The 19 Best Beauty Launches of August 2023
Everyone go and buy Makeup by Mario's new concealer, please and thank you.
I’m in disbelief, but summer is almost over. It’s a sad truth to face, but I’m opting to look on the bright side. Because despite my disappointment that beach days are numbered and colder weather is imminent, August brings many joys to the fold. Impressive, innovative, and quite frankly, game-changing new makeup, skincare, haircare, fragrance, and even beauty tools have entered the Marie Claire beauty closet.
Highly-efficacious complexion products are having a moment; Makeup by Mario just dropped a gorgeous new concealer, while Glossier came out with skincare-powered foundation. It’s apparently the month for good brows too, with Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty and Kosas launching eyebrow products. As we approach Fall (eep), deeply hydrating lip balms, moisturizers, and body lotions are also hitting shelves.
To find out which new items are worth adding to your beauty stockpile, read ahead. Marie Claire editors are sharing their favorite August launches, ahead.
“I’m a huge fan of the SurrealSkin Foundation (if you haven’t tried it, get right on that), so when I found out that Makeup by Mario was coming out with a concealer, my jaw nearly dropped. I recently had the chance to try the product for myself, and to say I’m impressed would be an understatement. The formula is truly one of the only products in existence to camouflage my dark blue under-eye circles. I don’t even need to set the product with powder for it to maintain its pigment throughout the day; it sets on its own. I’ve been using it primarily on my under eyes, but it’s also very effective to brighten around the nose, cupid’s bow, and mouth.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor
“My skincare philosophy can be summed up by this one wise adage: keep it simple, stupid. I keep the products in my daily rotation as bare-bones as possible because my skin is wildly sensitive, and I'm also generally lazy with everything related to beauty upkeep. But when I tested Dr.Jart+'s Vital Hydra Solution moisturizer, I knew I'd have to make time and space in my routine for this newcomer product. The formula includes Hyaluronic Acid, which makes my face look and feel unbelievably supple and plump. It's the perfect product for a non-greasy, glow-y effect.” — Emma Childs, Style Editor
“The Dyson Supersonic Origin is here. It’s a $400 alternative to the regular, pricier, version. The only catch? It comes with fewer attachments—just the Nozzle! This dryer is great if you’ve been thinking about investing in the original Supersonic but don’t want to deal with figuring out how to use the different attachments. Plus, it comes in this very sleek black-and-nickle color way.” — Julia Marzovilla, E-Commerce Editor
"Buildable shadow is unmatched. And these new cream-to-powder shadows are great for day and night time looks, and every look in between. The best part? Wear them alone or mix and match for a flawless look." —Deena Campbell, Beauty Director
“I feel like I've never been able to truly hide my dark circles no matter how many layers of concealers I dab on my under eyes. Then Iconic London came out with this genius product and my problem has been solved. One side of this tube is a creamy, lightweight concealer that blends seamlessly and is easy to build up coverage. On the other side is a brightening crayon that cancels out any under-eye darkness. I like to layer the two to create an extra-bright under eye.” — Brooke Knappenberger, Writer
“I’m typically a body wash type-of-girl, but this bar soap is one of my faves because it provides a non-drying cleanse, which is exactly what my skin needs as we enter the Fall season. The square shape perfectly fits in my hand, allowing me to fully enjoy the delightful mix of bergamot, ylang ylang, and lime. “ —Deena Campbell, Beauty Director
“I’m not big on wearing foundation in the summer, but if it has a serum-like texture, I'm all in. Not only is this one a perfect match for my tanned skin, but its water-, sweat-, humidity-, and transfer-resistant, which means it’ll stand the test of time for seasons to come.” —Deena Campbell, Beauty Director
“Glossier has been around for nearly a decade, so it’s pretty shocking to think that they *just* launched their first foundation. It’s been in the works for a few years, and let me be the first to tell you, it’s a very Glossier product. Of course, the packaging is simple and sleek. The product is primarily made of skincare ingredients. And the finish is just as weightless and light coverage as you would expect. It lets my natural skin tone and texture shine through, which has made it my go-to for days when I really don’t want to look like I have any makeup on.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor
“I have dry skin that needs lots of moisture, especially in the winter. However, my typical summer face cream was proving to be too heavy this year, so I pulled out this oil-free moisturizer and packed it with me on a recent family trip to Denver. It kept my skin feeling hydrated but not sticky in the heat, wore well under makeup, and gave my skin a healthy look on the days where I opted out of makeup altogether. The formula is cooling on the skin and is easy layer-able without pilling or separating. I used it day and night in Denver and didn’t feel like I needed anything else.” — Julia Marzoville, E-Commerce Editor
“The buzz about this eyebrow product is warranted. I’m a clear brow gel girl through and through—and I’ve tried my fair share. Most of them either feel so stiff they make me incapable of movement, leave white flakes behind, or don’t last more than a few hours. This gel however defies the norm. The brush is shorter than most, which actually gives the user greater control over the shape of the overall brow and positioning of each individual hair. It has a slightly waxy feel and genuinely stays adhered to the hair all day long. In all my months of using it, I’ve never seen a white flake or had a brow hair out of place.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor
“I’ve been using Riki Loves Riki mirrors for the greater part of my adult life. They know a thing or two about bright light, so it wasn’t *too* much of a surprise when they decided to try their luck in the LED light sector. Enter: Miracle, a silicone blue and red light patch that targets a pimple’s inflammation and bacteria. Just peel off the adhesive, stick on your problem spot, and let it work some magic for six minutes. I promise: Your blemish will be gone sooner than you ever thought possible.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor
“I love a multi-tasking beauty product and this leave-in treatment pretty much does it all. First off, it works as a leave-in conditioner and detangler that leaves hair crazy soft. Then, it works as a heat protectant of up to 450 degrees, all the while strengthening hair and reducing split ends. Basically, it's about four products in one and is now the only thing I need to use on my post-wash hair. I've been using this spray for a few weeks now I can personally attest that my hair feels softer and much smoother.” — Brooke Knappenberger, Writer
“I have a different lip product in every pocket, bag, and desk drawer. I’m a firm believer that you can never, ever have enough. Typically, I’ll use whatever I have on-hand—I’m not all too picky. That said, I haven’t used anything other than this Restorative Lip Treatment since I got my hands on it; it comes with me everywhere. It has a silky texture, which is a nice contrast to some of the goopier, thicker lip treatments on the market. Despite its thin consistency, the formula is able to maintain its slip and hydration for hours. I truly only need to reapply it a couple times throughout the day for 24 hour hydration.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor
“ICYMI: It’s Disney’s 100th anniversary. One of the many ways the brand is celebrating is via a limited-edition collaboration with Charlotte Tilbury. You can buy each item separately, but if you really want to be a collector, scoop up the entire four-piece kit. It comes with three Beauty Light Wands and Magic Cream, all of which have a special Tinkerbell design emblazoned on the packaging. You also get a velvet makeup bag topped off with pixie dust.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor
“I have fairly bushy brows to begin with, so I’ve never been one to try a product designed to make them look even fuller. This new one from Kosas, though, has changed my mind. As I’ve gotten older I have a few balder spots in the front of my brows but traditional brow pencils leave lines that look too obvious. This one draws lines that virtually disappear into my hair. I liked it so much that I used it to fill in the tail end of my brows to make them both look even.” — Julia Marzovilla, E-Commerce Editor
“Whether you just walked off the beach, or just want to make people think you did, this three-in-one product deserves a spot in your bag. It’s a blush, highlighter, and topper in one, convenient palette so you can customize your flush and glow. It’s available in six different shades so you can decide which intensity best suits your skin. I personally like to apply this product with a brush, but you can use your fingers if that’s more your speed.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor
“It’s been a solid five months since I had my hair colored. My blonde has been looking a bit brassy and is leaning more brunette than I prefer. I was *this* close to begging my colorist to squeeze me in for a last minute appointment, when I felt inspired to try Davines’ latest launch. It’s a bonding serum designed to enhance blonde tone, provide extra shine, and restore intensity of the (fake) blonde hue. After jumping out of the shower and blow drying my hair, I felt so refreshed, I actually pushed my hair color appointment back a few weeks. My color looks, dare I say, just as fresh as when I first get it done.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor
“As a member of the Fine Hair Club, I’m constantly looking for products that give a little grit and volume to my hair. Enter: Boldify’s Thicken + Volume Shampoo, which was given a refresh this month. Just one wash left every strand of hair feeling thicker, plumper, and coarser, which made styling *so* much easier. My hair actually maintained volume in humidity and was able to hold a curl for hours.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor
“If you thought makeup removers were created the same, think again. This new formulation consist of two phases: the top phase features a blend of skin conditioning emollients that gently remove waterproof eye makeup, while the bottom phase combines purified water and a mild surfactant to remove non-waterproof (water soluble) eye makeup. Genius!” — Deena Campbell, Beauty Director
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Samantha Holender is the Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she reports on the best new launches, dives into the science behind skincare, and shares the breakdown on the latest and greatest trends in the beauty space. She's studied up on every ingredient you'll find on INCI list and is constantly in search of the world's glowiest makeup products. She's constantly tracking the biggest nail and hair trends to pop up in the beauty space, going backstage during fashion weeks, tracking celebrity looks, and constantly talking to celebrity hair stylists, nail artists, and makeup artists. Prior to joining the team, she worked as Us Weekly’s Beauty and Style Editor, where she stayed on the pulse of pop culture and broke down celebrity beauty routines, hair transformations, and red carpet looks. Her words have also appeared on Popsugar, Makeup.com, Skincare.com, Delish.com, and Philadelphia Wedding. Samantha also serves as a board member for the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME). She first joined the organization in 2018, when she worked as an editorial intern at Food Network Magazine and Pioneer Woman Magazine. Samantha has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs. While at GWU, she was a founding member of the school’s HerCampus chapter and served as its President for four years. When she’s not deep in the beauty closet or swatching eyeshadows, you can find her obsessing over Real Housewives and all things Bravo. Keep up with her on Instagram @samholender.
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