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What is Bronzing Balm?
Cream bronzer, also called bronzing balm, is a creamy, blendable product that helps you add warmth and dimension to your face. Subtl Beauty's Bronzing Balm delivers a natural finish that mimics a sun kissed glow; and it’s completely stackable, making it ideal for travel or your daily makeup routine. Learn why a makeup stack is the ultimate multitasking solution.
Benefits of Using Cream Bronzer
- Buildable pigment with a natural finish
- Ideal for dry skin, oily skin, and mature skin
- Melts into all skin types for a seamless glow
- Gives a naturally sun kissed radiance
- Blends easily with fingers or a stippling brush from our mini brush set
- 100% cruelty free and stackable with your other Subtl faves
Bronzing Balm vs Powder Bronzer vs Cream Concealer as Bronzer
Bronzing Balm vs Powder Bronzer
Bronzing Balm has a light, balmy texture that melts into the skin for a natural glow. It’s best for dry or mature skin and provides a dewy finish. Powder bronzers, on the other hand, are pigment-rich with a matte finish, ideal for oily skin or setting cream bronzer.
Bronzing Powder is also typically used as one of the last steps of your makeup routine whereas Bronzing Balm is used right after complexion, before adding your lip and cheek blush.
Bronzing Balm vs Concealer as Bronzer
Some makeup artists use cream concealer a few shades darker as a substitute for bronzer, but it’s not the same. Concealer is pigment-dense and designed to cover, not glow. If you’re curious about trying this hack, check out our guide: Bronzer 101: Tips for the Perfect Faux Glow.
Bronzing vs Contouring
Bronzing adds warmth and radiance to where the sun naturally hits; cheekbones, forehead, jawline, bridge of your nose. Contouring uses cooler tones to sculpt and define features like under the cheekbones or jawline. For a balanced look, contour first and apply bronzer overtop to warm things up.
How to Prep Your Skin for Cream Bronzer
Start with clean, moisturized skin. If you’re working with dry skin, opt for hydrating formulas; for oily skin, use mattifying primers. You'll want to apply your complexion product as your first makeup step. For minimal makeup wearers, that means starting with your cream concealer.
(Not sure where you land on skintype? Our oily vs dry skin makeup tips for additional application tips.
Choosing Your Bronzing Balm Shade
Match Your Concealer Shade
- Biscotti: concealer 001C - 003N
- Caramel: concealer 004N - 009C
- Toffee: concealer 010W - 014N
- Truffle: concealer 015C - 019N
- Ganache: concealer 020C - 021N
Match Your Powder Bronzer Shade
- Fair skin: Leche Powder or Biscotti Balm
- Light skin: Latte Powder or Caramel Balm
- Medium-tan skin: Mocha Powder or Toffee Balm
- Dark skin: Cocoa Powder or Truffle Balm
- Deep skin: Espresso Powder or Ganache Balm
Where to Apply Cream Bronzer
Apply to the high points of your face—the areas the sun naturally hits: cheekbones, forehead, jawline, and the bridge of your nose. Use a stippling brush for a natural blend, or use your fingers for a skin-like finish.
How to Apply Cream Bronzer Step-by-Step
Step 1: Choose Your Tools
You can use your fingers, a sponge, or the stippling brush from our mini brush set. Buffing with a brush gives you even payoff and total control. Applying with fingers removes the need for a tool, and gives you more precise control.
Step 2: Finger Application
Swirl your ring and middle finger into the pan to pick up your desired amount of product. Starting at your hairline just above your ear, start taping the product onto your face with clean fingers, in a circular motion. Continue to blend along the top of your cheek bone, and stopping around where your pupil is.
Perfect for travel or no-mirror application.
Step 3: Brush Application
Swirl your stipling brush in the pan, tap onto the back of your hand for the most even application. Then starting at your hairline just above your ear, start lightly buffing in the product, slowing buffing along the top of your cheekbone.
Step 4: Blending
Always start light and blend upward and outward using gentle circular motions. With what is left on your brush after your cheeks, brush a little bronzer on the bridge of your nose, and around your hairline on your forehead.
Step 5: Set It (Optional)
If you need extra staying power, lightly set your bronzer with a matching bronzing powder shade.
Combining Cream Bronzer with Lip and Cheek
How to Pair Bronzer and Lip and Cheek
Apply your Bronzing Balm first to warm up the skin and provide a guide for where your blush should go. Remember - Bronzer should be added to the high points of the face where the sun would naturally hit it.
Then go in and apply your Lip and Cheek, starting in the middle of your cheek (a straight line down from your pupil) and blend up and out first, then toward the apples of your cheeks. For extra guidance, try this blush application shape tutorial (L-shape vs V-shape) to best suit your face.
Stack-Friendly Pairings
Pair Biscotti Bronzing Balm with Hibiscus Lip and Cheek, or Toffee with Mauve. It’s all stackable, compact, and totally travel-ready.
Final Tips and Tricks
- Start light—build in layers
- Always blend bronzer into hairline and jawline for a seamless look
- Customize your makeup stack to suit your skin type and travel needs
- Check your look in natural light before heading out
Glow up, the easy way. Build your Subtl Stack with Bronzing Balm, Lip and Cheek, and our mini brush set—all designed to make travel beauty easy and effective.
