The new beauty launches never stop coming—and yet, the high-quality makeup, skincare, and hair products that launch still manage to amaze me. Innovation is at an all-time high and formulas are more elegant than ever. In the spirit of summer, brands released plenty of beach day-approved items, including (but by no means limited to) weightless skin tints, refreshing face mists, and stunning sunscreens. There have also been a handful of soon-to-be cult classics that I plan on keeping stocked year round (read: Olaplex’s new Volumizing Blow Dry Mist and Too Faced’s mascara primer).
Testing beauty products has truly been an all-hands-on-deck activity at the Marie Claire offices—and every single staff member has jumped in on the swatching, nail painting, and skincare experimenting action. Here, you’ll find which products yours truly and the rest of the Marie Claire team simply can’t get enough of. If a product made its way onto this list, you can trust it’s a worthwhile purchase.
"When I travel I try to embrace the phrase: “less is more.” Sure I’d love to have all my lipsticks, toners and serums at the ready, but sometimes it's nice to just bring my favorites—not my entire bathroom counter. Enter Cuyana’s Travel Beauty Roll. It’s made of butter soft Italian leather that’s durable and functional enough to bring on short weekend getaways or week-long jaunts. It has just enough space to store a few must-haves, yet not enough space for all my go-tos. What’s more? The leather lining wipes clean so you’re covered when your favorite lippie melts in your bag. Simply wipe it with a cotton pad and you’re done!" — Deena Campbell, Beauty Director
“I don’t do full coverage of anything in the summer—if it feels heavy, it’s not coming near my face. Enter, the brand-new Hourglass skin tint, which feels like absolutely nothing on my skin. It borders on tinted moisturizer territory thanks to its profile of uber-hydrating ingredients, but actually delivers a surprising amount of coverage. I’ve been applying it with my fingers and am continuously amazed by how easy it blends into my skin—and in awe of the glow it leaves behind.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor
“My lashes tend to stubbornly resist my attempts at curling and volumizing, no matter how many eyelash curlers and novel formulas I use. The only mascara that's come close to making a significant difference in the look of my lashes has been Too Faced's beloved Better than Sex formula, so you can imagine my excitement when I discovered that the brand was releasing a mascara primer, which is aptly called Foreplay. It's made with nourishing argan and grape seed oils, and helps volumize lashes in only ten seconds after application, so that when it comes time to apply the mascara itself, you can rest assured that your once-lowered lashes will begin to rise sky-high.” — Gabrielle Ulubay, E-Commerce Writer
"I love outdoor candles, but the smell of citronella makes my head hurt. That's why this one, filled with geranium essence that reveals rose notes once lit, is my go-to for the season. Scent aside, it also looks super modern next to my wooden patio furniture while I sip cold lemonade." — Deena Campbell, Beauty Director
“At this stage, there's nothing the Barbie marketing team could throw at me that I wouldn't eat up. That includes this Barbie electric toothbrush from Kendall Jenner-approved brand Moon, which boasts five modes and six weeks' worth of battery life. Done and done.” — Jenny Hollander, Content Strategy Director
"Black-owned and community driven, OurX is a customized hair care system that truly keeps your preferences in mind. First, I took an assessment to determine which products are best for my 4C hair, then a few weeks later an entire kit landed at my door with my specifications needs and preferences. The new set includes a full-size hair oil, shampoo and mask." — Deena Campbell, Beauty Director
"Split ends come at you hard and fast, and if you're ill-prepared they can wreak havoc on your entire hairstyle. To minimize split ends, I like to reach for this serum that's not too runny and loaded with proteins." — Deena Campbell, Beauty Director
“If you know me, you know I’m a *huge* Dazzle Dry fan. Something about the design of the brush makes it the easiest polish to apply. There’s no mess—and it lasts for days. My newest obsession from the line is this stunning blue shade, which is ideal if you’re trying to recreate the blueberry milk nails that have been spotted on Dua Lipa, Sophia Richie, and Sabrina Carpenter.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor
“In the summer, I take pride and joy in my beach bag. It’s stocked with all the necessities, including this new Charlotte Tilbury launch which has become my absolute savior on hot, humid days. It’s packed with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, which makes it the perfect skin pick-me-up when I’m spending time in the sun. The glow is truly instant (as is to be expected with all Charlotte products) and it gets bonus points in my book for the cooling effect it has on the skin.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor
“I notoriously love flamingos, to the point that I often tell people that I’m set on having a flamingo-themed birthday party (one of these years, I’ll actually do it). As a result, I was delighted when I discovered that luxury clean beauty brand Emilie Heathe was coming out with a new lip and nail set inspired by this bird’s eye-catching color. The nail polish, whose shade is called Fling, is made with non-toxic oils and antioxidants meant to nourish your nails and help them grow long and strong. Meanwhile, the lip color, Cosmo, is a semi-sheer bright pink shade made with ginseng, camellia tea, and coffee, to soothe skin and prevent fine lines.” — Gabrielle Ulubay, E-Commerce Writer
“As mentioned, I'm a sucker for all things Barbie beauty this season, and I love the bright pastel shades—especially, of course, the hot pink—in this OPI x Barbie collection.” —Jenny Hollander, Content Strategy Director
“With New York’s soupy, sludgy summer weather, I try to keep my daytime skincare routine as simple as possible. At night, however, I look for products that will work double-time—and The Inkey List’s new NovoRetin moisturizer has secured a spot in my evening routine. While other retinol products become less effective in the time following application, NovoRetin’s formula blocks the enzymes that normally break down retinoic acid, making it work harder for longer. At the price point, it’s hard to beat!” — Lucia Tonelli, Social Media Editor
“I’m a big body oil girl. It gives a great glow in the summer and is non-negotiable when I’m wearing shorts or a skirt. As for my favorites? I have a few, but this fig-scented innovation from Caudalie has quickly climbed to the top of my list. It has a non-sticky, fast-absorbing texture and smells absolutely delightful. The formula is great too, featuring prickly pear and argan oils to hydrate and nourish the skin.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor
“Ilia recently made their foray into skincare with their eye cream, and as of this month, they’re expanding into the cleanser category. As to be expected—it’s a good one. Unlike other foaming cleansers on the market, this one actually removes all my makeup, which is a big feat without an oil base. It’s still pretty hydrating and leaves my skin with a soft feel. I do run on the drier side though, so I make sure to follow up with moisturizer right away.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor
“I’m normally a skeptic of do-it-all products, but I was seriously impressed by this anti-aging powerhouse. The serum is two-fold: It’s part serum and part oil, which creates a super luxurious and nourishing beauty product packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and moisturizers. After using this every night for a few weeks, I can confidently say that my skin looks tighter, more hydrated, and all around healthier.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor
“I take my sunscreen very seriously, so when I say that this is one of the best formulas I’ve ever tried, believe me. It’s a chemical formula that has no white cast, an extremely elegant texture, and intense hydration that lasts for eight hours. My favorite part about this formula however is how beautifully it layers on under makeup. It grips my foundation, minimizes the look of my pores, and gives a subtle sheen that makes my skin look as hydrated as it feels.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor