Hi there!
Welcome to our first-ever Summer Beauty Digital Issue. Depending on where you live, “summer” means either more time outdoors … or actively avoiding the heat. If you’re like me, you look forward to getting away from it all with a little travel. Whether you’re planning to float in a pool, lie out on the beach, fly to a far-flung city or cool off close to home, your beauty needs are different now than they are for every other season.
Last week when I was in the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab, I got to watch our experts line up the latest and greatest products that will help you beat the heat, humidity and chlorine — and give you that sun-kissed, fresh look we all want. They’ve been working overtime to test the best summer-ready products (check them all out below!).
We’re ready to help you tackle the high temps head-on with all the expert beauty advice you need to survive the summer. Let’s dive right in!
Jane Francisco,
Editor in Chief
Table of Contents
Meet the Experts
Our Beauty Lab pros share their best tips for looking and feeling fresh while traveling.
Sabina Wizemann
“I minimize the use of makeup brushes, instead taking one multitasking brush or products that apply and blend well with my fingers.”
Danusia Wnek
“If I am taking a hair tool on a trip abroad, I always check to make sure it is dual voltage, which is usually listed as a range on the tool."
Chiara Butler
“I love passing time at the airport duty-free shops and always stop in to smell new fragrances. But don’t be fooled by the ‘discounts’: The products might actually not be cheaper."
April Franzino
“I try to wear minimal makeup — just a little cream eyeshadow, blush and tinted balm — when traveling, so I don’t have to waste time on multiple steps or carry a ton of products.”
Catharine Malzahn
“My hair always gets tangled when traveling, so I braid it before a flight to help avoid snarls (you can also wrap it into a bun to keep it looking polished throughout your journey).”
Start with Face SPF
The GH Beauty Lab has spent years testing over 750 different types of sunscreens, and what we’ve found is that not all are created equal.
When it comes to your face, using one specifically formulated for that area can make all the difference. Why? Most face sunscreens are filled with extra skin-loving ingredients, so you’re getting more bang for your buck. Plus, they're typically ultra-lightweight, meaning they'll look and feel better under makeup.
Tote these winners, inspired by serums, to protect skin all season.
Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch Face Serum SPF 30
This “super-light” value SPF outperformed pricey ones. It scored best nearly across the board for its pleasant texture, “tropical” scent, quick absorption and lack of residue or irritation.
Color Science Total Protection® No-Show™ Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50
Made with zinc oxide, this “airy” liquid SPF proved both gentle and “sheer.” Users rated it tops for applying easily; not stinging or leaving a film; and working well with makeup.
Neutrogena Invisible Daily Defense Fragrance-Free Sunscreen
Heavy-duty sun protection in a featherweight formula with “a touch of glow” made this a tester favorite. Boosted with skincare ingredients, it got the highest marks for its “smooth” texture and for not irritating skin.
Simplify Your Makeup Routine
Pare down your skincare steps — and still look your best — with sheer, forgiving formulas and uncomplicated pro tips. Start with one and end there, or build on as desired!
“A foundation stick doubles as concealer, takes up very little space in your bag and is perfect for quick touch-ups.”
GH Beauty Lab Pick: MERIT The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick
Quick Saves for Your Hair
Has your hairstyle gone awry in the heat and humidity? Here, fast fixes for frizzy hair from top hairstylists to bring new life to all looks and textures.
Restyling Stars
Rub a dab of this water-light cream, a Beauty Lab expert favorite, between your hands, then glide it over dry hair to instantly smooth and soften frazzled strands with no heavy residue.
Add body and bounce (along with a slightly sweet scent) back to lifeless waves: Spritz this fine mist, another Beauty Lab pro go-to, onto strands, then tousle with your fingers.
Reactivate spirals on the second day and beyond by spraying this milky liquid all over dry hair, then scrunching for softness and definition.
“Summer is the perfect time to try air-drying your hair. Apply one of the new air-dry styling products to your damp hair before letting it dry to help smooth and enhance shape.”
GH Beauty Lab Pick: Orlando Pita Play Well Behaved Anti-Frizz Cream Serum
Glow-Giving Self-Tanners
The fact that you’ve got your SPF on (right?) doesn’t mean you can’t achieve that just-off-the-beach glow. Get vibrant skin the safer way with self-tanners. Our Lab experts evaluated over 2,332 data points to identify the best self-tanners on the market.
And trust us, there’s nothing fake-looking about these “tans in a bottle.”
This “rich foam” that dries fast gave skin the best bronzing “in minutes.” A full 100% of testers said it created a natural-looking tan they liked and that it allowed for ideal color-depth control.
COOLA Organic Sunless Tan Firming Lotion
The “user-friendly” lotion delivers a sun-kissed look that has staying power. Users ranked it tops at spreading effortlessly with no mess, soaking in speedily and achieving lasting color that faded evenly.
L’Oréal Paris Sublime Bronze Tinted Self Tanning Lotion
Smooth on a flawless, “buildable” faux tan with this tinted lotion. It earned the highest scores for its light texture and even, streak-free color and for leaving skin soft.
“I save product samples, including perfumes, for travel; they take up minimal space and are under the liquid size limit. Ditto for single-use skincare capsules and liquid-free face wash tabs.”
GH Beauty Lab Pick: Olay Cleansing Melts
A New Way to Cool Down
Step aside, AC: Now your skin routine can offer relief from the heat. The trending category of “cryotherapy” skincare includes products “from masks and serums to tools that provide a temporary cooling sensation,” Wnek says. “Cooling ingredients like menthol derivatives and cold metal applicators can create the effect.” Inspired by cryotherapy (the use of extreme cold in medical treatments), these treatments can have real, albeit temporary, skin benefits.
Cold temperatures “help reduce inflammation and swelling by constricting blood vessels,” explains Mona Foad, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at Mona Dermatology in Cincinnati. The cold can help soothe and tighten skin and reduce puffiness, Wnek says. Those with skin sensitivity may want to skip this trend, though: “Some cooling ingredients have the potential to irritate sensitive skin, and cold could trigger rosacea flare-ups,” Wnek adds.
Pick a Fresh Scent
Swap out warm, rich fragrances for something lighter, such as these summer perfumes blooming with invigorating notes of garden herbs and even veggies.
Like a refreshing drink for your senses on a steamy day, this water-based spritz features a mix of airy floral notes (peony, water lily) and dewy hints of just-picked cucumber.
The lush herb’s rich, almost musky scent brings softness and depth to these fragrances starring fruity elements like citrus and fig.
Maison Margiela REPLICA From the Garden
Inspired by the slightly sweet, herbaceous aroma of sun-warmed tomato fields, this perfume melds a tomato leaf accord with tart mandarin and green moss.
Several vegetable-garden staples, including bell pepper and basil, add an uplifting touch to this unique fragrance warmed with spices like nutmeg and coriander and topped with a twist of lime.
A sparkling infusion of bracing basil leaves and staples and bitter orange along with wild greens is the perfect perfume cocktail to conjure a balmy backyard stroll.
Lab-Tested Summer Beauty Stars
Staff headshots, cover images, Fresh Scents, Cool Down Products and Restyling Stars (background image): Mike Garten; Prop styling by Alex Mata.
Prep Your Face and Summer Essentials: Mike Garten; Prop styling by Alex Mata; Hair by Steven Fernandes for contactnyc/@stevenmfernandes using R+Co BLEU; Makeup by Marc Cornwall for ABTP/@marc_cornwall. Models: Jacqueline Saguin and Temira Greene. Revive Your Hair: Getty Images.
