Even as a hardcore beauty enthusiast, no skincare, haircare, or makeup purchase is ever done haphazardly—and even if I wanted to lean into a more laissez-faire beauty buying strategy, my skin is far too reactive and my home is far too small to actually accommodate this. So, to buy a product, I have to really buy in to a product, whether it’s purely based on efficacy, a certain degree of brand allegiance, wildfire word-of-mouth, or sometimes simply how the packaging will enhance my "shelfie." And with so much beauty newness on the horizon this month, Coveteur beauty editors made sure our picks ticked not one, but all of those boxes. Keep reading for the August 2022 releases that our beauty team loved this month.
Ama Kwarteng, Beauty Editor
Ama wearing Philosophy's Purity Made Simple Pore Minimizing Serum.
Photo: Courtesy of Ama Kwarteng
Purity Made Simple Pore Minimizing Serum
Why is it so hard to keep up a consistent skincare routine while on vacation? Anyway, after weeks of living out of a suitcase, my skin was in desperate need of a reset, so I reached for this new serum. Formulated with salicylic acid to help buff away dead skin cells and clear out pores, this serum helped alleviate my acne and smoothed and softened the texture of my skin to reveal a more even tone.
Bom Dia Bright Body Scrub
A few weeks ago, I began to notice rough, bumpy patches all over my back. After a few panicked Google searches, all signs pointed to keratosis pilaris (KP). It occurs when keratin, a protein found in skin and hair, builds up in the skin and traps dead skin cells and sweat in your pores, leading to tiny bumps on your back, arms, or legs. It’s harmless, but I love the feeling of soft skin, so I wanted something to smooth things over, which is why I started using this body scrub. After using it once, I instantly noticed a difference in the look and feel of my skin. It’s formulated with glycolic acid and salicylic acid for gentle exfoliation to remove dead skin cells, excess oil, and keratin build up while crushed maracujá seeds polish the surface of your skin for a softer feel and smoother texture.
Hydrating Cream
Because a tattoo is technically a wound, aftercare is especially important to aid in the healing process, which is why Robert Boyle, owner of Brooklyn's Nice Tattoo Parlor, launched Foreverist—a skincare line created to simplify the aftercare process, which includes a hydrating cream. And even though the line is formulated for tattooed skin, people without any ink can also use the products and reap the benefits. Filled with acquacell, arctic birch bark extract, and shea butter, the lightweight moisturizer protects against free-radical damage and ensures that the skin looks more plump and smooth while supporting skin barrier function, which improves the overall texture and appearance of your skin.
Sumiko Wilson, Beauty Fellow
Sumiko wearing Saie's Lip Blur in shade Nouveau.
Photo: Courtesy of Sumiko Wilson
Lip Blur Soft-Matte Hydrating Lipstick
Because my lips tend to be on the drier side, I always look at matte lipsticks with a skeptical eye. More often than not, they leave my lips looking like desert mudcracks (Google it, it’s a harrowing sight). Flawlessly pigmented mudcracks, but mudcracks nonetheless. With that as my precedent with matte lippies, I was pleasantly surprised by Saie’s new Lip Blur—a lipstick that manages to mattify and soften my lips at the same time, thanks to ingredients like hyaluronic acid and olive oil. I can happily report that after a night of dinner and drinks, the pigment was still intact and my lips felt softer than ever. It was like science fiction. And I predict the shade Nouveau will be in heavy rotation all fall long.
NUDESCREEN Daily Mineral Veil SPF 30
I’ll admit my biggest beauty editor faux-pas is that I don’t wear sunscreen every day. I know, it’s awful. But since I’ve started using Nudestix’s tinted sunscreen instead of forgetting to apply SPF, I forget that I’m wearing one altogether. Instead of having to rub in the tedious white cast that so many SPFs still have, this tint effortlessly blends with my complexion (I’ve been obsessed with the shade Warm). And since I don’t like to glob on skincare and complexion products on hot days, I love how this tackles so many steps of my skincare routine: it’s a moisturizer, an SPF, a primer, and a skin tint.
Watermelon Glow AHA Night Treatment
Glow Recipe’s original Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask is a personal favorite and this one takes everything I love about the OG—from high-voltage brightening to evening out texture overnight—and dials it up a notch for an overnight resurfacing treatment that’ll stop a breakout right in its tracks.
Fat Water Hydrating Milky Toner Essence
I’ve been using Fenty’s original Fat Water pretty faithfully for over a year. I just can’t get over the cleansed, plump finish that it leaves on my skin—I genuinely feel like my makeup looks better when I tone with Fat Water. So naturally, I was excited to try its new sister product, which is a toning essence, unlike the original toning serum. One week in, I actually prefer this to the original for the supple, plumping feel that just one dab leaves on my skin. It feels more lightweight than the OG, but still makes for a solid base layer for the rest of my skin and makeup regimen.
Adi Giesey, Beauty Assistant
Adi wearing Charlotte Tilbury's Beautiful Skin Radiant Concealer.
Photo: Courtesy of Adi Giesey
Vitamin C Lactic Dewy Deep Cream
In my opinion, there's no such thing as having too much of a glow. So, it should come as no surprise that vitamin C is a regular in my skincare rotation. What has been tricky is finding a formula that also compliments my dry skin. This cream’s texture immediately stood out to me. It’s thick without feeling heavy and absorbs quickly after application. I’ve been using it both day and night.
The Hand Serum
If I'm being honest, I'm typically not a hand cream person. There is truly nothing worse than feeling like your hands are greasy and smudging everything you touch. However, this formula makes the process feel extremely elevated from start to finish. It absorbs super quickly into your skin and has a citrus and amber scent that I’d totally buy as a perfume. Not that I needed much more convincing, but it also has my favorite ingredient, prickly pear, which is extremely hydrating and helpful in reducing inflammation.
Jones Road x Hervé Claude Universal Hair Balm
When I first heard that Bobbi Brown was making her debut into hair products, I was intrigued. I’ve really loved the ethos of easy-to-use multipurpose products in her latest Jones Road era and this new balm definitely fits that vibe. Made in collaboration with her longtime friend, the Jones Road x Hervé Claude Universal Hair Balm is compared to the Miracle Balm for your hair. You can use it on any hair type, but I’ve been loving using a dab to create a smooth, slick ponytail or bun.
Beautiful Skin Radiant Concealer
Ever since the Beautiful Skin Foundation was launched, it has been my go-to. I really love the dewy finish and how when your face warms up it almost melts into your skin. So, naturally, I jumped at the chance to test out a concealer that fell into the same family. While the formula is a tad thicker than my usual choice, it has the same finish that I know and love. Last week, I had a flare-up of breakouts and redness on my cheeks and this held up for hours in the heat.