Helping you look like you’ve just returned from a two-week beach holiday when in reality you’ve been stuck in rainy England, bronzing drops are a must-have in your beauty regime.

These innovative formulas are fast becoming a beauty editor’s holy grail hack for a natural-looking face tan. Delivering instant results, they don’t have the commitment that comes with a facial fake tanner (and the patchiness when they start to fade). Instead, the lightweight formulas can be washed off at the end of the day.

Blurring the lines between skincare and make-up, they can either be applied just like a creamy bronzer or a BB cream for all-over coverage – all while boosting your skin’s radiance thanks to hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, aloe vera and squalene.

Arguably responsible for this latest beauty trend, Drunk Elephant’s sunshine drops (£33, Lookfantastic.com) have barely stayed in stock since going viral on TikTok last year. The brand debuted its cult D-bronzi formula in 2018, so bronzing drops are nothing new – but the likes of Isle of Paradise and e.l.f have responded to the trend by launching their own formulas for an instant golden glow.

While Drunk Elephant’s drops remain at the top end of the spectrum (think £33 for 30ml), Revolution has just launched a budget rival that will set you back just £7 for 23ml. With TikTok users hailing Revolution’s drops as an affordable – and equally good – alternative to Drunk Elephant’s formula, I naturally had to try them out.

How I tested Revolution bronzing drops

The Revolution drops on the left and Drunk Elephant on the right of my hand, plus the finished look using Revolution (Daisy Lester)

Since first trying bronzing drops earlier this year, they’ve become an essential part of my beauty routine. After exfoliating, using a serum and applying moisturiser, I put on Drunk Elephant’s bronzing drops which give my skin an instant natural-looking tan.

Sitting nicely under my foundation and concealer, the bronzed finish doesn’t fade through the day and washes off easily in the evening. My skin never feels dry or looks patchy (unlike some face fake tan I’ve tried). So, I sought to see how Revolution’s budget formula matched up with its premium rival. During testing, I considered how the formulas compare, staying power and how Revolution’s drops sit on my skin. Here’s my verdict.

Revolution bright light bronzing drops

Size: 23ml

Shades: Scorched light/med, bronze spice

Key ingredients: Squalane, hyaluronic, grapeseed oil

Why we love it

Customisable

Natural-looking tan

Take note

Slightly drying

Thick consistency is tricky to blen

The formula

Revolution’s bronzing drops have a sheer tinted formula that’s powered by squalene, grapeseed oil and hyaluronic acid for a hydration boost (it shares many of the same skin-loving ingredients as Drunk Elephant’s formula).

Plus, it’s available in two shades to help with colour matching: a lighter bronze scorch and a darker bronze spice. Drunk Elephant’s bronzing drops have been criticized for only being available in one shade, so it’s nice to see that Revolution’s drops are slightly more accessible. The bronze scorch comes in a very similar shade to Drunk Elephant’s but has a thicker consistency that I found harder to blend.

While the brand says that you can mix it with your moisturiser or use alone, I found the former was far more effective and easier to blend owing to the thick formula. It goes on slightly patchy at first so a brush around the hairline and nose helps. With the help of a moisturiser, the colour is nicely buildable.

The results

As for the results, Revolution’s bronzing drops left us with a near-identical bronzed finish compared to Drunk Elephant’s. The formula worked just as effectively as a liquid bronzer on the cheekbone, nose and forehead, giving a more subtly contoured look than a powder bronzer.

However, the tint was less long-lasting (it looked slightly patchy by the evening) and felt a little drying (particularly under make-up). But you can’t argue with the price. More than three to four times cheaper than premium bronzing drops, the results are impressive in comparison.

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The verdict: Revolution bronzing drops

Cheap and cheerful, Revolution has done it again with its take on a premium-priced product. The brand’s bronzing drops give skin an instantly sun-kissed golden glow and a natural-looking contour. While the application is slightly more tricky and the results a little less long-lasting, these are minor gripes considering the price. When my Drunk Elephant drops run out, I’ll be more than happy to swap to Revolution’s £7 formula.

Looking for more fake tan recommendations? We’ve rounded up the best body formulas for 2024