By now, you’ve probably surmised we test-drive a lot of beauty products here at Who What Wear. From nail polish and makeup to hair and skincare, we’re eyebrow-deep in all things new, exciting, and wish list–worthy. That said, due to the number of products we come in contact with, we’ve become very nitpicky beauty consumers. Within seconds, we can tell if a new hair oil is too heavy, and we’re quick to ignore a serum that yields disappointing results.
The good news? We’re far more often impressed than unimpressed after trying out a new product, and usually, we can’t wait to spread the word to all of our fellow beauty lovers (that’s you!). Therefore, we’ve decided gushing over our latest fave products should become a monthly ritual. You can expect a full report every 30 days or so that details the highlighters, hair wands, and overnight skincare saviors we’ve fallen head over heels for.
For the most part, we’ll be covering buzzworthy launches, as those typically take up most of the action atop our product-filled desks, but we won’t dismiss new-to-us products, either. Sometimes, our best discoveries are found on a friend’s vanity or on someone’s face at the bar (true story). Ahead are the best beauty products we tried in August! Grab your game face and wallet because you’ll need both.
“I have officially met the brow pencil I will use until my dying day. (Or, however long Kosas keeps making it.) I was always a fan of Kosas’s collection of brow products and the OG Brow Pop Pencil, but after weeks of testing and compulsively using this new mini iteration on my brows, I’m completely fixated. A more precise brow pencil simply doesn’t exist, and I swear I’ve gotten way more compliments on my brows (something that never really used to happen) since I’ve been using it. The results are just so, so natural-looking!”
“This year has been a little bit of a rough one for my hair. Overnight, it’s like my body just decided it wanted to shed and snap my strands as much as possible. I’m guessing there a few factors (like stress) to blame, but, in the interim, I am applying and taking every single thing I can conceivably think of to help the situation. This stuff is GOLD, and it has probably made the biggest difference out of everything I’ve been doing. “Essentially, it features a new, breakthrough technology that provides deep, lasting bond repair in one easy step. You simply combine the formula with water in the spray bottle, shake it up, saturate your dry hair with it, and then let it marinate for as long as possible. Rinse, shampoo, and condition, and you’ll be amazed at how soft, shiny, and strong your hair feels afterward. The patented formula repairs all types of damage (whether chemical, environmental, or mechanical) by repairing broken disulfide bonds and restoring hair structure in just 10 minutes, and the special Bio-Diffusion Technology continues to heal and repair your strands for hours. I’ve been using it once a week and have seen dramatic improvement, and it’s officially replaced all other bonding and strengthening products in my routine.”
“Speaking of fantastic hair products, this stuff adds an insane amount of thickness to your hair, and is maybe the only thickening styling treatment I’ve ever loved. It’s new, and it’s been rubbed into my scalp after every wash ever since it launched. I highly recommend it if you want an instant boost of body in addition to a strategic cocktail of ingredients that will boost healthy hair growth long-term, too.”
“Where to start! This new perfume from Phlur is all anyone on the WWW beauty team can talk about, and it’s the ultimate scent to transition from summer to fall. To be honest, I haven’t been this excited about a new perfume in at least a year—the juicy, yet skin-like melding of fig, jasmine dew, and sandalwood is just so lush and dreamy. I’m firmly addicted and can’t bring myself to apply any of my old favorites.”
“I love a freckle pen, and this new one from B&Rudi is the best I’ve ever used—no other product I’ve tried has looked as natural! Even though I have lots of freckles, they’re usually invisible by the time I’m done with my foundation and concealer since I typically like a fuller coverage. However, my worst nightmare is someone actually realizing I’ve re-dotted my freckles, and this is the only one I’m sure will 100% fool people. The unique ball-shaped applicator is a game-changer!”
“As I touched on with my hair, this has been my year of crazy reactions to things I normally used to be able to tolerate, no problem. So, in addition to developing an allergy to bleach, I’ve also been SO much more sensitive to the sun. What once would have been mild pinkness from the sun have turned into truly wild burns that—if I were more responsible—would probably send me to urgent care. Since I’ve had a few really bad burns this summer, this EWG-verified body oil-serum from Olita has been my lifeline. The ingredients are super-clean, super-soothing, and you’re even left with a pretty glow and calming citrusy scent. I can’t get enough, and I just re-ordered.”
“I haven’t decided which I love more, Le Prunier’s Plum Beauty Oil or this decadent body cream! It does take a little while to soak in, but once it does, my skin feels baby soft. It also stays hydrated for 24+ hours, which is my gripe with some other body creams—the hydration doesn’t always last very long!”
“Beauty director Erin Jahns initially got me excited about this brand and I have to say, this unique offering from it is one of my favorites. It’s sweet, smoky, and a bit leathery with notes of black tea, palo santo, leather, and cashmere wood.”
“I’ve recently developed an obsession with this Olaplex heat protectant and the brand’s Bonding Oil Drops. The Blow Dry Mist is a newer offering from the brand and adds so much hydration to my hair before heat styling. It also leaves my hair looking shiny, healthy, and like I just left the salon.”
“I started using this Dermalogica about two weeks ago and it’s perfect for dehydrated or barrier-damaged skin. It clears acne with a gentle concentration of 0.5% salicylic acid and tea tree oil, but never strips my skin or leaves it feeling dry afterwards. I’m so happy I finally found a salicylic acid wash I can tolerate that doesn’t dehydrate my skin and doesn’t cause any more irritation. It also really helps curb hormonal breakouts.”
“I recently got an incredible facial at Osea’s boutique in Venice, CA that featured this amazing new exfoliating cleanser. I know you might see that it’s a scrub and immediately want to scroll past this, but I promise, it’s so hydrating and gentle that it doesn’t even feel like a scrub. I usually won’t even touch physical face scrubs with a ten-foot pole anymore since my skin barrier is a bit compromised, but this one is now the exception! It’s great for sensitive skin.”
“I absolutely love a red lip—you’ll rarely catch me wearing any other lip color—and this is such an easy red to swipe on. It’s hydrating, high-shine, and is the dreamiest, most flattering cherry red shade. Chanel is always good for effortless, French-girl reds, and this is one of my favorites from the brand.”
“I have never gotten so many compliments on my fragrance choice as I have from Phlur’s newest scent. Father figure is a creamy, green, skin scent that smells like fig, jasmine dew, and sandalwood. It’s soft but still powerful—and every time I’ve worn it, I’ve been stopped and asked about what scent I’m wearing.”
“This gel-cream foundation is mostly skincare, which means it makes your skin feel so good while you wear it. I appreciate how buildable the coverage is, and it truly is like wearing my favorite concealer (Glossier Stretch, always!) all over my face. I’m not a big foundation girl, but I’ve been reaching for this on repeat anyway.”
“I, for one, am incredibly happy about the return of the Laundress detergent. The brand has done a massive overhaul and ensured that all of their products are safe, effective, and smell just as good as they used to. This has always been my favorite detergent, and I’m so happy it’s back.”
“This sunscreen mist is hydrating and cooling, and it makes my limbs glow like nothing else. I brought it with me on a recent beach day, and I got multiple compliments about how good my skin looked.”
“I’m obsessed with this lip and cheek tint for easy end-of-summer makeup. It’s pretty much foolproof to apply (and blend out with fingers), and it leaves the prettiest subtle color behind. I use it on my lips and cheeks almost every day for an easy monochromatic makeup look.”
“This eye pencil is one of the prettiest, most striking eyeliners I own. The bright shade of cerulean blue is so flattering, and the antioxidant-rich jojoba and coconut oil formula means it glides on (and smudges) like a dream.”
“I know the Barbie craze is wearing off, and some people might even have some Barbie fatigue, but this shade of nail polish might change your mind. The vivid, bright pink is so eye-catching and earned me multiple compliments! I also love the shade, ‘My Job Is Beach.’ IYKYK.”
“I’m obsessed with keeping my teeth bright, even though I drink more coffee than I’d like to admit. I’ve only been using this pen for a couple of days, and I can see a visible difference. It’s effective to say the least.”
“When I heard about this new strawberry glaze flavor of the iconic peptide lip treatment (my all-time favorite lip product), I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. As you can imagine, I instantly became obsessed: it smells like a sweet strawberry donut, complete with the delectable sugary glaze. It’s the perfect way (and IMO, the only way) to top off strawberry girl makeup.”
“This concealer is my favorite one I’ve used in a while. I find that it’s high-coverage enough to conceal my under eye circles and any pesky breakouts, but still looks so natural and blends into the skin like a dream. It makes sense since it has skincare-level ingredients like hyaluronic acid and centella asiatica. I think it’s safe to say by now that if you try out anything from Tower 28, you won’t be disappointed.”
“These sleep patches are my new travel must-have. I always throw them in my carry-on since I sometimes have trouble falling asleep in new environments. They have melatonin and herbs like hops and valerian root that help calm the body and support sleep. And they’re super easy to use: you just stick one on your wrist and before you know it you’re easing off into dreamland.”
“I love a matte eyeshadow moment for a minimalist, sophisticated look. This palette really has all the colors I need. I love to apply the beige shade on my lid, the dark brown to deepen the crease, and the white shade to highlight the inner corner and brow bone.”
“Spider lashes aren’t my vibe, and it bothers me when just one or two coats of mascara gives me that effect. Through trial and error, I’ve found I like a mascara that gives buildable volume, and this one is it. It makes my lashes look separated and thickened but not clumpy. It’s also infused with a conditioning serum so you know it’s doing good for your lashes when you wear it.”
“I’ve been testing out this beloved-by-celebs serum from LA skincare expert Biba de Sousa and cannot say enough amazing stuff about it. My skin’s completely changed. It feels so much plumper and vibrant than usual, even after I spent a ton of time in the sun on vacation and was going to bed super late. Usually, I get nervous about trying new serums because they oftentimes make me break out, but I haven’t had a single breakout in the four or five weeks that I’ve been using this serum. I use it twice a day before moisturizing and will be absolutely heartbroken when I finish the bottle.”
“This “cleansing serum” takes off my makeup and cleans my skin so well and has the most beautiful, subtle scent to it that I love. It’s super gentle but effective. I’ve also been using the brand’s eye cream and moisturizer and am beyond impressed.”
“Not going to lie, I sometimes go to Equinox just to shower and use this body moisturizer. It makes my skin literally shine and feel so soft and smooth.”
“To me, August is all about having a sun-kissed look, so my entire makeup routine has revolved around bronzers. I just re-ordered this one from Merit because it is actually dark enough for my skin tone and blends perfectly. I like to avoid the over-contoured look, so I love that this product has such a natural finish and enhances dewy look that I love.”
“I recently went to my first-ever Tracy Anderson workout class, and before the class started, I wanted to reapply my deodorant. They had this one in the bathroom, so I sprayed it on and was instantly hooked. Not only does it smell amazing but after the amount of sweating I did during that class I felt extremely odor-free. I went home and ordered it immediately and have used it every single day since.”
“Tinted moisturizers are part of my daily routine, so naturally, I’ve tried quite a few of them. Danessa Myricks just launched this product, and I instantly became obsessed with it. The color match is perfection, and I have found it to be the perfect base for daytime.”
