Should redheads wear bronzer?

Being the pale and freckly redheads that we are, a tan is often hard to find, nay, impossible in most cases. But what about bronzer – should gingers avoid the golden shimmer, or embrace it?

While we’d like to think that every natural redhead on planet Earth choose to celebrate their paleness, there’s also no reason why you shouldn’t reach for the bronzer on occasion. It’s all in the way you apply it.

Bronzing for redheads can be a tricky business. Go too light and you’ve achieved highlighting status (not necessarily a bad thing), but go too dark and you just look dirty. So, if you’re thinking of wearing bronzer on pale and freckly skin, here are our tips and product recommendations…

Pick your brush wisely

Use a large brush to sweep your bronzer on to your skin. The fluffier the better, as it’ll make the bronzer less defined and more subtle on your skin.

It’s the final flourish

Always apply bronzer at the end of your make-up routine. Tap off any excess product before applying to your skin, and remember to apply thinly and build up if desired.

Lightly does it

When picking a bronzer, never go for anything more than two shades darker than your skin colour or foundation shade. Select something with a peachy, pinky tint to it, as this will blend better with your freckles and pale skin.

Basically, if a bronzer and a blusher had a baby, that’s what you’re after (see below for our product recommendations).

Sweep thinly on to the highest points

For a subtle yet sun-kissed glow (without looking too bronzed), apply the product to the parts of your skin that are closest to the sun, starting from the centre of your face and sweeping outwards towards your jaw, ears and hairline.

So that would be the bridge of your nose, your temples, the centre of your chin, the tops of your cheekbones, and the highest point of your forehead.

See how you get on with light application on these areas first, and if necessary you can reapply product to add a bit more bronzing.

And at the end, add a super-light dusting of bronzer down your neck and in your collarbone area, too, for a natural, blended finish.

Convinced that redheads can wear bronzer? Good. Here are our favourite products to suit freckly and pale skin…

Lord & Berry Bronzer in Toffee

Too Faced Snow Bunny Luminous Bronzer

bareMinerals READY Bronzer in The Skinny Dip

The Body Shop: Baked-To-Last-Bronzer in Warm Glow

Benefit Hoola Matte Bronzing Powder

By Emma

View more beauty tips for redheads

Do you have a favourite bronzer for redheads? Comment below with your recommendations!