The summer beauty edit 2026...

Looooong time, no blog! My absence was caused by a mixture of fainting, fractured bones (all that goes with that) and just enjoying the good weather we've been lucky to have! Although we're halfway through summer, I want to share with you the products I have been reaching for consistently over the last few months. I have a mix of skincare, fragrance, nakeup and more....

Skincare: My aim with my skin (always) is for it to be plump and hydrated. The two non-negotiable products over the past number of months have been Skin Rocks The Amplifier, which is an essence that hydrates but also enhances the performance of whichever serum I use afterwards. I'm on my second bottle and can't see myself every being without it. The other product that I have introduced in the last few months is Ultraceuticals Ultra DNA Complex Recovery Night Cream, which has a rich, balmy texture and is super nourishing - perfect for my dry skin. Expensive, but a little really does go a long way.

Bodycare: The aim here is to keep my skin feeling smooth, soft, nourished and glowing. My go-to products since early spring have been Éalu Body Sand, which is a very effective body scrub that leaves skin feeling super soft and smooth but not at all stripped. The texture is like sand (as the name suggests!) however it is mixed with oils, which prevent the parched, stripped feeling that accompanies some body scrubs. The scent is divine and perfect for summer - it's jasmine and coconut, which makes me think of sun holidays, aftersun and pina coladas but it isn't too heavy or cloying. I follow the scrub up with Éalu Body Drench, which is a super hydrating body lotion that really nourishes the skin but absorbs easily and quickly. It has that same beautiful scent (I would love if they sold scented candles!) and it lingers for hours afterwards on the skin. I also sometimes use L'Occitane Almond Supple Skin Oil, (my BEAUTYLYMIN code will give you 21% discount if you buy on Look Fantastic) which adds a little sheen and is ideal for times when my skin feels extra parched or on areas that need extra nourishment, such as knees and elbows. I adore the entire Almond range!

Makeup: In all honesty, I have been keeping my makeup very simple and think I have only worn foundation once all summer. Instead, I am going for products that make my skin look plump, hydrated and sunkissed (while always protected with SPF, of course!). I've used Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer a lot over the past few months because it really ensures that whatever I apply afterwards will stay in place but it doesn't feel uncomfortable in the way that some gripping primers do. For my base, I love to use Dior Forever Glow Star Filter because it does what it says on the tin! It adds some glow (but not a disco ball effect) and it also acts like a blurring filter on the skin. I bronze with Sculpted by Aimee Cream Luxe Bronze because it blends into the skin seamlessly and adds some warmth without looking orange. It also lasts well on the skin and because it's a cream product, it doesn't look cakey. Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Glow Healthy Blush Sticks have me in a chokehold because they're pigmented but blendable and just give the most beautiful flush of colour to the skin. They're so easy to use that I can't put them down!

For brows, I keep it simple with Brow Aid Masterstroke Brow Trio and L'Oreal Brow Lamination Gel to keep my brows in place. The brow trio has a spoolie, a brow pencil and a very fine tip liner, which give me the illusion of fuller brows but in a natural way and the brow gel holds them in place but without the stiff, hairspray feeling that some gels give.

In terms of eyeshadow, it couldn't be simpler - this former palette addict has used only two products all summer! Armani Eye Tints are the easiest eyeshadows available - just swipe on and blend! It's as simple as that but it makes you look like you've made an effort. If I want something extra, I've been reaching for Victoria Beckham Beauty Lid Lustre, which is also so easy to use - one swipe will give the lids a subtle, sophisticated shimmer that's suitable for even mature lids without looking cakey or overdone.  For my lashes, only a tubing mascara will do in the hot summer months and my go-to is Victoria Beckham Beauty Vast Lash Mascara, which adds definition and some volume but most importantly, is sweat-proof and humidity-proof. Plus, I love that I can remove it with water.

Like with all of my other makeup, lips are kept very simple. I love Makeup Forever Artist Colour Pencil in Wherever Walnut to give my lip shape some definition, paired with YSL Love Shine Plumping Lip Gloss, which nourishes but also plumps for fuller looking lip.

Fragrance: It's no secret that I'm a fragrance addict, so it's hard to narrow it down but three that are on heavy rotation are Phlur Heavy Cream Body Mist, which is an unusual scent because it's a blend of coconut, vanilla, jasmine, orange blossom and marshmallow among other notes. It might sounds cloying but it's surprisingly not - probably because it's a body mist rather than a perfume. I love it for freshening up throughout the day. A traditional summer fragrance that I've been loving and am almost out of is Jo Malone Beach Blossom, which has predominantly notes of coconut but also has some mint and lime, which prevents it from being too heavy. It very much reminds me of a beach holiday and I wore it every day when we were away earlier this summer. One perfume that I will never stop wearing is Parfums De Marly Delina Exclusif, which is a beautiful blend of rose and fruits - lychee, peach and apricot, combined with amber and vanilla. It stays just on the right side of being too sweet, is distinctive and my most complimented perfume. Every single time I wear it out, I am asked what it is and complimented on it!

Spot any favourites? I'd love to hear what products you've been using this summer that have survived the heat and humidity? 

Thanks for reading!

All products are bought by me, unless otherwise stated. Anything marked with a * has been kindly gifted, without obligation. I don't do sponsored posts. Opinion is always my own. Affiliate links may be used.