TRIED & TESTED: Is the new Anastasia Beverly Hills Cream Bronzer really worth the hype?

Like many parts of the beauty game, bronzers have come a long way. Like, they're a whole galaxy away from the ashy, muddy stuff we used to slap on our faces, amiright?

With the rise in trends like 'skinimalism', healthy-looking, glowing skin is the 'in' thing - and it's not only being reflected in our skincare routines, but our makeup formulations too.

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These days you can find almost every kind of formula and finish, and they're hands down the easiest way to help you look radiant, healthy and refreshed.

Compared to powder formulas, the new wave of cream and liquid formulas offer added benefits, are easily buildable and offer a more natural-looking glow compared to some of the old-school bronzers. 

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One of the newest formulas creating some noise is Anastasia Beverly Hills Cream Bronzer, $57. Offering seven different shades, it's supposedly quite similar to the cult Chanel Tan De Soleil bronzer.

So, we asked our You Beauty Collective members to put it to the test - and here's what they thought.

Alisha Bhojwani.

If there’s one part of the glam process that I love, it’s the bronzer/contour step. There’s just something about a defined yet sun-kissed cheekbone that brings me happiness. 

So, when the new Anastasia Beverly Hills Cream Bronzer landed on my doorstep, I did a little dance of joy. Touted to be the dupe of the ICONIC Chanel Tan De Soleil Bronzer I knew I had to get this on my face stat.

But before we get into the review, let’s talk about what you can expect from this bronzer. Launching with seven shades, the brand promises a weightless cream formula that melts effortlessly into skin to leave you sun-kissed but sculpted. 

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A post shared by Alisha Bhojwani (@alishabhojwani_)

Blendable and long-lasting, ABH guarantees that this will feel like a second skin whether you choose to wear it alone or over makeup. Wear it on bare skin or on top of your foundation.

Unlike my current bronzer that’s in stick form, this comes in a jar that feels and looks luxe. After applying with a dense angled brush, I noticed a few things:

1) It blended EFFORTLESSLY – which took me by surprise. Usually, I find that cream bronzers are tacky and take a fair bit of elbow grease to work into the skin. This however, glided on easily making the blending process a dream.

2) It stayed PUT – even through a little at-home dance session. Big win here.

3) It dries down MATTE – which I personally love – and even though this doesn’t have any shimmer it manages to leave you with a nice healthy glow.

But does it compare to the Chanel Tan De Soleil? In my opinion, 100 per cent. If anything, the inclusivity of seven different shades vs Chanel’s two shades on offer makes this a superior product.

The one thing I will say, is that if you’re looking for a bronzer that could double as a contour – this won’t be for you. All the shades have warm undertones which I don’t mind, BUT if you want something that is going to leave you snatched, you might want to give this a miss.

Otherwise, get this in your collection ASAP, because hot girl spring is almost here and sun-kissed vibes are high on the agenda.

Image: Supplied/Alisha Bhojwani 

Naa-Lamle Wellington.

Bronzers, bronzers, bronzers. I love everything about them. The warmth they give to my face, their versatility, and the sun-kissed glow they instantly provide. 

But, as a dark skin black girl, it's so rare to come by a good one. Whenever I do, it instantly becomes my holy grail. As in, I buy multiples just in case the product gets discontinued. 

Having a look at Anastasia Beverly Hill's shade range, I was excited. The brown shades looked promising. 

As soon I applied the Anastasia Beverly Hills Cream Bronzer in the shade 'Hazelnut', right off the bat I could tell that it was too dark for me. It also had a cool undertone, which meant after blending the product out, I was left with harsh greyish brown shadows on my face. 

I couldn't try the shade below either because it was way too light for me. It sucks because the texture is GLORIOUS. So creamy and easy to blend with your fingers or a damp sponge. It's literally like butter.

Despite the shade not working for me, I kept it on for the whole day to test its wearability. I have super oily skin and need to apply powder over cream products, otherwise I look like a glazed donut (not in a cute way). To my surprise, the bronzer stayed put all day! 

My final thoughts: Simply based on staying power and the formula alone, I'd highly recommend this. If you find a shade that works for you, you'll love it for sure. Whenever they drop some more shades, I'll definitely be giving it another go. 

Image: Supplied/ Naa-Lamle Wellington

Amelia Singson.

I’ve had a love affair with cream formula bronzers and blushes for years. I’ve used so many different brands that I feel like I’ve earned the right to be picky. So when I learned Anastasia Beverly Hills latest drop was a collection of cream bronzers, blushes and highlighters I knew I had to try them. 

Starting with the shade range, ABH is never one to disappoint when it comes to shade inclusivity, from their range of brow shades to their 50 shades of foundations. The Cream Bronzer comes in seven shades, from fair to very deep with a mix of warm, golden and neutral undertones. 

Upon receiving the bronzers, I picked two that I knew would be my shade - 'Amber' (light to medium with neutral undertones) and 'Golden Tan' (light to medium with warm golden undertones) and used a short, dense contour brush. 

On first application the colour payoff was even and rich, with the finish leaning towards a satin which means your hair is less likely to stick to it. Yay!  

I’d only applied the brand’s Luminous Foundation underneath with no powder, so it was great to see the bronzer just glide on and blend out seamlessly with zero patchiness. In terms of shade, for me it came down to preference.

'Amber' threw a little more yellow, whereas 'Golden Tan' gave me more of a warm bronze look which is what I was going for. Wear time was solid, and it really maintained that glow throughout the day and I didn’t notice it made my face any oilier. 

All in all, I’m happy with this bronzer. It’s 100 per cent my new go-to. Some people might harp on that it took ABH too long to jump on the cream texture bandwagon, but great things take time. You don’t have to be the first to be the best and for me, this is one of the best.  

Image: Supplied/Amelia Singson 

Carly Sophia.

I was SO down to try the Anastasia Cream Bronzer as I’ve finally switched all my previously powdered cosmetics to cream but still hadn’t found ‘the one’ in the bronzer department. I received four shades - 'Sun Kissed', 'Golden Tan', 'Amber' and 'Caramel'. 

My skin tone is fair but warm, and immediately looking at the shades I could see ‘Sun Kissed’ was too light for me. I could probably use it as a base though! But ‘Golden Tan’ looked perfect. 

I pressed my Morphe M439 brush into the bronzer, then buffed it onto my face. I cannot express how little technique was involved, I literally just rubbed it all over my face to achieve a general ‘glow’. 

My first thoughts were how light it felt, how natural it looked and how seamlessly it blended despite my rough application. Here are before and afters, wearing just base (MCoBeauty Miracle Hydra Glow in Ivory) and then with a slap-dash coating of 'Golden Tan' on top.

Image: Supplied/ Carly Sophia Next, I thought I’d experiment with a darker shade. I like to keep two shades of bronzer handy anyway, as what works in summer usually looks too much in winter, but I also thought that perhaps ‘Amber’ could be used in a more targeted application to define and contour, or just give a more glam evening look. 

I’m not great at makeup, ok. But I’ve seen people do it on Instagram and they kinda go like this, don’t they? 

I used Morphe M173 brush for application and blending.

Image: Supplied/Carly Sophia Verdict: 'Golden Tan' can absolutely get in my makeup bag! 

I really can’t be arsed with much makeup so I love how haphazardly you can use it to get a quick wash of bronze-y colour. Doesn’t feel like it’s even there, which is a huge plus - though, does mean I might accidentally sleep in it?!

Have you tried ABH cream bronzer before? What's your experience? Share with us in the comment section below.

Feature image: Supplied/Mamamia

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