A Beauty Director’s Summer Must-Haves

Mecca Cosmetica To Save Face SPF50+
I am very much a creature of habit when it comes to SPF in the height of summer: I know what I like and I know what sits well under make-up in heat or humidity and doesn’t cause my skin to break out. Beauty Pie’s Featherlight SPF50+ and La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios Age Correct SPF50+ have both been on firm rotation for many years, but there is a new entry into the category that I am crazy about and it’s this new SPF from Australian retailer and new-to-UK brand, Mecca Cosmetica. It’s super lightweight, doesn’t clog pores, and has a peachy tint to the formula that leaves the softest glow. I am already on my second tube of the summer.

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask
So, if you don’t have this iconic-status little pink pot of wonder in your beauty arsenal, then you really might need to be questioning your beauty choices. Coined as an overnight lip mask, I actually just use it as a lip balm all day long. It leaves lips feeling super hydrated, has a lovely tint to it and smells divine. My only complaint on this product is that it doesn’t come in stick format to use on the go (because I have a thing about not wanting to put dirty fingers into product pots!).

Augustinus Bader Eye Patches
Weather and travel really affect my under eye area and I am very quick to puff up, which is why I am never without eye patches when both home and away. Wherever I am, I like to keep them in the fridge to maximise on their cooling and de-puffing potential. This new launch from my fave AB has been a regular staple in my morning routine. I like to leave them on whilst brushing my teeth and getting dressed, pre-make-up.

Erborian CC Water
Anyone who knows me knows how devoted I am to my Erborian CC Cream, that I use most days as my make-up base for a hit of skin radiance. But when it comes to summer, I mix it up by switching to their CC Water version that is more lightweight, but still delivers the same gorgeous glow.

Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer
I have lost count of the amount of people I have converted over to this bronzer. Creamy in texture, completely matt (I cannot cope with shimmer), and available in shades that work with an impressive depth of skin tones, it’s simply the best. That’s all there is to it.

Chanel Les Beiges Blush Stick
There are few things I love more than cream blusher. I hoard them. Whilst there have been some brilliant new launches in the category this summer (Rare Beauty, Rose Inc, Summer Fridays and Merit all have released stunning options), I always find myself going back to this cult classic from Chanel. The formula is on the right side of pigmented, not too sheer, and the shade 21 that I wear is the perfect pink to perk-up the complexion.

Phlur Missing Person Fragrance
I haven’t worn much scent this summer as I have newly had a baby and there is something not quite right about dousing yourself in person in the presence of a heavenly scented little one, but when I do choose to wear a perfume, this has been my go-to this summer. Gently musky, it is one of those fragrances that leaves a trail that has people stopping you in the street to ask you what you are wearing. It’s also gone viral on TikTok. I am not on TikTok, so the nuance is lost on me, but just in case this further validates its brilliance.

La Roche-Posay Suncare for Kids
I couldn’t hero my summer beauty essentials and not give praise to the only suncare I like to use on my kids. This range is consistently brilliant and I use it on my six month old all the way up to my seven year old. All of the formulas apply thickly white so that you can see where you have applied (or might have missed) but then rubs away into an invisible formula. We are never without the face lotion or the body mist in our school or beach bags.

Dr. Barbara Sturm SPF30 for the body
A newer launch this summer, I took this body suncream away with me on a recent holiday and loved using it. The non-greasy texture and subtle scent made this a dream to apply and I am a sucker for the minimalist Sturm packaging.

Summer Fridays Summer Silk Nourishing Body Lotion
I am very much a Summer Fridays gal, and if you haven’t discovered this brand, they have so many goodies for both face and body, but this is one that I have been using everyday this summer. A lovely blend of Coconut, Vanilla Blossom and Almond, this lightweight body lotion smells like summer in a bottle – so even on the greyest London days, you can be transported to tropical paradise.