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Summer Fun Never Has To End With These Dreamy New Beauty Products

Salt air season.

Updated: Aug. 20, 2023

Originally Published: Aug. 12, 2023

Courtesy Of Kjaer Weis Beauty

Kjaer Weiss Beauty cream bronzer models in the sunlight

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Everyone’s on the same page, right? Summer 2023 really did fly by at breakneck speed. Over the next few weeks, watch as commercials for bubbly rosés and tropical-toned nail polish get replaced by those dreaded back-to-school ads — even if you’re many years past graduation, the Sunday-night feeling of mid-August is a universal one. Fortunately, the fun doesn’t have to end just because summer is. August’s best beauty launches are closing the season out in style, full of reasons to be excited about fall’s impending arrival and the present moment alike.

The month’s been an especially busy one for new hair, makeup, skin, and body care launches. Plenty are supercharged versions of all-time classics, like the just-reformulated update to Shiseido’s best-selling eye cream. Others, including Tracee Ellis Ross’s robust new PATTERN Beauty scalp serum, are the sort of soon-to-be staples you’ll wonder how you ever lived without. Of course, some of the very best products overall are the ones that perform like an everyday workhorse, but can still be used for all the fun, viral trends dominating social media right now — most of the products here fit the bill, too.

Ahead, the very best new beauty products of August, with new additions added weekly as they roll out at retailers.

August 2023 Skin Launches

Straight out of Guerlain’s in-house bee lab comes one of the most innovative day creams in recent memory. Harnessing the distinct powers and properties of four different types of honey and one royal jelly, the moisturizer works to target collagen loss and the signs of aging to which it contributes. | Pros: Ethically-sourced ingredients; refillable packaging | Notable Ingredients: Black bee honey |

Best New Makeup Remover

Dr. Barbara Sturm

Make-Up Remover

$70

Yes, completely washing away all traces of cosmetics is key for a clear, radiant complexion — but not all makeup removers are created equal. Always keeping innovative science top of mind, Dr. Barbara Sturm’s combines gentle oils, micelle, and prebiotics to sweep away even waterproof makeup while never stripping or drying the skin. In fact, you actually feel more hydrated after using it. | Pros: Safe for sensitive skin; good for long-wear makeup | Notable Ingredients: Almond oil; apricot oil; glycolipids |

Best New Retinoid

Muri Lelu

Grass Nuit Rebirth Retinoid Treatment

$135

Retinoids make baby-soft skin attainable in just a few months — but when that’s compounded with the soothing, hydrating ingredients in Muri Lelu’s newest launch, it comes without the frustrating irritation and dryness. Start applying the treatment just twice per week, ramping up to more regular use over time as skin acclimates. | Pros: Infused with Indica aromatherapy; safe for all skin types | Notable Ingredients: 1% granactive retinoid; teff grass peptide; hyaluronic acid |

Best New Essences

Furcy Botanik

Essence Éklat

$75

Refreshing, revitalizing, and completely radiance-boosting, Furcy Botanik’s luxe essence will quickly become your favorite part of your skin care routine. Just pat a few drops of the fermented guava- and hibiscus-powered formula in and feel the instant benefits — it also prepares the complexion for every skin care step to follow. | Pros: Botanical-powered; non-harsh | Notable Ingredients: Djon Djon; guava; hibiscus extract |

Dr. Jart+

Vital Hydra Solution Hydro Plump Treatment Essence

$34

At this point, essence is essential — especially when it’s this universally beneficial. Suitable even for sensitive skin types, the watery formula is all about extra hydration and soothing irritation. | Pros: Clinically-backed results; safe for all skin types | Notable Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid; proprietary PENTAVITIN blend; allantoin |

Best New Face Creams

Summer Fridays

Rich Cushion Cream

$52

Early-release Summer Friday work days might officially end in August, but you can keep the light-as-air feeling going even through the cold weather with this all-new, skin-softening face cream. Summer Fridays’ just-released Rich Cushion Cream envelopes the complexion in soothing ingredients and natural antioxidants, locking in hydration as a key final step in your routine. | Pros: Thick but not occlusive; good for all skin types | Notable Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid; squalane; chamomile; allantoin |

Lancôme

Rénergie H.P.N. 300-Peptide Cream

$145

High-tech in formula with a sustainable approach to packaging, Lancôme’s new face cream targets visible signs of aging like sagging skin, fine lines, and dark spots. By combining more than 300 distinct peptides with hyaluronic and niacinamide, some report results as early as two weeks into regular use. | Pros: Clinically-backed results; targets multiple concerns | Notable Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid; peptides; niacinamide |

Best New Eye Cream

Shiseido

Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream

$65

It’s the best kind of makeover. Everything fans loved about Shiseido’s beloved Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream delivers all the radiance-boosting, hydration-infusing benefits of the original, now with an improved formula featuring ginseng extract. | Pros: Fan-favorite name; fast-acting | Notable Ingredients: Ginseng extract; vitamin E; squalane |

August 2023 Makeup Launches

Best New Concealer

MAKEUP BY MARIO

SurrealSkin Awakening Concealer

$29

Do you think Kim K got to try this one out before it hit Sephora shelves? Described as Mario Dedivanovic’s most-requested product ever, the concealer blurs and brightens undereyes, blemishes, and discoloration with an incredibly skin-like finish. | Pros: Available in 22 shades | Notable Ingredients: Caffeine; fermented marine microorganisms |

Best New Mascaras

Clinique

High Impact High-Fi Full Volume Mascara

$27

High impact means high drama — no falsies necessary. Thanks to the fibrous consistency of Clinique’s latest cosmetic launch, eyelashes can get pumped up with serious length and volume. Plus, its tapered brush head is perfect for bottom lashes and those hard-to-reach inner corner hairs. | Pros: Works well on short lashes; safe for sensitive eyes | Notable Ingredients: Synthetic beeswax; moringa seed oil |

Younique

QUADRA 4-in-1 Serum Primer Tubing Mascara

$55

Boasting a whopping four-in-one formula (it’s a primer, serum, tubing encapsulator, and lash lengthener), this satisfyingly hefty mascara has the most brilliantly-designed brushhead engineered to coat, comb, and condition every individual hair. | Pros: Multifunctional formula | Notable Ingredients: Peptides; flaxseed extract; chia seed extract |

Best New Bronzer

Kjaer Weis Beauty

Cream Bronzer

$32

Have you heard of that “golden hour” makeup trend taking over TikTok? The goal is to look bathed in warm yellow light like when the sun is setting, and Kjaer Weis’s ultra-creamy new bronzer makes it so easy. The four available shades are a breeze to blend, but it’s their natural-looking finish that really makes this so great. | Pros: Luxe packaging; natural finish | Notable Ingredients: Vitamin E; vanilla extract |

August 2023 Hair Launches

Best New Volumizer

IGK

Pick Me Up Maximum Lift Root Boost Spray

$29

IGK’s latest volume-booster was actually inspired by tubing mascaras — the transparent micro-fibers in the spray grip onto hair for a denser, thicker look that perks roots up and makes hairlines seem even fuller. And because sprays can often leave behind scalp buildup, this one’s equipped with green tea extract for some extra exfoliation. | Pros: Scalp-friendly formula; can be reapplied for more volume | Notable Ingredients: Fulvic acid; green tea extract |

Best New Shampoo

Function Of Beauty PRO

Custom Recovery Shampoo

$24

Everything about Function Of Beauty’s new PRO line is designed to take your hair care to the next level with bespoke customization, but the Recovery Shampoos are something special. Available in different variants for every hair type — including straight, wavy (above), curly, and coily — the bond-building shampoo is like rehab for stressed, damaged strands. | Pros: Different formulas for different hair types; part of a wider Recovery line | Notable Ingredients: F3 Bonding Complex; linseed seed extract; chia seed extract |

Best New Scalp Treatment

PATTERN Beauty

Deep Scalp Detox

$29

Perfect for use in-between wash days to eliminate buildup and keep the scalp hydrated and soothed, this detoxifying treatment is specially designed for tight-textured hair. The benefits of an exfoliated scalp include improved hair growth, more volume, and even softer strands overall. | Pros: Suitable for weekly use; tapered cap for targeted application | Notable Ingredients: Australian tea tree oil; pink clay; lemon peel oil |

Best New Heat Protectant

SACHAJUAN

Heat Protection Hair Cream

$39

$33

The extra styling benefits delivered by SACHAJUAN’s new leave-in might technically be auxiliary to its heat protectant power, but how great is a two-in-one? The fresh-smelling cream adds in hydration and staying power while shielding hair against heat damage. | Pros: Suitable for all hair types; smoothes frizz | Notable Ingredients: Red algae extract; squalane |

Best New Hairspray

Goldie Locks

Flexible Hold Hairspray

$42

The perfect compromise between preserving your style and touchable, bouncy movement, Goldie Locks’ new hairspray is the sort of always-reliable formula you can lean on every day. As a bonus, it shields against humidity and the frizz that usually comes with it. | Pros: Touchable finish; mini size available | Notable Ingredients: Strawberry; carrot seed; raspberry; aloe vera |

August 2023 Body Launches

Best New Fragrances

Liis

Ethereal Wave Eau de Parfum

$165

Many fragrances are described as “main character” scents these days, but Liis’s newest perfume is more suited for the cult-favorite characters — it’s that instantly recognizable. Inspired by the music of the The Cocteau Twins, the rich, moody notes ae just as haunting and sensual as they sound. | Pros: Genderless scent | Key Notes: Bergamot; cardamom; white tea; blonde woods; velvet musk |

Coach

Love Eau de Parfum

$112

Love is literally in the air thanks to Coach’s latest perfume, an eveloping blend of happy-go-lucky wild fruit and warm, sensuous florals. Long after summer’s ended, this fragrance keeps its memory alive. | Key Notes: Strawberry; rose; cedarwood |

This article was originally published on Aug. 12, 2023