The best beauty products to glow through the summer heat

You may not have gravelly sand under the feet, patterned tan lines along the body, and fingers curled around an Aperol spritz, but you can still channel the spirit of summer without a beach or holiday in sight. Look (and feel) the part by mimicking the glazed glow that comes with a lazy beach day.

Skincare 

Clinique Moisture Surge Active Glow Serum, ₹5,500 

Radiant skin is a summer must-have, and the Clinique Glow Serum ensures that just in a few drops. Formulated with potent actives, it exfoliates, smoothens, hydrates, and instantly brightens the skin for a fresh glow. 

Sulwhasoo UV Daily Fluid Sunscreen SPF 50+/PA+++, ₹3,800 

There’s a reason Korean sunscreens are beloved—they’re lightweight, don’t leave a white cast, and provide ample protection. This new sunscreen by Sulwhasoo ticks all the boxes. It is sweat and water-resistant, making it perfect for outdoor escapades. 

d'you Inbalance Soothing Milky Toner, ₹2,100 

Not your ordinary toner, this milky hydrating toner is packed with phyto bio-actives to hydrate, nourish, and calm your skin. It acts as a liquid moisturiser and can also be used as a refreshing reset for your skin throughout the day for soft, plump, and well-hydrated skin in the summer. 

Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré, ₹1,525 

With a milky texture that glides on like butter, this face cream will moisturise your skin without making it greasy. This Vitamin-enriched formulation also doubles as a primer to prep your skin for make-up.

Beauty 

Nudestix Sunkissed Glow, ₹5,000 

This three-piece magnetic multitasking make-up compact features three shades to achieve a warm and beachy bronzed complexion. The all-over face colour can be mixed and matched on your cheeks, lids, and lips to create a sun-kissed glow. 

Bobbi Brown Vitamin-Enriched Skin Tint, ₹4,990 

Pivot from heavy foundations towards sheer formulations that let your skin shine through. Enriched with a blend of vitamins, it also comes with SPF 15 for added protection against UVA and UVB rays.

NARS Afterglow Lip Balm, ₹2,550 

A sheer wash of colour is the way to go this summer. The NARS Afterglow Lip Balm is infused with moisturising ingredients to keep your lips hydrated and has just the right amount of tint to keep it looking plump. 

Chanel Baume Essentiel Multi-use Glow Stick, ₹4,450 

A strategically applied highlighter can make your skin look dewy and give it a lit-from-within radiance à la Hailey Bieber. This cream highlighter will melt right into your skin. Dab some on the high points for a natural look.

Hair care 

Dyson Airwrap, ₹46,900 

The Dyson Airwrap is your gateway to easy beach waves for the daytime, and come PM, get dramatic Hollywood waves. It’s your one-tool solution for perfectly styled hair all summer long. 

Ouai Wave Spray, ₹3,200 

Get the ‘just got out of the ocean’ look with or without the ocean with this spray. It gives your strands a beachy texture, enhances the body and volume, and keeps them hydrated. 

Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil, ₹3,200 

If the summer-time humidity makes your hair frizzy, use 2-3 drops of the bonding oil to control it and tame the flyaways. It also boosts shine and softness, reduces breakages, and offers heat and UV protection for healthy hair. 

Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 87 Rio Radiance Perfume Mist, ₹2,600 

Do you recall when Ross describes Rachel’s hair as ‘coconutty’ in Friends? This fragrance bottles that scent. It opens with a burst of coconut milk with lingering notes of tuberose and vanilla so you can smell like a tropical piña colada at the beach.

Body care 

Jo Malone English Pear and Freesia Cologne, ₹12,400 

The English Pear and Freesia Cologne embodies summer. Think sunny orchards, lusciously ripe pears, the delicate fragrance of freesia, and a woody patchouli, making it perfect for warm days. 

Forest Essentials Sheer Body Sunscreen Spray SPF 50, ₹2,250 

Protect your body from harmful sun rays with the Forest Essentials Sheer Body Sunscreen Spray SPF 50 | PA++++. Lightweight and packaged conveniently as a refreshing spray, you can use this for daily application and re-application. 

The Body Shop Body Yogurt, ₹1,095 

Swap your rich body creams for lightweight ones with a cooling, gel-cream texture. This body yogurt is silky, non-greasy, and soaks right into your skin for healthy-looking and hydrated skin. 

Paula’s Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA, ₹2,565 

We’re all limbs and arms in our sundresses come summer, hence smooth and radiant skin is paramount. This leave-on exfoliant has salicylic acid that gently exfoliates and gets rid of dead skin for a flawless appearance.

Images: The brands

This article first appeared in the print edition of Harper's Bazaar India, April-May 2025.

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