From the hand luggage-approved face SPF to the cream bronzer that defines sunkissed perfection, here are the latest products the GTG team can't be without this summer and beyond.
The skin-treat cleanser: Espa Tri-Active Regenerating Cellular Renewal Cleanser, £45
“I agree, £45 is a lot to spend on a face wash, but this multi-acid, enzyme cleanser with a soft physical scrub is something I save for best. I use it as a twice-weekly gentle exfoliating mask; it has a beautiful creamy formula that is a delight to work in. I leave it on for three minutes while I clean my teeth to let the actives get to work loosening and dissolving the dead skin cells. The soft grains then buff it all away as I rinse it off with the fluffy flannel that comes with it. It’s new to Espa’s Tri-Active Regenerating range which is aimed at mature skin and combines plant and marine extracts with essential oils. My face feels baby soft and clean when I use this and it’s a top treat for the back of my hands too." Victoria Woodhall, GTG Editorial Director
The SPF reapplication hero: Hello Sunday The Retouch One Face Mist SPF 30 , £18
"When it comes to face SPFs, I’m notoriously difficult to please. In fact, this was a spur-of-the-moment purchase before going on holiday to Croatia because I wanted a spray-on SPF to protect my scalp (I currently have box braided hair). However, this lightweight, invisible, portable and fragrance-free mist is so good it's taken up permanent position in my handbag. Not only does it have SPF 30, it also protects from infrared rays, pollution and blue light too. What I love most is that it doesn’t leave my oily skin greasy (it’s also suitable for all skin types including sensitive skin) and I can reapply it throughout the day without ruining my makeup. My only tip is to give it a good shake beforehand so you’re not covered in any white dots!" Jemma Thompson, Design and Social Media Manager
Check out some more new SPFs we are loving
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The glowy season palette: Vieve Face Dimension Palette in Dawn , £39
"The Vieve aesthetic is all about creating that perfect, natural-looking dewy, glossy skin - if you haven't ever tried Vieve’s iconic products Skin Dew , £19 and Lip Dew , £17 - then you have to check them out. And this gorgeous limited edition quad is everything you need to achieve that, containing the best-selling bronzer, two blushers and a highlighter. There are two shades to choose from - I used Dawn the lighter one that's perfect for fair-medium skins. Dusk is for medium-tan to deeper skin shades. It's the perfect product for taking on holiday or if you're looking to streamline your makeup bag because you've got all your bases (pun intended) covered." AR
The summer skin quencher: Soap and Glory The Real Zing Body Sorbet, £7.49
“My favourite time to use a body moisturiser is following a long soak in the bath just before bed. As a sufferer of dry skin, I’m always looking for affordable, high-quality moisturisers and Soap and Glory is a new favourite. This month I’ve been slathering on their Real Zing Body Sorbet which is heaven. It comes in an easy, scoopable tub and has a soothing sorbet-like texture that easily massages in. The uplifting fragrance of zesty lemon, lime and neroli blossom leaves you refreshed and zingy plus it contains a radiance-boosting AHA complex to ensure a wonderfully smooth result. It’s vegan and suitable for all skin types too. Three weeks in, and my tub is almost empty, so I’ll be popping this on my beauty shopping list next week as it's such great value.” Marie-Louise Pumfrey, GTG contributor
The glow getter: Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer, £42
"If you are on the lookout for the best cream bronzer may I state my case for this one as I think it's pretty much near perfect. What I love about cream bronzers in general, is that you can really work them into the skin - with a brush or your fingers - making the sunkissed glow look super natural. This is the easiest one to blend I've tried yet. It is foolproof. I am a blonde and always worry about bronzer sitting in my hairline, but this just melts into the skin and gives that hint of being sunkissed. It's not greasy and even has a slightly powdery finish to it so you don't have to worry about looking too shiny. And, one of the biggest plus points is that it comes in a ginormous palette with a mirror in the lid - so on-the-go touch-ups are a cinch." Sarah Jane Corfield-Smith, GTG Writer
The skin brightener: SkinSense Advanced Anti-Pigmentation Perfecting Serum, £36
"This milky serum is perfect for people, like me, who suffer from pigmentation and uneven tone and texture, but can't tolerate aggressive ingredients. Even vitamin C brings me out in bumps. This formula uses niacinamide and a very fancy-sounding ingredient, hexylresorcinol. This ingredient combo has undergone lots of clinical studies and has been found to not only be highly effective at minimising hyperpigmentation and visible signs of ageing without any sensitivity issues, but also gets to work on calming inflammation at the same time. I've been using it for six weeks and my skin looks more radiant, feels strong and even the most stubborn marks left behind from old spots are visibly dialled down. It's impressive stuff." Amber Voller, GTG contributor
The poppiest tinted lip balm: Jones Road Lip Tint , £24
"Tinted lip balms are just so much more forgiving than lipsticks; you can put them on without a mirror and they always add a little plumpness to parched (or ageing) lips. It’s hard to find ones whose colour payoff is not too wishy-washy, though, and I also find that the choice of shades can often be on the neutral and bland side. Not so with Jones Road’s nine Lip Tints: these shades pop, and their satin finish and relatively sense pigment makes them veer towards lipstick, but the comfiest, easiest-to-apply lipstick you’ve ever tried. Raspberry and Ruby are my faves, but frankly, I could wear them all." Ingeborg van Lotringen, GTG Writer
The unisex fragrance: Stories No. 01 Eau De Parfum, £150
"I love genderless fragrances; they give you the power to create your own narrative. When I discovered Stories Parfums (they are not new, but new to me) I was intrigued. Creator Tonya Kidd-Beggs takes it one step further. She refuses to name the perfumes she designs, allowing the wearer to decide the story they want to tell. There are two to choose from, appropriately labelled No. 1 and No. 2, and each has intricate layers, just like ourselves. No. 1 leans towards a citrus fresh, whereas No. 2 (my favourite, if I had to choose) is spicey, deep and musky. A blend of rose, ginger, cardamom, honey tobacco, cedarwood and green tea makes me feel powerful, sexy and confident. This is often my chosen fragrance before a big meeting or first date." Hattie Sloggett, GTG contributor
The sustainable SPF: Upcircle SPF 25 with Raspberry Seed extract, £24.95
"How hard is it to make a truly sustainable and inclusive broad-spectrum SPF? Very, according to Anna Brightman, co-founder of Upcircle Beauty who nearly sent her formulator into a tailspin with this daily SPF that took four years and 20 iterations to get right. It had to not just be planet-friendly but sit well on the skin without being oily, thick, or white while using only non-nano zinc oxide (considered to be the safest mineral filter) and provide a high-performing home for an upcycled food industry byproduct ingredient (raspberry seed extract, to be exact). And they’ve succeeded. While you may think that SPF 25 is low, remember that it still blocks out 96 per cent of rays compared to SPF 30 at 97 per cent. What you get in the pot is actually SPF 28 and Upcircle is currently tinkering with the formula to increase it to 30 in a matter of months. I think this is genius. It absorbs fast, smells faintly but beautifully of lavender, holds makeup expetly and is also refillable." VW
The hair hero: Duck & Dry Hold in Place Flexible Hold Hairspray , £20
"It’s always difficult for me to find a good hairspray. They either have a super-strong hold that makes my hair crunchy, or they deliver shine but it's not long-lasting enough. However, Duck & Dry’s new hairspray combines the best of both worlds. The flexible formula is designed to provide immediate hold to styled hair whilst maintaining its natural bounce and movement. Whether I’m opting for a slick-back ‘model off-duty' bun or a bouncy blowdry, this ultra-fine mist doesn’t leave my tresses sticky or stiff. Plus, it smells pretty good too — think of a fresh wildflower scent without any of the wafty chemicals. " JT
See it in action!
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The holiday saviour: Bali Body Hydrating Face Sunscreen SPF50+ , £23.95
"We all know wearing SPF every day is the key to future-proofing our skin. But not all facial SPFs are created equal. This Australian-made one ticked several all of my SPF requirement boxes: no white cast, it’s not greasy or sticky. It left my skin feeling really hydrated thanks to the vitamin E and glycerine (oilier skins may find they don't even need a moisturiser) but also matte in the places you want it to be and most importantly it contains brilliant broad-spectrum UV protection." AR
The perfect cream blusher: Delilah In Bloom Radiant Liquid Blush in Peony, £22
"I recently interviewed Beyonce's makeup artist, Sir John. He told me cream blushers are the only way to go. And I totally agree - having worn them for years I can confirm they are far easier to manipulate and if you feel you've got a bit too much on, you can tone it down with a wash of concealer or foundation. I discovered this new cream blusher a few weeks ago and I've worn it every day since. It comes in a handy tube so you simply squeeze a small amount onto the back of your hand and dab on. There are two shades to choose, I'm loving the dusky pink of Peony, but if you prefer a punchy pink then Sweet Pea is for you." SJCS
The depuffer: Wishful Eye Lift and Contour 1% Bakuchiol & Peptide Serum 2 x 6.4ml, £36
"Staring at a computer screen, going to bed late, hayfever, getting older, crying at movies, being awake – the list of what makes my eyes puffy could go on for days. So, you can imagine my utter joy when my favourite Wishful released its brand new eye lift and contour wand. Packed full of anti-ageing bakuchiol, antioxidant matcha, and plumping peptides, this lightweight serum feels gloriously cooling and instantly de-puffs, brightens and freshens the skin around my peepers. The pack comes with one inserted cartridge of serum plus one extra for when you run out and can be used anytime, working perfectly under makeup in the morning, refreshingly throughout the day and super calming before bed." HS
The very special signature fragrance: Dries van Noten Voodoo Chile Edp , £195
"I’m a sucker for incense-y perfumes but also for any rock music reference in a product name, so I was always going to give this one, from a shiny line-up of 10 unexpected, original scents by avant-garde Belgian fashion designer Dries van Noten, a go. Thankfully, Voodoo Chile smells as gorgeous as it looks: all trippy, hypnotic patchouli, sandalwood and cannabis, somehow dunked in ice-cool smelling notes of cedar, rosemary and lentisque (mastic) resin. And the bottle can last a lifetime as a vase or just an ornament, somewhat justifying the price. One for Foxy Ladies such as, er, myself." IvL
The age-defying? duo: Nivea Cellular Expert Lift Pure Bakuchiol Anti-Age Face Day Cream, £10 (was £19.99) and Night Cream, £10
"Nivea is so reliable for affordable and effective moisturisers; the new Expert Lift Cellular Advanced (bit of a mouthful!) creams aimed at mature skins like mine are a treat. I don’t believe you need to spend loads on a moisturiser (I prefer to spend on serums) and this duo combines a few well-chosen staples for hydration (hyaluronic acid), richness (shea butter in the night cream) and bakuchiol, the plant that behaves like retinol (unlike retinol it doesn’t go off in sunlight so can be used in the day). I've previously found Nivea moisturisers not rich enough for my dry skin, but these hit the sweet spot between lightness and comfort. The Day Cream has SPF 30 too. They are scented, which can be Marmite - some people adore that classic Nivea smell, but I didn’t find it too much. A hardworking staple that I’ll use to the last drop." VW
The sleep drifter: Levitex Pillow Medium, £70
"I'm aware it might seem a little off-book to add a pillow to our favourite beauty must-have list, BUT it's not called beauty sleep for nothing. So, let me introduce you to the Levitex anti-gravity pillow. Ergonomically shaped using revolutionary foam and covered in cooling nylon, this pillow allows sleeping to be restful by helping your spine stay in the most natural position. The pillow comes in four sizes. Which one you use depends on your height and your preferred sleeping position (there's a helpful guide on the website). As a person who suffers from chronic pain, I often wake up more sore than when I went to bed and whilst this pillow takes a bit of getting used to, because it's not fluffy, once I got the hang of it, I was really impressed. It takes the pressure off in all the right places aiding in a deeper sleep, leading to a much perkier morning and far less concealer for those under-eye bags." HS