The Ultimate Summer Beauty Guide
To celebrate the launch of our new beauty kit, Tropic Like Its Hot, Liberty shares all of the summer beauty tips you need this sunny season
Read more
The Ultimate Summer Beauty Guide
To celebrate the launch of our new beauty kit, Tropic Like Its Hot, Liberty shares all of the summer beauty tips you need this sunny season
Shop the Kit
Summer wardrobe secured? Then turn your attention to the next item on your get-ready-for-summer agenda: your beauty routine. And with that, we can help. Think of the below as your useful checklist of summer beauty tips to help you beat the heat, swerve the humidity and maintain that glow right through to September.
That's a goal made all the more achievable by the launch of our brand new beauty kit, Tropic Like It’s Hot, £65. Worth over £200, ithis handy kit contains an expert-curated edit of summer beauty essentials, from the SPF that smells like holidays to the sheet mask that reinstates sun-stolen radiance.
Popped one in your basket? Great. Now onto the useful bit: your ultimate summer beauty guide. Keep reading for the summer beauty tips that will help you squeeze every last drop of glow, shine and radiance out of your new beauty kit.
Get Acquainted with Vitamin C
A powerful antioxidant, vitamin C is able to shield skin from the destructive work of free radicals, those nuisance atoms associated with many harmful skin aggressors like pollution and UV rays. More than that, vitamin C can help brighten the skin, reducing the appearance of sun-caused hyperpigmentation. And if you ask us, Patchology's FlashMasque® Illuminate 5-Minute Sheet Mask has to be the most refreshing way to get your fill.
In the Kit: One sheet mask.
Protect Against Pollution
Pollution is of particular concern for skin all year round, generating an extra dose of those aforementioned free radicals, which disrupt skin's ability to cling onto moisture and produce collagen and elastin, leaving skin dry and lifeless. Particularly around the eyes. And in the summer, when temperatures tend to be higher, it can exacerbate pollution's already undesirable effects. MZ Skin Anti-Pollution Illuminating Eye Masks reverse the impact. They contain five forms of hyaluronic acid as well as licorice root extract to take down puffiness and brighten dark circles.
In the Kit: One pair of eye masks.
Tan Safely
The safest way to tan? From the comfort of your own bathroom, of course. And luckily, new-gen self-tan formulas have come a long way from the orange-tinted, biscuit-scented products of yesteryear. Case in point: Tan Luxe Super Glow Hyaluronic Self Tan Serum. By simultaneously plying skin with a generous dose of hydration by way of plant extracts and oils, it conjures up a faux glow that looks just as convincing as the one you'd get after spending two weeks in the Greek islands.
In the kit: A 10ml trial-sized vial.
Don't Forget Below the Neck
By now you'll have become militant about applying SPF to the face, but in the season that calls for short-sleeves and high hemlines, lest we forget about the rest of the skin on show. In the same way that facial sunscreen has undergone something of a makeover, the new-gen body equivalents are equally as exciting. Ultra Violette's Extreme Screen Hydrating Body & Hand Skinscreen SPF 50+ included. It is miraculously non-greasy, sinks in at record speed and hydrates as you wear it. And it smells like holidays, just what you need to lift you from that 3pm in-office slump.
In the Kit: A 30ml tube.
Exfoliate, But Not Too Much
Between all that extra sun exposure and hourly dips in the pool (lucky you), there's a high chance you'll return from your summer holiday with limbs that feel a lot drier and scalier than when you left. That makes it a good idea to exfoliate regularly. Problem is: exfoliate too often or with a scrub too abrasive, and you'll end up worsening the dryness problem or even causing irritation. Frank Body's Coconut Coffee Scrub is the Goldilocks of body scrubs. Grainy enough to flick away dead skin cells but soft enough so as not to scratch, it leaves skin gleaming, even with only once-a-week use.
In the Kit: A full size (200g) sachet.
Replenish Lost Moisture
Speaking of gleaming limbs, it's always wise to treat your skin to a layer of decadent moisture post-sun exposure and particularly post-exfoliation. The best tool for the job? A rich and indulgent blend of plant oils. Costa Brazil makes just the thing. Sol Sunlight Body Oil is chock-full of rare Amazonian botanicals, alongside generous helpings of avocado, brazil nut seed and pumpkin seed oil. Better still, it comes with an ever-so-slight golden tint, that adds a brightening sheen, no matter the limb its applied to.
In the Kit: A mini 30ml bottle, perfect for weekends away.
Shield Hair From Humidity
Ever noticed that your hair takes on a life of it's own during the summer? Blame it on the humidity. Hair is hydroscopic, or moisture-absorbent, so it manages to soak up residual moisture in the air, causing fly-aways and a certain kind of puffiness. Now, it's your choice, but if you'd rather anchor down frizz, you'll love Olaplex's No6 Bond Smoother. A highly-concentrated leave-in cream that helps to moisturise and strengthen weakened strands, leaving you with softer, smoother hair.
In the Kit: A full size (100ml) bottle.
Update Your Hairbrush
Hair doesn't just have humidity to contend with in the summer: the extra heat and sun exposure can also dry out the scalp and strands and leave the lengths prone to breakage. Reducing heat styling and sleeping on a silk pillowcase will both help, but so will something as seemingly menial as changing your hairbrush. Worn-out or frayed bristles can cause already vulnerable strands to snap; instead look for soft, flexible bristles like those found on Wet Brush's Pink Detangler.
In the Kit: A mini handbag-sized version of the classic brush.
Carry a Pedicure Repair Kit
Sandal season is finally upon us, but all that open-toed action certainly leaves your precious pedicure vulnerable to irritating chips. Stay one step ahead of the mishaps and carry a bottle of touch-up polish with you. And for that, may we introduce you to Manucurist, the plant-based nail polish brand soon to become initiated into Liberty's iconic beauty hall. With killer shine and a densely-packed, easy-to-manoeuvre brush, it takes the headache out of DIY jobs and comes in a full spectrum of fun colours, although we have to say, Coral Reef is our current favourite.
In the Kit: A full-sized bottle.