Ad – contains affiliate links and press samples – all views are my own
As a beauty journalist and content creator, I’m often discovering new launches or trying out cult-loved products, which means my makeup, skincare and fragrance gets rotated pretty frequently. In recent weeks, I’ve had some pretty exciting parcels land on my desk, which have fast found themselves a coveted spot in my daily routine.
With the warmer months finally here, I’ve been all about formulas that feel easy, breathable, and luxurious without being high-maintenance, and that’s exactly what this month’s ‘faves’ deliver. From glowy tinted SPFs to holiday-ready fragrances, I’ve been getting well acquainted with some of the latest releases from the likes of Phlur, Clinique and No7, as well as discovering why one of Refy’s bestsellers has earned such acclaim among makeup buffs.
These are five beauty products I’ve been reaching for non-stop and why each one has earned its place in my summer rotation.
Merit The Uniform Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 – £32
Let’s start with what has quickly become my go-to base product – Merit’s The Uniform. I only discovered Merit’s products earlier this year and their brow gel, mascara and blush balms have all found themselves to be holy grail products in my kit, and their tinted mineral sunscreen SPF is no exception. There’s no wonder it had a waitlist of 25,000 people before it even launched in May.
It is an exceptionally lightweight formula feeling like skincare on my face, providing a sheer tint with a natural skin finish that’s never greasy or cakey. It gives just enough coverage to blur imperfections and even out skin tone, while still letting my skin shine through, but with that glowy, almost “marinated” skin look I’ve been living for lately.
It’s non-comedogenic, oil-free, and made without silicones, which means it’s been playing very nicely with my summer skin. It comes in 15 shades (I wear shade 28), and contains 100% mineral zinc oxide active for broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection. Never have I ever had so many people ask me what I’m wearing on my skin than when I wear Merit’s The Uniform. For those embracing more natural skin this summer, but aren’t ready to go bare-faced, it’s a must – not to mention the benefit of sun protection.
REFY Concealer – £22
A launch from last year, but a new addition to my stash is Refy’s Concealer. The hydrating serum-based brightening formula has currently replaced my long-time budget favourite from Natural Collection – and it would take a lot to have me ditch a £4 product for one five times the price.
This concealer is like an eye cream, brightener, and lightweight concealer in one. It blends like a dream, doesn’t crease, and is formulated with a blurring technology that leaves a fresh, soft-focus finish. It’s buildable from light to medium coverage and truly melts into the skin.
Fragrance and alcohol-free, it comes in 24 shades, with undertones to suit all skin tones and types. I wear shade 5, which I was matched to at Selfridges and it really is perfect, effortlessly disguising my dark circles with minimal amount of product needed. The packaging is sleek, the doe-foot applicator is super comfortable and precise and I literally can’t stop using it. Add it to the list of Refy products I adore (which happens to be every single one I’ve ever tried).
No7 Good Intent Dew Bank Water Cream – £14.95
The very latest product to arrive at my doorstep which literally launched on the Boots website days ago, is the No7 Good Intent Dew Bank Water Cream, which I’m tipping as a dupe of my beloved Laneige Water Bank Hyaluronic Cream Moisturiser, but for a fraction of the price.
Released this week, it’s the perfect summer moisturiser – lightweight, fast-absorbing, and leaves skin feeling quenched and dewy without any stickiness. With hyaluronic acid and camellia oil, it gives that instant ‘drink of water’ feeling. Fragrance-free, vegan, and great under makeup, I’ve been using it morning and night and my skin is loving the hydration hit.
The product costs £14.95 for 100ml compared to Laneige’s £34 for 50ml, and the pump applicator is way more hygienic to use. It forms part of the eight-piece mix and match Good Intent skincare range, which I wrote about for The Mirror here. I adore every one of the products in the new lineup, but if I could only choose one, it would be Dew Bank.
PHLUR Peach Skin Body Mist – £38
I have never met a Phlur fragrance I didn’t love, but Peach Skin is next level, particularly if you’re a fan of juicy, sun-soaked scents. Again, it’s a pretty new launch having been released at Space NK in May, but it’s the one that’s found itself on my vanity as a permanent fixture.
Ideal for daytime wear in the warmer weather, it opens with bright notes of peach, plum, and bellini before settling into a creamy base of coconut caramel, amber, and sandalwood. It’s a hair and body mist, which means I can spritz generously (and I do), and is one of those fragrances that gets better as the day goes on, diffusing beautifully with body heat. If you thought Sol de Janeiro was good, you’ll be obsessed with this addictive scent.
While it can be worn alone, it’s also great for layering with other perfumes and mists. I like to pair mine with Beach Skin or Vanilla Skin, all of which deliver ‘holiday in a bottle’ vibes.
Clinique Almost Lipstick in Nude Honey – £25
Almost Lipstick is an iconic formula, and Nude Honey is its latest, and possibly best, iteration of the viral product (though I’m still partial to the Black Honey lip oil). Not quite a lipstick, not quite a gloss, it sits somewhere in between with a sheer and emollient formula that delivers a soft-shine finish.
Coming in at £25, it boasts a perfectly balanced mix of warm and cool pigments that enhances your natural lip colour rather than masking it, which also means it looks different on everyone. For me as a pale girl, it does deliver quite a colour payoff with a gorgeous shine to it without being sticky like a gloss. Anyone who has been here a while will know I’m basically married to Mac’s Velvet Teddy, however, I haven’t even looked at it (despite recently restocking a new tube) since Nude Honey arrived. It feels like I’m having a summer affair, but it’s one I refuse to feel guilty about when it looks and feels so good.
