I'm a beauty editor – these are the products I'm swearing by this summer, including a 15-min fix for tired eyes…

The Sun

01-08-2025

ANYTHING that promises instant results when it comes to skincare is an immediate red flag for me.
Every dermatologist I've ever spoken to has told me you have to use products consistently for at least three weeks, and up to six, before you will start to see results with the naked eye.
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So, when L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Laser Eye Bag Instant Eraser, £29.99, landed on my desk this month promising results in 15 minutes, I was dubious.
L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Laser Eye Bag Instant Eraser, £29.99
BUY HERE
With a name like that, you're setting yourself up for failure, I thought, but I took it home to try. I put it on that night, expecting to roll my eyes when it inevitably didn't live up to the claims, but within minutes my under-eyes were smoother and less puffy.
I put it down to the fact my bags aren't that bad – I'm 29, and I only have a couple of fine lines in the area, so I'm definitely not the target market.
Determined to put it through its paces, I asked my mum to give it a go. I didn't expect her results to be even better than mine, easily knocking a decade off her appearance.
I can't imagine she'll use it every day – it comes with strict instructions not to make facial movements for the 15 minutes it takes to dry, and you have to apply the pea-sized amount with tapping motions rather than rubbing it in – but I'm sure it'll be her special-occasion secret weapon.
Speaking of secret weapons, I've found a warm-weather essential where I least expected it in Dcypher Blur Balance Primer, £25.
Dcypher Blur Balance Primer, £25
BUY HERE
I haven't used a mattifying primer for maybe 10 years, but the recent high temps had me searching for a solution to my near-constant sweaty upper lip.
The silicone-based formula feels like velvet, but isn't heavy or mask-like, and creates a barrier that absorbs moisture and stops sweat breaking through and ruining my make-up all day long.
Champo Flyaway Fix, £16
Champo Flyaway Fix, £16, has become similarly key for my hair this month.
I've been wearing it up a lot, as I have baby hairs around my face that frizz and look messy in the humidity.
The serum-like formula slicks them down without making them dry or crispy, and it doesn't make my hair flake off leaving white specs.
The fine-tooth, curved brush doesn't tug or create bumps in my hair either, making it perfect for slicked-back styles.
Weightless hydration has been a saviour for my skin, keeping my face soft and smooth without blocking my pores.
Elemis Pro-Collagen Toning Mist, £45
I've been layering Elemis Pro-Collagen Toning Mist, £45 – a super-fine mist that I use on freshly cleansed skin – and Bubble Cosmic Silk Hydrating Milky Toner, £16, which has a slightly thicker formula that creates the perfect base for make-up – and it's working wonders.
Bubble Cosmic Silk Hydrating Milky Toner, £16
BUY HERE
The mist contains padina pavonica, a type of algae that moisturises skin and is the hero ingredient in the entire Elemis Pro-Collagen range.
It also has soothing rose and gluconolactone, a PHA that gently exfoliates dead skin cells and acts as an antioxidant to brighten the complexion.
The list of skin-loving ingredients in the serum is even longer – with ceramides, vitamin E, hyaluronic acid and allantoin to name just a few.
It absorbs quickly and gives a lit-from-within radiance that lasts hours.
Megababe Après Shave Ingrown & Razor Bump Roll-on Solution, £12
I'm extremely low-maintenance (read: lazy) when it comes to bodycare, so when I tell you Megababe Après Shave Ingrown & Razor Bump Roll-on Solution, £12, is a non-negotiable if you shave or are prone to ingrown hairs, please believe me.
The rollerball format means you don't have to get your hands sticky, and it has a cooling effect on contact with the skin.
There's no stinging or tingling, even on my arm pits, which is often the case with other ingrown-hair solutions I've tried.
If you find you get red dots on your legs after shaving, it gets rid of those virtually overnight, too.
From now until tights season comes back around, this will be my beauty best friend.
How To Save Money On Beauty Buys
IF your purse is feeling tighter than ever before and you're looking to save cash on your make-up routine, have you ever thought of trying out beauty dupes?
Here are five of the best recommended beauty buys that are almost identical to the posh versions, but at a fraction of the price.
FACE BASE If you can't afford Charlotte Tilbury 's £52 Magic Cream, why not try a dupe that costs just £5.49 from Superdrug?
TONE IT UP If Drunk Elephant's £62 Protini Cream is out of your price range, you'll need to check out the new dupe in Home Bargains.
TINTING IT With Fenty's game-changer skin tint costing £29, a popular supermarket's affordable alternative might just be the thing for you.
GET COVERED At £29 for a Tarte concealer, the new Primark dupe is much more affordable at just £3.50.
SPRAY YAY For those wanting to smell fresh without the price tag, Aldi's new Prada and Chloe perfume dupes cost a fraction of the price.