Makeup

This bronzer is so good I have worn it almost every single day for two years—it looks even better than a real tan

May 18, 2025

The nature of my job means I am regularly asked about my top makeup recommendations, and there is one product in particular that immediately springs to mind, no matter who’s asking—the Jones Road bronzer.

I am a firm believer that bronzing should be entirely fuss free. I have tried out far too many bronzers for pale skin that need significant blending, touching up with concealer to tone down orangeness, or require layers and layers of product to get anywhere near the level of noticeable bronze I’m after.

But after the very first application of the Jones Road bronzer, I knew I had found the one. It is the *perfect* shade for my fair skin, applies seamlessly, blends out with hardly any effort and genuinely makes me look like I’ve just spent two weeks in the Caribbean. If that isn’t enough to convince you that it’s the best bronzer on the market right now, please allow me to rave further.

Jones Road

The Bronzer in Tan

It might seem as though powder complexion products are on their way out. Cream blushes, cream bronzers, and dewy skin tints have definitely dominated the beauty trend cycle over the last couple of years, and I’m a sucker for skin that looks glowy enough to reflect light. That’s why I was apprehensive about the Jones Road powder bronzer, assuming that it would dull my face and sit awkwardly on top of my hydrating base products. But how wrong I was.

The silky texture of the powder means it doesn’t sit heavy on the skin or aggressively mattify everything underneath it, rather it offers a soft, natural finish that will agree with any style of makeup. I use a big fluffy brush to apply it and it takes no more than a couple of gentle swipes to blend out seamlessly and deliver just the right amount of colour that can be easily built up to your liking. And even when I add a significant amount of colour during the summer months, it never gets textured or cakey.

Yes, the formula itself is excellent, but what I really rate about this product is the shade. I have it in shade Tan, and I’ve never found a hue that suits me so perfectly. It is neither too orange nor too grey—described on the website as a ‘golden bronze’—and it mimics the colour I get from my best face tans or best bronzing drops with even less effort.

amelia wearing jones road bronzer in tan

(Image credit: Future)

I genuinely feel like my face is transformed as soon as I put this on; I instantly look healthier and infinitely more radiant, and I always receive compliments on my ‘tan’ when I wear it to the office. When I don’t want to do my full makeup routine but want to feel more alive and confident, this bronzer and a little bit of eyebrow gel are all I need.

Now, £36 might seem a little bit pricey for a standard sized powder bronzer, but I’m not exaggerating when I say that I have worn this almost every single day on my cheekbones, forehead, jawline and neck for over two years and I only hit pan on it a few months ago. Even still, it has a lot of life left before I need to tuck into the new one I have at the ready.

In my experience, the best makeup products are typically the simplest ones, which The Bronzer goes to show. I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t get on with this, particularly if you’re yet to find a bronzer that has perfected the natural golden tan look. I would even go as far as to say that if I could only keep one makeup product for the rest of my life, this would be it.