Brace yourself: August 2022 was a big month for beauty. The launches were plentiful—our “Best New Beauty Launches” list is *never* this long. And more importantly, all the new-to-market makeup, haircare, and skincare products were damn good. With every shower session, swatch, and self-care day came a new obsession—and wild results. Some Marie Claire editors found the solution to their perpetually dry skin, while others discovered a new cult-favorite bronzer perfect for an end-of-summer sun-kissed glow. As for me? I can’t stop singing the praises for Live Tinted’s new nude lipstick or playing with my shiny, new NuFace.
Alas, that’s just the tip of the beauty iceberg. Brands reformulated cult-favorites (lookin’ at you Glow Recipe) to be better than ever, released their biggest drop of the year (shoutout Lancôme), and even entered new categories (Tory Burch’s new perfume gets five stars!). To see what our team has been loving—and shop for yourself all the while—scroll ahead.
“I have unbelievably high standards for my lip glosses (read: silky, not tacky, long-lasting, unmatched shine), so trust me when I tell you that this new drop is the real deal. Its formula, which features shea butter, coconut oil, and hyaluronic acid, leaves my lips hydrated for hours. My favorite part about the gloss, however, is the doe-foot applicator. It glides the product on super smooth—no pooling around the edges or clumps in sight.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor
“Glow Recipe is one of my all-time favorite Korean skincare brands, and there's nothing I love better than a gentle chemical exfoliant I can slather on before bed—so I'm extremely excited about the new Watermelon Glow AHA Night Treatment. And I know this isn't the point, but is there a prettier skincare line than Glow Recipe's?” — Jenny Hollander, Director of Content Strategy
“I love a good body scrub, and Bom Dia Bright Body Scrub is one for the books. If you’re prone to bumpy patches and KP (keratosis pilaris), then this glycolic and salicylic acid mash up will retexturize and clear up any congestion on your skin over time. And, even if you already have super smooth skin (yup, I’m jealous) the maracujá seeds will pamper your body, and who can refuse a facial for your body?” — Deena Campbell, Beauty Director
“After a summer of extra sunscreen, sea salt spray, and of course, lots of sweat, I love turning to a new haircare system to cleanse my scalp and strands. Mela & Kera founder and award-winning hair stylist and colorist Jason Lee is the brains behind this new brand and its Balayage Exceptionnel line. The shampoo, conditioner, and styling products (packaged in a beautiful pink) are color-safe and keratin-safe, with a dreamy list of ingredients. The key ingredient across all Mela & Kera products is something called the "Rose of Jericho '' which is sourced from a desert in Mexico. Lee's magic ingredient creates a moisture retention complex that leaves hair velvety and soft to the touch. Altogether, the formulas are proven to reverse damage caused by color processing, and of course, those harsh, August UV rays.” — Tanya Klich, Senior Editor
“After months of formulating and testing, 14th Night launched their Natural Surf Spray, a clean hair product that creates the softest beachy waves and leaves your hair shiny with no dreaded crunch. The surf spray has a lovely pomegranate scent and adorable packaging. It'll leave you feeling like you're seaside long after summer's gone!” — Sara Holzman, Fashion Director
"I've been looking for a lightweight, hydrating, formula to incorporate into my skincare routine now that the weather is going to start getting colder. I have dry skin that flakes in the winter, so I like to start early with extra hydration. This has kept my skin feeling happy and redness-free. I'm chalking it up to the inclusion of snow mushroom extract, which my skin loves.” — Julia Marzovilla, E-Commerce Writer
“Like many of us, I'm beyond excited for launch of Tory Burch's fragrance line, which features five different scents. I'm obsessed with each of them, but I'm a particularly big fan of the Sublime Rose scent. I love florals, but it can be difficult to find a rose scent that won't make me smell like I belong in a retirement home. This one incorporates blackcurrant and patchouli (another of my favorites), which give it a slightly sharper edge than most rose fragrances. The result is a delightful formula that will help me channel my inner flower child no matter what the season is.” — Gabrielle Ulubay, E-Commerce Writer
“Don’t come for me, but I’ve always been a makeup wipe girl. I know it’s bad (read: tugging), but I never really, truly fell head-over-heels in love with an oil cleanser. But this one? It’s good. Really good. With vitamin C and a blend of cold-pressed oils, this balm effectively removes allll my makeup (mascara included) and leaves my skin feeling hydrated, smooth, and soft.” — S.H.
“Typically sunscreens are launched at the start of the summer, which makes sense because we’re all traveling to sun drenched destinations. But True Botanicals wanted to reinforce the fact that sunscreen should be worn year round by launching a mineral-based sunscreen just before the start of fall. The new sunscreen is non-greasy, non-comedogenic and so sheer it seamlessly blends into my almond hued skin. Five minutes after application I didn't have a horrible white cast and my skin looked and felt dewy.” — D.C.
“If you want to turn your shower into a spa, don’t sleep on this body exfoliant. It smells all kinds of wonderful thanks to a blend of vanilla, jasmine, and peppermint. Aside from the delicious scent, the exfoliant is packed with hydrating ingredients that leave skin feeling soft and supple. Using this is a must before any beach day—your skin will be glowing.” — S.H.
“Confession: I love playing chemist and mixing good-for-you skincare ingredients for optimal results. But that all goes out the window when using sheet masks. In most cases, the paper masks are already pre saturated with an essence, so it’s ready to go every time I reach for it. Well that’s not the case with this 2-step hydrating sheet mask. It’s delivered in a single-serve airtight pouch that separates the gel essence from the dry sheet mask until it's ready for use. Simply break the seal and massage the gel essence into the sheet mask until fully saturated. I can’t play chemist with it, but knowing I have a fresh, activated formula each time means the world to me.” – D.C.
“The Marie Claire team has waxed poetic about the best lip balms and glosses. We know our stuff on the hydration front. When it comes to lip masks that don’t skimp on moisture, this Mario Badescu launch has quickly climbed to the top of our list. It’s an overnight mask that pretty much takes away any and all tightness in just a few hours time. Plus, the smell is so soothing; it puts you right to sleep.” — S.H.