The Summer Beauty Products You Need Now

By Yourwellness Last updated Sep 1, 2014 15

Summer is in full force, finally! A lot of us are undoubtedly spending much more time outdoors in the heat and sun and we aren’t stuck inside, bundled up in tons of layers like we were in the winter. With the long awaited departure of winter and arrival of summer, though, comes some added sources of worry.

In the winter we’re worried about dry skin, chapped lips and static ruining any possibility of a good hair day, but summer brings us a whole new gamut of skin, hair and beauty related issues. Here are some products you need to add to your beauty arsenal this summer.

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen

Pardon me for sounding like your mom with this first essential, but we all know how damaging the sun can be to our skin. Everyone wants to achieve that nice, even tan in the summer months, but it isn’t worth it if it comes with the price of damaging your skin and putting your health at risk. And trust me, it is still possible to get some color even when you wear sunscreen, but you’ll avoid a painful, lobster red burn in the long run.

My personal favorite when it comes to sunscreen is Neutrogena’s Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen in SPF 30 because it doesn’t leave your skin or hands feeling greasy after you’ve applied it like many other sunscreens. It also comes in a spray version and just about any SPF you desire.

Lastly, it comes in a pretty small, compact bottle so it will fit in any purse. I love this aspect of it because in the summer you never know when you’ll be spending a few hours out in the sun, so it’s important to always be prepared.

Bumble and Bumble Brilliantine

The summer is the perfect time to give your hair a break from the constant, day to day styling of the cooler months. Most days in the summer, I let my hair dry au natural so I can undo some of the damage from the winter, but I’ve always hated how frizzy my hair looks after it has air-dried. I know a lot of people have this same concern, so they often shy away from air drying.

But now it’s time to throw those worries out the door. Bumble and Bumble Brilliantine is the solution to all of your frizzy problems. Just a small dab of this product throughout your hair will leave it glossy and shiny, with no frizz in sight. Apply it to your hair once it is done drying and you’ll never want to use your hair dryer again! Do be sparing with how much you apply, though. Too much Brilliantine will leave your hair looking greasy.

Self-Tanner

Everyone wants to look tan in the summer, but you don’t need to lay out in the sun for hours to achieve that. There are literally thousands of self-tanners out there that will give you the same look without killing your skin.

I’ll be honest, though, I have yet to find a self-tanner that I absolutely love and would recommend. Self-tanners are a very tricky product to use and there are so many different options out there that it gets difficult to even know where to start.

The best place to start is deciding what kind of self-tanner you want. Do you want gel, lotion, spray, mousse, etc.? This might take a little bit of trial and error to see which one you find the easiest to apply and which you can apply the most evenly. Once you figure that out, then decide what color of tan you want. Do you want a glow that is only slightly darker than your natural skin color? Or do you want a tan that makes you look like you just spent the summer in the Caribbean?

Either way, most brands offer their products in different shades. Harper’s Bazaar wrote up a list of self-tanners that is a must read for any self-tanner virgins out there.

Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray

Like I said, I love letting my hair air dry in the summer, but sometimes I want my naturally straight hair to have some added texture. In order to get this added texture, a sea salt spray is a must have. If you’ve ever taken a dip in the ocean and then let your hair air dry, you’ve probably noticed that your hair just naturally waves. Sea salt spray mimics this to give you the perfect beachy waves, which is my go-to look for the summer.

I use Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray right after I shower. Sometimes I let it air dry, but if I’m in a hurry I’ll dry my hair with a diffuser. Both methods give me the beach waves I want. Sea salt spray, though, much like self-tanners, requires some trial and error. Not every spray works the same in different types of hair. InStyle has some sea salt sprays to try for every hair type.

So now that summer is here, go out and enjoy some fun in the sun, but don’t forget about your beauty routine! The sun and heat can really take a toll on your skin and hair. Adding these four products to your beauty supplies, though, will put your beauty worries to rest and keep you carefree all summer long.