Lots of products live up to their hype — but once you add the high temps, moisture, humidity, and sweat that summer brings, it’s game over.
Now that we’ve hit mid-July, we’ve had enough time to test out some products for hair and skin in the most summery locations ever — beach, pool, boats, and even tropical destinations.
Here are 12 that hold up when the heat is really on.
LHC Broad Spectrum Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30
Safe sun protection can go sideways fast when sunscreen turns once-gorgeous extensions pink, orange, brassy, or any other color you definitely didn’t want.
Laced Hair’s home-care line, LHC, now includes this non-greasy, extensions-safe SPF 30 mineral sunscreen. It’s formulated sans avobenzone and octocrylene, two ingredients notorious for discoloring extensions.
Blissoma Photonic SPF 30 Light Shifting Solution Mineral Sunscreen + Moisturizer
It’s hard enough to find a tinted SPF moisturizer that’s lightweight enough to stand up to all the skin issues that summertime can cause. Add major skin sensitivity, and your search can feel endless.
Here’s your solution: Blissoma’s mineral-based tinted SPF 30 moisturizer, which has a soft mousse-like texture that spreads evenly, absorbs nicely, and gives skin a subtle glow. Like all Blissoma products, it’s created for highly sensitive skin.
IGK Beach Club High Shine Texture Foam
A little goes a long way with this airy mousse to provide good hold, high shine, and curl definition, and keep frizz and flyaways at bay. The product alone creates the textured beach waves you want — no heat and no beach necessary.
The real wows come when second-day hair is activated with a bit of water. Talk about revival!
Brow Spell Tinted Brow Gel
It’s hard to find a long-lasting brow gel that doesn’t smudge, yet this version holds up to all the smear factors that summer can dole out. Brows stay defined and in place for hours, even under the hottest, muggiest, and sweatiest conditions.
Just comb through and voila — all-day fullness and control without transfer. (Bonus: it’s ophthalmologist-tested for sensitive eyes.)
R+Co Halfpipe Dry Wax Finishing Spray
So the heat and humidity are not playing along with the piecey, textured, volumized look you’re trying desperately to rock? Never fear, R+Co’s new finishing spray is here to add tons of texture even to fine locks and in high humidity, while remaining lightweight and non-greasy.
Its dry wax finish gives fullness and volume with nice movement and a dose of shine — just scrunch to reactivate.
Oyin Handmade Funk Butter
This natural deodorant, crafted from non-toxic ingredients including coconut oil, shea butter, and baking soda, just keeps on absorbing moisture and neutralizing odor in even brutally high temps and sweaty situations.
Mix with a few drops of water, or use on damp skin for spreadability, then apply everywhere you want to stay dry and funk-free all day.
PHYTO Softness Express Detangling Milk
Tangles, begone! During the summer, this knot-removing staple can become a go-to item in a pool or beach bag to quickly and easily free wet hair from snarls without an ouch factor or greasy feel.
Made with oat milk, rosemary, and calendula, it leaves locks feeling soft and tangle-free and smelling fresh. (There’s some bonus frizz control and shine factor as well.)
Waxse Meltoway Hair Dissolving Cream
Definitely not your grandma’s depilatory cream. Living up to the company’s tag line — “made by two hairy guys” — even thick, coarse body hair painlessly wipes off after a few irritation-free minutes on the skin.
With luxe aromas like Mango Magic and Guava Butter, this dissolving cream brings a positively spa-like experience to hair removal.
Pure Brazilian Essential Home Care Kit (Travel Size)
We’re fans of Pure Brazilian’s smoothing line, one of the best we’ve tried for frizz control. This TSA-friendly travel kit is a must-bring to locations where sauna-like weather is all part of the experience.
It contains the line’s Anti-Frizz Shampoo and Conditioner, its Daily Leave-in Serum, and its Deep Conditioning Masque, all keratin-friendly and in 2- or 3-ounce containers to toss in a carry-on and go.
Aunt Jackie’s Curls & Coils Smooth & Swirl Edge Gel
Part of the line’s strengthening, protein-rich Biotin & Honey collection, this gel has extra firm hold that keeps those baby hairs locked in and laid, without a white or flaky residue and with great shine.
Just a dab will get the job done, and heat and humidity don’t stand a chance.
PRAI Beauty Ageless Eye Advanced Repair
Though sun damage can happen year-round, it’s more likely to creep up in summer months when days get longer and the sun gets stronger. This eye serum has long-term anti-aging properties to mitigate damage, but its instant puff reducer is the real game changer in hot weather.
We love its massaging triple-rollerball applicator that delivers this eye treatment’s hyaluronic acid- and caffeine-fortified serum with a nice cooling touch. (Pro tip: store it in the fridge for extra ahhhhs!)
Amika Perk Up Ultra Dry Shampoo
Amika’s powerhouse Perk Up dry shampoos have been cult favorites. Now the brand is bringing out the big guns with its newest version: a hardcore oil-control formula that’s created for even the most hopelessly greasy locks.
Like the other Perk Up dry shampoos, it smells divine and leaves hair and scalp feeling clean.
What did we miss? Let us know your go-to summer products on Instagram!