Now that the summer months are finally around the corner, the promise of sunshine, hotter days, festivals and outside gatherings may have you thinking of ways to switch up and re-energize your beauty routine or makeup kit. Here are 10 editor-approved beauty drops to add to your counter (or stash in your purse) this June.
From barely there clean-girl picks to party-girl makeup essentials
Those who’ve been keeping close watch on Alicia Key’s new line will be thrilled to learn the singer, songwriter, actor and ultimate down-to-earth phenom is introducing a Keys Soulcare Make You line of tinted, dermatologist-developed, clean and cruelty-free colour-skincare hybrids. Intended to make you feel your best from the inside out, the products, such as this Comforting Tinted Lip Balm, soothe and nourish while adding a touch of colour to make your features pop while keeping that no-makeup makeup look. The balm comes in five other shades and smooths and softens lips while adding a touch of sheer colour.
Make You Comforting Tinted Lip Balm in shade Inspiration, Keys Soulcare, $29.
And if you’re curious how Keys pulled off her flawless Met Gala look, she used the following:
- Skin Transformation Cream, Sephora, $51.
- Let Me Glow Illuminating Serum, Sephora, $40.
- Sheer Flush Cheek Tint in Shade in Grace, Keys Soulcare, $35.
- Natural Flush Complexion Brush, Keys Soulcare, $29.
- Comforting Balm with Camellia Seed Oil, Keys Soulcare, $20.
- Comforting Tinted Lip Balm in Shade in Inspiration, Keys Soulcare, $29.
See also: Cheekbone Beauty releases water crisis-inspired lip gloss.
This easy-to-use (and pack) 24-hour, waterproof, smudge-proof ultra-black felt tip liquid eyeliner is perfect for creating precision graphic looks. Want a traditional cat-eye? No problem – just be sure to check our fool-proof pro-tips for how to nail the look with ease. The pen offers non-stop ink flow made for long-lasting wear (it’s smudge- and sweat-proof, too), making it ideal for festivals, days out on the town, or just soaking in the best summer has on offer.
MAKEUP FOR EVER Aqua Resist Graphic Pen 24HR Waterproof Intense Eyeliner, Sephora, $32.
See also: Here’s how to do the reverse cat eye makeup from TikTok.
This long-wearing, high shimmer liquid eyeshadow is another perfect addition to your festival-ready makeup look. stila’s Shimmer & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow brings buildable colour with its pearly translucent base. Keep it light and sheer for your day look, or add layers to build nighttime drama. The formula also makes for minimal fallout without primer, and it is free of parabens, sulphates and phthalates.
stila Shimmer & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow, Sephora, $31.
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A great go-to palette for when you’re on-the-go, stila’s “cocktail of colours” is a great, compact way to make your cheeks, lips and eyes pop. You’ll have everything you need with its convertible colour, perfect for lips or cheeks and the four eye shadows feature matte, pearl or shimmer finishes that work in multiple combinations to add a touch of playfulness to your look, day or night.
stila Colour Cocktail Travel Cheek, Lip & Eye Palette – Moonshine, Shoppers Drug Mart, $36.
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MILK MAKEUP’s Mattifying + Blurring Makeup Primer is a lightweight, water-based primer that reduces the look of pores, providing a soft-matte finish. Great for skin that ranges from normal, to oily, to combination, its highlighted ingredients include niacinamide to help minimize the appearance of pores, Bakuchiol to help smooth and even skin, and lentil extract to help control shine. It’s silicone-free and dries to a translucent finish to keep your makeup in place.
MILK MAKEUP Pore Eclipse Mattifying + Blurring Makeup Primer, Sephora, $48.
See also: The best Indigenous beauty brands to keep in your makeup bag.
Let your best summer skin shine through
If you don’t already have a vitamin C serum in your skincare routine, this is your sign. With the sunnier weather upon us, a vitamin C serum pairs well with sunscreen, giving your skin the defense it needs from the sun’s rays. Trinny London’s Boost Up is a silky balm that gives your skin shot of 30 per cent vitamin C, shielding it from environmental stressors and adding a healthy dose of radiance. Infused with plankton extract, lemon peel and lactococcus ferment, this serum works double-time to even skin tone, revive tired skin and visibly fade dark spots. Best part? It’s refillable, so you’re also helping keep our landfills clear of single-use packaging.
Boost Up 30% VITAMIN C SERUM, Trinny London, $115.
Related: Perfect your routine: the correct way to layer skincare.
REN’s clean Evercalm line offers up excellent options for those seeking cleanest ingredients. Its Barrier Support Face Oil is a lightweight face oil featuring Camellia Japonica seed oil, Inca Inchi oil and Meadowfoam seed oil. The first of these helps soothe skin, reducing signs of sensitivity, while cold-pressed Inca Inchi oil and Meadowfoam help fortify the skin’s barrier while giving a velvety, grease-free finish. The formula itself is made with 100 per cent natural-origin ingredients, is vegan and cruelty-free.
REN Clean Skincare Evercalm Barrier Support Face Oil, Sephora, $75.
Related: ‘Canada’s Drag Race’ winner Icesis Couture partners with Quo Beauty for new pride collection.
This LGBTQ+-owned brand not only features some incredibly fun and inclusive skincare staples, it also does so while making sure to hit major skin goals too. Case in point: the Superbase Hybrid Serum Mist which includes 5,000-year old Icelandic glacier water that blends hyaluronic acid and liquid-vegan collagen. The mist serves up the ultimate refreshing, hydrating and toning base that locks in moisture and leaves your skin feeling its best and – yes – dewy.
Superbase Hybrid Serum Mist, Dew of The Gods, $28.
You might be seeing more sunscreens in stick form and this is for good reason. Easy to carry (and stash in your bag), you can now make sure you stay sun-safe on those days you’re spending most of your time outdoors. Blue Lizard’s slate of sunscreens (including this stick sunscreen) are mineral-based and perfect for sensitive (or pregnancy) skin. If you’re familiar with other mineral sunscreens, you may be aware of the whitecast that often accompanies them, making darker skin look chalky and unnaturally pale. Not so with Blue Lizard’s Zinc Oxide-based SPF 50+ plus. While there is some slight cast (we have yet to see a mineral sunscreen that completely manages to side-step this issue), it is minimal and significantly lower than in many other mineral SPFs currently on the market. It dries on smooth and offers broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection for up to 80 minutes – even while you’re active. The stick is also moisturizing, featuring ingredients such as aloe vera, shea butter, sunflower seed oil, Vitamin E and other good stuff we love. On the flip side, you won’t find any parabens, fragrances or chemical active ingredients.
BLUE LIZARD Sensitive Sunscreen Stick 50 SPF, Amazon, $22.
Related: Everything you wanted to know about sunblock but were too shy to ask.
It can be easy for skincare routines to over-emphasize your face at the expense of the rest of your body, but U BEAUTY’s The SUPER Body Hydrator is restoring some of that balance. Hydrating for up to 48 hours, this luxe-but-lightweight formula is fast-absorbing and glow-boosting. With summer wardrobes having us show more skin, why not show the rest of your body a little more TLC too?
The SUPER Body Hydrator, U BEAUTY, $128.
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