Drunk Elephant D Bronzi: A Review (plus 5 Ways to Use it)

Have you ever found a skincare product that not only exceeded your expectations but was ended up being so versatile it also ended up rending other parts of your skincare/makeup routine redundant as well?

If you have, congratulations!  You’ll know how I feel about Drunk Elephant’s D Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops*

And if you haven’t yet then read on- you might just want to try out this bronzing wonder product by the end.

 

Drunk Elephant’s D Bronzi

Part antioxidant serum (great for city types or sun fans), part bronzer, D Bronzi is pretty much the most unique skincare-makeup hybrid I’ve ever come across.

Containing vitamins D and F, virgin Marula oil and blackcurrant seed oils, as well as raw cocoa powder for the colour here, this is designed as both an antioxidant protector (great for sun worshippers and city types), as well as for a (wash-offable) golden glow.

Silicone, alcohol and fragrance-free, D Bronzi is also cruelty-free.

Since this is a concentrated bronzing fluid made specifically to be mixed with your other skincare or makeup (and definitely not on its own- it’s a very thick texture), it’s really really versatile.

In fact, it can pretty much be used with most other products, but I do have one particularly favourite way to use this (more below!).

The Full List of Ingredients

Water, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Mica, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glycerin, Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Seed Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Lecithin, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-17, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Sorbitan Isostearate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Maltodextrin, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole, Colloidal Platinum [nano], Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Boron Nitride, Hexylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Ethylhexylglycerin, CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), CI 77492 (Iron Oxides), CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate.

On the Skin

Apart from the fact that this is all golden tones- not a hint of orange in sight- one of the things I love most about D Bronzi is how it makes the colour I want to achieve completely customisable, depending on how much I add (the yummy scent of chocolate from the raw coca powder here is something of a bonus too).

As well as offering a lovely colour, D Bronzi also has enough of a sheen (but definitely not glitter) effect that it really just makes skin glow.

Its concealing abilities are also pretty impressive, meaning I can quite easily skip foundation or concealer after this.

Darker skin tones might not notice either of these bronzing or concealing effects quite as much, however, since this is designed specifically to be diluted down- which unfortunately has the effect of making the resulting colour quite fair- so I’d love to see Drunk Elephant expand their D Bronzi line to include further shades.

And finally, cream-based makeups in particular sit really well on top of this, giving them a blendability and staying power that has definitely upped my makeup game. Because D Bronzi takes a little while to absorb though, powder makeup fans might want to wait a little while before applying.

So how to use this multi-use powerhouse? Here are some of my favourite ways…

 

How to Use it

1. Mixed with Mineral SPFs

As someone with quite a bit of hyperpigmentation (how could you betray me years of sun worship..), I’m constantly reapplying my factor 50.

And because my skin is a little sensitive (and mainly because I generally prefer natural products), the SPF I tend to use is the mineral kind.

But as anyone who has ever tried mineral sunscreen will tell you, however great the formula you will always end up with some form of white residue all over your face.

Unfortunately this just makes me much less likely to use as much as I know I should (a quarter of a teaspoon for the face)… as well as making me unlikely to actually reapply.

So D Bronzi- and its abilities to magically transform even the palest of sunscreens into a flattering bronze shade- was something of a revelation.

For my own vampire skin one or two pumps of this mixed with my SPF gives me a great natural-looking tan.

This also makes reapplying sunscreen super easy too, since I can just add maybe one pump more to SPF later in the day and massage across the face to top up both my colour and my sun protection.

Cream makeup (my favourite) also sits really well on top of this too, making it really quick to reapply something like blusher over the top if I’m topping up SPF.

 

2. Mixed with Moisturiser 

This is a great alternative to foundation for an allover healthy, dewy look.  I generally find one part D Bronzi Sunshine Drops to two parts moisturiser tends to do the trick but this will also depend on skin tone.

3. Added to Liquid Highlighter

Great for both bronzing and getting some serious glow going, this looks *especially great* in summer for a bronzed goddess look and give skin a really healthy dewy look. I find equal parts D Bronzi with highlighter works best.

This look also works as a sort of temporary alternative to fake tan if the thought of spending hours painstakingly applying one pre-weddings/holidays/a big event doesn’t appeal.  I find four or five pumps of this mixed with body lotion makes for a temporary and customisable alternative.

 

4. Mixed with Facial Oil

Again, I find equal parts work really well and this offers the sort of mega-watt glow I’ve spent half my life in search of…  One of my favourite oils for mixing with is Drunk Elephant’s own Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil*, a really gentle, really moisturising oil, suitable for even the most sensitive skin types.

 

5. To Change the Shade of Foundation 

There’s few things more irritating (in makeup terms at least) than buying a foundation or concealer in winter only to find it’s several shades too light in the summer months. Adding a few drops of D Bronzi to an existing foundation (cream or gel, not powder) makes one shade work year round without the need to invest in yet another product.

 

The Takeaway

While D Bronzi is one of my all time favourites for its general flattering, glowy abilities, it’s the way this product makes SPF so much more usable that I really appreciate. Meanwhile I know the antioxidants here are also doing their bit keeping skin healthy and glowing too; a beauty win!

Or for those who want to try out D Bronzi before committing to a full size, the travel size (8 ml) is available in several of Drunk Elephant’s kits. Containing minis of some of the brand’s most popular formulas like Protini Polypeptide Cream, Umbra Sheer SPF 30, and C-Firma Day Serum, their little kits offer just enough of Drunk Elephant’s most popular products to dip a toe into the range.

Great for: Mineral SPF users, bronzer lovers, and pretty much anyone who likes their skin to look glowing, healthy and gorgeous (so everyone then). Those who like their skincare/makeup without silicones or fragrance.

Not-so-great for: Budgets, since this isn’t the cheapest product (although using a few pumps of this every day I still only have to rebuy once every three months so the value is impressive). Also darker skin tones, which might not get the full benefits of D Bronzi’s concealing and bronzing properties purely because this product dilutes down to a lighter shade. I really do hope Drunk Elephant resolve this by adding to their shade range.

Drunk Elephant’s D Bronzi is £30 for 30 ml, Cult Beauty UK* and $36 for 1 oz/30 ml, Sephora US