The Top Beauty Trends Defining Summer

This summer, beauty is all about working smarter, not harder. From multitasking formulas and heat-proof essentials to beautifully designed products worthy of display, this season’s biggest beauty trends prove you don’t have to choose between performance and style. Whether you are jet-setting, spending weekends by the water, or simply navigating a heatwave, these are the beauty trends you’ll be loving all season long. —Maddie Clerides

Tubing Mascara

While tubing mascara isn’t new, recent innovations have transformed it into one of the season’s most sought-after beauty staples, offering better performance and easier removal than ever before. Tubing mascaras wrap each lash in lightweight polymers that generally last longer than regular mascaras. Better yet, they remove effortlessly with warm water, eliminating the need for harsh makeup removers. From the drugstore, Maybelline New York Sensational Sky High Tubes is a great way to test out the formula, and Canadian brand Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Tubing Mascara is a longstanding favourite for tube-lovers. Chic and brand new to the game is Merit’s Clean Volumizing Tubing Mascara.

Contour Pencils

Inspired in part by Hailey Bieber who used a cool-toned lip liner to contour her face, precision contour pencils are quickly becoming the easiest way to sculpt and define your features. They offer more control than traditional contour sticks while remaining just as blendable, making targeted application virtually foolproof. Whether you’re subtly enhancing your cheekbones, defining your jawline, or creating the illusion of fuller lips, these pencil formats deliver effortless, natural-looking dimension. Too Faced’s Chocolate Soleil Contour & Bronzer Pencil brings the trend to life with a creamy formula that glides on seamlessly and melts into the skin for a soft, natural finish. Make Up Forever’s Artist Color Pencil is another iconic formula made to use all over the face.

Fun Packaging

Lately, brands are designing products that double as vanity décor and photo-worthy moments with sculptural packaging and luxe finishes worthy of display. From the playful sophistication of Marc Jacobs Beauty Joystick Buildable Cream Blush Stick to the timeless elegance of YSL Beauty’s Make Me Blush 24H Buildable Powder Blush that mimics the brand’s handbag designs, getting ready has never looked so chic. Prada’s Dimensions Multi-Effect Refillable Eyeshadow Palette is just as glamorous as any of their accessories with its sleek component and mirror detailing.

Sun-Protective Hair Sprays

Sun protection shouldn’t stop at your skincare. UV exposure, salt water, chlorine, and heat styling can all contribute to dryness, fading colour, and weakened strands, making protective hair sprays a summer essential. Kérastase’s Blond Absolu Blonde Guard Hydrating Leave-In Conditioner Spray shields multiple damaging factors from your lightened hair, preserving your expensive colour. Moroccanoil’s Protect and Prevent spray also helps shield hair from environmental stressors while adding hydration, softness, and shine without weighing it down.

Under Eye Patches

Whether you’re recovering from a long flight, an early morning, or one too many summer celebrations, under-eye patches have become the beauty shortcut for looking instantly refreshed. Once reserved for at-home self-care, they’ve evolved into a social media-worthy travel accessory, frequently spotted as part of airport uniforms or coffee runs. Cooling hydrogel formulas help reduce puffiness, brighten dark circles, and hydrate the delicate eye area in just minutes. Rhode’s Peptide Eye Prep Masks are super effective with adorable prints, while Dieux’s reusable Forever Eye Mask offers visibly revitalizing results that you can use again and again.

Matcha Makeup

The influence of matcha has officially extended beyond your morning latte. Soft, earthy green hues are emerging in beauty, offering a fresh and yummy take on classic products. The trend feels calming, sophisticated, and surprisingly wearable. Laneige’s iconic Lip Glowy Balm now comes in Matcha Bubble Tea. To lean into the tea’s angelic foam, Tatcha is embracing the ingredient’s soothing reputation with their new Matcha Foam Pore-Refining Prebiotic Gel Cleanser.

Body Glaze

The best accessory for a summer look is glowing skin. Whether you prefer a subtle, hydrated sheen or a luminous shimmer that catches the light, today’s body glazes nourish the skin while delivering an enviable, healthy-looking glow. L’Occitane’s Instant Golden Glow with Almond Shimmering Body Oil adds a radiant finish for special evenings out, while NYX’s Fat OilBody delivers pure, glossy hydration without the sparkle.

Sunscreen Face Spray

Reapplying sunscreen throughout the day has always been one of the biggest skincare challenges, especially over makeup. Enter SPF face mists. These lightweight sprays make topping up your sun protection quick, convenient, and virtually invisible, making it easier to stay protected without disturbing your carefully applied makeup. Bondi Sands’ SPF 50+ Face Mist is an easy handbag essential for beach days, patio lunches, and everyday errands.

Under Eye Lash Clusters

Move over strip lashes. Under-lash clusters are redefining at-home lash application by creating a more seamless, natural-looking finish. Applied beneath your natural lashes rather than on top, they blend effortlessly and can be customized for everything from subtle everyday enhancement to full-on glamour. They’re also a key part of the viral “high maintenance to be low maintenance” beauty philosophy, with certain styles lasting for several days. KISS imPRESS Eyelash Clusters offer affordable and beginner-friendly kits that make salon-worthy lashes achievable in minutes.