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For the uninitiated, Cloud Paint is one of Glossier’s best-selling products. Seven years after launching it at the Oscars, the brand is back with its beloved formula—this time, in bronzer form. Available in five shades, it promises to “always look natural on you—never too orange, or worse, too gray,” according to Emily Trillaud, vice president of supply chain and operations. Most recently, Cloud Paint Blush was an instant success largely due to its easy application. The sheer, fuss-free formula made blush less intimidating and accessible for all. (The playful paint tube packaging doesn’t hurt either.) Cloud Paint Bronzer was created at the request of the Glossier community, which aligns with the brands’ ethos to foster a constant feedback loop, developing easy-to-use products that everyone loves—and demands.
“We received overwhelming feedback asking for bronzer shades in Cloud Paint, specifically because of how seamless, intuitive, and blendable the formula is,” Trillaud tells ELLE.com. “We wanted to continue our modern, natural approach to color with this product, embracing subtle skin-defining and warming hues.” The formula is exactly the same as the blush and will give you a subtle yet sculpting glow. It’s also buildable and blendable, but takes the brand’s skin-first approach to complexion products. “We want you to shine through,” Trillaud says. The flexible, natural-looking shades give the perfect afterglow to multiple skin tones, purposely appearing not too cool or too warm. Adds Trillaud: “We were intentional about creating flexible bronze hues inspired by magic hour, where the light so perfectly flatters the skin.” The shades include Sail (a light neutral tan), Dune (a golden tan), Swept (a medium neutral tan), Coast (a golden bronze), and Drift (a deep neutral bronze); each one retails for $22.
Glossier fans may wonder why the company decided to launch another bronzer when Glossier Solar Paint Bronzer already exists, but they are each distinct products with different results. While Solar Paint gives you a shimmery, warm finish akin to a radiant summer glow, Trillaud explains that Cloud Paint Bronzer is “shimmerless with a dewy, natural finish.” The shades are all variations of neutral tones—nothing too cool or too warm. “Like you’re in permanently good lighting,” Trillaud says. The brand considered many customer pain points with bronzer, including how it can often appear synthetic and require precise application, both problems that the Cloud Paint Bronzer formula aims to solve.
The author wearing Glossier Cloud Paint Bronzer in Dune.
When I first tried the bronzer, just like the Cloud Paint Blush, the paint tube-like packaging immediately made me want to apply it with my fingers, though a small angled brush would also work. The formula melted into my skin and didn’t leave shimmer or shine, but more of a gentle warmth—as if I had stayed in the sun for the perfect amount of time. The blurring powder pigments in the formula ensure a soft, diffused finish, without accentuating pores and fine lines. It’s easy to apply, you don’t need a lot, and you can blend shades for a unique look. Bronzer is a great way to lightly contour your face. I applied the Cloud Paint Bronzer to my cheekbones and my forehead to define my face and accentuate my cheekbones.
Associate E-Commerce Beauty Writer Carol Lee wearing Glossier Cloud Paint Bronzer in Swept.
For our Associate Beauty E-Commerce Writer Carol Lee, the Cloud Paint Bronzer was a no-brainer based on her penchant for the blush. “Cloud Paint [Blush] is the gold standard for me in terms of liquid blush because the pillowy gel formula is perfect for my preferred makeup tool of choice: my fingers. Just like their brighter, rosier siblings, the bronzers blend like a dream,” she shares. She first tried Swept, a light, cooler-toned brown, and says it defined her cheekbones and gave her a touch of warmth. The formula also contains collagen, which retains water, leaving your skin appearing fresh and dewy. “I can also see this being a beautiful brown blush for me, which I’m delighted about,” she says.
While I preferred to apply the product with my hands, Nerisha Penrose, ELLE.com’s beauty commerce editor, was averse to the idea—until now. “I always believed bronzer, contour, and blush required a makeup brush, but Glossier is the one brand that makes finger-friendly products that actually maintain a healthy amount of coverage when blended out. This bronzer deposits a gel-cream formula that almost feels like a lightweight moisturizer and absorbs like one,” she says. There is a myth that bronzer is only for lighter skin tones, but anyone can add dimension to their look. “Without bronzer, my makeup looks flat and lifeless; I opted for the shade Drift, which delivered a subtle warmth and added dimension to give my morning makeup look an afternoon lift.”
If you are looking for a natural, healthy, lit-from-within glow, there’s no need to book a vacation. With one swipe of the new Cloud Paint Bronzer, your skin will be transported to a sunny destination. What are you waiting for?