mature skin and got their go-to recommendations. We also researched and tested their recommendations along with top-rated and brand-new formulas that hit the market to help you find the best products out there.