Glossier Bronzer Has Arrived

The new Solar Paint creates a soft, sculpted look in a matter of seconds.

Glossier Bronzer Has Arrived—And We Tried It

Glossier, the skin-loving beauty brand, dropped its first-ever bronzer and may we just say: It's about time.

Infused with a formula Glossier is calling Desert Milk ( a blend of plant oils and extracts including jojoba, aloe, and watermelon) and light-reflecting pearls the new Solar Paint was formulated to give off the type of sun-kissed glow that comes from being outdoors minus the harsh UV rays. The bronzer comes in four shades—Flare, Heat, Volt, and Ray—to seamlessly blend into a range of skin tones with the heat of your fingertips.

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We couldn't wait to try out the new drop so to put it to the test, we tried out the shades we figured would best compliment our individual skin tones and blended away. Here's what we thought.

Deanna Pai, interim commerce editor

A cream bronzer seems a little more high-maintenance than a powder, which I can brush on in 10 seconds flat. But the precision of the cream bronzer is the whole appeal. Using the doe foot wand, I dabbed this formula along my hairline, in the hollows of my cheeks, and just beneath my jawline before blending it in with my fingers. The effect is less subtle than a powder bronzer, but in a good way—it instantly added definition and warmth. The only caveat was that while it seemed to be fully blended in my bathroom, that wasn't the case in natural light—just beware if you, like me, don't happen to have great lighting.

Solar Paint in Heat

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Michella Oré, beauty assistant

I'm not a heavy bronzer user but when I have tried my hand at using it for sculpting, I'm often left with brown splotches all over. So I was curious if the Solar Paint could change my mind since Glossier did, after all, make its name on creating makeup that looks natural while being easy to apply. I chose the shade Heat, which is a deep cinnamon that has just the faintest shimmer. After dabbing the bronzer along my cheekbones, forehead, and jawline with the doe foot applicator (game changer) I gently patted it in. In maybe 10 seconds, I was done. And to my surprise, I didn't look like a middle-school art project. My cheeks seemed to radiate and my forehead suddenly had a soft tan. While the formula delivers on buildable coverage, it does dry down quickly so you'll want to make sure you blend right away to get the most seamless finish.

Solar Paint in Heat

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Bella Cacciatore, beauty writer

I've been wanting Glossier to create a bronzer version of its Cloud Paint formula for years, and I'm so glad they did. Solar Paint has the same fluffy gel texture as her blush counterpart, that's somehow both creamy and weightless, adding no extra texture to my skin. Where the bronzer differs is a doe foot applicator which is a welcome addition for targeted bronzing, and some shimmer. The shimmer scared me when swatched on my hand, but I actually love how it looks on my face—super subtle and luminous, not glittery. I can comfortably use the lightest shade, Flare, or Ray, what I'm wearing in this photo for something a little deeper. Thankfully, it lives up to the hype in my head, and I'll be using it all summer and beyond.

Solar Paint in Ray

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Janae Mckenzie, editorial intern

I tested the Solar Paint in Volt. The bronzer creme applies pretty easily with your fingers, which makes it a good product to take on the go. Volt is the deepest shade available in a “deep, red bronze with copper pearl for deep-rich skin tones.” It blends really well into my skin, provided I stick to the recommended few dots of product. I’m used to a powder bronzer, so this was a welcome change in terms of texture. As for how it showed on my skin, it looked less like a bronzer and more like a concealer with the teeniest bit of shine. I was disappointed to find it didn’t change much—until I stepped into the sun. That’s when I noticed the glow. So: this bronzer is great for a beach day or any time you’ll be outside for a while. Maybe not so great for office days or places with harsh artificial lighting.