Summer 2025 Beauty Must Haves, Gift Ideas For Her

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2 days ago

Coco & Eve Like A Virgin Super Nourishing Coconut & Fig Hair Masque, £30
From chlorinated swimming pools and salty seawater to the frizz and dryness that can come with warmer weather and higher humidity, my hair certainly needs some extra TLC at this time of year, and this Coco & Eve hair masque is a literal godsend. The deeply hydrating treatment is all you will need to combat the damage that our poor tresses endure over the summer, with the formula working to smooth, condition, and nourish.As if that wasn't enough, it also smells absolutely incredible with a refreshing tropical scent that brings all of the holiday vibes!
OGX Bond Protein Repair 230°C Heat Protect Spray & Leave-in Conditioning Mist, £15
Of course, heat protectant for our hair is a must all year round, but I love this specific one from OGX for the summer because it also works as a leave-in conditioning mist that gives my hair that necessary extra boost of hydration. This spray is also formulated to target damaged areas of your hair for effective bond repair, which in turn, leads to less breakage and all-around stronger and healthier locks. It protects against heat damage up to 230°C, making it an absolute necessity before you reach for the hairdryer or straighteners.
Botanics Ice Rollers, £16
Now that our hair is taken care of, let's move on to skincare — and these Botanics Ice Rollers have become a staple in my daily routine. In addition to being delightfully cooling on a hot day — and serving as a brilliant wake-up call — the rollers are actually designed to aid lymphatic drainage and soothe inflamed skin, leaving it depuffed and calm ahead of applying makeup. I have noticed that my skin has become much more radiant since using this product, and I am confident that I will be reaching for them even more as the temperature rises.
Super Facialist Vitamin C+ Brighten & Defend SPF50+ Serum, £20
I hope that we are all aware that we should be wearing plenty of SPF all year round, but that is obviously even more important in the summer months — which is why I am such a big fan of adding SPF products to my skincare wherever possible, starting with this Super Facialist Vitamin C+ serum, which contains SPF 50With any skincare product, I am always looking for something that is fast-absorbing, and this serum does exactly that. It is incredibly lightweight and doesn't leave any stickiness or greasiness — and it also has some seriously impressive properties that benefit your skin in addition to protecting it from UV damage.First of all, the Vitamin C really boosts radiance, and hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, and ferulic acid work to hydrate and soothe, leaving your face positively glowing. What more could you ask for from your skincare?
MONPURE London SPF50 Scalp and Face Invisible Sunscreen, £75
But SPF obviously needs reapplying throughout the day, and this MONPURE London SPF is my top sunscreen choice this year as it expertly combines skincare with UV damage protection. Just like the serum, it is a lightweight and fast-absorbing product, and what I love the most about it is how it is specially formulated with your scalp in mind. While a lot of people tend to forget to apply suncream to their hairline and parting, I have always been incredibly vigilant with it, but get frustrated by the thick sunscreens that leave me with greasy hair and white residue. Thankfully, neither of these issues are a factor with MONPURE London, and I am able to protect my scalp without ruining my hairstyle. As if that wasn't enough, the formula combines a huge variety of moisturizing agents, niacinamide, and blue light stem cell technology, which improves elasticity, locks in moisture, and nourishes your skin — all while supporting its barrier. In short? This is a win all round!
Charlotte Tilbury Invisible UV Flawless Poreless Primer, £40
Onto makeup, and Charlotte Tilbury has your base covered with its Invisible UV Flawless Poreless Primer, which also contains SPF 50 for extra sun damage protection. But that's not all! This primer is infused with hyaluronic acid and pollution defense to further protect your skin, all while seamlessly priming your face to create a silky smooth and airbrushed-looking canvas for the rest of your makeup.A good primer is integral when it comes to keeping your makeup intact, and in the warmer months, I always struggle with feeling like my foundation is quite literally melting off my face throughout the day. This product hasn't failed me yet, and it helps to keep my makeup looking flawless without becoming greasy or mottled with sweat.
No7 Weightless Sheer Silk Foundation, £19.95
In addition to prepping my skin with a great primer, I like to switch up my foundation in the summer for something that is more breathable and lightweight — and thankfully, No7's brand new Weightless Sheer Silk Foundation has come along to prove that a lighter product doesn't have to mean sacrificing coverage.This product is so lightweight that if it weren't for the fact that my skin looked completely flawless and smooth, I would have genuinely questioned if I had remembered to actually put foundation on.This coverage lasted me all day, and my skin definitely benefited from not being stifled by my heavier foundation.
AyuGlo Golden Goddess Bronzer Set, £22
Obviously, summer calls for bronzer, and this Golden Goddess set from AyuGlo is an absolute dream. First of all, the compact is huge, and it comes with its own Kabuki brush — this means that in addition to your face, you can easily apply the product to your collarbones and other parts of your body for the perfect sun-kissed look.And as well as adding a warming glow to your skin, this bronzer has a stunning golden shimmer that gives an extra bit of summer magic to your look. While I find that shimmer makeup products can sometimes be a little too much, this one is expertly pigmented to add a subtle sparkle while still looking natural.This genuinely is my new go-to bronzer, and I am obsessed with the healthy summer glow that it gives me.
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dewy Flush, £22
While I am a huge fan of a Sabrina Carpenter-esque blush look, I personally prefer for my bronzer to take center stage in the warmer months. However, no makeup look is complete without at least a little flush of pink, and that's where Glow Recipe's Watermelon Glow comes in.Despite what you may think, this product is not a blush, but a tinted cheek serum that works to plump your cheeks, hydrate, refine pores, and brighten dark spots, all while beautifully rouging your cheeks with buildable coverage. This means that you can either opt for a subtle pop of color or go full steam ahead — either way, the finished look will be a dewy glow with a stunning natural-looking sheen.For me, summer makeup is all about protecting your skin as much as possible, and I love how this product is actually mostly skincare with the added bonus of a blush-like effect.
Naked Sundays SPF50 Glow and Go Lip Oil in Coconut, £18
And in all of our skincare, we can not forget about our lips, which can become extra dry in the warmer weather — not to mention just as susceptible to sunburn and UV damage as the rest of our skin.While regular sunscreen is obviously way too thick to be applying throughout the day, this Naked Sundays Glow and Go lip oil is the perfect solution as it contains SPF 50 to keep you protected and hydrated all at once.As if that wasn't enough, the delicious coconut scent makes this product all the more enjoyable to use, and I have no doubt that anyone would be excited to reach for it throughout the day, ensuring constant protection.
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray, £32
As mentioned, during hot weather, I live in constant fear of my makeup smudging, sweating, and melting off my face, which means that I need an optimal setting spray to ensure that it stays in place for as long as possible.And my product of choice this summer is Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray, as not only does it set makeup for as long as 16 hours, it is totally waterproof, which makes it perfect for holidays by the pool and sea. After using this spray, my makeup lasts until I take it off at the end of the day, and looks just as fresh at that point as it did when I first applied it. In addition to setting your makeup, this spray has smoothing, airbrush-esque properties to add a perfect finishing touch to your look. Japanese green tea makes this spray extra hydrating and refreshing on your skin, while aloe vera helps to smooth and protect.
GESKE Facial Hydration Refresher, £38.95
One of my least favorite things about summer is having to contend with sweltering public transport, and I genuinely dread having to hop on a tube and getting uncomfortably hot before dinner or a night out. That is why GESKE's four-in-one facial hydration refresher is such a godsend to me. It's small enough to keep in my handbag, and provides an instantly hydrating pick-me-up whenever I need it. It is basically a portable facial mister, and once you have filled it with water, you can activate GESKE's moisturizing cooling technology, which creates a refreshing mist that has benefits beyond regulating your body temperature. The mist actually penetrates beneath your skin's surface for deeply energizing hydration; it can also combat redness and dry skin, all while giving you a fresh glow. I'll no longer go anywhere that may work up a sweat without this product to hand.
PS... Santorini Sunset Glisten & Glow Body Scrub, £3.50
Moving onto our bodies, and no summer is complete without an exfoliating scrub — and this Santorini Sunset one by Primark's PS brand is not only incredibly affordable, it's genuinely really good. The Glisten & Glow formula leaves your skin positively radiant, and it has a delectable caramel scent that adds a touch of indulgence to your shower routine. The subtle sparkle in this scrub has made it my go-to for when I want my skin to look extra glowy when going barelegged, making it a total summer staple.
Skin & Tan Body Glow Blush Gradual Everyday Tanning Lotion, £12.99
At this point, I have to hold my hands up and say that I'm not much of a self-tanner, which mostly stems from my crippling fear of applying fake tan unevenly and ending up with noticeable streaks and splotches. That being said, I love nothing more than a golden glow all year round, but especially during the summer. That is why I love Skin & Tan's Gradual Everyday Tanning Lotion. As its name suggests, you use this product daily to slowly build a natural-looking tan, which is so much easier to control than a self-tan that takes you from 0-100 in just a couple of hours. Another huge perk in comparison to regular self-tan is that it is incredibly fast-absorbing and doesn't need to be showered off, which means that you don't need to worry about ruining your clothes or bedsheets. As an added bonus, this particular lotion has been enhanced with a subtle golden shimmer that makes your skin extra luminous and really nails that perfect sun-kissed look.
Nuxe Sun Oil Gold Shimmer High Protection SPF50, £29
As you may have noticed by now, my overriding necessities for the summer are shimmer and SPF, and this new sun oil from Nuxe combines both of these things for what is potentially one of my favorite products of all time. I have always been a huge fan of Nuxe's oil products because you can depend on them to be non-greasy while smelling really good, and this time around, the oil has been infused with gold shimmer that leaves your skin with a stunning glow that has landed me compliments every single time that I have worn it. But the oil doesn't just look good, it also protects your skin with SPF 50 and is incredibly hydrating with anti-aging cellular protection. I personally like to apply this oil to my legs and collarbones for a beautiful summer sheen, but it can be used all over — including on your face — and is completely waterproof, making it somewhat of a beachside necessity.
Sol de Janeiro Samba 2-Step Foot Fetish Care, £25
As promised, we have worked all the way down from our head to our toes, and as unsexy as foot cream may sound, it is an absolute must-have in the summer.It's kind of unfair that wearing shoes exposing your bare feet ultimately ends up making the skin drier and harder, but Sol de Janeiro's Samba 2-Step Foot Fetish Care is all you'll need to overcome this injustice. The set comes with an exfoliating foot smoothing board that gently but effectively buffs away the dead skin to make way for a softer, suppler texture. You then apply the cream, which combines cupuaçu butter, açaí, and coconut oil to create a totally dreamy, hydrating, and antioxidant-rich formula that nourishes and moisturizes your feet. My number one pet peeve with foot creams is when they take forever to absorb, which is incredibly impractical as it leaves you unable to walk anywhere after applying. This product is undoubtedly the fastest-absorbing foot lotion that I have ever found, and my feet were back in action just moments later. Oh, and as with all things Sol de Janeiro, this product smells absolutely amazing.
O.P.I. RapiDry Nail Polish, £9 each
There are three things that you should know about me when it comes to nails: I'm not a fan of gels, I often don't realize until the last second that my nails are in desperate need of repainting, and no matter how long I wait, they always end up smudging. With that in mind, I was understandably a little dubious when O.P.I. released their latest RapiDry collection, which promises you smudge-proof nails in just 60 seconds. I really put this product to the test when I realized my nails were looking very un-chic and chipped right before I had to leave home to catch a train. I risked it all with a RapiDry polish, and lo and behold, I was good to go almost instantly — and the color didn't smudge or chip at any point. What makes me recommend this collection specifically for summer (as well as all year round) is the stunning range of summery colors that are available, which includes bold and brights like yellow and pink, or more subtle natural hues that always look incredible with a tan; the choice is endless!
Bronze Goddess Aegea Eau de Parfum, £70
Finally, I'm not quite sure how Estée Lauder has done it, but they have genuinely put the smell of summer in a bottle with their Bronze Goddess fragrance. This eau de parfum combines top notes of Italian bergamot and ylang-ylang with heart notes that include sweet fig nectar, and sandalwood and coconut milk base notes for the ultimate holiday scent that will have you nostalgic for every sun-drenched trip that you have ever taken. The overriding vibe of this fragrance is creamy and sensual — it smells like salty air, coconut trees, and even sun tan lotion in the best possible way, living up to its Bronze Goddess name as the perfume embodiment of "Golden Hour."This is undoubtedly my scent of the summer, and I have no doubt that it will instantly become yours too!