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These are the makeup buys to invest in this summer

From gleaming blushers to juicy lip colours.

By Good Housekeeping Beauty
summer makeup products 2022
SpaceNK, Barry M, Jones Road, Good Housekeeping

It's true; a new season doesn't require a total makeup bag refresh, but as the weather gets warmer, it's worth taking stock of your summer makeup staples and evaluating what else you might add, and what can be put away until autumn and beyond.

Put full coverage foundations and dense lipsticks on hiatus, and invest instead in products with smarter textures and a real-skin finish. Cream bronzer and gel or liquid blush can look fresher and more flattering than powder, and often come with skin-hydrating benefits, too. Lip tints, nourishing balms and juicy lip oils pull a look together just as much as a matte lipstick, but also supply moisture you can slick on throughout the day.

And on that note, it's worth considering that when temperatures suddenly shoot up, anything you apply in the morning is unlikely to stay there all day. For the GH beauty desk (who generally prefer to reapply than load on seriously long-wear formulas in the heat) the best summer makeup products are quick and easy to use. Give us textures we can scribble, buff and blend with our fingers and we're a very happy team.

So with low maintenance as our mantra, and an eye for the freshest and most flattering beauty looks, we've tried hundreds (yes, really) of this summer's best new makeup products and found these are the summer makeup buys that'll be in our bags this season. Scribble, buff, and blend this way...

Shop: Good Housekeeping beauty team's summer makeup buys

Hourglass Voyeur Waterproof Gel Eyeliner

Voyeur Waterproof Gel Eyeliner
Credit: Space NK

Beauty director Eve Cameron touts this as 'the best eye pencil' she's ever used. 'It glides on without dragging and offers enough playtime for smudging and softening. It can also be used for a crisp line - even a little flick - and then it stays put all day.'

Typology Tinted Lip Oil

Tinted Lip Oil
Credit: Typology

Senior beauty editor Alexandra Friend has been wearing this juicy tinted lip oil on repeat. 'It's a colour and care hybrid, really - it looks lovely, and it feels like a wonderful cross between a balm and a gloss.' Four shades give a pretty, lip-defining wash of translucent colour, and there's a clear one too, for summer makeup that never looks overdone.

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Jones Road Miracle Balm

Miracle Balm
Credit: Jones Road

Alex is also leaning heavily on Jones Road's Miracle Balm this summer, which 'gives skin a pretty, outdoorsy flush' as well as lending a healthy-looking gloss to the high points of the face. 'Dig in deep and warm this up on your fingers before applying, and try across the bridge of your nose and even over your eyelids,' she says. Try the shades Tawny, Sunkissed or Dusty Rose for an easy sun-flushed look.

Nails.INC Glow Naturale Glowing Nail Polish Duo

Glow Naturale Glowing Nail Polish Duo
Credit: Nails.INC

And on Alex's nails? 'My favourite summer pedicure is a bare-look one,' she says. 'Translucent varnish looks fresh and is more forgiving when it chips. This one is pink, healthy-looking and super-shiny. I won't go back to colour any time soon.'

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Morphe Bronze Show Velvet Matte Pressed Powder

Bronze Show Velvet Matte Pressed Powder

Acting beauty editor Anna Lao-Kaim is pregnant, so doesn't anticipate jetting off to the med anytime soon. Her answer? This bronzer. 'Over self-tan, it completes my two weeks on the beach effect,' she says. 'It's a plant-oil infused powder, so blends in quickly, and the peachy undertones add fatigue-fighting brightness.'

RMS Eyelights Cream Eyeshadow

Eyelights Cream Eyeshadow
Credit: Space NK

Beauty writer Phoebe Lee opts for cream eyeshadows come summer, and this is her new favourite. 'It's so beautifully creamy and offers the prettiest wash of colour over the lid. One layer lends a subtle daytime twinkle, or it can be built up to something more dramatic in the evening. The best part? They require no brushes or expert skill; just dab with a finger, blend gently, and go.'

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Barry M Cosmetics Fresh Face Perfecting Concealer

Fresh Face Perfecting Concealer
Now 25% Off
Credit: LookFantastic

Acting beauty ed Anna also relies on this bargain concealer as a finishing touch. The formula is full of hyaluronic acid to hydrate the skin, so if you're prone to dry patches, this is less likely to cling to them. The texture is plush and serum-like, lending glow as well as light coverage.

ICONIC London Triple Precision Brow Definer

Triple Precision Brow Definer
Credit: LookFantastic

Anna's final port of call for her low-key, low-effort summer makeup? This 3-in-1 brow product. It has a pencil, pen and spoolie brush to define and add subtle colour to brows, which frames the face and pulls a look together, pronto.

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Clinique Moisture Surge Sheertint Hydrator SPF25

Moisture Surge Sheertint Hydrator SPF25

Beauty editor Fleur Fruzza calls this her 'favourite hyaluronic acid-packed summer base.' It's an under the radar find from Clinique, which supplies a plush, juicy finish to skin, as well as a tiny amount of coverage to even out tone.

Dolce&Gabbana Beauty Solar Glow Universal Radiance Drops - Sunrise

Solar Glow Universal Radiance Drops - Sunrise
Credit: LookFantastic

Also in Fleur's arsenal are these highlighter drops from Dolce&Gabbana Beauty. 'When I'm not wearing foundation and want something super lightweight, these create a very natural-looking, luminous glow without shimmer.'

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NUDESTIX Nudies All Over Face Colour

Nudies All Over Face Colour
Now 20% Off
Credit: Cult Beauty

'When it comes to makeup, texture is key,' says Fleur. 'I find I'm always drawn to light, sheer formulations. I love these cream blushers for their barely-there finish.'

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