As a result of customers and beauty influencers holding brands accountable on social media and beyond, more and more companies have finally recognized that not only is it business-savvy to create complexion products for dark-skinned people, but it’s also just the right thing to do. That said, there are still ways to go. One product category that needs some work? Bronzers.
Thankfully, in the last few years, more bronzers for dark skin have popped up on the market, helping to fill in the gaps. Though there are more options, you might still be wondering, what exactly does bronzer even do?
First things first, bronzing and contouring the skin are not the same. When you contour, you create shadows using a cool-toned product to sculpt and add dimension to the face, whereas bronzers usually have warm undertones to create a gorgeous radiance on the skin. According to makeup artist Ashunta Sheriff, bronzer is “used to mimic and recreate the sun’s warmth on the skin when we get a tan.”
It’s also relatively easy to apply with Sheriff’s quick tip: She uses a “backward three technique” on the perimeter of the face. She starts diffusing the product at the temple on one side and, using a brush, brings it down to the cheekbones before swooping it to the jawline. Then, she repeats the process on the other side of the face. And you don’t have to end there. You can “dust a little bronzing love on your neck and decolletage,” she says.