By now, you’ve probably surmised that we test-drive a lot of beauty products here at Who What Wear HQ. 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 also transformed into the nitpickiest of 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 simply can’t wait to spread the word to all of our fellow beauty lovers (also known as you!). Therefore, we’ve decided gushing over our latest fave products should become a monthly ritual, and every 30 days or so, you can expect a full report detailing the highlighters, hair wands, and overnight skincare saviors we’ve quickly 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 July! Grab your game face and wallet—you’ll be needing both.
I truly can’t say enough good things about Furtuna Skin and its products. I fell in love with this entire set of products, but my absolute favorite is the Biphase Oil! It adds so much beautiful hydration to the skin, helps clear up acne, and even heals the skin barrier (all while being noncomedogenic). The micellar cleansing essence also leaves my skin feeling so fresh, clean, and glowing. I also am just a sucker for a two-in-one product so you know I love the Face & Eye Serum, too. Individually, the products are wonderful and do so much for your skin fast, but together, they’re even more transformational. I had the pleasure of speaking to one of the brand’s lovely founders, Kim Walls, and I can tell this brand is truly creating next-level clean beauty that still delivers you the dramatic results you’re looking for. Do yourself a favor and give the products a try—you will not be disappointed.
I’m totally obsessed with Malaya Organics! I’ve now tried several of the brand’s products and they’re all fantastic, but the cleansing oil really stood out to me. It smells amazing and works so well as a first step in my double cleansing routine. I love the way it transforms into a silky balm when you add water and it hydrates your skin so beautifully!
I’m a big fan of face oils in general but I’m just now getting around to trying this cult-loved one from Mara! I’m absolutely loving it and my skin has such a soft, radiant glow after I apply it every day. The formula is rich in so many amazing superfoods that it would be impossible for you not to glow after using it. Mara is also just such a fantastic clean brand and I can’t wait to give the cleansing oil a try next!
This is my first T3 tool and it has not disappointed. This is a new release from the brand that has wider plates than the original Lucea so it’s perfect for thick, coarse, and longer hair types like mine. It’s definitely one of the best flat irons I’ve used so far and I love how quickly I can style my hair with it. Normally, it takes me at least an hour to straighten my super thick hair, but this tool actually cut at least 20 or so minutes off that time!
Soft Service’s Speed Soak Rehydrating Gel has been a game changer for me this season. In this heat and humidity, the last thing I want is to feel sticky lotion on my body. I hoped swapping to a gel would do the trick and I’m happy to report this formula lives up to its name. It absorbed so quickly into my skin I almost forgot I put it on. Plus, it’s fragrance free which always gets extra points in my book.
I’ll be honest, I tend to avoid chapsticks with SPF because of how awful they usually taste. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised by Vacation’s dessert themed collection. They smell as yummy as they sound and don’t have that chemical aftertaste. Bananas Foster is my current favorite, but the Pineapple Upside Down Cake is a close second.
I wish all moisturizers came in spray form. Can someone get on that? In the meantime, this Curél moisture spray is the perfect spray-on lotion for when I am a) lazy and b) too hot from all these heat waves to anoint myself with a heavy cream. I have dry skin, and this gives me all the hydration I need within 45 seconds, flat. My absolute ideal.
I can’t stop reaching for this brow gel! It makes my eyebrows look perfectly fluffed, never clumps, and best of all, it stays on all day long. Even in 100 degree weather, it literally does not budge. Also, it’s $7—I can’t think of a reason to not try it.
It’s taken me a minute to get into essences, but this might be the product that finally convinces me to add them to my roster. It’s supremely hydrating, soaks in easily, and truly makes my skin feel prepped for next skincare steps. Snow mushroom and hyaluronic acid hydrate while tomato stem cells serve as pollution shields, so this essence both moisturizes and protects.
The brand’s signature eye cream just got an upgrade. Vitamin C helps brighten undereyes, and the new formula is fragrance-free and feels even more luxe than the first iteration.
I honestly don’t mess with highlighter very much. I hate when my cheeks look like they’re getting hit with a strobe light, and I also hate formulas that feel like they’re smearing my makeup. This highlighter blends into makeup so effortlessly and provides a soft, radiant glow.
I love a multi-tasking product, and this leave-in treatment is the ultimate multi-tasker. Put it on damp hair, let it sit for ten minutes, then blow dry. The best part? It serves as a heat protectant up to 450 degrees.
I’m obsessed with all of Nuria’s products, but this toner has been a godsend for my acne-prone skin. Listen, nothing is a miracle worker, but this toner is packed with tea tree and rosemary oils that really calm my breakouts. The brand’s founder, Naomi Furgiuele, has a background in science and that experience really shines when it comes to the brand’s excellent formulations.
I’ve been using this Milk + Honey cleansing balm for several weeks and I really love it. It’s been particularly great for removing all my sweaty sunscreen this summer. I’ll admit that I’m behind the times when it comes to cleansing balms, but this one has really made a true convert out of me. Plus, I’m very acne-prone and it does not make me break out—a crucial factor for me.
It’s no secret that I’m obsessed with Danish style (I’ve been going to Copenhagen Fashion Week for a few years now), but the Danish beauty is still relatively new to me. That’s why I’m obsessed that Woods Copenhagen is available on Nordstrom and other U.S. retailers, so I don’t have to worry about stocking up when I travel. I particularly love this hyaluronic acid mask, which is incredibly moisturizing and is also meant to stimulate collagen production.
When I hit 30, I started feeling like I’m lagging in the eye care department. This gel has soothed my fears and has made my under-eye area look perky and well-rested—even when I’m not.
In my opinion, moisturizers are one of the beauty products that give the quickest results, which means you can also feel when it’s clearly not working. This Fleur and Bee moisturizer scores top points from me because of how easy it is to blend in and layer with makeup, and how effective it is at hydrating my skin.
Keeping a face spray on my work-from-home desk is almost dangerous because I tend to give myself a spritz every time I procrastinate—which is a lot. This Aroha Oils rose water spray is so lovely and gives me a mood boost as well as a skin boost.
I know, I know, I’m the worst beauty editor of all time because I hadn’t tried this mask until recently. I actually made my husband do it with me (anything for a TikTok, amirite?)and we both were totally amazed by the results. Sure, the extreme tightening gets more uncomfortable as the time goes on, but the benefits outweigh the discomfort. It’s made with patented CO2 OctoLift™ that’s designed to fight common skin concerns with age-defying technology. Not only does it smooth, correct, and brighten, but it tightens, lifts, firms, and detoxifies. The post-mask glow is real.
My idea of a perfect liquid eye shadow is one that has an easy-to-control formula, meaning I can apply it however I damn well please and it’ll come out looking like a makeup artist graced my face. These eye paints come in some really special colors, including Dionysus, a rich orchid-like purple with blue undertones that takes my eyes to a whole new level.
When you get a PR email about JLO launching a targeted booty balm, you call a sample in. To be honest, I’ve only used this for a few nights now, so I haven’t seen any real difference just yet, but the texture is dreamy. While it’s technically marketed for the booty, you can use it on other targeted areas that might need some extra firming TLC like the hips, thighs, stomach, etc. There are lots of fun ingredients, but two standouts are guayana seed extract, which is a natural body stimulator containing caffeine that helps refresh the look of tired skin while visibly reducing puffiness, and pink pepper slim is a plant extract that helps smooth, diffuse, and fade the look of stretch marks.
I love finding an emulsion that’s supercharged—one that moisturizers like a regular ol’ cream, but is lighter in texture. What I love most about this one is that it’s extremely light in texture and absorbs into skin easily. There are lots of incredible ingredients, like peptides, squalene, sodium hyaluronate, and mushroom extract, (perfect for minimizing signs of aging!) but Hanacure’s unique nanotechnology allows the high concentration of ingredients to absorb quickly. My skin feels so bouncy, hydrated, and rejuvenated.
Love me some Hourglass. This is the newest foundation to launch within its Ambient Lighting collection and it’s everything I hoped it’d be: natural, buildable, with a soft glow. I’m not a huge foundation person and generally prefer more glowy formulas then matte, but I still liked this. (To be clear, it’s not a matte finish, but it felt a little too matte for my liking.) But despite that, I was still pleasantly surprised by the lightweight texture and how well it blended into my skin (and actually looked like my skin). I think it’s a really good option to use for an event or a wedding because I know it won’t budge.
I surprised myself by loving this brush. It’s so, so soft and the perfect shape for getting to those hard-to-apply spots like around the nose and under the eyes.
For anyone intimidated by liquid eyeliner, this stuff is basically goof-proof. The flex brush basically molds to the shape of your eye and the custom hexagonal grip offers a lot of control, so it’s really hard to mess up. And this is coming from someone who always messes up her eye makeup! Also, this is probably an unpopular opinion, but brown liner is better than black. It’s softer and doesn’t feel as harsh, especially during the summer.
The first time I used this I was genuinely surprised by how light and creamy the texture was. My face looked (and felt) noticeably brighter and I knew it’d earn a permanent spot on my vanity. It’s made with red ginseng soap-berry and lathers up nicely. It’s never left my skin feeling tight or dry, just soft to the touch and visibly more clear.
I’m a big fragrance person so when I first discovered hair perfumes, I quickly became obsessed. My current favorite is this one from Diptyque which naturally flows with any other scent I may be wearing on my body. Inspired by a Mediterranean getaway, it lessens my FOMO of all the travel pics I’m seeing on Instagram right now.
When I got this styling product, I never thought I’d use it as much as I do now. But it seems I can’t go a day without gliding it onto my hair. Whether it’s a quick hydrating touch-up or I’m pouring out half the bottle to create the perfect slickback, I have a new favorite product to support my hair’s healing process from all of the hair dye and hot tools I subject it to.
I used to be such a pro when it came to eyeliner but when I took a few years off from wearing it, my perfect wings became slightly crooked. That all changed when I was introduced to the precise tool that is this liquid liner. It’s hard to put the experience into words but I’ve never had an easier time getting the perfectly symmetrical line down.
If you’re looking for a blush that will stay on all day, your search is over. The latest from YSL has passed my test and I’m here for it. Pro tip: if you really want color, top it off with a powder blush.
I’m going to file this one under: Products I Wish I Discovered Sooner. When I first applied this highlighter, I ended up admiring myself in the mirror for a little too long (I can be vain!). It made my skin GLOW and looked super flattering. And like a lot of Rare Beauty’s products, you only need a little bit of product for application—just a few dabs on the place you want to highlight and then blend away and be prepared for luminous skin. I have it in two shades—Mesmerize and Enlighten.
I went on a weekend trip to Vegas and packed this sunscreen. I’m obsessed with Supergoop, but I hadn’t tried this particular product yet. I loved it! Even in the heat and intense sun, I didn’t experience any redness or sunburns. It went on smoothly and dried quickly—and it didn’t leave a greasy finish, which is a huge plus in my book. My boyfriend used it, too, and he didn’t get a sunburn at all—and his skin is very sunburn-prone! I definitely need to stock up on more for the rest of the summer.
I find Dr. Dennis Gross products to be very effective, so I was happy to try its new Vitamin C Lactic line. I’ve been applying this potent antioxidant serum in the morning before sunscreen and my face looks instantly brighter. The Lactic Acid component helps it to really sink in deeply, and I think it’s working because my skin looks much more awake than other Vitamin C serums have made it look in the past.
I’m on a constant hunt for good cleansers, and I’m a fan of Eadem’s Cloud Cushion, so I was quick to try this. It’s actually the second cleanser I’ve tried recently that you apply dry and then add water to emulsify at the end before rinsing. At first I was skeptical of this balm-style formula but I’ve found it to be incredibly effective at even removing stubborn eyeliner. It leaves my skin feeling soft and clean, not tight and dry.
This sunscreen primer has been around for a really long time, but it’s new to me. I love basically everything Chantecaille makes, and this is no exception. It has the consistency of a serum, which I love, as it blends easily and doesn’t feel heavy in the least. I also like that it has such a high SPF and that it leaves a soft matte finish. (Dewy sunscreens aren’t really my thing, especially if I’m wearing them under makeup.) It’s pricey but a little goes a long way since it spreads so easily.
Don’t get me wrong—I love a tingly lip plumping product but this Kosas plumper has shown me that you don’t really need them. It’s thick and hydrating but not sticky. It also has made my lips smoother after a few weeks of consistent use. I love it on its own or patted on over lip color. It also makes a great overnight lip treatment.
I once was an iS Clinical peel pad girl too, but that was before I discovered Vanessa Hernandez’s VH Method Peel pads. I saw nearly immediate results once I started using these around three times a week. The star ingredient is SWT-7 stem cell complex, which “blur”-like effect on your skin. Kind of like you’ve been photoshopped! Plus with the single pad rather than a two step system, I’m that much more likely to end up doing them. I keep a box by my bed and swipe it on while I’m watching t.v., and my skin has never been happier.
Barbara Sturm has legendary status among beauty girls in the know, so I was excited to try her super face cream. Wow, unfortunately for my wallet, I won’t be able to go back to anything else. It provides a true drench of hydration, and my skin is just happier when I use it. I am someone who is guilty of using too many actives, and this product is pure soothing goodness, so I’d especially recommend it if you have sensitive skin.
