Glossy Picks: 16 summer beauty and wellness buys we had to tell you about

13 August 2024

Dozens of new buys landed on our desks this week, and these are the ones that wowed us

Any products in this article have been selected editorially however if you buy something we mention, we may earn commission

Every week we sift through boxes of new beauty and wellness drops and select the standouts to try not just on ourselves, but on our friends and family. We look for real-world feedback as to whether something is genuinely worth your time and money. We pore over ingredients’ lists, we sniff and we squeeze, searching for solutions to our own pain points – because they are probably yours as well.

For example, Beauty director Ingeborg has mature and sensitive skin, and knows that one particular teen skincare brand will come up trumps for her. This week it’s their new milky toner. Our content coordinator Isla is the first to try viral TikTok trends and says that yes, a plumping lip oil that’s sold out twice really does live up to the hype. Meanwhile, find out which cult cleanser beauty director SJ has had to prize from her young daughter’s hands, and which damage-repairing conditioner impressed Becki, who’s qualified in cosmetic chemistry.

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SJ Corfield-Smith, GTG Beauty Director's picks

Drunk Elephant The Littles 7.0, £70

"Whether you need to travel light this summer or you’ve always wanted to try out cult Drunk Elephant skincare, this travel-sized skincare edit is a great place to start as it contains a full day and night routine. In the morning, start with the Beste jelly cleanser (I highly recommend buying in full size) and then layer the C-Hydra 15% vitamin C serum with the B-Hydra ceramide serum and Protini peptide moisturiser. In the evening, cleanse again and go in with the TLC Famboos glycolic serum and peptide moisturiser. Plus it all comes in a gorgeous zip-up pouch. Easy!"

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Bubble First Class Oil Cleanser, £17

"Bubble skincare has been one of the big skin hits this year and appeals to tweens, teens and grownups alike. This First Class oil cleanser is one of three new cleansers. I’ve managed to wrest it from my daughter’s hands as it’s too heavy for her young skin, but it's very much what I need as a first cleanse to get off SPF, makeup and London commuting grime. Containing prickly pear, rosehip and sunflower seed oils, it has a lovely slip, feels delightful to massage in and turns to a milk when you add water. It'll leave your skin feeling plump and juicy."

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Leighton Denny Nail Illuminator Blush, £14

"Nail highlighters are the bare nail enhancers you never knew you needed you need. They give a barely-there milky coat that makes your natural nails look instantly healthy. This new one from Leighton Denny works as a base coat but also brings a glow and luminosity to your nails, much like a makeup highlighter would to your skin. This is brilliant between gel manis when you need to revive the appearance of your nails."

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Q+A Collagen Body Butter, £10

"If you love an unctuous body butter then let me introduce you to this great budget buy. It’s creamy and buttery with vegan collagen to plump as well as squalane and shea butter to moisturise. It does require a little bit of working in but doesn’t feel sticky or greasy and has a lovely light scent that’s not cloying. A great option for dry or post-sun skin that needs soothing."

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Ingeborg van Lotringen, GTG Contributing Beauty Editor's picks

Sisterly The Elevator Powder Food Supplement, £107 for 30 servings

"Made for women by women (“because women are not small men,” LOL), these powder sachets deliver pretty much all the nutrients grown-up women need and, at times of hormonal and stress upheaval, often lack. There are 24 vitamins and micronutrients to support energy and metabolism, immunity, hormonal balance, bone health, cravings and skin, hair and nails, and all at meaningful levels and in bioavailable forms. They make for a zesty, not queasily sweet, drink that you can take as a shot."

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Monpure SPF50 Sunscreen Scalp & Face, £75

"Yes this is bloody expensive, but there are very few broad-spectrum SPF 50s that can be rubbed into the scalp or even just the hairline without making a hot mess of your hair. This unscented niacinamide and hyaluronic acid-powered milk is really very light and doesn’t make my fine hair tacky or sticky. I normally don’t look after my scalp in the sun very well but I’ll chuck this in my holiday washbag this year. UV damage is more than capable of damaging follicles and so interrupt healthy hair growth."

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Victoria Beckham Beauty Posh Balm Nourishing Lip Shine, £30

"You can never have too many tinted lip balms, especially if they go well with your VB sunglasses. These come in four sheer (and I mean sheer) shades that leave lips shiny indeed, and turn them nice and plump as well. A mix of seed butters, cucumber seed oil and ‘a lanolin alternative’ (no wool was harmed in the process), these sticks are nice and firm, not meltingly squashy. This is just as well, as you’ll have to put in some elbow grease to get colour payoff – these were made for the seriously lipstick-shy. Still, they’re lovely to use and the red and cassis, which are the two darkest shade leave a juicy bit of a tint."

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Indu Hydrate & Nourish Tonic Milk, £18

"If it’s mild enough for teenagers it’s mild enough for me, I say, so I like quite a few of Indu’s teen-targeted products. Its new Tonic Milk is like the serum milky toners we’ve seen from Dr Jart (the texture is a Korean invention) and Rhode, meant to quench and soften without any weight. Fragrance-free, it has nothing but soothing and healing stuff in it – allantoin, oat and rice extracts, prebiotics, ceramides and lactobionic acid. Just pat on for a skin drink and a nice, calm glow."

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Isla Huffadine, GTG Content Coordinator's picks

Ouai St Barts Hair and Body Mist, £26

"If you’ve already had your summer holiday, this hair and body mist is the perfect way to keep the out-of-office vibes alive. It blends dragon fruit, orange blossom, musk, and heady tuberose to create a nevertheless light citrusy scent that can be spritzed all over. Close your eyes and you’ll be whisked away to a Caribbean poolside, cocktail in hand. The 97ml bottle is perfect to pop in your bag for a quick pick-me-up or fruity refresher. Your spirits will be instantly lifted.

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LA Space No 98 Ghost Candle, £55

"Influencer and entrepreneur Lorna Luxe has released this candle as part of her clothing brand LA Space called the No 98 Ghost Candle. It's inspired by her home, dubbed the ‘ghost house’, because of the glass design and hidden appearance as you approach. It is a collaboration with British perfume designer Azzi Glasser, known for her fragrance brand The Perfumer’s Story and for working with A-listers, including Orlando Bloom and Johnny Depp. Here, amberwood, myrrh and Chinese cedarwood create a deep musky scent, especially relaxing when lit in the evenings. It comes in pink or black and with a decent burn time of 45 hours.”."

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Prada Paradoxe Virtual Flower EDP, from £69 for 30ml

"I've discovered the perfume of summer thanks to Prada’s delightful new blend of vert de bergamot, jasmine and musk. It's fresh, floral and feminine, perfect for everyday wear. It’s light but equally has longevity throughout the day. The bottle design references the iconic triangle Prada logo, and sits sideways on your dresser. You can buy 100ml refills online for £115, reducing packaging waste and saving you £79 compared to buying two 50ml bottles”

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Project Lip Plump Juice Plumping Lip Oil, £16

"I love trying sell-out products to see if they live up to the hype, so I had to get my hands on the new shades of this plumping lip oil gloss after selling out globally - four times! The watermelon flavour has a light pink tint and its formula has a non-sticky, glossy finish - giving you a seriously shiny pout. Unlike other plumping glosses that can feel irritating due to ingredients designed to slightly swell the lips, this one is packed with plumping peptides that work over time rather than the usual instant tingle. The addition of hyaluronic acid ensures hydration and a smooth finish."

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Becki Murray, GTG Contributing Editor's picks

K18 Damage Shield Protective Conditioner, £39

"If you have fine yet tangly hair like mine, I think you’re going to fall in love with this conditioner from bond-building specialists K18, just as quickly as I did. Instead of having to squeeze out what feels like half the bottle to cut through knots, a little goes a long way, which also means each strand doesn’t get weighed down. I noticed that it gave my hair a super shiny, swishy finish that lasted beyond rough drying my hair too. It’s definitely on my repurchase list."

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Givenchy Beauty Prisme Libre Loose Powder, £52

"Givenchy’s iconic loose powder might not be the most affordable, but it is one of the best. Now freshly reformulated, it's even finer than before, with four tones that work together to colour correct and blur away redness and dullness throughout the day. You might need to play around with how much of each tone works for your skin tone and concerns, but when you get it right you’ll really notice the airbrush effect it has on your complexion. I’ve found that I’m picking up my concealer a lot less."

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Dr Jart+ Ceramidin Skin Barrier Moisturizing Milky Lotion, £33

"About to embark on a holiday somewhere stunningly hot? (or, have an oily complexion all year round?) This is the moisturiser I’d pack first. It contains all the moisturising goodness of Dr Jart+’s original (and award-winning) Ceramidin Cream – namely, nourishing ceramides and panthenol, with the added bonus of moisturising glycerin - but in a super lightweight and refreshing texture. I’ve found pressing it gently into my skin helps prep perfectly for makeup too."

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Chanel Stylo Ombre Et Contour 3-in-1 Eyeshadow-Eyeliner-Kohl Pencil, £34

"Chanel’s new 3-in-1 eye sticks are a multitasking hero for anyone who likes to get their makeup done in a flash. The chunky nib and creamy texture make the pencil really easy and enjoyable to use. In a single stroke you can achieve impressive colour payoff and eye-defining finishes, whether you weld it as an eyeshadow, liner or kohl. Celestial Pink is my top shade recommendation for a full wash of colour over your eyelids."

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