From a cult blusher reissue to new hair saviours and – whoopee! – the Hourglass mascara we've been waiting for, it's all here on our July lust list
The chance to be able to venture out for dinner and visit friends has put a whole new spin on what we're demanding from our beauty regimes right now. A bit of the old grooming is back – tbh we were over the barefaced PJ look weeks ago.
We're upping our wattage with eye-opening lash enhancers and a gloss-enhancing BB hair cream and a colour reviver that make you look like you bagged one of those coveted early appointments since salons reopened. Here are 12 goodies we've tried, tested and loved.
Hourglass Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara, £29
Loved by: Victoria Woodhall, editorial director
“I thought that Hourglass already made the perfect mascara with Caution Extreme Lash Mascara, but now there’s a new contender. Instant Extensions is part of the Unlocked collection of this vegan, cruelty-free brand. The collection donates five per cent of profits to the Nonhuman Rights Project, which works to free animals in captivity.
"So what’s this mega mazzy, with its promise of 'Instant Extensions' like? The fine spoolie creates natural-looking fanned out, long, straight lashes with deep colour payoff. I'm most impressed with the way it works on bottom lashes; I don't know how but it makes them longer, straighter and thicker. I found no annoying crumbling or flaking as the day wore on and my lashes stayed soft rather than 'set' so I could apply another coat for evening. This is for you if you love defined long lashes rather than thicker smokey types. It’s a tubing mascara that glides off with water and is available from hourglasscosmetics.co.uk from today and Space NK from 17 July.”
Alpha-H Vitamin E, £29
Loved by: Marie-Lousie Pumfrey , GTG contributor
“Recently I’ve become overwhelmed by the number of face serums, hydration creams and botanical oils on the market. They all claim miraculous benefits from lifting, plumping, anti-wrinkle, anti-ageing to calming, smoothing and brightening. I’m beginning to feel like a rabbit in headlights and my nighttime routine is getting out of control. Luckily I’ve been saved by this nifty vitamin E serum with macadamia from Alpha-H which is a great calming all-rounder especially for skin like mine that has become over sensitised by using lots of potent actives. Alpha H describes it as ‘first aid in a bottle’ and I can see why. Vitamin E is wonderfully nourishing for the skin barrier and calming and the macadamia seed oil gives extra anti-oxidant protection and is deeply hydrating. If you suffer from dry or flaky skin then this serum also relieves irritation and can also help reduce scarring. I’ve been using it day and night under my moisturiser and have fallen for its soothing, one-hit-wonder qualities.”
Ardell Extension FX Lashes, £9.50
Loved by: Jemma Thompson, Social Media & Graphic Design
“I took Super Saturday as my excuse to get all done up as I finally had somewhere to go! This involved a DIY manicure, a new summer dress and some new falsies. The range has four styles of lashes for various eye shapes; almond, round, hooded, close-set. I opted for the B-Curl as I have slightly hooded almond eyes. Considering the furthest I got with eye makeup in lockdown was a lick of mascara or, at a push, a dab of eyeshadow, my eyelash application skills were definitely on the rusty side. However, these faux mink lashes were a dream to apply. The band aligned seamlessly with my natural lash line (first time, I might add!) without me having to faff around a few times. If, like me, your number-one priority is to open up your eyes, try these. They gave me a mini facelift! I liked that their medium curl and thickness so didn’t make my eyes appear too heavy while taking my look from day to evening. I know I’m going to get a lot of wear out of these.
Lanolips Banana Balm Sheen 3-in-1, £8.99
Loved by: Melanie Macleod, digital writer
“If you don’t like those foam banana chews then stop reading now, because that’s exactly what this lip balm tastes like. If you’re a retro sweet fanatic like me, read on. This conditioner, smoother and shine-giver is back by popular demand after originally flying off the shelves – even Rosie Huntington Whiteley is a fan. As with all Lanolips products, it includes lanolin (derived from sheep’s wool) which mimics human oils to be extra-hydrating, as well as cocoa seed butter to protect the lips and banana extract for the fruity taste. It’s being restocked this month (July) at Cult Beauty, join the waitlist .”
QMS Medicosmentics Epigen Depuff Pollution Shield Eye Serum, £85
Loved by: Catherine Fulwood, commercial projects manager
“Living on one of the busiest roads in London I’m delighted that there have been so many launches in the past couple of years of skincare designed to counteract the effects of pollution (the microparticles can literally get under your skin causing premature ageing as well as dullness and breakouts). So when I got my hands on this supercharged protective eye serum from German clinical skincare brand QMS Medicosmetics, I was all in. It uses proven ingredients such as targeted peptides and hyaluronic acid and caffeine to help to reduce the appearance of eye bags and dark circles, which I am forever battling with, as well as making the delicate skin around the eyes more resilient against pollutants. I am a huge fan of the ceramic tip applicator which has a lovely cooling sensation. I’m very grateful for it after one too many late-night Netflix binges and now when I step outside my door I have my armour on.”
Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Vitamin C Serum £53
Loved by: Victoria Woodhall, editorial director
"We tipped you off about this future classic back in March when it was due to launch. Lockdown got in the way, however, but now it’s finally here! This high-strength (15 per cent) vitamin C serum (ascorbic acid) is the newest addition the Ole Henriksen’s Truth Banana Bright vitamin C range. It's a collection that people go nuts (or bananas) for – and justifiably so, all the products are reliably good.
"This sizeable pump dispenser (important as vitamin C can easily oxidise if exposed to the air) tempers the slightly grainy acidic feel of vitamin C with lashings of with hyaluronic acid as well as PHA, a super gentle exfoliant. It feels lusciously hydrating and non-sticky. With 20 per cent acid in total you are getting a hefty dose of brightening with the added pigmentation-busting and antioxidant protection of vitamin C. I love the zingy smell - it feels silky smooth so you’ll want to keep using it.”
Chanel Joues Contraste Blush 40th Anniversary Limited Edition, £36
Loved by: Jemma Thompson, social media and graphic designer
“Chanel has created more than 140 shades of the Joues Contraste Blush since it launched in the 1980s (arguably the era of blusher) from the most subtle to the most vivid. In celebration of its 40th birthday, the brand has relaunched three of the most popular shades from a soft rose to a mid peach and deeper red.
"I find a many blushers look quite wishy-washy on my tan-brown skin tone however the deepest shade of the three, 320 Rouge Profond, is a perfect natural blush that stands out on darker skin tones and can be built up in layers for added drama. I love draping the powder across my face even on the tip of my nose for some colour accents.
"It’s not hard to understand why this blush has earned cult status over the decades, with its soft and silky texture and luminous finish and subtle scent of rose. They add the perfect pop of colour and glow. The beautiful limited-edition packaging features the double Cs in deep wine red. Pair with red lipstick and you’ve got a killer summer look.“
Charlotte's Magic Serum Crystal Elixir, £25
Loved by: Hattie Sloggett, GTG contributor
"It doesn't take much to get me to try a product that has anything to do with crystals and this serum from the Queen of Glow herself is filled with ‘quartz powder, amethyst powder and gold’. However you feel about crystals and their energy, 93 per cent of women who tried this agreed that their skin looked younger, according to the brand. I’ve been applying this serum packed with skin-improving ingredients before my moisturiser every morning for a month and have genuinely seen an improvement in my skin. It looks brighter and revitalised while feeling softer and firmer.
"My skin tone has improved, or at least my early signs of ageing appear to have been blurred out, and it has helped me achieve a natural glow without having to wear shimmers and highlighters every day. I did have to make sure I put it on after my hyaluronic acid, because it can dry quite quickly and therefore leave the skin feeling slightly tacky, but once I got the hang of it it was a dream. There's a new 8ml size which at £25 is cheaper than the £60 full size. Read our full review of the serum for the total lowdown."
Moroccanoil Blonde Perfecting Purple Shampoo, £18.85
Loved by: Catherine Fulwood, commercial projects manager
"I have a purple shampoo obsession, it's an absolute essential in my *admits it* weekly hair wash routine. As a natural blonde (hey, don't hate me) with the odd few highlights, I constantly battle the unwanted brassiness, yellow and orangey tones that build up over time. As I am sure my fellow blondes find, my hair essentially soaks up everything, from the minerals in the shower to the pollution in the air. This gentle cleansing, tone-correcting formula is designed to revitalise the cool tones in between salon appointments (a distant memory right now) making hair brighter and fresher and it does just that. The added argan oil is a godsend because I often find purple shampoos completely dry my hair out, but this one ticks all the boxes and keeps my locks soft, shiny and most importantly that cool-girl ashy blonde."
Kiehl's Daily Refining Milk Peel Toner, £52
Loved by: Victoria Woodhall, editorial director
“In Korea, they love a ‘milk peel’ to gently exfoliate and moisturise at the same This is the inspiration behind Kiehl's new daily toner which everyone, including those with sensitive skin, can use as it’s so gentle. It contains salicylic acid, which, in other formulations can be quite stripping. But you just have to look at this generously-sized bottle, to see that this bi-phase formula has as much moisturising lipids derived from natural oils as exfoliating acids. I can’t praise this highly enough. I’ve been using it twice a day on a cotton pad or simply patted into my cleansed skin. It feels super soft and comfortable to wear and helps my serum absorb more easily on top. For daily skin conditioning and brightening that’s gentle and effective, this is a top buy.”
Huda Beauty Glow Coco Hydrating Mist, £30
Loved by: Hattie Sloggett, GTG contributor
“I absolutely love a setting spray , especially one that hydrates, primes and refreshes. So when Huda released her new mist I was all in. Glow Coco is the lighter, more hydrating, glow-giving sister of Huda's mattifying, waterproofing Resting Boss Face . It comes out in a fine mist that settles beautifully on your face and actually seeps into the skin providing hydration rather than a simple shimmer glow that sits on top of the skin like a film, as others do. It is a refreshing blend of coconut water, milk and a hint of oil, so I found I could reapply throughout the day without making myself look like a sweaty glitter ball. It not only primed my skin to look dewy and fresh but set my natural summer makeup perfectly.”
Lernberger Stafsing Leave-In Treatment BB Cream for hair, £22.50
Loved by: Jemma Thompson, social media & graphic designer
“I’ve been loving this beauty balm leave-in treatment from this Scandi beauty brand so much it’s temporarily replaced my beloved Kiehl’s Smoothing Oil in my weekly wash-and-braid out routine.
“I have afro hair and this is everything you want in a leave-in cream, enriched with coconut, jojoba and rapeseed oil which left me with the most nourished, soft and de-frizzed hair. I had the most incredible shine and bounce, which I hadn't seen in months. This was mostly down to the addition of vitamin F, which works to increase the health and shine of locks. Whether its heat or colour protection, this product has got it and now I can’t style my hair without it! It’s vegan and ideal for all hair types in need of extra moisture.
"The great thing about this is that it reduces the number of products in your caddy as it doubles up as an all-round hero for preventing any breakage at the ends.”
MORE GLOSS: The smudge-proof lip balms and tints to wear under your mask