“No time like the present,” seems to be the recurring mantra as we squeeze in the last bit of sunshine and heat out of the summer before cooler September winds sweep in. Here are our top picks for products that will not only glam up your routine, but nourish and soothe your skin, hair and more.
See also: 9 best beauty product drops last month.
For your skincare:
A personal formulation request from Tatcha’s founder and CEO, Vicky Tsai, this two-in-one overnight serum-and-cream tackles irritated skin. Tsai’s own personal struggles with eczema and other stress-related skin flare-ups throughout the pandemic prompted her to seek a solution others can also benefit from. The result combines Japanese Indigo extract to calm and soothe red, dry and irritated skin, while hyaluronic acid and ceramides work to hydrate and lock in moisture. Mondo grass root balances the skin’s own microbiome to help you achieve the best version of your own skin. This “Clean at Sephora” product ensures ingredients are free from the 50 worst offenders, including sulfates (SLS and SLES), parabens, phthalates, and more.
Related: Perfect your routine: The correct way to layer skincare.
A serum made for oily, acne-prone skin, Caudalie’s latest also seeks to minimize pores, while also maintaining the brand’s “Clean at Sephora ” badge. It includes 100 per cent natural salicylic acid and niacinamide. Bonus: it’s fragrance-free, so it’s great for reactive skin.
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For your face:
If you have some budget to splurge on a high-end beauty product, Dior’s high-impact, medium coverage Forever Couture Luminizer Highlighter Powder is a good bet. With four finishes to choose from, including this one in Radiant, you can find the perfect dewy glow for you. The pressed powder formula is paraben-free and at this price range, won’t fall apart after use, as can happen with cheaper alternatives. It also includes wild pansy extract to hydrate the skin for long-lasting wear.
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For your eyes:
With the laminated look still trending strong, this highly rated brow lamination gel works on both thick and sparse brows. You can wear it alone, or pair it with Patrick Ta’s tinted brow shaping wax and used in combination with a brow pencil or pen.
Tarte’s clean SEA line is offering this long-wearing, volumizing bonus set that comes with a travel-sized version – perfect for midday touch-ups when you’re on-the-go. It includes marine plants, castor oil and more to nourish as well as glam up your look.
Related: 10 best Indigenous beauty brands to buy from.
For your lips:
If you’ve ever tried LANEIGE’s line of nourishing products, you’ll get why the brand’s lip sleeping mask is such a staff favourite. Not only is the compound incredibly hydrating on the lips, but the scents too make it a standout. The line just expanded to include a new, limited-edition flavour in Peach Iced Tea.
This tinted vegan lip balm from Urban Decay includes hyaluronic acid for fuller, plumper-looking lips in buildable colour and an ultra-wet shine finish. It comes in nine colours, including this holographic lavender-pink sparkle (Wilshire).
Related: Let’s make gendered skincare products a thing of the past.
For your body:
If you’re looking for a feel-good lotion that works to tone as well as hydrate your skin, First Aid now offers a clean, vegan body lotion that includes hydrolyzed wheat protein (a blend of peptides and amino acids) to firm skin and increase elasticity, and caffeine to reduce puffiness.
See also: These 10 major beauty brands took the 15 per cent pledge.
For your hair:
The superfood-infused hair mask is made with sustainably-sourced Mirsalehi bee garden honey (Negin Mirsaklehi is an Iranian-style blogger known for the honey-based haircare line). The mask promises to hydrate and repair your tresses for overall stronger, healthier and shinier hair.
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Tools of the trade:
For those with tangle-prone hair, you know the struggle it takes to put (neigh, pull) the brush through in one smooth, unstopped stroke. This brush seeks to resolve that, while also offering the versatility to style your mane. The brush (and bristles) mimic the best in haircare — boar bristles — but are synthetic (read: vegan-made).
See also: Ask the expert: How many times can you bleach your hair?
