The Best Summer Beauty Products of 2024, According to a Beauty Editor

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Summer is officially here, which means it's finally time to discuss the best new beauty products for the summer season. Beyond stocking up on expert-vetted, award-winning summer skincare products, you'll need some makeup, haircare, and nifty beauty gadgets to complete your routine. And that's where I come into play as Best Products' beauty editor and resident tester for all things skincare, haircare, makeup, and more. This carefully edited group of 20 products has become invaluable to me throughout the last few months, and each item is genuinely perfect for the summer weather when the pros advise trading in our heavy products for lightweight items.

How We Chose

Best Products is all about bringing you editor-tested and expert-vetted gift ideas, so naturally, I got my hands on hundreds of new beauty products to determine the best releases ideal for summer. I spent months trying newness from household names and indie companies across all price points and beauty categories to determine the most relevant launches for summer.

Best Summer Skincare

For example, in our Summer Beauty Awards packages, doctors advise we swap out heavy skincare products for lightweight items, so I included fast-absorbing face and body products. Sunscreen is a necessity 365 days a year, but it's especially imperative during the summer months because we're sporting less clothing and showing more skin. One of my favorites from Shiseido can be used on your face and body, while the viral iNNBEAUTY PROJECT tinted sunscreen is finally back in stock after what feels like forever waiting. Since the iNNBEAUTY PROJECT sunscreen has a tint, it's like using a lightweight tinted moisturizer, so you can wear less makeup during the daytime. I also included a body wash that uses vitamin C to help brighten the skin, along with a natural deodorant beloved by professional West End dancers.

Best Haircare and Styling Tools

The sun, pool water, and salty ocean water are all harsh on our hair, so I wanted to include some newness that helps strengthen weak hair. Pantene created a hair essence that's easy to spritz onto the hair and help revitalize dry, brittle hair. It's so gentle that it can be used daily if that's your vibe.

Heat styling hair is also important, but carrying multiple tools is inconvenient. The new ghd Chronos is my favorite hot tool for achieving elusive beach waves, long-lasting curls, or silky straight strands. It also pairs nicely with Oribe's new hair-softening heat protectant.

Best Makeup

And if you're obsessed with makeup like I am, then you'll be pleased to know that there are plenty of standout options on this list. Even better? They're infused with skincare-quality ingredients, so you can enjoy benefits like pore blurring and cushiony, plumper lips without tingling. There's even a $20 matte lipstick that's non-drying, long-lasting and has Chloe Fineman's seal of approval. Anatasia Beverly Hills created a beauty balm that promotes hydration while providing sheer coverage, and Huda Beauty launched a mascara that delivers visible results with a single coat. I'll never use falsies again with this tube of mascara. There's also a dual-ended makeup brush that can expertly apply all of these cosmetic items for a seamless, second-skin finish.

Check out the best summer beauty products of 2024, according to yours truly.

Mineral Sun Glow Broad Spectrum SPF 43

After recently selling out at Sephora and on the DTC site, iNNBEAUTY PROJECT's tinted sunscreen is finally back in stock online. This new face sunscreen is worth ordering ASAP because it offers broad-spectrum coverage against ultraviolet A and B (UVA and UVB) solar rays. Plus, it guards against blue light emitted from our tech, making it an ideal gift for WFH days or travel days near an open window. (Derms previously told me that UV rays can still penetrate glass and advise wearing SPF indoors).

Unlike most tinted sunscreens available in a single ashy shade, iNNBEAUTY PROJECT launched with two flexible shades, including Medium-Deep. Both colors boast the same non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic, and fragrance-free formulation. I find that it blends beautifully across my skin and doesn't leave behind an annoying ashy whitecast. This sunscreen also minimizes the need for heavy makeup as it helps camouflage skin imperfections like dark spots.

More: Celebrity Beauty Brands Actually Worth Buying

Ultimate Sun Protector Face and Body Lotion

Dermatologists and their governing organizations, such as the American Academy of Dermatology, advise wearing a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher. Sheisdo's new face and body screen doubles the coverage with broad-spectrum SPF 60.

This is my ideal 2-in-1 sunscreen for an active lifestyle. It provides up to 80 minutes of sweat- and water-resistant protection, so runners, walkers, swimmers, golfers, and tennis players of all skill levels can confidently rely on Shiseido to perform as hard as they do.

The lightweight, breathable lotion is non-comedogenic so those with acne-prone skin like myself won't have to worry about pesky pimples popping up. It also contains five types of algae for hydration and skin-soothing licorice root extract.

Deodorant Balm

Don't be self-conscious about body odor this summer. AKT natural deodorants were tested on West End dancers not animals, so I can rest assured they'll keep my pits stink-free all summer long.

Both the container and cap are made from aluminum to help prevent more plastic from polluting our ecosystem. Aluminum can continue to be recycled down the road, which is always appreciated.

I only need to rub a pea-sized amount of the balm deodorant on my armpits. Each tube of AKT lasts up to three months, so I don't need to re-up my new favorite natural deodorant until the fall. It's so gentle on sensitivee skin that you could even massage it into clean skin all over your body if that's best suited for your odor-protection needs.

Instead of harsh chemicals, it uses a combo of arrowroot and diatomaceous Earth to absorb sweat, while sodium bicarbonate and zinc oxide eliminate odor. Don't worry: this deodorant also leaves my skin hydrated with the help of shea butter, calendula, and vitamin E.

The Body Wash Olibanum

I've been obsessed with Nécessaire's Bergamot, Eucalyptus, and Sandalwood Body Washes for several years, so when I learned the brand developed new scents, I had to try them immediately. Each aroma is enticing, but you can't go wrong with gifting a bottle of the sweet and spicy Olibanum, which is a light blend of frankincense, vanilla, cassis buds, and lily of the valley.

Beyond the elevated olfactory notes, Olibanum is the only new Nécessaire product infused with vitamin C for a brighter complexion, making it perfect for summertime when we typically show more skin. It also contains antioxidant-rich vitamin E and a trio of enzymes to improve uneven skin tone so I can sport short skirts and shorts with confidence beyond the summer.

Mighty Patch for Tired Eyes Patches

These under-eye patches will help eliminate dark circles, puffiness, and fine lines. They're lightweight, don't shift around the under-eye area, and are travel-friendly.

I store mine in the fridge because the cooling sensation is always welcome during the summer and it helps with depuffing. Given their crescent-shaped design, I can pop them on while applying my eye makeup, and the under-eye patches will catch any eyeshadow fall out. By the time I'm done beating the rest of my face, my under-eyes will be primed for under-eye concealer and finishing powder.

Pro-Vitamin Essence

I know we're used to seeing more affordable Pantene products, but the new Pro-Vitamin Essence is worth the splurge. Currently Amazon's no. 1 new release, this just under-$40 find helps strengthen strands, builds new bonds, and reduces breakage.

Notably, it's supercharged with pro-vitamin B-5, which the brand promises will help rebuild up to 95% of hair strength back in just 10 days. It's also helpful for anyone like me who is on their hair growth journey and wants to eliminate split ends. It can be used daily on wet or dry hair, but it's especially helpful on wash days. Just spritz from root to tip to ensure your strands can fully absorb the lightweight treatment. The light and warm coconut scent doesn't hurt either.

Gold Lust Dry Heat Protection Spray

Oribe products are totally worth the bougie price — and the new Gold Lust Dry Heat Protection Spray performs with the same quality you expect from a prestige brand.

Like the Gold Lust shampoo and conditioner, Dry Heat Protection Spray leaves my hair soft and silky with the added bonus of guarding strands from heat styling up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. This lightweight spray also smooths my flyaways and frizz, which is always appreciated.

An important note: It's designed for dry hair, so I suggest using it on second-day hair or stashing it on your desk for quick styling before heading out for the evening. I think it performs nicely with my favorite hot tool of the summer. (More on that in the next slide)

Chronos Styler

Create beach waves, perfectly smooth and silky hair, and curls with a single hot tool: the ghd Chronos Syler.

When I first unboxed this flat iron, I was surprised by the petite size and lightweight feel. It boasts an ergonomic design that truly feels comfy in my hands. I never get tired while styling with this hot tool, which I can't say is the case for other irons. The compact size also makes it a must-have for beauty-conscious travelers.

More good news for shoppers who are a bit impatient like me: Chronos heats up to 365 degrees Fahrenheit in just 20 seconds, which is three times as fast as other hot tools I've tried. The curved ceramic plates also do a fantastic of smoothing my hair and leaving behind a shiny finish compared to just using my hairdryer alone.

Madamme Matte Liquid Lipstick

This liquid lipstick has replaced my go-to lipstick, which I've been using since 2019. Many matte liquid lipsticks leave my lips dry and chapped the next day, but not with LaBomme. It's unbelievably lightweight — similar to Armani Luminous Silk Foundation — and I always forget it's even on my lips.

LaBomme offers the best wearability among my entire lipstick collection, liquid or otherwise. No wonder Chloe Finnemen (SNL and Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis) wore this exact shade to the Cannes Film Festival last month. It doesn't smudge or bleed even without a lipliner underneath. I'm totally obsessed with First Lady (pictured) but also love pairing it with She's Cute for the ultimate pouty pinky-nude lip!

Dewyplump Collagen Lip Gel

Gwen Stefani is the queen of a bold lip, and Dewyplump makes recreating her signature look an easy, non-intimidating achievement. It provides all of the moisturizing benefits typically associated with lip balms, but with the shine of a gloss. Most importantly, its non-sticky gel consistency feels incredible on my lips.

TBH, this is a surprisingly moisturizing product. I've noticed that I even reach for it over a lip balm because the collagen-infused hydration is on point! It provides a cushiony feel to my lip, and the six shades are all appealing for various seasons and vibes. But, I'm obsessed with wearing Peony, the bright pink pictured, for a fun pop of color this summer. It looks gorgeous on its own or layered over lipliners and lipsticks.

Softsculpt Multi-Use Bronzing & Shaping Serum

Kim Kardashian's ride-or-die makeup artist created a beauty line that delivers hit after hit. His current newness is the Softsculpt Multi-Use Bronzing & Shaping Serum, an epic liquid bronzer that will transform me into a sunkissed diva like Kardashian.

It has a thin but not watery texture that blends easily with fingers or a brush. For the most natural look, I prefer applying it to areas where the sun naturally hits my face, like my temples, cheeks, and chin. On days I don't have time for eyeshadow, I like to dab a little into the crease of my eyes for a natural look. I also appreciate the flexibility of using the pump for all over warmth or dotting it onto specific areas for a sculpted effect.

1 Coat WOW! Extra Volumizing and Lifting Mascara

Anyone familiar with Huda Kattan knows she is a makeup maximalist and shouldn't be surprised her new mascara amps up your fringe.

So does One Coat actually create longer, thicker lashes with just a single coat? Yes! My short lashes look midnight black and are perfectly separated, so I won't need to use a lashcomb to remove clumps. The bristles evenly coat every lash from corner to corner and root to tip. I've never had my lashes so defined before with just one mascara.

While I'm satisfied with a single coat, the results look even more dramatic with two coats of mascara. There are still zero clumps, and my natural lashes look like falsies, which is perfect for someone like me who doesn't have the patience to apply false eyelashes.

Beauty Balm Serum Boosted Skin Tint

Hollywood's favorite eyebrow queen, Anatasia Saroe, created a complexion product that contains high-quality skincare ingredients so I can enjoy both cosmetic and functional face makeup. The best part? The stick is discreet, so I won't have to worry about TSA snagging this one from my beloved cosmetics bag for exceeding the 3 fl. oz liquid limit.

There are hyaluronic acid microspheres and a peptide complex for less noticeable lines, plus a collagen stabilizer smoothes while shea butter hydrates dry skin. There's also nourishing antioxidant-rich marula oil, plus soothing and moisturizing jojoba seed oil.

As a bonus, this stick is available in 14 flexible shades that are designed to complement a diverse range of skin tones.

Ultimate Blurring Setting Powder

Patrick Starrr's setting powders live up to the social media hype. These perpetually sold out superfine powders help blur the appearance of my pores and leave my skin matte for up to 24 hours. With the help of this powder, humid summer weather won't budge my face makeup even if you're an oily skin girly like myself.

Now available in three new shades, more people can enjoy the genius of these powders without worrying about flashbacks from photography and recording videos. The brand new Ultra Peach brightens fair to dark skin tones; Rich Peach illuminates medium/dark to deep complexions; and Marigold, a gorgeous sunshine yellow, enhances dark to very deep skin tones.

Starrr also created powder puffs shaped like kites so I can bake and set my cheekbones, under-eyes, and nose. They come in a set of four with two small puffs for detail work and two larger puffs for carving my cheekbones. Regardless of which puff I opt for, they are compatible with loose and pressed powders.

Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Lowlighter

Makeup artist Danessa Myricks won a Best New Beauty Award earlier this year, so naturally, I'm intrigued by anything she puts out. The brand new Lowlighter has the same unique balm-to-powder formulation that I know and love from Danessa. Low lights help blur the skin and leave behind a soft, natural glow to the skin. It's a more subtle version of their Blurring Balm Powder Flushed, which is seriously the best blush I've ever tried.

Each Lowlighter is infused with crushed pearl pigments for a gorgeous sheen that looks natural and not chalky. It's also infused with ppsalite to create a blurred, IRL skin filter effect, while hyaluronic acid and vegan squalane hydrate my skin. It's perfect for someone like me who has large oily skin and large pores, but those with dry skin can appreciate the formulation, too.

Pore Eclipse Non-Comedogenic Mattifying + Blurring Primer Stick

I'm lowkey obsessed with MILK Makeup primers and setting sprays, so when I saw their Pore Eclipse collection now includes a travel-friendly stick version I knew it was worth checking out.

I can layer it before face makeup to soak up excess oil and create a skin-blurring effect. (In this social media age, don't we all want that airbrushed look, even if it's just temporary?!)

Niacinamide, aka vitamin B-3, and bakuchiol, a plant-based retinol alternative, give my skin a smooth texture and minimize the look of large pores. A blend of charcoal and lentil extract minimizes shine and absorbs excess oil, while tea tree oil soothes.

Forget the Filler Skin-Plumping Line-Smoothing Moisturizer + Makeup Primer

On the flip side, if you have dry, normal, or mature skin, you'll want to add this face primer to your shopping cart. It's way more hydrating and uses MAXI-YOUTH to help create a youthful skin-plumping effect.

Of course, if you really like the idea of a hybrid moisturizer and primer that smoothes and hydrates, Lawless could work for your combination skin. After all, it's oil-free and non-comedogenic, so it didn't congest my pores, which led to blackheads and acne. It's also fragrance-free, so anyone who has a sensitive nose like myself won't have to worry about this one causing their nose (or skin) to itch.

Either way, my face is going to look plump and dewy whenever I slather on this Lawless product.

As a bonus, Lawless is a woman-owned, clean beauty brand, so if either pillar (or both!) is important to you, then this is a beauty match.

Dual Ended Complexion Brush

The last thing I need is a brand-new makeup brush, and yet here we are: This 2-in-1 beauty tool helps streamline my makeup bag and forces me to focus on just the essentials.

Both ends feature duo fiber brushes so it's super forgiving if I use a highly-pigmented product as it picks up less product compared to other bristles. I use it to blend liquid and powder complexion products and setting powder. Given the angular design of the larger brush, it's easy to create a lifted cheek with blush, contour, or highlighter. I've used it to blend out my bronzers and even dust on setting powder. The small size is helpful for more strategic applications like down the bridge of my nose or under-eye area.

Infallible 3-Second Setting Spray Mist

Setting sprays are epic because they help prolong the wear of your makeup. And leave it up to beauty giant L’Oréal to create one that locks your makeup in for up to 36 hours.

Speaking of timings, this one locks everything into place in just a few seconds. When I mist this across my face, it ensures my makeup is smudge-, transfer-, and water-proof. This is especially helpful during the brutal summer season when it's humid or a heat wave is waging war outside.

Allegra Chill & Sole Eau de Parfum

Several new perfumes have been released this year, but I simply can't get enough of this citrus-floral Bvlgari fragrance. The light and fresh aroma is perfect for summer and it's incredibly long-lasting. A single spritz on my inner wrist lasts from the start of the workday until bedtime.

I recently sat down with LVMH master perfumer Jacques Cavallier, a true industry titan and 2024 recipient of The Fragrance Foundation's Lifetime Achievement Award. When I inquired why we shouldn't rub perfume at our wrists together, Cavallier confirmed doing so can alter and muddy together the top, middle, and base notes, ultimately alternating the scent of whatever fragrance you sport. So let Allegra Chill & Sole'snotes of neroli essence, lemon, orange blossom, and petitgrain shine through.

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