Our Beauty Editor Breaks Down The Summer Beauty Trends Worth Paying Attention To

Bursting social calendars, bustling group chats. Summer—breezy as it may be—can be a gloriously busy time. 

So this season, we’re (gladly) seeing beauty trends steer towards the simple, with new products working harder and smarter than they ever have before. 

Lucky for us, a few simple swap-ins—all found on our friends at Ultra Beauty’s online and in-store shelves—are our ticket to summer-friendly skin, hair and makeup looks. 

Here’s what summer beauty trends have caught our eye, and exactly how we plan on making them ours. 

Sun Protection Beyond The Skin 

We all know how helpful heat protectants are at keeping damage from heat-styling tools at bay. Less known, however, is how they protect against day-to-day stress on your tresses—especially when the sun is sending down its hottest rays.

These days, there’s a leave-in conditioner for almost everything: frizz, flyaways (always welcome on a muggy summer’s day), protection against sea salt or chlorine, or maintaining salon colour.

One that seals individual strands is your best bet for daily protection. Our vote is the Redken Acidic Colour Gloss Leave-In. An all-rounder. 

Hazy Eyes 

Eyeshadow is taking on a more fluid form these days, spilling out like a spell cast across the eyelids. What’s more summery and carefree than that?

Sure, flooding your entire eye area with pigment might sound tricky at first. So we suggest you start with a mauve or berry-like shade that’s near a shade you already use. Using a blush works a treat too, especially if it has a pearly touch like Covergirl’s Trublend Skin Enhancer Baked Luminous Blush.

Dust this across the whole eye area (with a blush brush even), add an extra layer to your eyelid, and colour yourself whimsical.  

Lightweight Legends 

Alongside frothy linens and short hemlines, you’ll want to think about bringing lightweight skincare into your summer rotation. 

Look for gel-like and finely-milled formulations like micro-encapsulated pearls or a bubble-to-serum like MediCube’s PDRN Pink Collagen Bubble Serum. They’ll absorb into your skin in a split second, hydrate from within, and be anything but filmy. 

You’ll be pleased to know that this applies to SPF too. There’s a bunch of sunscreen serums (yes, serums) on shelves that deliver proper sun coverage without the weight, like Avène’s Sunsitive Sunscreen SPF 50+ Serum.

Nude Nails

A little amusing that no-nail-polish manicures are making the rounds as a trend, sure. But we’ll take it if it means a little lighter summertime plate. 

The approach is simple here: invest in a neat pair of nail scissors, Mavala cuticle oil, and maybe use that mani-free downtime to let nail conditioner do its magic.

Cloudy Skin

Are we seeing the end of glossy, glassy dolphin skin? Either way, a mattifying powder won’t go amiss when a full face of makeup is up against 28-degree heat. 

Powders have come a long way since matte makeup reigned supreme, with today’s takes offering luminescent glows with a tinge of colour instead.  

Two tips here to avoid cakey finishes: whisk it across the face with a ridiculously large brush (no blotting it on with a pad) and, if in doubt, go slightly lighter in shade (and let Covergirl Trublend bronzer or foundation do the colouring.  

Work While You Sleep 

Summer days throw a lot at your social calendar and skin. After the parties, lashings of sea salt and direct sunlight, we’re leaning on the night shift to do the heavy lifting. 

Overnight repairing masks will be your best friend here, as will creams that hydrate and target specific concerns. Elizabeth Arden’s Retinol + HPR Ceramide Water Cream balances cell renewal (thank you, Retinol and HPR Retinoid) and moisture retention in an ultra-light texture (see, told you so). We also rate Medicube’s Triple Collagen Crème for going all out on hydration with Niacinamide and collagen itself. 

Just make sure you use a decent amount of SPF the next day when you’re using targeted products, yeah? 

Ultra Beauty has landed at Chemist Warehouse nationwide, making your summer plans brighter, more colourful and full of cult-favourite beauty must-haves. Check it out here. 

Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Ultra Beauty and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why, read our editorial policy here.

Images: Urban List.