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Editor Favorites: Every Skin, Hair, and Makeup Product Cosmo's Beauty Team Loved in July
Out of the dozens and dozens of new launches that came across our desks this month, these 19 were total standouts.
What beauty products have you tried recently that are good? What skincare is everyone using these days? What makeup are you loving right now? As beauty editors, we are asked these very questions every single day. It’s literally our jobs to test all the newness, and then separate the good from the average (and occasionally the bad) so you guys know exactly what buzzy beauty products are worthy of your time and money. To make things easy, my fellow Cosmo beauty editors and I are dropping our July recs into one conveniently curated list below.
Our favorites this month? Three soothing face mists that are perfect for saving face in a heat wave, a $50 lip balm that tastes like bananas, a nourishing face mask that doubles as a self-tanner, a body essence for people who hate heavy lotions, and so much more. Let's start shopping, shall we?
"Like the rest of the world, I'm very much in my blush era and have tried it all in pursuit of flushed, rosy skin this summer. Ilia's Soft Focus Blurring Blush currently takes the top spot for me. It's a powder, so the pigments stay put on my oily skin, but it has the smoothness and blendability of a cream or liquid blush, which means there is no streakiness or chalky texture. The shades are gorgeous too—I'm currently using Flutter (shown here), a bright baby pink that instantly wakes up my face." —LAUREN BALSAMO, BEAUTY DIRECTOR
"Between all the time I spend in the sun (slathered in SPF, ofc) and swimming in the ocean and pool, my hair inevitably starts to look and feel like straw by this point in the summer. But this season, my ends are surprisingly healthy and my strands softer and smoother—and it's because of this creamy shampoo and ultra-rich mask from Typology. They're full of healing and strengthening ingredients to revive and protect damaged hair. I'm also obsessed with the French apothecary vibes." —LB
“When Prada dropped a yellow lip balm for $50, I was initially skeptical, but now I'm in love. It’s surprisingly hydrating and makes for a fun, luxury beauty buy for summer—especially when I’m wearing minimal makeup all season. The banana flavor is so delicious on my lips. And don’t worry, it’s not a yellow finish—it’s sheer and glossy." —JASMINE HYMAN, ASSISTANT BEAUTY EDITOR
"I am really, really picky about body products. I have major sensory issues, and if I feel anything on my arms or legs, I’ll just immediately run to the bathroom and wash it off. I’d rather have dry skin than a sticky, goopy cream on me. Which is why I genuinely think this essence was made for me. It absorbs as you massage it in, leaving behind zero residue. Honestly, beyond the slight sheen and soft feel, you’d have no idea I even put anything on. I also really love that there’s no added scent. It’s just easy to put on morning and night and doesn’t interact with my perfume at all." —BETH GILLETTE, BEAUTY EDITOR
"I've been a Sunday Riley fan since day one, so when I learned they were dropping a brand new acne line, I was so stoked to give it a try. There are four pieces in the collection—a mist, a serum, a retinol, and a cleanser, which I've been using every day for the last month. The jelly texture transforms into a fluffy foam to get rid of oil, makeup, and sunscreen, and the salicylic acid breaks down oil and dead skin cells. It's so good at keeping skin clear without causing irritation or dryness." —LB
"Charlotte Tilbury’s Pinkgasm Wand is one of my all-time favorite beauty products, so I honestly didn’t think anything could top the formula for a luminous glow. But I’m surprisingly loving the new cream blushes even more, especially the shade Rosy Glow. I love it for everyday looks to the office or just when I don’t need the extra glowiness that the Magic Wands provide. The creamy formula is more subtle and so easy to blend out. To no one’s surprise, Charlotte has done it again." —JH
"This tinted sunscreen has replaced all of my skin tints, BB creams, and tinted moisturizers this summer. It’s the perfect amount of soft, sheer coverage (I just pair it with some concealer to hide zits or acne scars) with a slight dewy finish. I usually will still wear a sunscreen underneath because I’m a beauty editor and sun protection is our thing, but you don’t have to if you don’t want to, which would save major time in the am." —BG
"There are so many lip oils and treatments out there…but this one feels different. Special. The Maxi‑Lip peptide (it's said to be a topical lip filler alternative) and hyaluronic acid combo keeps my lips so hydrated throughout the whole day without feeling heavy and sticky. I love that it comes in a bunch of flavors, but guava is my favorite. Did I mention it’s created by THE Ayesha Curry (Steph’s dope wife)and she knows what she’s doing!" —JULEE WILSON, BEAUTY EDITOR-AT-LARGE
"This is like the Windex of face mists—it’s affordable and has a million different uses and is good at all of them. It should be one of those things that anyone—regardless of skin type or concern—has in their bag. The formula (it's the spray-on version of the OG Cicaplast Balm) is totally weightless but is excellent at moisturizing and soothing skin and can be used as a toner, after-sun mist, makeup prep spray, retinol sandwich step, and more." —LB
"As a very sweaty girl, I’ve always stuck to my heavy-duty drugstore antiperspirants. But I’ve been epilating my underarms recently and wanted something more soothing since my skin has been a bit more sensitive. This deodorant surprisingly keeps my sweat and odor at bay just as much as my usual Dove, while still being a natural formula (which is hard to come by). And I love that the scent is fresh and slightly floral, without being overly potent." —JH
"I’ve been doing microneedling every 4 to 6 weeks since May to help with my breakouts and acne scars. This cream has been essential in helping my skin heal post-treatment. It's hydrating, anti-aging, redness-reducing, and helps with barrier repair, but what I really love is that it’s made without any pore-clogging ingredients (per Biba de Sousa and Sofie Pavitt, two of my most trusted pore clogger checker resources) and has zero heavy or greasy texture, which is typically not the case with post-procedure creams. I love it so much, I’ve been using it as my everyday summer moisturizer." —LB
"Finally—a mineral SPF that isn’t chalky! This silky, peptide‑rich zinc cream blends so well, you forget it’s there—just glowy, protected skin. With squalane, niacinamide, sea buckthorn… it doubles as skincare. It layers gorgeously under my foundation and keeps me looking dewy, not ghostly. It has a permanent place in my SPF arsenal." —JW
"Y’all, this is a game‑changer. I use it when my box braids and scalp need a refresh. There are very few products on the market that work so beautifully on protective styles. No heavy powders, just clean scalp vibes. Ideal between washes or post‑workout glam.” —JW
"As I Black woman, I never pay attention to self-tanner products. I’ve got that year-round glow lol! But this super subtle self-tanning mask blew my mind. Who knew a mask could double as a tan booster? I slathered on this nourishing formula, left it for 20 minutes, and woke up with a subtle, radiant glow—no breakouts, no orange weirdness. It’s packed with hyaluronic acid, squalane, and cacao for hydration and bounce. I’m a believer." —JW
“New face mists are launching left and right this summer, but the one I consistently carry with me is this hydrating pick from The Inkey List. The ingredient list is non-comedogenic and the formula gives my skin a glowy refresh in just a few quick spritzes." —JH
"This isn’t a new product, it’s actually a K-beauty cult-favorite, but lucky for us, it just launched at Ulta this month. The I’m From Rice Toner is super milky and is my favorite non-stripping toner for hydrating my dry skin. It’s loaded with rice extracts to nourish the face while balancing your skin barrier and works to fade hyperpigmentation." —JH
"I devastatingly just emptied my tube of this and immediately placed an order to get another one. I haven’t done that in a long time, as I currently have about six unopened moisturizers at my desk that I need to try. But this one is perfect for my acne-prone, oily skin. It’s lightweight and sinks in quickly, which has been so lovely since the weather got warmer. And I appreciate the inclusion of salicylic acid. It offers just a teensy bit of extra exfoliation powers that my skin loves." —BG
"Until I tried this hairspray, I genuinely was anti-hairspray. I’ve never found one that didn’t make my hair sticky or crunchy. Sure, my style lasts longer. But if I can’t spend all day pushing my hair from side to side, how else do I healthily manage my anxiety??? However, this was created for hairspray haters. It makes my styles—curls, waves, bends, sleek and straight, buns, updos, whatever my heart desires—last much longer, yet it still feels like I can run my fingers or a brush through my hair. And it smells like all other Dae products, aka citrusy and delicious." —BG
“OMG, this mist is next‑level! I spritz after cleansing and feel like my skin is perfectly prepped for all the next steps. It’s ultra‑fine, which makes it great for rehydrating over my makeup throughout the day. I’m definitely adding it to my cooler when I hit the beach next month.” —JW
Lauren Balsamo is the beauty director at Cosmopolitan where she writes, edits, and produces all types of beauty content—from product reviews to personal essays and trend reports. She has covered beauty for more than a decade at Cosmopolitan. Follow her on Instagram.
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