Beach days feel different, and your beauty routine should reflect that. Long hours in the sun, salty air, and ocean dips require more than your everyday products. That’s why a beach-ready beauty bag is essential. From SPF that stands up to the sun to lip tints that won’t melt away, we’ve compiled a list of products that deliver maximum results with minimal effort. These glow-boosting, skin-saving essentials should always be within easy reach—nothing can ruin a beach day like a beauty mishap. Keep reading to pack smarter and look even better.
Let’s start with the essentials! In addition to sunscreen, a tinted SPF is perfect for an evening out your complexion while keeping your skin protected from harsh UV rays. For easy, on-the-go reapplication, pack a sunscreen stick. It’s fuss-free – swipe and relax.
Don’t forget your lips! A lip balm with SPF is crucial for keeping your pout protected and hydrated. Another MVP product? A refreshing facial mist. Trust us, you will be reaching for it all day long. We love Masktini’s Woke Bae Whenever Moisture Spritzfor its ultra-hydrating, cooling properties. It’s a total game-changer while you’re basking in the sun.
Touch Ups
Even beach days call for a few beauty touch-ups, especially if you’re snapping pics or heading straight to a post-sunset soirée. A cream blush is your secret weapon for enhancing your tan and delivering that effortless, sun-kissed flush. For your lips, go with a long-lasting stain as it stays put even after a dip in the ocean, and top with an SPF-infused gloss. And finally, don’t overlook your hair. A travel-size dry shampoo is a lifesaver for reviving your roots after a salty swim or a quick sweat sesh.
So before your next trip, be sure to prep your beach beauty bag accordingly!
I’ve probably said this at least 1,000 times by now, but Tatcha products are so unbelievably good. I have extremely sensitive, dry, and acne-prone skin that can teeter on reactive, but Tatcha’s products are so friendly to the skin type that I’ve never had an issue with any of them. When you have skin that sensitive, let’s just say you tend to hold on tightly to the products that work for you (and never let go). I’m also not the only one who loves it, the entire BeautyLeeBar beauty community has at least one non-negotiable item from the brand, there’s just one issue—it’s expensive (*cries*).
Although that may normally be the case, today we’re in luck. Tatcha is currently offering 20% off sitewide for its annual Friends and Family Sale. Use the code FRIEND23 at checkout and receive a nice discount on all your Tatcha favorites through June 25. Keep on scrolling for all the products beauty editors are hoarding and stocking up on.
This gentle, creamy cleanser is a favorite of BeautyLeeBar beauty director Lee. It’s gentle on the skin with a pH-neutral amino acid base while Japanese rice powder softens the skin and boosts luminosity.
This serum is a non-negotiable item in Lee’s arsenal. It’s a three-in-one lactic acid serum that gently smooths skin’s texture and deeply hydrates with hyaluronic acid and squalane.
Lee also loves this hydrating mist from the brand that (as the name would suggest) leaves you with the most luminous glow. It delivers a serious hydration boost and is perfect to use under or over makeup.
A few BeautyLeeBar writers (myself included) loved this serum so much, we gave it aglowing review. It’s a great retinol alternative for those with sensitive skin because it utilizes gentle resurfacing ingredients like upcycled cranberry extract and sea fennel to reduce the appearance of fine lines and speed up cellular turnover.
This hydrating essence is like a tall drink of water for the skin. Infused with a trio of fermented Japanese superfoods, it gives you an otherworldly glow and helps improve the efficacy of your products to follow.
For those with oily or acne-prone skin, this texture tonic is an absolute godsend. Fruit AHAs, niacinamide, and Japanese mugwort help gently clarify skin and even out tone without stripping it of its essential moisture or oils.
I’ve been dealing with some moisture-barrier issues for a while now and this mask helps enormously. It’s a velvety serum-in-cream treatment that strengthens the skin’s barrier and helps balance the microbiome.
This is definitely one of my favorite vitamin C serums on the market. It contains two forms of vitamin C and 10% AHAs to give your skin a serious glow and power up. It might be a tad too much for those with dry or extremely sensitive skin, but if you have oily or acne-prone skin, it can definitely be a winner.
As far as makeup removers go, this formula and Fig. 1’s Micellar Oil Cleanser ($22) are my go tos. The Camellia Cleansing Oil is incredibly silky, hydrating, and removes even the most stubborn mascara in a flash.
For those who are acne-prone, this gentle exfoliating cleanser is the ticket. It’s packed with nourishing ingredients like luffa fruit, wild rose, and amino acids which lift away dirt and minimize oil without over drying your skin.
This body oil from Tatcha is a favorite of BeautyLeeBar beauty editor Katherine. It’s like a spa day bottled with the light scent of hinoki and an organic essential oil blend.
Our team is dedicated to finding and telling you more about the web’s best products. If you purchase through our links, we may receive a commission. Our editorial team is independent and only endorses products we believe in.
Advertisements
As both a child of the early aughts and a longtime beauty editor, rest assured that I’ve cycled through just about every available lip gloss on the market. I can still smell the vanilla frosting Lip Smackers I wore every day in 7th grade, and high school, my book bag doubled as a Lancôme Juicy Tubegraveyard. But I can also still remember the distinct feeling of un-sticking my hair from my lips—enough to put me off lip gloss for quite some time, aside from when my journalistic duty called for it. (It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.)
That all changed a couple of years ago when the matte lip obsession of the 2010s gloriously gave way to a far more timeless, dewy, fresh-faced aesthetic. Suddenly, the gooey lip glosses of decades past had been rebranded as “lip oils:” hydrating and packed with conditioning ingredients, with a flattering, slick, decidedly un-sticky finish. In the past year alone, searches for “lip oil” have spiked over 150%—a trend that has been met with a variety of new lip oils on the market, all promising a cushioned, more moisturized pout. (“Like your lips, but better,” is the going mantra.)
So, how to choose? Naturally, we did it for you—we’re rounding up six of the very best lip oils available, from plumping to tinted to high-shine formulas. Shop them below.
We have to agree with thousands of reviewers and TikTok users on this one—this bestselling tinted lip oil from Merit simply ticks all of the boxes. Thanks to the flattering, buildable pigment and a lightweight, hydrating sheen, it’s that one little part of my routine that instantly brings my whole look together—whether I’m headed to the grocery store or a night out.
Take your pick from eight semi-sheer hues—or collect a few. (We’re certainly not judging.) Fans have loved this luxurious, non-sticky lip oil since it launched in 2020. Bonus points for just looking fancy when you pull it out of your purse for a midday touch-up.
This maximum-impact oil is formulated with hyaluronic acid and peptides, two skincare superhero ingredients that visibly plump and hydrate lips. We also love it for its ultra-thick, high-shine finish and eleven-shade range.
Pout needs a little extra TLC? This cherry-flavored treat from Fenty Skin was designed to repair and restore your lips’ moisture barrier—which will ultimately keep cracked, dry skin at bay. It also features a barely-there, universally flattering cherry tint.
Consider this your friendly reminder that your lips are a key part of your skincare routine—and this formula from Clarins is already an editor favorite for a plush, hydrated pout. The secret is the potent cocktail of Jojoba, Hazelnut, and Sweetbriar Rose which help lock in moisture, reduce fine lines and improve skin elasticity—basically, unlocking your lips’ full potential.
Lip oil is the perfect solution if you don’t like the sticky feel that comes with gloss but still want a lot of shine.
This lip oil is rather unique in the sense that when you first apply it, it is more of a soft jelly texture, but it does eventually melt into a texture that feels more like a traditional lip oil.
You get so much color from this oil that even when the shine factor wears off, there is still a pretty flush of color left behind—similar to a lip stain. If you have ever tried Rare Beauty’s famous Soft Pinch Liquid Blush you know that they take pigment seriously.
Highlighted Ingredients: – Jojoba Seed Oil: Moisturizes and creates a protective barrier over lips to lock in hydration. – Sunflower Seed Oil: Antioxidant-rich; soothes and protects from environmental stressors.
I’ll be honest, when I first heard about the launch of Rare Beauty, I was hesitant to jump on the hype train. When celebrity beauty brands are launching at the rate of approximately 14930 a year, it can be difficult to get excited for everyone.
Despite this, not long after its launch, recommendations for Rare Beauty products came flooding in from friends, colleagues, and across my Tiktok FYP. I tentatively started trying out a few products from the brand, starting with its viral Soft Pinch Liquid Blush and Liquid Eyeliner. If you’re already a fan of the brand, it probably won’t shock you to hear that it didn’t take long for Rare Beauty products to become my top-drawer makeup staples.
Advertisements
The thing is, it can be easy for a celebrity to just attach their name to a beauty brand without putting much thought into it. This isn’t the case with Rare Beauty, which feels very much like an extension of Selena Gomez’s authentic approach to beauty. The products have been thoughtfully curated in beautiful packaging, yes, but more than that, they look to enhance and celebrate our beauty, rather than masking it.
In the end, I found it pretty difficult to narrow it down to my six favorite products, but after quite a bit of deliberation, these are my top Rare Beauty makeup picks that I recommend trying from the brand.
A Tiktok fave, I can safely say this liquid blush is like no other that I’ve tried. The amount of pigment this blusher packs is astounding; when you apply it you only need the tiniest dot, which will seamlessly blend out into a natural, healthy flush.
Currently, you can get your hands on 11 shades with two different finishes, dewy and matte, so there’s something for everyone. The doe-foot applicator is a welcome addition too, as it allows you to be precise with your placement and avoid depositing too much product.
At $23, it might be a pricier blusher buy, but it is worth the investment.
I’m super picky when it comes to my lip-liners, but this has become one of the top three I have on rotation. It features a soft, almost gel-textured pencil which I find preferable, especially for perpetually dry lips. Although it has a matte finish, the formula glides on smoothly and doesn’t tug or skip, before drying down and staying put.
The color payoff is intense too, with a range of 10 nude shades that deliver immediate color. I’ll often just wear mine alone, but it also makes a reliable base for lipsticks and prevents them from bleeding beyond your lipline.
One of Rare Beauty’s newest launches, the Silky Touch Highlighter was another immediate hit on Tiktok. When it comes to highlighters I’m super picky (I was raised on Becca Champagne Pop after all), so one had to perform to make it into my good books.
To me, this is a very unique highlighter formulation. It’s a silky powder but the finish and luminosity of the highlighter would make you think it’s a liquid. Where I’ll normally have to use my finger with a powder highlighter to get the intensity I want, a light dusting of a powder brush in this powder delivers the most insane pigment.
The finish is a mix of wet-look with some very fine shimmer, which I think is more obvious in the lighter shades than the more golden hues. It’s a highlight that will get you compliments and might just momentarily blind passersby.
When it comes to foundations, lightweight formulations are non-negotiable for me. While this used to mean that I was limited to skin tints and BB creams, more high-coverage foundations with barely-there textures are now entering the arena.
This one from Rare Beauty has become one of my go-to’s if I’ve got an event or a night out where a little more coverage is wanted; I love the serum-like feel which blends seamlessly for a second-skin finish.
The weightless formula makes it a great option for both dry and oily skin types as it won’t settle in dry lines or clog pores. It’s also ideal for that office-to-evening touch-up thanks to the no-mess doe foot applicator, so that’s one less excuse for not making it to the office after work drinks.
Whether you’re an eyeliner pro or still trying to get to grips with a wing, this liquid liner is worth a try. Rather than a felt tip which the majority of liquid liner pens feature, this applicator is made up of 8000 super fine bristles for an ultra-precise brush tip that doesn’t feather or gets worn at the end.
I’ve tried probably hundreds of liquid eyeliners at this point and this one seriously impressed me. It doesn’t skip, drag, or require you to press down hard to release pigment; just give it a shake and get drawing. The matte finish is just that too; it doesn’t bleed or smudge throughout the day, so whether you’re battling against watery eyes or oily eyelids, these wings will stay sharp.
An under-eye brightener always seemed like an extra step I didn’t need, but this formula is truly brilliant. First off, it’s so hydrating.
Most eye-brightener products tend to be balmy or waxy, which only makes my skin even drier. This is deeply hydrating, while the metal applicator gives tired peepers a gentle cooling sensation to help wake them up.
My under eyes were disguised in a swipe and the formula didn’t seep into fine lines.
beautyleebar.org 