Three great bronzers for pale skin with photos and swatches

Guess what? Pale girls can wear bronzer too. It's totally possible.

For the first time in my entire life I went out and bought some bronzers to play with. I've never bothered with it before because 1) I love vampire white skin 2) I never saw a need for it and 3) They always look so orange and disgusting on my skin.

Well, this winter I was pasty and white and felt I was just looking a bit dull. I needed some warmth in my face and blush just wasn't doing it.
That's when I figured I should try and find a bronzer for my skin tone.
When I tried it I actually saw my face come alive with some glow! I guess that's why bronzer is so popular.

For reference here is my face without any blush or bronzer, just foundation:

My skin is extremely pale, most foundations are way too dark. I have blue and green veins so my undertone is neutral (a mix of cool/warm).
My best match in foundation is L'oreal true match N1 porcelain ivory. It is the exact color of my skin. You can imagine how hard it is to find a bronzer that doesn't look orange on my skin!

Well here is me wearing MAC 'bronze' bronzer, (quite heavily) sorry it's blurry but I was pouting too much in the other shots:

Pretty big difference a sun kissed look can give! It definitely perks up my skin and makes it look more 'alive'.
Here are 3 different bronzers with different tones that I would recommend to pale ladies and gentlemen such as myself. They are all quite affordable and easy to find.

Maybelline bronzer 01 sunlight $7.99 CAD

This is the very palest bronzer I could find. It is a light golden tan with shimmer. It isn't very pigmented but it's great for a subtle look. The shimmer isn't over the top but it is noticeable, so if you don't like shimmer than this isn't for you.
This would suit fair to very fair neutral, warm and olive/yellow skin tones best.

Maybelline sunlight swatch:

Wearing sunlight:

New York Color smooth skin bronzing face powder in sunny 720 $3.99 CAD

I picked this up on a whim because it's so inexpensive, and it turns out that it's pretty great!
The base color is medium brown, and it's got some warm orange and red tones to it but they aren't too much. You can layer to get a more sun baked look, or use lightly for a little bit of color.
The finish is matte, no sparkle or shimmer here. It looks quite natural.
I think this would suit fair to medium warm, olive and neutral skin perfectly.
This might not work for cool skin tones as it could bring out any redness or pink undertones.

Wearing NYC sunny bronzer:

MAC bronze bronzing powder (pictured in limited edition packaging) $27.50 CAD

I think MAC bronze bronzer is my favorite of the bunch. I really like the finish, because it is a little shimmery yet not noticeable on the face. It looks more glowy than anything.
The color is perfect, it's a nice deep brown bronze with a very subtle golden orange tone.
I would have to say that this would suit almost any skin tone. It's quite neutral and can be layered to deepen the color. When applied lightly it can look great on even the whitest skin.

Wearing MAC bronze bronzing powder :

There are a lot of bronzing powders out there and they are hit and miss. It's challenging to find the right tone that doesn't make you look fake.
I find it easiest to apply bronzer with a large skunk brush, since it doesn't pick up much product. That way I can use just a little at a time to ensure I don't put too much on.
Sun kissed skin is beautiful, and using bronzer instead of tanning can save your skin from harmful UV rays and irreversible damage (like age spots and wrinkles!).

You can even use bronzing powder on your body in the summer, to achieve a contoured glow without risking your skin. Just invest in a large brush so you can cover more area.
I love to use Lush Charlotte island body tint. I mix it with my moisturizer and it leaves just a hint of color on my skin. It also smells like chocolate! It's very nice because self tanners tend to smell horribly. I will never touch them again with a ten foot pole because they make me orange.

I hope this has been helpful, I know it's hard for pale people to get a nice fake tan! But it is possible :)