20 Summer Beauty Products You Can Get at the Drugstore
Our favorites for you to enjoy through August and beyond...
Every product on this page was chosen by a Harper's BAZAAR editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.
With summer halfway done (gulp), we've had a chance to swipe, smear, and swirl our way through every new drugstore product on the market. Here are our favorites for you to enjoy through August and beyond.
If you're a loyal Frizz Ease fan girl, you'll want to listen up. Drench dry hair with this pearly gel, let it sit for ten minutes before rinsing, then enjoy smooth, unfussy strands for more than a week. It's like a keratin, only quicker and cheaper.
John Frieda Frizz Ease 10-Day Tamer, $13, ulta.com.
Maybe you're wary of buying base at the drugstore. So let this be your Plan-B-my-regular-foundation-is-melting-off-my-face summer formula. The stay-put, powder-based BB absorbs quickly into skin, leaving it pleasantly matte—a damn good feeling when it's hot AF.
CoverGirl Clean Matte BB Cream, $8, ulta.com.
What's cool about this selection is that it's not actually nudes like you might know them. Instead, it's a mix of matte and shimmer shadows in surprising neutrals (a cashmere mauve, a subdued eggplant, a perfect pewter) to up your eye game without getting too edgy.
Revlon ColorStay Not Just Nudes Shadow Palette in Romantic Nudes, $15, ulta.com.
Taylor Swift, Rooney Mara, that girl you follow on Instagram: Everyone is going platinum this summer. If you're one of the crew, this temporary root touch-up spray can conceal dark grow-out—and extend time between appointments—with a few blasts. (The emollient stay-put pigments are impressively convincing and not chalky.)
Everpro Back2Blonde, $13, walgreens.com.
You could spend the better part of a Benjamin on a fun eyeliner you're only going to wear once or twice. Or you could spend ten bucks on this twinkly, satiny and generously pigmented pot of goodness.
NYX Cosmic Gel Liner in Infinite Star, $10, nyxcosmetics.com.
Clean & Clear feels a little like a high school flashback, but with a gentle splash of glycolic acid—the go-to dermatologist exfoliant for brightening—this in-shower mask is decidedly adult. The biodegradable microbeads will give you a little physical slough, leave-it on for a minute and enjoy a softer and less dull complexion.
Clean & Clear Deep Action 60 Second Shower Mask, $6, ulta.com.
Fiji is more expensive that tap, but they both do the job, no? Micellar is a fancy word for itty-bitty cleansing oils suspended in water and it's so delightful on the skin that French companies can get away charging whatever they want for it. This version has a little hit of chamomile and is so soothing, you don't even need to rinse.
e.l.f. micellar cleansing water, $7, elfcosmetics.com.
We're pretty sure no one's hair is in tip-top condition after June, July and August. Which is why this luxe argan oil infused cream is such a good idea. Fun fact: The product's creator is a 4th generation UK hairdresser—his pops worked with Princess Diana.
Oh! Organic Head by Daniel Galvin Jr., $15, target.com.
There's lots of long-wearing makeup on the market but if you ask us, the best way to get all your favorites to stay put is a dusting of translucent powder. This finely milled version sops up shine and blurs deep pores or dark marks.
FLOWER Miracle Matte Translucent Finishing Powder, $10, walmart.com.
You might miss the brand's signature scent, but you won't miss the heavy and dulling silicones, parabens or dyes that most formulas contain. Don't worry if it doesn't get as frothy as you anticipate: Low lather formulas are actually less damaging for your cuticle.
Herbal Essences Naked Clean & Refresh Shampoo and Conditioner, $5/each, target.com.
For some of us, foamy cleansers strip away too many oils and leave our skin parched. This quenching oil lifts away makeup without any tugging, then rinses easily leaving behind a comfortable layer of moisture.
Simple Hydrating Cleansing Oil, $10, cvs.com.
Charcoal combines with a three clay blend (kaolinite, montmorillonite, ghassoul) to pull impurities deep below the skin's surface up and out. This version is especially effective for purging complexions of damaging urban pollutants.
L'Oréal Paris Detox & Brighten Clay Mask, $13, ulta.com.
Silicones, polymers, and an antioxidant derived from the bark of a Brazilian tree team up to hide pores, fill lines, and grab makeup.
Nuance Flawless Finish Blur Perfection Primer, $13, cvs.com.
Dab this creamy, dreamy stick along the highest points of your face—forehead, bridge of nose, cheekbones, Cupid's bow—and get that glowy IG skin, only IRL.
Maybelline New York Face Studio Master Strobing Stick, $8, target.com.
Most retinols are A.) Too harsh to go on the superthin skin around your eyes. B.) Too expensive to really use consistently. A tiny droplet of this non-irritating cream loosens crow's feet almost on the spot.
Olay Eyes Pro-Retinol Eye Treatment, $25, target.com.
Here's one of those products you wonder why it wasn't already invented. Over time, the pigments tint lashes with a semi-permanent dye. In the meantime, you'll get lush, inky black coverage. Long term benefits and short term gratification? That's what we call a hard yes.
Rimmel Wonder'Lash Volume Colourist Mascara, $9, ulta.com.
100 percent non-irritating physical sunblocks? Check. Skin-brightening, antioxidant lemon peel? Check, check. No sulfates, parabens, petrolatum, dyes, or phthalates? You get the picture. Meet your new go-to sunscreen.
Neutrogena Naturals Brightening Daily Moisturizer SPF 25. $14, target.com.
This unassuming little pencil glides on dreamily and nestles between lashes for tightlining and smudgy looks alike. (It contains safflower seed and soybean oils.) We're particularly smitten with Florentine, this sooty grey violet. Oh, and? It's also waterproof.
Black Opal Color Splurge Waterproof Gel Eye Liner, $8, blackopalbeauty.com.
There will come a day, maybe in your early thirties, when you will look in the mirror and realize your lips have all these craggy little lines you never anticipated. In the off-chance you're not quite ready for injectables, the fatty-acids in primrose oil naturally plump and soften; a hit of petal pink lends a welcome flush.
Yes to PrimRose Lip Oil, $5, drugstore.com.
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