Start Here: The Summer Edit That Replaces Your Old Routine
Summer beauty launches are the new makeup, skincare, and hair products released specifically with warm-weather needs in mind, favoring lightweight textures, glow-enhancing finishes, and formulas that hold up in heat and humidity while still feeling comfortable on skin and hair. For most people, the single summer upgrade that makes the biggest difference is Guerlain Terracotta Joli Teint Tinted Moisturizer, which brings the brand’s bronzing heritage into a light base that sits closer to skin than traditional foundation for a natural, sun-warmed finish. At Dhs263, it is designed to replace heavier coverage, especially when applied in thin layers with fingertips so it melts in rather than streaks. If you buy one thing from this guide, make it this: it anchors every other glow, from plumping lip color to shine-boosting hair care.
Light Base, Strong Structure: How to Layer for Heat and Humidity
To keep new makeup products from sliding off by noon, the order of application matters more than the number of products you use. Start with a lightweight serum or gel moisturizer and give it a few minutes to absorb fully before makeup so you are not applying foundation over a damp, movable base. Swap your usual foundation for a tinted moisturizer such as Guerlain Terracotta Joli Teint, which is formulated to sit closer to the skin than a traditional base and should be pressed on with fingers in sheer layers. Cream bronzers like Too Faced Sun Bunny Blushing Bronzer go on before any powders, while water-based cheek products should not be layered on top of creams or they may break down and shift through the day. Finish with balms and glosses that are meant to be topped up often, not set-and-forget.
New Makeup Products Worth the Space: Lashes, Lips, and Soft Blur
If you want your summer look to feel modern, focus on three upgrades: a defining mascara, plumped-up lips, and soft-blurred edges. Merit Clean Volume Mascara uses a small comb-style brush that coats each lash individually, including short lower lashes, and builds well from one to three coats for more impact, though it takes more time to layer than jumbo volume wands. Tower 28 ShineOn Plumping Lip Jelly at Dhs70 brings a juicy, plumped lip look that is designed to be reapplied through the day instead of lasting untouched, so you will need to keep it on hand. Hourglass Phantom Blur Balm, also made for touch-ups, lends a diffused, balmy finish that can be refreshed rather than set once and forgotten. Together, these pieces shift your look from flat matte to soft-focus and summery.
Hair Innovations That Save Sun-Exposed Strands
Summer hair goes through salt, sun, and heat tools, so this is the season when hair innovation products matter most. A standout is the K18 x Future Society Leave-in Molecular Hair Mask at Dhs289, which is used before time outdoors so it can protect the hair’s structure from heat and salt damage instead of trying to fix it afterwards. According to one report, “hair treatments belong in the routine before sun exposure” because they shield the cuticle rather than only repairing breakage once it appears. Olaplex No.7 Shine Serum Oil Mist combines the hydration of a serum, the sheen of an oil, and the light feel of a mist, so it does not weigh hair down and can be sprayed on dry hair to refresh or rehydrate. It also provides heat protection up to 232ºC and includes bond-builders to help reduce breakage.
Glow and Go: Body, Brows, and Finishing Touches
Once your base, lashes, and hair are handled, a few extras take your summer routine from basic to polished. Sol de Jeneiro Glowmotions Body Oil Glow Anywhere Set at Dhs140 brings body glow that fits the season’s emphasis on sheen over heavy coverage. Rare Beauty Brow Harmony Tinted Flexible Lifting Gel at Dhs115 gives brows soft hold and tint for low-effort structure. For lips, Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Lip Oil Stick at Dhs135 adds conditioning shine, while YSL Lovenude Kiss Shaper Sculpting Lip Liner at Dhs130 helps define edges without feeling heavy. Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask Acai Mango at Dhs125 supports overnight moisture so lips look smoother under color. Finally, Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Toner at Dhs165 clears away buildup, helping lightweight foundations and tinted moisturizers sit more evenly on skin.
| Spec | Guerlain Terracotta Joli Teint | K18 x Future Society Leave-in Mask |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Tinted moisturizer for light base coverage | Leave-in molecular hair mask treatment |
| Summer role | Replaces heavier foundations with a closer-to-skin finish | Protects hair structure from sun and salt damage before exposure |
| Application tip | Apply in thin layers with fingertips, allow skincare to absorb first | Apply before going outdoors on clean, towel-dried hair |
| Price | Dhs263 | Dhs289 |
Buy if / Skip if
- Buy the Guerlain Terracotta Joli Teint Tinted Moisturizer if you want a single product to replace heavy foundation with a lighter, sun-warmed base that suits most summer routines.
- Skip the Guerlain Terracotta Joli Teint Tinted Moisturizer if you prefer full-coverage foundation that hides rather than softens the look of skin texture.
- Buy the Merit Clean Volume Mascara if you like defined, separated lashes and do not mind spending a little more time building up two or three coats.
- Skip the Merit Clean Volume Mascara if you want fast, high-volume payoff from a large bristle brush and dislike smaller comb-style wands.
- Buy the K18 x Future Society Leave-in Molecular Hair Mask if your hair faces frequent sun and salt exposure and you want protection built into your routine before you go outside.
- Skip the K18 x Future Society Leave-in Molecular Hair Mask if you rarely expose your hair to heat, salt, or chlorine and prefer rinse-out masks used only after damage occurs.
- Buy the Tower 28 ShineOn Plumping Lip Jelly if you like a juicy, plumped lip look and are happy to reapply gloss through the day as part of your routine.
- Skip the Tower 28 ShineOn Plumping Lip Jelly if you want a lip product that you apply once in the morning and expect not to touch up at all.
- Buy the Olaplex No.7 Shine Serum Oil Mist if your hair feels frazzled in summer and you want light hydration, shine, and heat protection without weight.
- Skip the Olaplex No.7 Shine Serum Oil Mist if your hair is already very oily and you avoid any serum, oil, or mist that adds extra sheen.
