As we approach the final stretch of summer and as the nights slowly begin to cool, you may be already thinking about ways to squeeze the last bit of the season into your day. We have you covered with our staff favourite beauty picks for August – from ways to keep that sun-kissed glow lasting longer to giving your hair the love it deserves, and more.
See also: Zodiac scents: A summer fragrance for each zodiac sign.
Show the skin you’re in some extra TLC
If you’re a person who shaves body hair, chances are that you’ve also experienced the rough feel that can sometimes arise after a shave. This luxe after-shave oil from Truly Beauty goes a long way towards a soft and smooth feel (we tried this on our underarms on clean skin post-shave, though it can be used everywhere hair meets skin). Lightly scented, the vegan and cruelty-free formula features coconut, grape, passion fruit, lavender and vitamin E.
Truly Beauty Glazed Donut Shave Oil, Shoppers Drug Mart, $38.
Related: How to get the glowy, clean girl makeup look.
Part of Shopper’s Drug Mart’s Thoughtful Choices designation (meant to curate products to help you shop consciously), Naturally Serious offers a great line of naturally-formulated products that pack great value. The line is clinically-tested, cleanly made and developed ethically so that what’s good for your skin doesn’t come at the expense of the environment. The products are cruelty-free and loaded with a patented anti-pollution blend of six antioxidants, including ingredients such as pomegranate, goji berry, grape seed, green tea, red tea and white tea, while avoiding B.A.D. ingredients (AKA anything considered Banned, Ambiguous, or Debatable). Case in point: the brand’s After-Dark Natural Peptide Sleeping Cream. Its goal is to help transform your skin’s appearance overnight, as flaxseed peptides help lift and firm the look of skin and apple extract locks in moisture for a luminous look all day long.
Naturally Serious After-Dark Natural Peptide Sleeping Cream, Shoppers Drug Mart, $45.
Related: 10 best sweatproof makeup products to beat the summer heat.
Ember Wellness’s line of five gentle, organic and plant-derived cold-pressed organic facial oils are a nourishing addition to your skincare routine, especially as temperatures start to dip. Every oil is lab-tested for identity, potency, purity and oxidation so you can trust you’re getting the very best with each bottle. Ember’s 02 Facial Oil formula is made with plum kernel oil in Turkey, to help reduce the appearance of puffy, tired or reactive skin. It also minimizes dark circles and dryness, while grapeseed oil (sustainably sourced in Argentina) delivers a natural supply of vitamin E and C, as well as a natural antioxidant called proanthocyanidin, which works to even skin tone and reduce the appearance of scarring and age spots.
Ember Wellness 02 Facial Oil Plum Kernel and Grapeseed, Indigo, $78.
Related: Our favourite new beauty drops for July 2022.
L’Occitane’s latest is a deliciously scented addition to its Verbena line, the Verbena Citrus. Made without parabens, phenoxyethanol and phthalates, the Shower Scrub and Fresh Granita Body Gel will keep you feeling fresh and cool (the latter made even better if you leave the body gel in the fridge before each use). The sparkling and zesty bright and vibrant line is made with orange and lemon essential oils with grapefruit extract from Italy. If that doesn’t says summer, then what does?
L’Occitane Verbena Citrus Shower Scrub and Fresh Granita Body Gel, L’Occitane, $34 and $40, respectively.
You may also like: Everything you need to know about sunscreen but were too shy to ask.
The fan- and staff-fave LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask is now available in scrumptious Mango, bringing tropical vibes to your lip care. You can expect the same nourishing feel with this formula too, featuring a berry fruit complex to soothe and exfoliate dry skin, vitamin C to protect your pout and a combo of coconut oil, shea butter and murumuru seed butter to help nourish and deliver lasting moisture.
LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask in Mango, Sephora, $29.
Get ready for the mane event
amika’s line of hair care tools just got a new headliner with its High Tide Deep Waver Jumbo. Coupled with the heat protectant The Wizard Detangling Hair Primer, your hair will wow, whether you’re headed for the beach, a festival or a fun summer night out. The Jumbo High Tide Deep Waver is the line’s 1.25-inch barrel version, offering a looser wave, compared to big sis High Tide Deep Waver’s 0.7-inch barrel, and it just launched. The tool is ideal for those with longer hair, looking for looser, natural, beachy waves and it features cool tips to keep you safe from heat (adjustable from 120°F to 390°F). It has crease-free clamps, negative ion technology to eliminate frizz, a 360 swivel cord for easy handling and more.
For best results, amika’s pros recommend brushing through dry hair, choosing your preferred heat setting, and sectioning hair half up, half down. Working in 2- to 4-inch sections, hold the Jumbo High Tide Deep Waver horizontally, clamp hair, and hold for about five seconds, moving down each section of hair, and repeating until you’ve gone through all of it.
amika Jumbo High Tide Deep Waver, Sephora, $156.
See also: Hair gems are the latest nostalgic trend we’re obsessed with.
One of the realities of warm summer days is that your scalp can get a bit greasier and grungier — but that doesn’t mean that everyone wants to shampoo their hair every day, either. One winning option? This dry shampoo from Kristin Ess left our hair feeling (and smelling) refreshed in an instant. Unlike some other dry shampoos we’ve tried, this didn’t leave a thick white powder to scrub in (even on dark hair).
Kristin Ess STYLE Reviving Dry Shampoo, Shoppers Drug Mart, $20.
You may also like: Wearing makeup can impact your self-esteem: study.
Oribe’s Dry Texturizing Spray is now available in its limited-edition retro-modern packaging, featuring a design of the brand’s co-founder and renowned stylist Oribe Canales. Tapping into the brand’s roots, the spray is a stylist and fan-favourite (it’s already sold out in Sephora) and it helps transform hair to give it a sexy, playful texture and effortless styling options.
Oribe Limited Edition Dry Texturizing Spray, Oribe, $60.
Related: Thin eyebrows are back — should you get them? We investigate.
Prolong that summer sun-kissed glow
The summer may be in its sunset stage, but that doesn’t mean you have to kiss that beautiful glow goodbye. Keeping you sun-safe, St. Tropez’s line of bronzing formulas bring something for every skin type. For those with dry skin, opt for this Classic Bronzing Lotion. Lightweight, it glides on streak-free, for a great natural-looking tan.
St. Tropez Tanning Self-Tan Bronzing Lotion, Shoppers Drug Mart, $54.
You may also like: 10 unique ideas for your next tiny tattoo.
Our team has been all-in on that healthy glow look this summer, and we’ve found another pretty blush option with this Pixi blush stick. This blush offers subtle, buildable colour via a tinted balm — but we also love the hydrating feel that comes with a sweep of this blush (the formulation features ginseng, aloe vera and fruit extracts).
Pixi On-the-Glow Blush, Shoppers Drug Mart, $24.
FENTY’s limited-edition two-in-one bronzer is here to amp up the voltage on that summer-kissed skin. Play up your radiance with Toast’d Swirl Bronze Shimmer Powder – intended for both face and body. Available in two shades (Chocolate Swiller for a shimmering champagne bronze or Pecan Swiller for a deeper shimmering golden bronze), the powder will instantly warm your tone.
FENTY Toast’d Swirl Bronze Shimmer Powder, FENTY Beauty, $54.
Related: Want to turn your powder bronzer into a cream? This viral TikTok makeup hack may help.
Go big on beauty
Beat the heat with the setting spray that has everyone talking. Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray will keep your makeup in place while misting you with a natural glow. The weightless spray fixes makeup for 16 hours without fading, melting or highlighting fine lines — so you can enjoy warm, summer days without checking the mirror. Known for its hydration and fresh scent, the spray gives you a mini spa treatment after each makeup application. Pro tip: get the travel size to save a few bucks. It can easily fit into a purse and lasts for months.
Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray, Sephora, $24.
See also: How to get Hailey Bieber’s glazed-doughnut nails this summer.
If full, fluttery lashes are your goal — but you find dealing with eyelash glue to be a challenge — then you’ve likely been wondering about magnetic lashes. This lash kit from Quo makes things easy: simply apply the magnetic liner (just as you would any black eyeliner, though it’s important to draw your line long enough to match the length of the lashes) and then, once dry, place the lash on top. We found that a thicker line worked better, and they took a bit of adjustment to set in place.
Quo Beauty Magnetic Lash Kit in Boujee, Shoppers Drug Mart, $26.
Lady Gaga’s new beauty line is here, and serving a dopamine-infused, high-shine, long-lasting and transfer-free liquid lipstick. Clean at Sephora, as well as cruelty- and fragrance-free, the long-wearing formula will last all day (just be sure to follow instructions and let it set for 15 seconds to allow the Shine Shield to activate).
HAUS LABS BY LADY GAGA Atomic Shake Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick, Sephora, $34.
See also: Does every celeb need a beauty brand? (Plus the ones we actually love).
