We made it! I reviewed all the foundations I still had to review, but now there are still a few products that were in recent Shop my Stashes that I still wanted to roundup. So that will be this week’s theme. One such product? The Milani Silky Matte bronzer in 01 Sun Light. Is this a dupe for the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush bronzer? Is this a good product of its own accord? Who knows, that’s what we will find out in today’s bronzer review.
Review: Milani Silky Matte Bronzer 01 Sun Light
Milani is a great brand that I love trying. It is a bit pricey where I live though. Where in the USA, Milani is sold at many drugstores and products are around the $10 mark, over here the brand is harder to find and marked up tremendously. So I can only buy this brand online. I mainly order this brand through Beauty Bay and Boozyshop, but I have found that more mainstream retailers are now carrying the brand (but not in store yet, sadly). So where this is priced at $10.99 in the USA, it retails for €14.95 to €17.00 depending on where you buy it. That’s nearly double the price you’d pay for this in the USA. So it’s good to bear that in mind as we are going into this.
What does the Milani bronzer have to offer?
My main reason for buying this was because this got so much hype. The first reason this was hyped up was how similar it is supposedly to the Charlotte Tilbury bronzer. The second reason is because it is very fair in the lightest shade. So a win-win for me as I love finding cheaper alternatives to more expensive makeup. Milani and Charlotte Tilbury are in fact manufactured in the same factory in Italy, which is why you can often find overlap between the two lines (much like YSL and L’Oreal products can overlap). The packaging of this bronzer is not that exciting, but it’s the product that counts.
What is the Milani bronzer like?
I bought mine in the lightest shade: 01 Sun Light. And indeed: this is perfect for lighter skin tones. Bronzers can be difficult to find if you have a fair skin tone and this Milani one is spot on. Also in terms of how this compares to the Charlotte Tilbury one I was impressed. I swatched this side by side in my recent bronzer collection video, so definitely check that out if you’d like to see these bronzers compared. The texture of this bronzer is very nice: it blends easily, is nicely pigmented but not too much and the finish is matte but not flat. There is a bit of kick up when I stick my brush in as it is quite a soft powder but it feels very smooth and indeed silky when I touch this product with my fingers.
How does this bronzer swatch?
Finger swatches can be deceiving: this doesn’t look the best in a full on finger swatch. But trust me: the magic happens when you apply this with a brush. The texture is buttery smooth and easy to use. I feel the shade is a perfect match for me to add warmth and depth to my face. But there is a but: while this is a great dupe for the Charlotte Tilbury bronzer, I have found another product that I love even more that is as close of a dupe. The product I am talking about: the Kiko Milano Flawless Fusion bronzer. I prefer it ever so slightly over this Milani bronzer. Why? Because the shade is more neutral/ cool toned and less warm and it is even more affordable at €10.99 at full price but Kiko does sales often and it is currently for sale at €7.69.
What does this bronzer look like on my skin?
However, that doesn’t mean the Milani bronzer isn’t a good one. This is a great product in its own accord. As you can see here there is a clear difference between the before and after prictures. This product adds warmth, doesn’t look muddy and goes well with my skin tone. Because this bronzer is a bit more warm toned this is better for me in the summer time and not necessarily a year round product for me. So this is again why I slightly prefer the Kiko over the Milani: it works for me with many more looks and it’s a year round product for me.
My final thoughts
I really adore this product. I really have nothing bad to say about the Milani Silky Matte bronzer. This is a solid bronzer option and especially if you are in the USA and you can get this for the $10 mark, this is one of the best drugstore options currently on the market. For me, personally though, I just prefer the Kiko more. It is more affordable, the shade is more perfect and it is easier for me to get my hands on. Again, nothing against the Milani as I think this is a great product and I feel this deserves all the hype it can get, I have just found something that I prefer more.
Would I recommend the Milani Silky Matte bronzer?
Yes! This is a stunning product. It comes in 4 shades so there is something there for everyone and I think it is one of the best bronzers at the drugstore price point. This is such a lovely texture and I think if you were looking into a bronzer and you went with this you would certainly love it. No matter your skin tone, your skin type or your makeup aesthetic: this is a great universal product for sure.
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[…] sister. Meet Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush bronzer. This bronzer is the OG product that the Milani bronzer is in fact a really good shade dupe for. However, if you were to ask me, I still prefer the Kiko […]