Insider beauty secrets: July’s top 10 products from a beauty writer and ex-MECCA staffer

For the last few years, I’ve always used some form of retinol, retinal or other serum to keep ageing at bay. However, after not noticing much difference in my skin, it quite often falls out of rotation. However that all changed when I was recommended this Retinoic Oil.

Being in an oil form, it’s a nice, easy way to add a little extra nourishment into my current evening routine, but if I am feeling a little lazy, it’s easy to mix a few drops into my moisturiser and still get the benefits. I love that this is a version of vitamin A that isn’t going to cause irritation, purging or flaking on the skin, but is rather a more gentle (yet still effective) form of anti ageing.

“Boosted with Squalane, it is perfect for nightly use for all skin types, especially dry, dehydrated and sensitive, as it works to strengthen the skin barrier, boost cell renewal and promote a radiant youthful glow.” says INSKIN Cosmedics Founder & CEO, Maria Enna-Cocciolone.

I’ll be the first to admit that the price tag associated with the Augustinus Bader products is enough to make one shudder. But once you dive into the brand’s patented TFC8 (Trigger Factor Complex) technology… it makes sense.

Think of TFC8 as a personal trainer for your skin, helping it to not only hydrate and nourish, but also train the skin to be healthier, firmer and stronger over time. The TFC8 formulation is crafted from over 30 years of research on skin healing and tissue repair, and supports cellular renewal while guiding key ingredients to the cells of your skin.

All that to say, this luxe, rich cream feels thick in texture but not too heavy on the skin. I’ve been loving it both morning and evening to really nourish my skin without it being left oily or greasy throughout the day. It’s a product that won’t be leaving my daily rotation any time soon (well, at least until summer when I will likely swap to The Light Cream).

If there’s one thing I love doing on a Friday night, it’s curling up on the couch with a delicious meal and popping on a face mask to decompress from the week.

This 30 pack of sheet masks from VT Cosmetics is the perfect solution. Rather than having singularly packaged sheet masks flying around my bathroom, this container keeps me going for weeks on end.

The mask itself is hydrating, plumping and smoothing – all the things I’m looking for at the end of the week! Each face mask is easy to apply, with built-in tweezers to help keep the product hygienic. It has a light scent and fits onto the face nicely, so I find I can still move around the house without it slipping off my face.

If you can’t tell already, I’m taking anti-ageing very seriously right now. So my vitamin A use isn’t just for my face – it’s for the body too!

The Murad Retinal Resculpt is the ultimate winter moisturiser in my mind. It’s a super thick, heavy texture, yet sinks into the skin beautifully and doesn’t leave it feeling greasy or oily. It feels incredibly luxe, and my skin always feels smooth and nourished after using it. I especially love using this before events or the weekend, as it leaves my skin feeling firmer and tighter.

I can’t say for sure that it’s helped with any long term improvement on stretch marks or cellulite as it claims to do, but I’m already on my second tub, so I’m absolutely giving it a red hot crack!

I’ve tried plenty of foundations and concealers in my time, but never did I think that there would be one singular product that could replace both. I’m actually quite glad to say I was wrong. Enter: Merit The Minimalist.

It’s not quite a concealer or a foundation, and yet has just enough coverage to work as both. It’s buildable and looks great when layered for a more full coverage look, but also looks fantastic on the skin after just one swipe across the face.

In an easy to use stick formulation, it’s convenient and compact, and has well and truly taken top spot in my makeup bag!

To be totally honest, I’m not usually a lip gloss fan. They can be too sticky, don’t last long enough, and they usually sit in my cupboard for months (or years) on end without being touched.

However this new launch from Rare Beauty might have changed my mind. It feels more like a lip oil than a gloss, with a hydrating, cushiony feel that has absolutely no stick.

It also has a light, fruity flavour and a powerful shimmer that gives a gorgeous shine and plumped effect, without feeling gritty or sticky.

The By Terry Brightening CC Serum (specifically in shade Sunny Flash) has saved me this winter.

While I’m not one to use a fake tan anymore — those days are long behind me — this serum gives me a nice, healthy glow, even during the coldest months.

I love using this both on its own as well as mixed with other base products like a tinted moisturiser or foundation. It gives a bronzed, healthy glow to the skin without being too glittery or shimmery.

It’s not often that I find a new beauty product that I don’t already own plenty of. But this UV Hair Mist from Shirley’s Secret is the first hair protection mist that I have come across.

Made to protect your stands from sun damage, environmental stressors, and pollution, this mist can be used in wet or dry hair. It also boost shine and softens dry, brittle strands.

With a subtle floral scent (that personally reminds me of the Chanel Mademoiselle fragrance) and a touch of gold shimmer, this has become an instant staple in my hair care routine!

I truly can’t live without dry shampoo. For many years, I’ve bought whatever has been on sale or available at a moment’s notice, but it wasn’t until I tried this Super Dry Shampoo from OUAI that things changed.

Instead of leaving a white, dusty powder in my hair like so many other dry shampoos, this one absorbs and blends in seamlessly. The Melrose Place scent is an added bonus — it’s slightly rosy but not too floral.

I use this almost daily to absorb excess oil or sweat, and it always leaves my hair feeling clean and fresh.

If you tend to steer clear of hair oils because they’re too… oily, join the club. With short hair, I find even the smallest amount of hair oil leaves me feeling greasy and wanting to wash my hair again instantly.

However the first time I tried this hair oil from Kerastase, I was converted. Designed specifically for blonde hair, it hydrates and strengthens, while also adding shine and reducing frizz, all without feeling too oily.

I use the tiniest drop — the key is to start small — and find my hair looks perfectly healthy, shiny and frizz free every time I apply it!