This blog uses affiliate links (marked with **). When you purchase through links on my site, I may earn a small commission. Learn more here.
I don’t know about you, but I have no luck finding drugstore bronzers. It seems like they always either have an ingredient I can’t use due to sensitivities or they don’t have a shade that would work. I’ve heard a lot of praise for this L’oreal Lumi Bronzer** and since I do like a satin finish over matte for bronzer, I decided to check it out. Most of the reviews I either read or watched mentioned that the product had shimmer running through it but that it wasn’t really noticeable once applied. The problem I ran into was finding a review of the shade 03 Deep on someone who actually had a deep skin tone. Seeing the bronzer in person, I was really worried about the amount of shimmer it has, so I wanted to know if anyone had tried the darkest shade. I could never find one, so I decided to go ahead and give it a try.
L’oreal Lumi Bronze It, $7.97 at Walmart** (as of January 25, 2022)
To be fair, the product description from Ulta claims that the L’oreal Lumi Bronze It** has a “barely there shimmer.” The Amazon description calls it a “shimmer bronzer,” but also states that it has a “sublte, barely there shimmer”. So the fact that there is shimmer isn’t something that is hidden or surprising. The downside for me is the fact that the shimmer is only subtle or barely there in low light conditions.
To its credit, this bronzer blends very easily. It is pretty loosely pressed and does kick up some powder. I found it necessary to tap excess product off my brush before applying. It does also show up nicely on my skin tone (NARS Tahoe, Estee Lauder Double Wear 4W4, MAC C8), but I have trouble understanding how this would work for someone who is actually “deep.” I consider myself to be in the medium deep/dark range of a good shade range.
I find that you absolutely can see the shimmer on my face in direct sunlight and even in my bathroom lighting (4 – 40 watt soft white LEDs). My first time using this bronzer, I checked it outside and I was excited that I didn’t see any sparkles, but it was an overcast day. When I’m just sitting in my office, I also can’t detect the shimmer. But the amount of shimmer that is detectable it is unpredictable as the lighting situation changes.
I even tried wiping off an entire layer of product to see if it was just an overspray. I don’t know about the other shades in this range, but for this shade, the shimmer seems to run through the entire pan.
The closest shade comparison I have in a similar finish is the NARS Bronzing Powder in Punta Cana. I do not consider these to be dupes, but they do have a similar finish on the skin. If it wasn’t for the shimmer particles being so noticeable, this L’oreal Lumi Bronzer** would have been a nice alternative for those not wanting to pay $38.00 for the Nars Bronzing Powder**.
I think the big issue will come into play if you are someone that has light shining down directly on you. When I am in my office all of the lighting is either more in front of me or behind me, and I suspect that is why the shimmer isn’t as noticeable then. So while I am disappointed, at least I was able to share my thoughts about the L’oreal Lumi Bronzer for those curious about the shade 03 Deep.
If you’ve tried a different shade in this line, is the shimmer an issue for you? Do you have any fragrance-free drugstore bronzers you can recommend? Let me know in the comments section below.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider sticking around and checking out more of my content.
- Brands A-Z: Check out this index if you want to know what products I have posted about in the past.
- MAC Cosmetics: I likely have some swatches you’ve been searching for if you love Mac as much as I do.
- Shop My Stash: Join me as I share swatches of my products and occasionally search for alternatives to new releases.
Disclaimer: I purchased all products featured with my own money. This site receives a minimal commission from participating in the WordAds program and using affiliate links. For my full disclosure policy, click here.
Nikki From HR 
How you described your experience sounds similar to mine with Physician’s Formula Butter Bronzer. I expected a little shimmer but there was a lot more than anticipated. And that is very disappointing that so few drugstore brands have deep options. Besides ELF, I can’t think of others.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good to know. At one point in time, I wanted to try the butter bronzer but it was clear from reviews that the scent would be a no go for me. I’m not sure I’ve seen too many people with dark skin talk about the primer infused bronzer, but I did like their primer infused blush, so maybe it is worth looking into. I know they just released those putty bronzers, but I can’t see myself trying anything other than powder any time soon.
LikeLike