Bronzers & Contours (Cream)
Description
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November 1, 2022
By Lisa Petrison
The products discussed on this page consist of a variety of non-shimmery bronzing creams, contouring creams and other pigmented creams that are fairly neutral in color and that can be used to add dimension to the face.
Bronzers are designed primarily to mimic the look of having a suntan and may be used fairly liberally on the top half of the face (including on the cheeks, across the nose, on the forehead and on the eyelids). They usually lean neutral to warm in terms of their undertones.
Contouring creams are intended to appear more like shadows on the face, with the goal of (say) making the cheekbones look sharper or the nose look smaller. They usually are cooler in tone and often have elements of gray or taupe in the mix.
A challenge with bronzers is that while it seems important for people to get the right tone as well as the right undertone for them, most companies make only a couple of bronzer shades. Trying out products from different brands therefore may be necessary to find one that works well.
For instance, I have found that lighter bronzer shades work better for me in terms of allowing me to easily achieve a natural look and that many companies offer only bronzers that are too dark for me.
In addition, I have found that bronzers that have peachy undertones seem to work especially well on my own warm skin, while those that have more neutral undertones tend to look unattractively muddy on me.
People who have more neutral undertones may find that many bronzers that are too warm have a tendency to look orange on them, on the other hand.
With regard to contouring products, I need to admit that I have never personally felt very motivated to focus attention on learning how to contour my own face, primarily because I don’t feel that even the most skillful contouring looks very natural.
I feel more in agreement with the makeup artist Bobbi Brown (now of Jones Road), who has stated that she feels that rounded cheeks are very attractive and that she is not very interested in using makeup to try to create the illusion of angular cheekbones.
On one occasion, she promised in a Facebook video to finally teach her followers how to contour their noses but then said, “April Fools! I will never tell you how to contour your nose. You don’t need to contour your nose. Your nose is fine the way it is. Just put some little fun things on your face, put something else on that makes you unique, and just be yourself.”
Of course, many people today seem to be happy with the looks that they achieve through contouring, and so I have listed some products that may be appropriate for that on this page.
Personally, I do sometimes put bronzer on the area under my chin so that the slackness there will be less noticeable – a technique that I guess that falls into the broad general category of “contouring.”
Sometimes I also use products that are labeled either as bronzers or contours more sparingly on my cheekbones, as a neutral blush.
Because I have put a considerable amount of effort into trying out and comparing bronzer and contour shades with potential for use on my own light skin, I am sharing my observations about colors in detail on this page.
Unfortunately I have not been able to get as much of an understanding of products that are intended for darker skin tones, but I hope that people who have more knowledge of those product shades will share their thoughts about them in the comments section.
TOP PICKS
♣ Living Clean Superstars:
Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour ($28)
+Jane Iredale Glow Time Bronzer Stick ($38)
Kosas Color & Light Palette Cream ($34)
Merit Bronze Balm ($30)
Milk Makeup Matte Cream Bronzer Stick ($22)
+Rituel de Fille Inner Glow Creme Pigment ($32)
Saie Sun Melt Natural Cream Bronzer ($32)
Salt New York Sculpt + Bronze Creme Tint Pro ($16 + Case)
+Tarte Sea Breezy Cream Bronzer ($14+)
+W3LL People Supernatural Stick Bronzer ($22)
Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick ($48)
♦ Additional Possibilities:
Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick ($52)
Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Bronzer ($34)
♦ Not Yet Tried:
+Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour & Highlight Stick ($25)
Milk Makeup Bionic Bronzer ($30)
♥ Lisa’s Choice:
Kosas Color & Light Palette Cream ($34)
√ Merit Bronze Balm ($30)
Rituel de Fille Inner Glow Creme Pigment ($29)
Notes:
1) Living Clean Superstars – Products with high scores on both Performance Rating (5) as well as Ingredients Rating (4/5). + Clean Pick (Ingredients Rating = 5).
2) Lisa’s Choice – Products that I would purchase for my own personal use. √ Lisa’s Favorite
Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour & Highlight Stick – $25
Performance Rating: Not Yet Rated
Ingredients Rating: 
(4 / 5)
Processed Fragrance: None
Silicone Level: High
Problematic Colorings: None
Options: 3 Shades (Light/Medium/Dark, Cool)
The description of this product reads, “Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Sticks are full-pigment cream sticks for contouring that deliver a natural-looking matte finish. With 3 contour shades in a highly pigmented formula, these cream sticks offer buildable coverage. Easy-to-apply formula. Shade range complements multiple skin tones. Ideal for oily and combination skin types.”
I swatched the colors of this product on my hand in a Sephora store but haven’t actually used it on my face.
The shades look like they are unusually cool with strong gray undertones, and thus appropriate for contouring only.
A photo of the color swatches is available here.
Size: 0.32 oz.
Sephora Rating: 3.9 Stars (328 reviews)
Credo Clean: Meets Criteria
Clean at Sephora: Meets Criteria
Drunk Elephant Clean: No
EU Compliant: Meets Criteria
Pregnancy Pick: Yes
EWG Rating: 4 (yellow)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Dimethicone (3), Tocopheryl acetate (3), Titanium dioxide (3). (Also contains Phenyl Trimethicone.)
Fragrance Ingredients: None
All Ingredients: Phenyl Trimethicone, Dimethicone, Isononyl Isononanoate, Silica, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Ozokerite, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Triisodecyl Trimellitate, Polyethylene, Microcrystalline Wax, Candelilla Wax, Kaolin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Isopropyl Myristate, Isostearic Acid, Lecithin, Meadowfoam Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Jojoba Seed Oil, Sodium Magnesium Silver Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate. May Contain: Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide.
Buy From Anastasia Beverly Hills
Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick – $52
Overall Rating: (4 / 5)
Performance Rating: 
(5 / 5)
Ingredients Rating: 
(3 / 5)
Lisa Irritation Level: None
Processed Fragrance: None
Silicone Level: Moderate
Problematic Colorings: None
Options: 43 Shades (Warm/Neutral/Cool/Olive, Light/Medium/Dark)
The description of this product reads, “Our portable moisturizing foundation stick evens out your complexion in one simple step for real-skin coverage—anytime, anyplace. Swipe the weightless, medium-to-full coverage foundation all over or use as a spot concealer for all-day coverage. Looks like skin and provides a natural-looking finish. Offers instant on-the-go coverage with the convenient stick format. Provides instant moisture with the help of Shea Butter.”
Because it can be difficult for some people to find a good cream bronzer that works well with their skintone, using a stick or palette foundation in a darker shade as a bronzer may be worth some consideration.
While any of the products listed on the Foundation Sticks page may have the potential of working in this way, I thought that I would specifically discuss the Bobbi Brown foundation stick since I have personally used it as a bronzer.
The product is on the creamy side and goes on smoothly, and so it has been easy for me to apply just a small amount and then to blend it out to create a subtle glow.
The product is available in an impressive 43 shades, which makes it much more likely that people will find a good match for them.
The fact that the Bobbi Brown foundation sticks are available to try on in many department stores and Sephora stores (and that it is easy to return foundation products to Bobbi Brown when purchased via mail order) is another reason to consider this line.
On the downside, this stick does include some silicones as well as a small amount of talc, which may eliminate it from consideration for some people.
The Westman Atelier foundation sticks could be a good alternative, though they are available in fewer shades and are more expensive.
I had a long conversation with a makeup artist from the Bobbi Brown site about the idea of using a foundation stick as a bronzer.
She told me that the company was just starting to encourage people to use the product in this way and agreed that looking for a darker shade with the same undertone as the natural skin seemed like a good strategy.
My own skin is fair/light and mildly golden. I have found Warm Ivory (W-026) to be a good match for my natural skin during the winter months.
I therefore looked for darker shades that were warmer and that were not stated as leaning olive.
Some candidates seemed to be Honey (W-064) and Warm Honey (W-066) in the Medium range, and Golden (W-074) and Warm Almond (W-086) in the Medium Deep range.
I decided to try Warm Honey and it has worked well for me, darkening my skin just a little bit and looking totally natural on me. The color is almost identical to the lightest shade (Quince) in the Merit cream bronzer, which also has worked for me.
If I wanted a slightly more obvious bronzed look, then I likely would have been better off with the makeup artist’s suggestion of Warm Almond.
Size: 0.31 oz.
Sephora Rating: 4.2 Stars (1200 reviews)
Credo Clean: No
Clean at Sephora: No
Drunk Elephant Clean: No
EU Compliant: Meets Criteria
Pregnancy Pick: Maybe (Talc)
Think Dirty Rating: 5 (yellow)
EWG Ingredient Rating: 5 (yellow)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Talc (5), Titanium dioxide (3). (Also contains Cetyl Dimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane.)
Fragrance Ingredients: None
All Ingredients: Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl Dimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Beeswax, Ozokerite, Candelilla Wax, Shea Butter, Talc, Octyldodecanol, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Silica, Propylene Glycol Laurate, Tocopherol, Squalane, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate. May Contain: Mica , Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide
Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour – $28
♣ Living Clean Superstar
Overall Rating: (5 / 5)
Performance Rating: (5 / 5)
Ingredients Rating: (4 / 5)
Lisa Irritation Level: None
Processed Fragrance: None
Silicone Level: None
Problematic Colorings: Ferric Ferrocyanide, Yellow #5, Chromium Oxide Greens, Chromium Hydroxide Green, Ultramarines, Blue #1, Carmine
Options: 1 Shade (Medium)
The description of this product reads, “Creamy contouring stick creates the illusion of depth; makes areas appear to recede. Long-wearing and oil-free.”
I am a big fan of most of the other products in the Clinique Chubby Sticks line and so decided to give the contouring stick a try.
The product comes in just one shade, a medium-light brown that I feel leans slightly warm.
Although it looks pretty dark when swiped on my skin, it sheers out easily.
I have used this product as a barely there neutral blush and as a contour for the area underneath my chin.
I at first was hopeful that this could be another color to add to my Clinique Chubby Stick eyeshadow collection, and the product did look nice on my eyes. However, this product (which uses a different formula than the eyeshadows) caused irritation when I tried using it on my eyelids, and I therefore won’t be using it in this way again.
I also found that though the color is okay on my cheeks, the product tends to turn unpleasantly orange if I use in certain other parts of my face such as my forehead. I therefore suspect that those who have skin that is more on the cool side might not do well with it at all.
I suggest visiting a Clinique counter to try it on before purchasing it.
Size: 0.21 oz.
Ulta Rating: 4.2 Stars (164 reviews)
Credo Clean: Unclear
Clean at Sephora: No
Drunk Elephant Clean: No
EU Compliant: Meets Criteria
Pregnancy Pick: Maybe (Problematic Colors)
EWG Product Rating: 3 (yellow)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Tocopheryl acetate (3), Titanium dioxide (3), Ferric ferrocyanide (4), Yellow #5 (6), Chromium oxide greens (5), Chromium hydroxide green (4), Ultramarines (3), Blue #1 (7). (Also contains Carmine.)
Fragrance Ingredients: None
All Ingredients: Isodecyl Isononanoate, Polyethylene, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Candelilla Wax, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Diisopropyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Ozokerite, Squalane, Ceresin, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Silica, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Octyldodecanol, Phytosteryl Isostearate, Lauroyl Lysine, Lecithin, Synthetic Beeswax, Alumina, Lauryl PCA, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Oryzanol, Tin Oxide, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer. May Contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Manganese Violet, Ferric Ferrocyanide, Yellow 5, Chromium Oxide Greens, Chromium Hydroxide Green, Ultramarines, Blue 1, Bismuth Oxychloride, Carmine.
Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Bronzer – $34
Overall Rating: (4 / 5)
Performance Rating: (5 / 5)
Ingredients Rating: (3 / 5)
Lisa Irritation Level: None
Processed Fragrance: None
Silicone Level: None
Problematic Colorings: Blue #1
Options: 7 Shades (Warm/Neutral/Cool, Light/Medium/Dark)
The description of this product reads, “A light-as-air, non-greasy cream bronzer that effortlessly melts into skin for a natural-looking bronze or soft contour—in 7 no-fuss shades for all skin tones. Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Bronzer brings out the best of your cheekbones and delivers a natural-looking bronze. With 7 sheer, buildable shades designed to serve all skin types and tones, this cream bronzer warms up and softly defines your face with a fresh-faced bronze glow that looks natural on everyone. Easy to blend and impossible to overdo, this light-as-air, sweat- and water-resistant formula instantly melts into skin without disturbing makeup, so vacay skin is just a finger tap away. And with a silky smooth texture that doesn’t feel sticky or greasy, Cheeks Out leaves your skin feeling as natural as it looks. Whether you want to bronze, define, or contour, Cheeks Out lets you freestyle it with its range of neutral, warm, and cool undertones—including cult-favorite Match Stix contour shade Amber (now reborn as a cream)!”
Fenty focuses on offering products appropriate for a variety of skin tones, especially those on the darker end of the spectrum.
I first purchased their lightest bronzer shade, called Butta Biscuit.
While the formula seemed to work fine for me, the undertone seemed to be too neutral for me and to give my face a muddy look.
Later, after Covid restrictions loosened up, I was able to experiment with all of the shades in a Sephora store.
I found Macchiato to be only a little darker than Butta Biscuit but considerably warmer. It’s unfortunate that I didn’t buy that one since I think it would have worked well with my warm skin.
Amber is an especially light shade that is intended for use as a contour. Like the lighter shades of contour offered by Anastasia Beverly Hills, it has a noticeably gray tinge to it.
The formula contains a small amount of talc as well as BHT.
I did not notice my skin reacting negatively to the use of this product though.
Size: 0.22 oz.
Sephora Rating: 4.4 Stars (555 reviews)
Credo Clean: No
Clean at Sephora: No
Drunk Elephant Clean: No
EU Compliant: Meets Criteria
Pregnancy Pick: Maybe (Talc, BHT, Problematic Color)
EWG Rating: 6 (yellow)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Tocopheryl acetate (3), Talc (5), BHT (3), Titanium dioxide (3), Blue #1 (7)
Fragrance Ingredients: None
All Ingredients: Octyldodecanol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Mica, Synthetic Wax, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Polyethylene, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Silica Silylate, Nylon-12, Candelilla Wax, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Talc, BHT, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Blue 1
Jane Iredale Glow Time Bronzer Stick – $38
♣ Living Clean Superstar
Overall Rating: (5 / 5)
Performance Rating: (5 / 5)
Ingredients Rating: (4 / 5)
Lisa Irritation Level: None
Processed Fragrance: None
Silicone Level: None
Problematic Colorings: None
Options: 3 Shades (Light/Medium/Dark)
The description of this product reads, “A radiant, no shimmer cream bronzer stick for buildable, natural color and a sun-kissed, sculpted look. Multitasking, no shimmer, cream bronzer stick for face and body. May be used to create an all-over, natural sun-kissed look. May be used to contour to create symmetry and definition for a sculpted look. Buildable and blendable color payoff. Ideal for easy, on-the-go application or touch-ups. Creamy formula for natural, streak-free application. Jojoba Seed Oil hydrates and smooths skin.”
This bronzer was introduced by Jane Iredale in Summer 2022.
As with Jane Iredale’s other new cream stick products, the formula for this product seems very nice to me.
I think the ingredient list also looks excellent.
I tried the Light shade and found it to be too neutral to work well for me.
It couldbe a very good choice for those who do well with cooler bronzer colors than I do, though.
Size: Unclear
Jane Iredale Rating: 5.0 Stars (28 reviews)
Credo Clean: Meets Criteria
Clean at Sephora: Meets Criteria
Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria
EU Compliant: Meets Criteria
Pregnancy Pick: Yes
EWG Ingredient Rating: 2 (green)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Titanium dioxide (3)
Fragrance Ingredients: None
All Ingredients: Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ceresin, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Octyldodecanol, Silica, Polybutene, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Jojoba Seed Oil. May Contain: Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide.
Kosas Color & Light Palette Cream – $34
♥ Lisa’s Choice
♣ Living Clean Superstar
Overall Rating: (5 / 5)
Performance Rating: (5 / 5)
Ingredient Rating: (4 / 5)
Lisa Irritation Level: None
Processed Fragrance: Myrrh Oil
Silicone Level: None
Problematic Colorings: Red #7, Red #30
Options: 1 Shade (Light Peachy Bronze)
The description of this product reads, “A super blendable, skin-conditioning cream blush + highlighter palette in perfectly paired duos that give a dewy pop of color. Super easy to swipe on, this clean formula combines refined pigments with active botanicals for the creamiest feel that’s actually good for your skin.”
One of the shades of this product is called Tropic Equinox, which is intended to work as a bronzer/highlighter duo for lighter skin tones.
As with the other cream blush products from Kosas, this is a very lightweight and emollient product that goes on almost like a liquid blush.
I have found that if I apply this bronzer as I would a blush/highlighter combination, focusing just on my cheekbones, it looks very nice on me.
The matte part of the duo is fairly light and warm enough to work well with my skin. There is a hint of peachiness to it, which I think is largely responsible for why I like it so much.
The highlighter component is basically the same texture in a muted golden-peach shade that also looks especially nice on my skin.
I would not suggest this product for people who have skin much darker than mine, and I also question whether it would be appropriate for those with neutral or cool undertones.
For me it has been a home run though.
The product has an ingredient lists that looks pretty clean to me (other than a few artificial colors) and it seems to have been perfectly fine in terms of not irritating my skin.
Size: 0.32 oz.
Sephora Rating: 4.3 Stars (239 reviews)
Credo Clean: Yes
Clean at Sephora: Yes
Drunk Elephant Clean: No
EU Compliant: Meets Criteria
Pregnancy Pick: Maybe (Problematic Colors)
Think Dirty Rating: 1 (green)
EWG Rating (Blush): 5 (yellow)
EWG Rating (Highlighter): 3 (yellow)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Rosa canina oil (3), Tocopheryl acetate (3), Red #7 (6), Red #30 (5),
Fragrance Ingredients: Commiphora myrrha oil, meadowfoam seed oil, rosa canina fruit oil, rosemary leaf extract
All Ingredients (Blush): Apricot Kernel Oil, Mica, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Corn Starch, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Shea Butter, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Castor Seed Oil, Isononyl Isononanoate, Microcrystalline Wax, C10-18 Triglycerides, Sunflower Seed Wax; Caprylyl Glycol, Commiphora Myrrha Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sunflower Extract, Meadowfoam Seed Oil, Rice Bran Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Rosemary Leaf Extract, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Grape Seed Oil. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Red 7, Iron Oxides, Red 30
All Ingredients (Highlighter): Apricot Kernel Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Mica, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Shea Butter, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Isononyl Isononanoate, Microcrystalline Wax, Corn Starch, Castor Seed Oil, C10-18 Triglycerides, Sunflower Seed Wax; Caprylyl Glycol, Commiphora Myrrha Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sunflower Extract, Meadowfoam Seed Oil, Rice Bran Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Rosemary Leaf Extract, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Grape Seed Oil. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides
Merit Bronze Balm – $30
♥ Lisa’s Choice
♣ Living Clean Superstar
Overall Rating: (5 / 5)
Performance Rating: (5 / 5)
Ingredient Rating: (4 / 5)
Lisa Irritation Level: None
Processed Fragrance: None
Silicone Level: Low
Problematic Colorings: None
Options: 5 Shades (Light/Medium/Dark, Neutral/Warm)
The description of this product reads, “The easiest bronzer ever. A sheer, buildable formula that gives a wash of natural warmth and depth. Impossible to mess up. Creates natural warmth and soft definition without any orangeness or streaks. Blendable formula for a second-skin finish that’s never cakey. Fatty acids condition skin and lock in moisture. Formulated without acne-triggering ingredients. For warmth, use the wide side to swipe anywhere the sun naturally hits. To sculpt, use the narrow side for precise application.”
This new bronzer (introduced in Summer 2022) is available in five shades.
Quince (the shade that I purchased) is considerably lighter in color than any other cream bronzer that I own and seems appropriate for even the lightest skin tones.
The warm color is subtle enough on me that I have been able to use it with more abandon, with the end result being what I feel is an attractive look of having an overall light summertime tan.
The second-lightest shade, Clay, is significantly darker and also seems to be somewhat more neutral (and thus not as appropriate for me).
The texture of the Merit bronzers seems especially nice to me, with an emollience that allows the product to be blended into the face in a very easygoing way.
The one negative that I have to report is that the entire piece of bronzer cream had detached itself from the twist-up holder and gotten stuck in the cap when I received it directly from Merit via mail order.
I didn’t have any problems getting it repositioned and it has worked fine since then, though.
The only controversial ingredient in this product is BHT (a fat preservative), which would disqualify it from being sold at Credo.
I thought that the product felt good to me and am not too concerned about the use of BHT in products that are used only on my cheeks (rather than on my lips or eyes) though.
The product is labeled as “Clean at Sephora,” which means that the amount of BHT included is a maximum of 0.1% of the total formula.
Size: 0.44 oz.
Sephora Rating: 4.9 (259 reviews)
Credo Clean: No
Clean at Sephora: Yes
Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria
EU Compliant: Meets Criteria
Pregnancy Pick: Maybe (BHT)
EWG Ingredient Rating: 2 (green).
EWG Problem Ingredients: BHT (3). (Also contains Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Methicone.)
Fragrance Ingredients: None
All Ingredients: Octyldodecyl Myristate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Synthetic Wax, Diisostearyl Malate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Silica, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Diisostearoyl Polyglyceryl-3 Dimer Dilinoleate, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbitan Isostearate, Microcrystalline Wax, Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer, Lecithin, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Methicone, Water, BHT. May Contain: Iron Oxides.
Milk Makeup Bionic Bronzer – $30
Performance Rating: Not Yet Rated
Ingredients Rating: (4 / 5)
Processed Fragrance: None
Silicone Level: None
Problematic Colorings: None
Options: 3 Shades (Light/Medium/Dark)
The description of this product reads, “A 90% natural, weightless liquid bronzer with skincare benefits that can be dialed up for a warm, sunkissed finish or sheered out for a soft, diffused contour. Infused with hydrating hyaluronic acid, mushroom extracts, and vegan collagen.”
This product looked too neutral for me when I swatched it in a Sephora store and so I have yet to give it a real try.
Size: 0.6 oz.
Sephora Rating: 4.5 Stars (247 reviews)
Credo Clean: Meets Criteria
Clean at Sephora: Yes
Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria
EU Compliant: Meets Criteria
Pregnancy Pick: Maybe (Glyceryl Rosinate)
EWG Ingredient Rating: 4 (yellow)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Glyceryl rosinate (5), Titanium dioxide (3). (Also contains Citric Acid.)
Fragrance Ingredients: None
All Ingredients: Shea Butter, Jojoba Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Kaolin, Silica, Oleic/Linoleic/Linolenic Polyglycerides, C9-12 Alkane, Tribehenin, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Octyldodecanol, VP/Eicosene Copolymer, Candelilla Wax, Castor Seed Oi, sr-Hydrozoan Polypeptide-1, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Mushroom Stem Extract, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Water, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Rosinate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides
Milk Makeup Matte Cream Bronzer Stick – $22
♣ Living Clean Superstar
Overall Rating: (5 / 5)
Performance Rating: (5 / 5)
Ingredients Rating: (4 / 5)
Lisa Irritation Level: None
Processed Fragrance: Natural Fragrance
Silicone Level: Low
Problematic Colorings: None
Options: 2 Shades (Medium/Dark)
The description of this product reads, “A multi-use cream bronzer stick that creates an instant sunkissed glow with a natural-looking matte finish. Formulated with hydrating ingredients for buildable, blendable color that can be used for a soft-sculpted contour or for adding subtle warmth.”
This stick bronzer from Milk Makeup is available in two shades. I tried the lighter one, called Baked (“bronze”).
The color in the tube is similar to a dark milk chocolate.
Compared to other bronzers that I have tried, this one seems too dark for me as well as too neutral.
While it is possible to sheer it out with a stiff cheek brush, I have not felt that it looks very good on me when I have done that due to it being quite neutral.
This is a totally matte product, without any noticeable sheen (and no mica listed in the ingredients).
The product is stated as having a “subtle natural coconut scent” that I do not find to be noticeable at all.
In general, the product feels clean to me and I do not see anything else on the ingredient list that concerns me.
I think it might work well for someone with neutral or cool skin that is somewhat darker than mine.
Size: 0.19 oz.
Sephora Rating: 4.0 Stars (1104 reviews)
Credo Clean: Meets Criteria
Clean at Sephora: Yes
Drunk Elephant Clean: No
EU Compliant: Meets Criteria
Pregnancy Pick: Maybe (Natural Fragrance)
EWG Product Rating: 6 (yellow)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Natural Fragrance (8), Tocopheryl acetate (3), Titanium dioxide (3). (Also contains Bis-stearyl dimethicone)
Fragrance Ingredients: Natural Fragrance
All Ingredients: Castor Seed Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Sunflower Seed Oil, Sunflower Seed Wax, Coconut Alkanes, Silica, Candelilla Wax, Kaolin, Mango Seed Butter, Orange Peel Wax, Apricot Kernel Oil, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Bis-Stearyl Dimethicone, Fragrance, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sorbitan Tristearate, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides.
Rituel de Fille Inner Glow Creme Pigment – $32
♥ Lisa’s Choice
♣ Living Clean Superstar
Overall Rating: (5 / 5)
Performance Rating: (5 / 5)
Ingredient Rating: (5 / 5)
Lisa Irritation Level: None
Processed Fragrance: Lavender Oil
Silicone Level: None
Problematic Colorings: Carmine
Options: 3 Shades (Cool)
The description of this product reads, “A spectrum of bold, stunningly versatile multi-use shades that can be worn on any part of the face. Apply to the cheeks, lips and eyes by blending out for a sheer wash, or build up to create bold color.”
This cream blush line using only natural ingredients includes several neutral shades.
I have really enjoyed using Eros (“rosy beige”) as a neutral blush. The description reads, “A rosy-hued, sandy beige that can be worn as blush or contour, and makes a stunning lip and eye color.”
Intuition (“gray taupe”) is described as, “A soft gray cream makeup with a hint of taupe and mauve, perfect for casting subtle and realistic shadows. This shade is stunning on any part of the face, but our favorite use is as a contour for lighter complexions.”
The description for Euphoria (“mahogany”) states, “A dusty mahogany makeup shade for casting rich and realistic shadows. This brown cream makeup is stunning on any part of the face, but our favorite use is as a contour for medium to deeper complexions.”
These products are made from all-natural ingredients and I have not experienced any irritation from using them.
The products do include a good bit of lavender essential oil (apparently used as a preservative) and smell strongly of lavender, though.
The formula feels on the stiff side in the container, but it has sheered out nicely on my skin.
Perhaps because of the stiffness of the formula, I feel that this product has held up better on my skin than most of the other products discussed on this page.
It also is one of the very few products on this page that I feel have been both clean enough and long-wearing enough to work well for me as an eyeshadow.
I like it enough for that purpose that I am considering buying Euphoria for use just as an eyeshadow, actually.
I also tried a sample of Intuition and think that although it didn’t work all that well with my brown eyes, it likely would be an especially lovely choice for those with gray or violet eyes.
Size: 0.13 oz.
Credo Rating: 4.7 oz. (149 reviews)
Credo Clean: Yes
Clean at Sephora: Meets Criteria
Drunk Elephant Clean: No
EU Compliant: Meets Criteria
Pregnancy Pick: Yes
EWG Product Rating: 2 (green)
EWG Ingredient Rating: 3 (yellow)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Zinc oxide (3), Titanium dioxide (3), Boron oxide (3). (Also contains Lavender oil)
Fragrance Ingredients: Rosemary leaf extract, Lavender oil
All Ingredients: Jojoba Seed Oil, Castor Seed Oil, Lanolin USP, Silica, Candelilla Wax, Beeswax, Carnauba Wax, Rosemary Leaf Extract, Lavender Oil, Tocopherol. May Contain: Carmine, Mica, Iron Oxides, Annatto, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Boron Nitride, Boron Oxide, Bronze Powder, Copper Powder, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Sunflower Seed Oil, Tin Oxide, Zinc Powder
Saie Sun Melt Natural Cream Bronzer – $32
♣ Living Clean Superstar
Overall Rating: (5 / 5)
Performance Rating: (5 / 5)
Ingredients Rating: (4 / 5)
Lisa Irritation Level: None
Processed Fragrance: Natural Fragrance
Silicone Level: None
Problematic Colorings: None
Options: 4 Shades (Light/Medium/Dark)
The description of this product reads, “A lightweight, creamy balm bronzer with a natural, velvet finish that melts into skin for an effortless, sun-kissed glow. Paired with our Big Brush, Sun Melt’s light, creamy consistency makes it easy to build and define your bronze without overdoing it. Available in four seamless shades of true-to-you color.”
The product is medium-soft and presented in a wide container that is designed to be used with Saie’s large buffing brush, called The Big Brush.
This bronzer is available in four shades: Light Bronze (“for fair to light skin with cool or neutral undertones”), Medium Bronze (“for light-medium to tan skin with warm undertones”), Deep Bronze (“for deep skin tones with warmer undertones”), and Dark Bronze (“for deep skin tones with cooler undertones”).
The Light Bronze is rather neutral and looked quite muddy on me.
The Medium Bronze has a much warmer undertone but is darker than most of the bronzers that have worked well for me. I think it looks okay on me if I use Saie’s Big Brush to buff it aggressively into my skin, but that feels to me like an excessive amount of work.
This shade does work for me if I use it sparingly as a neutral blush though.
I do like the formula of this product and wish that it were offered in a light warm shade.
For those with skin tones appropriate for the shades offered, I think that this could be a very nice choice since the creamy consistency seems to melt into the skin well.
The ingredient list looks pretty good and I don’t feel that it has caused any irritation to my skin.
Although the product is stated as containing natural fragrance, I do not think that it has any noticeable scent at all.
Size: 1 oz.
Awards: Allure Best of Clean Beauty 2022
Sephora Rating: 4.7 Stars (267 reviews)
Credo Clean: Meets Criteria
Clean at Sephora: No
Drunk Elephant Clean: No
EU Compliant: Meets Criteria
Pregnancy Pick: Maybe (Natural Fragrance)
EWG Ingredient Rating: 7 (red)
EWG Problem Ingredients: C15-19 alkane (3), Natural fragrance (8), Titanium dioxide (3)
Fragrance Ingredients: Elderberry fruit extract, Natural fragrance
All Ingredients: C15-19 Alkane, Jojoba Esters, Castor Seed Oil, Tribehenin, Colloidal Oatmeal, Glycerin, Beeswax, Grape Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Silica, Bentonite, Elderberry Fruit Extract, Carnauba Wax, Mica, Fragrance, May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxide, Tin Oxide.
Salt New York Sculpt + Bronze Creme Tint Pro – $16 + Case
♣ Living Clean Superstar
Overall Rating: (5 / 5)
Performance Rating: (5 / 5)
Ingredients Rating: (4 / 5)
Processed Fragrance: None
Silicone Level: None
Problematic Colorings: None
Options: 6 Shades (Light/Medium/Dark, Cool/Warm)
The description of this product reads, “Sheer, blendable, won’t clog pores, looks like skin. Do you like to sculpt with your bronzer? Do you like to tan with your bronzer? We’ve got you. However you use it, you’ve got options. Each formula is buttery soft, easy to blend, and offers sheer, buildable sculpting and bronzing with a soft, skin-like finish. They’re chock full of nourishing, hydrating, credit score raising ingredients like pomegranate, jojoba, & grape seed oils, and contain absolutely zero nonsense ingredients like talc, fragrance, or mineral oil.”
Salt New York currently offers six shades in its bronzer line, with one having a grayish cast and designed to be used as a contour.
The products are sold as refill pans and are designed to be used in Salt New York’s 4-pan or 8-pan palettes.
They have what seems to me a pretty clean ingredient list and have not caused me any irritation.
I have the Light shade, which is on the warm side and has worked pretty well for me.
Size: 0.15 oz.
Salt New York Rating: 5 Stars (4 reviews)
Credo Clean: Meets Criteria
Clean at Sephora: Unclear
Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria
EU Compliant: Meets Criteria
Pregnancy Pick: Maybe (Phenoxyethanol)
EWG Ingredient Rating: 4 (yellow)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Aloe extract (3), Tocopheryl acetate (3), Phenoxyethanol (4), Titanium dioxide (3)
Fragrance Ingredients: None
All Ingredients: Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Candelilla Wax, Kaolin Clay, Silica, Grape Seed Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Pomegranate Seed Oil, Safflower Seed Oil, Aloe Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (Vitamin C), Phenoxyethanol. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides
Tarte Sea Breezy Cream Bronzer – $14+
♣ Living Clean Superstar
Overall Rating: (5 / 5)
Performance Rating: (5 / 5)
Ingredients Rating: (4 / 5)
Lisa Irritation Level: None (Cheeks), Mild (Eyes)
Processed Fragrance: None
Silicone Level: Moderate
Problematic Colorings: None
Options: 3 Shades (Light/Medium/Dark)
The description of this product reads, “Bronze in a breeze with this travel size, vegan, waterproof buildable cream bronzer that applies effortlessly for the perfect just-back-from-the-beach glow. Velvety cream formula applies easily as a cream & dries down to a natural-looking matte finish for a healthy-looking bronze. Slip grip technology powered by marine plant extracts, coconut & sodium hyaluronate so the formula glides on like silk while smoothing, softening & hydrating skin.”
This bronzer is available in just one shade – Seychelles – in the travel size. The full-size version ($29) has two more options, both of which are quite dark.
The Seychelles version looks virtually identical to the Light shade of the Saie bronzer, meaning that it is more cool in tone than would be ideal for me.
I think that it looks muddy on my cheeks but that it might be very nice on someone with cool or neutral light skin.
This bronzer contains silicone (dimethicone), which is likely why it spreads so easily into a smooth film on the face.
I mostly try to avoid silicone in complexion products because I think that it is better for my skin to be able to breathe, and so I probably wouldn’t use this one much even if the color were right for my skin.
I admit that the product does go on nicely and that it likely would look pretty on me if the color were appropriate for my skin though.
Note that while I was hopeful that this silicone-containing product would hold up well for me as an eyeshadow, it turned out to be a little irritating to my eyes when used in that way.
It has not seemed to be bothersome at all when used on my cheeks though.
Size: 0.21 oz.
Sephora Rating: 4.5 Stars (159 reviews)
Credo Clean: Meets Criteria
Clean at Sephora: Yes
Drunk Elephant Clean: No
EU Compliant: Meets Criteria
Pregnancy Pick: Yes
EWG Ingredient Rating: 3 (yellow)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Dimethicone (3), Titanium dioxide (3)
Fragrance Ingredients: Sargassum pacificum thallus extract, gardenia taitensis flower extract
All Ingredients: Triethylhexanoin, isodecyl neopentanoate, hydrogenated polyisobutene, isononyl isononanoate, synthetic fluorphlogopite, polyethylene, silica, dimethicone, mica, synthetic beeswax, isopropyl titanium triisostearate, methicone, sodium hyaluronate, coconut oil, sargassum pacificum thallus extract, gardenia taitensis flower extract, tocopherol. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, iron oxides, bismuth oxychloride.
W3LL People Supernatural Stick Bronzer – $22
♣ Living Clean Superstar
Overall Rating: (5 / 5)
Performance Rating: (5 / 5)
Ingredients Rating: (5 / 5)
Lisa Irritation Level: None
Processed Fragrance: None
Silicone Level: None
Problematic Colorings: None
Options: 4 Shades (Light/Medium/Dark)
The description of this product reads, “Hydrate your skin and create a warm, lit-from-within glow with this versatile bronzer stick. The blendable, buildable cream bronzer in an easy-to-use stick allows you to add warmth and dimension to your cheeks, lips, and eyelids. Infused with nourishing botanicals like organic green tea, jojoba oil, and sunflower seed oil, the creamy formula gives skin a dewy sheen while moisturizing below the skin’s surface.”
W3LL People introduced a few new shades of their bronzer stick in early 2022, for a total of four.
Unfortunately, W3LL People does not (yet) provide any color descriptions or photos of the product on models, and it was hard for me to tell from the product photos which shades might be best for me.
I finally decided to try Golden Tan, which has turned out to be a kind of caramel brown with a little bit of orange in it.
While the photos on the website suggested that it might be a little shimmery, it actually turned out to be pretty much entirely matte.
Although I think that I often look good in colors that lean orange, I have not really liked the way that this bronzer has looked on my cheeks.
Since both of the other lighter bronzers look pretty neutral in the photos, I’m not sure that they would be any better for me.
Note that although many people complain that the size of this stick makes it seem like a sample, it actually contains just as much product as most of the other bronzers listed on this page.
It just has a minimal amount of plastic packaging, which I consider to be a good thing.
Size: 0.17 oz.
Ulta Rating: 4.5 Stars (73 reviews)
Credo Clean: Yes
Clean at Sephora: Meets Criteria
Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria
EU Compliant: Meets Criteria
Pregnancy Pick: Yes
EWG Product Rating: EWG Verified
EWG Ingredient Rating: 3 (yellow)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Aloe vera (3), Titanium dioxide (3)
Fragrance Ingredients: None
All Ingredients: Tri-Isostearyl Citrate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Beeswax, Acacia Decurrens/Jojoba/Sunflower Seed Wax/Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Proteins, Silica Silylate, Castor Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Olive Fruit Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius, Green Tea Oil*, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite. May Contain: Mica, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide. *USDA Organic
Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick – $48
♣ Living Clean Superstar
Overall Rating: (5 / 5)
Performance Rating: (5 / 5)
Ingredients Rating: (4 / 5)
Lisa Irritation Level: None
Processed Fragrance: None
Silicone Level: None
Problematic Colorings: Red #30, Blue #1, Red #7, Yellow #5
Options: 3 Shades (Light/Medium/Dark, Cool)
The description of this product reads, “Clean, creamy contour stick that sculpts and defines for subtle, chiseled cheekbones, eyelids and jawlines. Intuitive, trace-and-blend formula won’t interfere with other makeup and boasts soothing ingredients that protects skin against environmental stressors. Natural, satin finish that blends and builds seamlessly.”
This product is available in three shades.
Biscuit (“cool beige coffee”) is designed as a contour shade for those with lighter skin tones. This shade seems to have a good bit of gray in it.
Truffle (“rich mocha”) is positioned as a contour shade for people with medium skin tones. Company owner Gucci Westman also suggests that those with lighter skin tones can use it as a bronzer.
Ganache (“deep espresso”) is designed for those with darker skin tones.
I purchased a mini version of the Truffle shade as part of the Westman Atelier Clean Glow Trio II ($78).
The color is on the dark side (similar to the Saie bronzer in Medium) but with a very slight reddish undertone that has allowed it to work for me as a neutral blush and as an eyeshadow.
It seems to me almost the same shade as the Westman Atelier blush in Mimi, but in a darker version.
Like other Westman Atelier cheek sticks, this is a quite creamy and blendable formula that goes on easily but that also has the tendency to disappear relatively quickly from my face and (especially) from my eyes.
It does look pretty on me, though.
The fact that this is an especially clean formula (apart from the artificial colors) and has not caused any irritation at all for me is another plus.
Size: 0.21 oz.
Sephora Rating: 4.3 Stars (71 reviews)
Credo Clean: Yes
Clean at Sephora: Yes
Drunk Elephant Clean: No
EU Compliant: Meets Criteria
Pregnancy Pick: Maybe (Problematic Colors)
EWG Product Rating: 3 (yellow)
EWG Ingredient Rating: 6 (yellow)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Titanium dioxide (3), Red #30 (5), Blue #1 (7), Red #7 (6), Yellow #5 (6). (Also contains Citric acid.)
All Ingredients: Caprylic/Capric triglyceride, Kaolin, Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate, Jojoba Seed Oil, Polyethylene, Mica, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Lecithin, Behenylcarbamoylpropyl Polysilsesquioxane, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Citric Acid, Rubus Idaeus Leaf Cell Culture. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Red 30, Blue 1, Red 7, Yellow 5
Shopping List
This section lists products that seem that they may have potential and that I am hoping to try in the near future.
Readers are highly encouraged to bring other relevant products that they have tried to my attention so that I can add them to this list.
Chantecaille Radiance Gel Bronzer – $46
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer – $56
Lys Beauty No Limits Matte Bronzer – $18
Rose Inc. Solar Infusion Cream Bronzer – $36
About This Website
The Living Clean in a Dirty World shopping website is designed to provide guidance to those seeking out products that are relatively low in toxicity and that provide generally positive user experiences.
Although the skincare and makeup sections have a particular focus on products appropriate for women who are in their 40’s or beyond, the information provided may be useful for other people as well.
The products are curated by Lisa Petrison, who has been focused on helping people to improve their health by avoiding toxicity since 2008 and who heads the Paradigm Change organization.
Her Living Clean in a Dirty World blog site discusses a variety of topics of relevance to those who are working to pursue a more natural lifestyle with less exposure to harmful toxicity.
Lisa is the author of several books, including A Beginner’s Guide to Mold Avoidance (co-written with Erik Johnson).
She also runs the Paradigm Change website (focusing on issues related to toxic mold illness) and the Mold Avoiders Facebook group (designed for the discussion of all topics of interest to those pursuing the mold avoidance approach described in the “Beginner’s Guide” book).
Lisa was born in August 1964 and has yet to try cosmetic surgery, Botox or other cosmetic treatments requiring interactions with a physician, or beauty products containing retinoids.
In her former life, Lisa worked as a business school professor, as a marketing consultant to a variety of large companies, and as a reporter covering the advertising industry.
She holds a Ph.D. in marketing and social psychology from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University as well as B.S./M.S. degrees from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern.
Lisa would like to extend a special note of appreciation to Ellen Kleiman-Redden for her help in trying out products and discussing issues related to this project.
She also would like to thank the many members of the Mold Avoiders community who have shared suggestions of products to be included here.
A Note From Lisa
Products that I have tried or researched and that I have not found to be acceptable from a toxicity standpoint have been omitted entirely from the discussions on this website.
However, since a goal of this project is to introduce people to a range of options in terms of price and functionality, some products discussed on this site include ingredients that may not be appropriate for everyone.
It’s my hope that all individuals making their way to this site will find at least a few options from each product category that meet all of their own needs and wants from a variety of perspectives.
The vast majority of cosmetics marketers now offer affiliate programs in which Internet content creators may earn commissions if people who are referred to the companies’ sites by clicking on links end up making purchases.
I participate in quite a few individual affiliate programs as well as in the Sovrn/Viglinks program (which automatically converts regular links into revenue-generating links).
Links on this page that may result in affiliate income may include – but are not necessarily limited to – those from the following companies: Anastasia Beverly Hills, Bobbi Brown, Chantecaille, Charlotte Tilbury, Clinique, Credo, Fenty, Goop, Jane Iredale, Kosas, LYS Beauty, Merit, Milk Makeup, MOB Beauty, Revolve, Rituel de Fille, Rose Inc., Saie, Salt New York, Sephora, Tarte, Ulta, Vapour, W3LL People, and Westman Atelier.
Reader comments about products discussed on this website are very welcome.
Thoughts may be shared either by posting them in the comments section at the bottom of this page or by sending them directly to me at the following email address:
info at paradigmchange dot me
Companies that would like to offer me complimentary products to try out may contact me at this address as well.
Individuals who are seeking out less-toxic products or who are interested in pursuing a cleaner and healthier lifestyle may want to sign up to receive occasional email newsletters from Living Clean in a Dirty World.
Thanks very much for visiting the Living Clean shopping site!
Links on this page are in orange (no underlining).
