As the saying goes, "all good things must come to an end," and the final days of summer are quickly approaching — it seems like stores are promoting new fall inventory before we’ve even squeezed in the last of our outdoor brunches and neon pedicures. And just as the seasons abruptly change, so do the products that we love.
With so many new innovations and formulas on the market from month to month, it’s hard to stick with just one product. Luckily, shopping for new beauty goodies is much more fun than packing up your flowy dresses and bringing out your heavy knit sweaters. Ahead, we’re rounding up some of our favorite products from this past month that made the last vestiges of summer that much sweeter.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
Ole Henriksen PHAT Glow Facial
"I tried this formula ahead of its launch and was blown away by my results. The new recipe has polyhydroxy acids (PHAs, hence its kitschy name), which work similarly to AHAs. So, if you’re sensitive to potent acids, this is a gentle alternative. In 15 minutes, the formula transformed from a squishy bubblegum texture into a clay-like finish that didn’t make my face feel taut. I also didn’t experience any stinging or tingling, which is common with most at-home facials. I was left with beaming, bright skin after one use, and I couldn’t stop taking makeup-free selfies, which is a great indicator that Phat Glow is a keeper." — Aimee Simeon, beauty writer
Ole Henriksen PHAT Glow Facial will be available on sephora.com on August 5 and at Sephora stores on August 9.
Sahajan Lip Karma
"Lip balm flavors can be tricky. Pick something too fruity and you can feel like you’re constantly sipping on a cocktail. Pick something that tastes too much like dessert and boom, all you can think about is cinnamon buns or something else. This lip balm from the Ayurvedic brand Sahajan has found the sweet spot with a creamy formula that’s offered in two lovely, neutral flavors: mint and vanilla. Best of all: the brand’s partnered with Plan International ‘s Because I Am A Girl campaign, which helps fund education for young girls worldwide, to donate one day of school for every purchase of the balm." — Rachel Lubitz, senior beauty writer
sahajan Lip Karma, $19, available at sahajan
Peach and Lily Super Reboot Resurfacing Mask
"When I found out that I was going to be treated to a facial with Peach & Lily founder’s Alicia Yoon, I knew it would be good, but it was this resurfacing mask that took the experience to a new level. I’ve always been a fan of acid-packed peels and serums, but after only having this mask on for 10 minutes (instructions say to keep it on for 15-20), I saw a radical difference. My skin looked so good — soft, smooth, hydrated — that I didn’t wear makeup (except for some mascara) for the next three days." — Samantha Sasso, beauty writer
Peach and Lily Super Reboot Resurfacing Mask, $43, available at Peach and Lily
Babor Calming Rx MicroSilver Concentrate
"For the last six months, I’ve been living with two pesky dry patches — one on my cheek and another just above my lip. I’d cover it in ceramide balms, hydrating oils, and layers of Aquaphor in the hopes that the skin would balance itself out. Unfortunately, it did not — at least, not until I used this serum. After complaining about the itchy inflamed dry spots to a friend, she recommended I use Babor’s MicroSilver Concentrate that’s specifically formulated to address dehydrated skin. Despite my general defeat surrounding the skin issue, I tried it… and it worked. Within a week, the patches had disappeared. The only bad news: I’m now addicted to a $50 serum." — Sasso
Babor Calming Rx MicroSilver Concentrate (0.47 oz.), $50, available at DermStore
Smashbox Studio Skin Full Coverage 24 Hour Foundation
"I almost never wear full-coverage foundations. They’re cakey, and I never feel like myself when I’m so covered up. Turns out, I’m willing to make an exception to my no-full-coverage rule for this foundation. It’s waterproof, long-wearing (I haven’t tried keeping it on for 24 hours, but I wouldn’t doubt it holds up), and hides everything; there’s really no need to even bother with concealer. As a cherry on top of this sweet deal, it uses skin-care ingredients like kaolin clay, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin E to hydrate and mattify the skin while preventing breakouts. If I were Chandler Bing I’d ask, could it be more perfect?" — Sasso
Smashbox Studio Skin Full Coverage 24 Hour Foundation, $36, available at Sephora
Saint Jane Luxury CBD Beauty Serum
"After I wrote about my rosacea misdiagnosis, Saint Jane sent me their serum that has 550 milligram of full-spectrum CBD since customers have raved about its ability to calm redness and clear breakouts. I wasn’t really into the CBD beauty trend before, but this serum made me a believer. Although the strong scent required some getting used to, I saw a drastic difference in just one night with my skin being the calmest it’s ever been. I haven’t experienced any redness or blemishes since I began using it." — Thatiana Diaz, beauty writer
Saint Jane Luxury CBD Beauty Serum, $125, available at Sephora
DevaCurl Scalp & Curl Revitalizer
"When trying to refresh my curls on day three or four, I find that dry shampoo sits heavy on my hair and makes it look messy (and not the cute L.A. kind of messy) and water makes it too frizzy. This new spray is the perfect sweet spot that erases odor but makes my hair look just as good as it did on day one. So, I no longer have to resort to updos or hats out of frustration." — Diaz
DevaCurl Scalp & Curl Revitalizer, $24, available at Sephora
Solved Skincare Coconut Oil Cleansing Pads
"I hate waking up in the morning with black seeping from my bottom lashline — as if I didn’t use a makeup wipe and an oil cleanser the night before. So, when I saw Soko Glam’s Charlotte Cho raving about these coconut oil pads on Instagram, I knew I had to give them a try. Aside from the pocket that keeps my fingers from getting greasy, the real magic is in the makeup-removing power. The coconut oil-drenched pad melted off every bit of my eye makeup (even waterproof mascara) with no tugging necessary. I can finally wake up looking halfway decent— although there’s nothing I can do about the bed head." — Diaz
Solved Skincare Coconut Oil Cleansing Pads, $25, available at Soko Glam
In Common Clear Haze Universal Shampoo
"Celebrity hairstylists Nikki Lee and Riawna Capri — who tag-team cut and color the hair of Emma Roberts, Julianne Hough, and Hilary Duff — designed this shampoo to "do something different." Unlike most shampoos that squirt out of a tube as a runny cream, this one comes in a foaming mousse formula, which makes the routine process of massaging my scalp kind of fun (something I never thought I’d say about shampooing). More importantly, after I rinse it out, my hair feels refreshingly clean and super soft." — Megan Decker, beauty writer
In Common CLEAR HAZE UNIVERSAL SHAMPOO, $35, available at In Common
Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Serum
"This hyaluronic-acid serum is new to the States, but it’s already a best-seller in Canada, where Indeed Labs was founded. After using it for a few weeks, pressing the clear gel into my skin after cleansing both morning and night, I know why. It’s gentle, sinks in on contact, and, knock on wood, my skin has been completely clear since I started using it." — Decker
Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Serum, $24.99, available at Ulta Beauty
Pixi From Head to Toe Endless Shade Stick
"I love a chubby shadow stick, and this new one from Pixi is gorgeous. It’s this shiny copper-taupe shade that you can use as an eyeshadow by rubbing the color all over your lids, but I actually prefer to run the creamy crayon-like pencil across my upper lashline only to create a gold shimmer liner." — Decker
Pixi From Head to Toe Endless Shade Stick, $14, available at Target
Clove + Hallow Liquid Skin Tint
"A couple weeks ago, I achieved peak gracefulness by falling off the treadmill while trying to change my true-crime podcast to another true-crime podcast. I survived, but not without a few gnarly abrasions on the left side of my face. I hid in my house for a few days while the rawest spots healed, but upon my inevitable reemergence into society, this clean, lightweight foundation was my saving grace for concealing redness and scabbing without actively making it worse. I used a sponge to pat it on for extra coverage, but now that the state of my face no longer puts me at risk of looking like I got into a bar fight, I smooth it on with my fingers over SPF and stay fresh-faced and subtly blur-filtered all day." — Rachel Krause, senior beauty editor
Clove + Hallow Liquid Skin Tint, $26, available at Clove + Hallow
Yves Saint Laurent Water Stain Lip Stain
"Look, I won’t lie to you: If you’re looking for budge-proof, all-day wear, Maybelline Super Stay kind of thing, this ain’t it. But for my purposes, as a person who loves a hydrating hit of color that melts into your lips in a way that looks almost natural but won’t wear off in a weird uneven pattern, this is the one. Right now, I am all about 617 Dive in the Nude, which is the perfect sexy flush on my very fair skin. As with all things YSL, the packaging is wildly chic, so I don’t mind reapplying a few times a day." — Krause
Yves Saint Laurent Water Stain Lip Stain, $37, available at Sephora
MCMC Mociun Fragrance
"I can’t stop spraying this lush scent — which might sound like a platitude people just say, but I actually spray this about five times before I leave the house because I cannot get enough of it. It’s bright and just the slightest bit sweet, with notes of white musk and amber to keep it warm and close to the skin rather than perfume-y. It’s perfect for summer, not just because it’s so fresh and clean, but also because nobody wants to stand next to someone wearing half a bottle of Black Orchid on a packed F train on the hottest day of the year." — Krause
MCMC MOCIUN 10ml perfume oil, $55, available at MCMC
Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Seaglass Eyeshadow
"I didn’t think I needed another liquid eyeshadow in my life until I tried this one by Tarte. It blends so easily with or without primer, and is packed with the prettiest micro-fine glitter that stays put all day." — Karina Hoshikawa, beauty & wellness market writer
Tarte Rainforest of the Sea seaglass eyeshadow, $22, available at Tarte
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Diamonds Lipstick in Lucky Diamonds
"It’s no secret that Charlotte Tilbury knows her way around a good lipstick, and her new sparkly formulas inspired the iconic Pillow Talk lipstick are more perfect than I could’ve ever hoped for. The rosy, bronze Lucky Diamonds shade instantly warms up my olive complexion, and is shimmery without being hit-you-over-the-head glittery (not that there’s anything wrong with that either). " — Hoshikawa
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Diamonds Lipstick in Lucky Diamonds, $34, available at Charlotte Tilbury
"A few months ago I was devoted to my essence. Now, I’m an emulsion woman all the way. This milky product from Korean beauty brand AHC is somewhere between a toner and a serum in consistency, and it packs a huge moisture kick. After using a few pumps, my skin takes on that sweaty-dewy look that is so popular in skin-care ads. I’m so devoted to this product that I can’t spend more than one day without it. I was even willing to dig through mountains of packing paper and cardboard boxes to get my daily fix after an apartment move." — Jessica Cruel, deputy beauty director
AHC Aqualuronic Hydrating Emulsion , $26.99, available at Target
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Pore Perfecting & Refining Serum
"I am well aware that the only real way to erase the large, often-clogged pores on my nose and cheeks is with the blur tool on Facetune, but this serum helps them look a whole lot smoother. I used it in three different climates over the course of several weeks, and my oily skin looked clearer, radiant, and much more balanced, without the drying effects of other salicylic acid products." — Cat Quinn, beauty director
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Pore Perfecting & Refining Serum, $65, available at Sephora
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Source: Refinery29 – Thatiana Diaz