How to Make Bronzer

Co-authored by Devorah Kuperland

Buying bronzer from a store can be expensive and not guaranteed to work with your skin tone. Luckily, making homemade bronzer allows you to customize the results until you get the skin tone you desire. It sounds difficult, but making homemade bronzer is actually very simple!

Ingredients

Powder Bronzer^{[1]
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1 tablespoon (15 grams) ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon (5 grams) cocoa powder
1 teaspoon (5 grams) ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons (10 grams) cornstarch
10 - 15 drops essential oil (optional)
Beet or hibiscus powder (optional)

Lotion Bronzer^{[2]
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8 ounces (250 grams) white body lotion
2 teaspoons (10 grams) gold mica
1 teaspoon (5 grams) bronze mica
1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) fragrance oil (optional)

Oil Bronzer^{[3]
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1 to 2 cups (240 to 475 milliliters) liquid/fractionated coconut oil
1 to 3 teaspoons (5 to 15 grams) cocoa powder
¼ to ½ teaspoon (1.25 to 2.5 grams) ground nutmeg
½ to 1 teaspoon (2.5 to 5 grams) ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons bronze or copper mica powder (optional)
Essential oil (optional)

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making Powder Bronzer

1
Combine the ground cinnamon, cocoa powder, ground nutmeg, and cornstarch in a bowl. Don't add the essential oils just yet, if you are using them.
2
Test the bronzer, and make any necessary adjustments. There's no "one size fits all" recipe for bronzer, so you'll have to experiment a bit to find the perfect combination for your skin tone. When making any adjustments, keep the following in mind:^{[4]
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- Ground cinnamon will give you more "glow."
- Cocoa powder will give you a darker color and more depth.
- Ground nutmeg will give you a more sunkissed brown.
- Cornstarch will lighten your bronzer.
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3
Add some beet or hibiscus powder if you'd like it to double as a bronzer-blusher. Start with ¼ teaspoon (1.25 grams). Mix it in well, and add more if you'd like it rosier.^{[5]
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4
Add 10 to 15 drops of your favorite essential oil if you'd like a creamier bronzer, and stir it again. Popular scents include: cedar, lavender, rose, and rosemary, but you can use any scent you like.^{[6]
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5
Mix the ingredients well with a fork or mini whisk. If you did not add the essential oil, make sure that you break up any clumps or chunks. If you added the essential oil, make sure that the oil is spread evenly throughout the powder.
6
Transfer the powder into a clean container. If you did not add any essential oil, transfer the powder into a jar with a tight-fitting lid.^{[7]
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7
Use the bronzer. Use a large, fluffy makeup brush to spread it over your cheeks, chin, forehead, and nose for that healthy, sun-kissed look.^{[8]
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- Apply the bronzer anywhere that the sun would hit naturally. For instance, imagine a C-shape going from your cheek to your forehead. Then, apply the bronzer along that line. You can also apply it on the bridge of your nose for a little more of a natural look.^{[9]
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  Devorah Kuperland. Makeup Artist. Personal interview. 7 May 2020.}

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making Lotion Bronzer

1
Fill a bowl with 8 ounces (250 grams) of lotion. You can use any type of white body lotion you'd like. You can also use Aloe Vera gel or even sunscreen.
2
Add the bronze and gold mica powders. You can find them online or in well-stocked beauty supply stores. If you do not have any mica powders, you can try using some loose bronze or gold eye shadow, or ground cinnamon/nutmeg/coca powder. Some people find that the ground cinnamon/nutmeg/cocoa powder combination, however, leaves their skin streaky.^{[10]
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3
Add some fragrance oil if you'd like your lotion to be scented. You can use any scent you'd like, but consider using something that smells sweet (like brown sugar or vanilla) or tropical (such as coconut or pomegranate). Do not add the oil if your lotion is already scented; you might end up with a combination that does not smell good.
4
Stir everything together until you get a smooth texture and even color. You can use a spoon, mini spatula, or a mini whisk. Try to stir using a rolling motion, so that you bring the ingredients from the bottom of the bowl to the top.
5
Transfer the lotion into a clean, glass jar. You can also use one of those empty, travel-size shampoo bottles. Use a spatula to scoop the lotion from the bowl and into the new container.
6
Use the lotion. Spread the lotion over your arms and legs whenever you want that healthy, sun-kissed look.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Oil Bronzer

1
Fill a glass bottle with clear, liquid coconut oil. Use a funnel to help guide the oil into the bottle, if necessary. Make sure that you get coconut oil that is already in a liquid state. This is very important. Plain coconut oil is solid at room temperature. If you can't find liquid coconut oil, try another fast or medium-absorbing oil:^{[11]
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- Fast absorbing oils include: apricot kernel, canola, grapeseed, hazelnut, and safflower.^{[12]
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- Medium-absorbing oils include: argan, jojoba, olive, sunflower, and sweet almond.^{[13]
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2
Add some essential oils if you want a nice fragrance. Not all oils smell great. If you'd like something that smells nicer, you'll need to add some essential oil. Start with 20 drops of your favorite essential oil. Close the bottle, shake it to mix, and add more dropped if needed. Popular choices include: bergamot, lavender, and sandalwood.^{[14]
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3
Mix the cocoa powder, ground nutmeg, and ground cinnamon in a separate bowl. Use a fork or mini whisk to get all of the clumps out. This is so that you can see what color it will be before you add it into the oil. How much you use of each powder depends on how dark you want your oil bronzer to be.
- Use more cocoa powder if you want a darker color.
- Use more nutmeg for a sunkissed look.
- Use more cinnamon for additional glow.
- If you want something shimmery, use 4 teaspoons of bronze or copper cosmetic-grade mica powder instead of the cocoa, nutmeg, and cinnamon.^{[15]
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4
Once you are happy with the combination, add the powders to the bottle. Use a funnel to help guide the mixture into the bottle.
5
Close the bottle, and shake it to mix everything together. Keep shaking until the oil is a uniform color.
6
Use the oil. Spread the oil over your arms and legs to give them that healthy, sun-kissed look. Remember that this is not a sunscreen, and that it will not protect you from getting sunburned.

Expert Q&A

Question

Where should you apply bronzer to your face?

Devorah Kuperland
Makeup Artist
Devorah Kuperland is a Makeup Artist and the Founder of Glam By Dev, a New York City-based business specializing in bridal, special events, and editorial campaigns. Devorah has over five years of professional makeup consulting experience and her work has been featured in New York's Bridal Fashion Week.

Devorah Kuperland

Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

Anywhere that the sun would hit naturally, like your forehead or your cheeks. Try making a C-shape from your cheek to your forehead. I also think it creates a nice, natural look if you put the color on the bridge of your nose.
Question

Can I skip the beet powder for other dry stuff when making bronzer?

Community Answer

Yes, you only need it to make a bronzer-blusher. The beet powder is optional. You can also use other stuff like mixing baby powder with food coloring.
Question

Which one is best for oily skin?

Waffels14

Community Answer

I suggest getting those oil papers and using one before you apply it. Use a powder bronzer to make sure it stays in place.

Warnings

Bronzers do not offer protection from the sun. If you plan on spending a lot of time outside, use some sunscreen as well to keep yourself from getting sunburned.

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