With beauty products, slow and steady usually wins the race toward noticeable results. The operative word here is “usually.” While the industry definitely has its fair share of flukes and far-fetched marketing, some beauty products can work almost instantaneous miracles. How do I know? I’ve witnessed said witchcraft firsthand, and I’m about to reveal the guilty-as-charged products below. But that’s not all. To make the deal even sweeter, the products below are on sale. That’s right, Dermstore’s Anniversary Sale is happening from August 8 to 17.
To make the most of this opportunity for major savings (I’m talking about up to 25% off on all participating brands), use code CHEERS at checkout. I’m sure you have your own bucket list of beauty products you’ve been waiting to snag at a temporarily discounted price point, but keep scrolling to discover the summer beauty staples I highly recommend due to how damn fast they’ll improve your outer—and likely inner—glow.
The first skincare expert I had the pleasure of connecting with to learn more about the best skincare practices for traveling was celebrity facialist Cynthia Maria Crawford. Her work can be found on the most recognizable faces of Hollywood, including the likes of Olivia Wilde, Barry Keoghan, Jenna Ortega, and Ana de Armas. “Try not to switch up your skincare routine too much while traveling—keep your skin hydrated and protected from the sun (even on the airplane),” says Crawford. “Stay hydrated! Drinks lots of water and electrolytes before and drying a trip. make sure to use products that balance and hydrate your skin. A great cleanser, serum, toner and moisturizer and SPF is all you need! Keep it simple!”
Discover Crawford’s biggest skincare recommendations below including a brightening vitamin C eye cream, a refreshing collagen-infused toner, and ultra-hydrating SPF.
There’s no denying that Gen Z has a unique influence on the beauty industry, thanks to their unique position as the only generation raised alongside mainstream social media platforms. For Gen Z, this experience comes with the ability to detect and drive trends before the rest of the world catches even the slightest whiff. It also gives them the power to challenge the validity of standards previous generations claimed were timeless.
Before you head to your nearest beauty retailer to stock up for the season, we recommend looking to the so-called ‘internet generation’ for guidance on this summer’s hottest makeup trends. As always, we’ve made it easy for you by combing through countless youth-driven trends to identify the seven trends you’ll see everywhere over the next few months.
Keep scrolling to discover some of our favorite makeup artist-approved trends and the hero products that will dominate the digital space this summer. Spoiler alert: the more blushed and bronzed you are this season, the better.
One of my favorite things in the world is when I’m on vacation, and I’ve spent all day at the beach. My skin is warm and sunkissed, my hair is salty and wavy, and I’ve just woken up from a nap to shower, change, and head to dinner. I’ll definitely wash the sunscreen off my face, and I might throw on some low-effort makeup, but I’ll never touch my hair. Why? Because there’s nothing like the perfectly imperfect texture I get from spending a day by the water. Sure, my hair might look tousled and windswept, but that’s kind of the point. Up until recently, I haven’t had a name to call this hairstyle but leave it to TikTok to come up with one. It’s called “Mermaid Hair,” and it’s about to be everywhere. Well, to be fair, it’s already everywhere. Beauty editors, social media influencers, and celebrities are all taking part in this effortless-looking trend. Ahead, learn how to get this viral look, regardless of your hair type or texture, according to three top hairstylists.
Let’s back up and talk about the elements of mermaid hair. It’s all about soft, undulating waves or curls. The less perfect they are, the better. The goal is to look like you just came out of the ocean. The best reference is the most obvious one: think Ariel from The Little Mermaid.
According to Larry Sims, Co-Founder of Flawless by Gabrielle Union and Celebrity Hairstylist, you don’t have to spend a day at the beach to achieve every element of this look. “The mermaid hair trend is hair that exemplifies water waves, usually created with thermal styling tools,” he says. “It’s perfect for summertime. I’ve been seeing a lot of people incorporating colors into the waves, like blues, purples, and teals, to give it a water-esque look and feel to it. I’ve also seen some people incorporate double-strand twists and full locs, which makes them look really beachy and organic.”
If you don’t have long or naturally wavy hair, you can still get mermaid hair. Take it from celebrity hairstylist and texture specialist, Sophie Rose Gutterman, who says this look can work for anyone, regardless of hair type, length, or texture. “Mermaid Hair means exactly that—gorgeous dream hair. I feel like this isn’t specific to any certain texture.” As she puts it, “Every girl can be a mermaid!” Keep scrolling to learn how to achieve this look, but first, see some celebrity references as inspo.
Zendaya proves mermaid hair is red-carpet-worthy. Period.
Khloe Kardashian wears her hair in mermaid-esque waves with small twists at the front.
Kylie Jenner is also in on the trend. She ups the ante by giving her waves a wet-look effect.
Lizzo’s mermaid hair is perfectly undone, which is just how you want it.
Sofia Richie let her texture shine while on a recent trip to the Caribbean.
Method #1: Curling Iron
If you don’t have naturally wavy hair, a heat tool will be your best friend. “The best way to create ‘mermaid waves’ is to use a curling iron as a wand and wrap the hair in different directions, leaving the ends out,” Gutterman says.
Method #2: Waving Iron
As for Sims, he says, “Most people recreate this look using a beach waver with three barrels. You can also recreate this look by braiding your hair when it’s wet and letting it air dry, or using a curling iron in a synchronized manner.”
Gutterman recommends this WaveTrio Kit, which includes three interchangeable barrels for different size waves. There’s a 1-inch wand, a 1.25-inch clip, and a 1.5-inch clip barrel, so you can customize your look.
We like this aptly named waving iron for creating bigger, looser beach waves.
For a smaller, more crimped wave, we like this waving iron (in fact, the entire Who What Wear beauty team is kind of obsessed with it). It’s incredibly easy to use.
No matter what heat tool you use, Sims says proper styling products are the key. “When styling this look, you’ll want to make sure your hair is super moisturized beforehand. I always use the Flawless by Gabrielle Union 5 Butter Miracle Leave-In Conditioner after washing to really lock in the moisture,” he says. “Always finish off the look with an oil, like Flawless by Gabrielle Union Restoring Exotic Oil Treatment ($10), which is infused with Jojoba Oil and Indian Neem Oil for extra hydration and shine.”
Method #1: Finger Waves
If your hair is really short, you can do finger waves, which may be a bit more molded to the shape of your hair but can still give soft waves around the face,” Sims says.
Method #2: Extensions
Gutterman says it’s possible to take part in this trend with short hair by working with your natural texture and using a curling iron to “perfect pieces while keeping the ends straight.” However, you can always “take it to the next level” by using clip-in extensions. “I love Hidden Crown Hair Extensions because they are long from top to bottom and will instantly give you the length,” she says.
For finger waves, hair gel can help keep the waves intact and defined all day long. Gutterman likes this one because it “never leaves the hair crunchy or dry.”
Mousse can also help the finger wave styling process. In fact, some people prefer it over gel. We suggest experimenting with both to see which one works best for you and your hair type.
A tool like this can assist in forming finger waves and curve edges around the perimeter of the face.
Priscilla Valles is a celebrity extenstionist. She has the perfect set of extensions for people with short hair to use for the mermaid hair look. “The Glam Seamless x Priscilla Valles Luxe Clip-In Extensions actually come styled already with this beachy wave – all you have to do is clip them in and they already give you the mermaid waves and inches.”
Method #1: Blowout Your Curls
Sims says you can “wash your hair and blow it out to where it’s smooth. Then, you’ll go in and create the waves with either a hair waver or by plaiting your hair with braids. You don’t want to wet the hair, but afterward, you should always finish it off with some oil for shine and moisture.”
Method #2: Adapt Your Existing Curl Pattern
Second, you can do away with the “classic” mermaid waves and adapt them to your existing curl pattern. This is the method Valles prefers. “Instead of doing a blowout and redoing it to have the classic waves, I think they should embrace their natural curls.”
If you want to work with your natural curls, Gutterman recommends starting out with a curl cream based on your curl pattern to define the curls while they’re drying. “My favorite is the All About Curls Bouncy Cream ($14) or Taming Cream ($11),” she says. “These will provide definition and fullness.”
“If you need to perfect any pieces, you can use the T3 0.5-inch Single Pass Curling Iron to polish some of the curls,” Gutterman says.
Valles likes using a leave-in conditioner to create this look on her curly-haired clients. As she puts it, “You might as well treat your hair at the same time [as styling it].” She recommends this one. “This will help weigh the hair down to keep it heavy and straighter—keeping the curls loose and down.” A good rule of thumb is the more product you use, the more relaxed curls will be.
Fun fact: Valles likes using wave spray on curly hair because it “helps enhance curls.” She recommends this one from Dae, which uses hibiscus flower extract, prickly pear seed oil, and moringa leaf extract to provide moisture and weightless definition.
Valles also recommends using hair oil to finish the mermaid hair look on curly hair types since they’re so moisturizing and protective. She likes this one from K18, which literally repairs damage in the hair fiber for stronger, healthier strands over time.
*Successfully* wearing makeup in the hot, sweat-inducing months of summer isn’t an easy feat. If you pick the wrong product formulas, it can end in disaster, and even the formulas touting 10-, 12-, or 24-hour wear still beg for a careful tread. (Sorry, but many formulas are overly ambitious with their claims.)
As someone who currently lives in L.A. and who grew up in Minnesota (where winters are cold and bone-dry while summers are hot and disgustingly humid), I feel pretty well-versed when it comes to finding the best sweat- and weather-proof makeup formulas. I also love to be outside, love to work out, and have an unfortunate habit of sweating buckets when I’m nervous. I should also mention that as a beauty editor, I’m sent about a bazillion products per week stating they’ll stay on my face through all of the above. (Lies, so many lies!)
“Vacay-ready beach nails are out, but coastal metallics are in for summer,” says Park. “Nothing reminds me of summer more than deep oceanic blue shades, and what would be more perfect than deep blue-toned metallics?”
Park specifically loves LeChat’s shade Metallux Siren Song for creating Mermaidcore nails. “This very thin, liquid-chrome-textured, multi-effect shade is everything that reminds you of mermaid colors. A mix of deep and silvery blue with a hint of green and purple glaze through under different lighting, and the name couldn’t be more perfect to describe the shade. I recommend this color on any shape of nails, but especially on short nails and toenails to shine those clean cut shorties without messy chrome application.”
Once summer rolls around, I become 75% lazier when it comes to my beauty aesthetic. But because I don’t want my skin or hair to suffer the consequences of a sudden laissez-faire attitude, said downslide in time and effort means I prioritize a revamped regimen and product selection that works smarter, not harder.
There is a third, slightly trickier caveat: My new slew of staples can’t burn out my summer budget that’s strictly reserved for any highly anticipated festivities I have planned—vacation, sun, water, sand, tropical-themed cocktails… You get the idea.
My first trip to the dermatologist since the start of the pandemic resulted in my derm not being happy with me—just as I predicted. In short, he said that in the last two-ish years, I’d spent far too much time in the sun and far too little time applying and reapplyingsunscreen. And he was right. When the weather permitted, I spent hours lying in the sun on my rooftop. When I wasn’t doing that, I was hanging out in a park (socially distanced, of course) or running outside—all either sans sunscreen or with very little sunscreen on.
Suffice it to say I left that appointment on a mission to finally take care of my skin, starting with my SPF routine. As someone who spends a lot of time scrolling on TikTok, my mind went straight to sunscreen of the tinted variety. Thus, I set out to find a tinted sunscreen that gave me a no-makeup look while protecting my skin from damage.
First, I called on Debra Jaliman, an NYC-based board-certified dermatologist, to give me the low-down on sunscreen in general. “Sun damage is cumulative,” Jaliman tells me. “Even on a rainy day, you will get ultraviolet damage because the UV light goes through the clouds. That’s why it’s important to wear sunscreen every single day, rain or shine.” According to her, there are three rules of thumb for purchasing and using sunscreen: 1) Stick to an SPF of 29/30 or higher, 2) use about a half teaspoon of product, and 3) reapply every two hours (more if you sweat or go swimming). Tinted sunscreen, tinted moisturizer with SPF, or sunscreen that’s not tinted—none of that really matters. Instead, it’s all about the three things mentioned above. Well, that and the concentration of zinc oxide, which Jaliman says should be above 9%, especially if you have sensitive skin.
With a wealth of knowledge behind me, I test-drove eight tinted sunscreens, many of which are in heavy rotation on my For You page. There’s EltaMD’s UV Daily Sunscreen, which Hailey Bieber has shared on her TikTok page (check out this Vitamin C she also uses). And, of course, there’s Supergoop! Glowscreen, which has a cult-like following of its own. But despite what Beauty TikTok might have you believe, those aren’t the only two tinted sunscreens on the market. In fact, neither received my number-one ranking.
See which one did and read all about my tinted-sunscreen journey below.
