July 2018 beauty bag: The products we're coveting this month

If we’re lucky, July means perfect poolside and patio weather and sunny skies. Along with the hot temperatures, this month’s latest beauty launches are also putting us in a good mood. There’s a new Canadian beauty brand on the block, launching four skin-smoothing products inspired by the country’s plant life. For a summer-friendly skincare routine, Omorovicza and Clinique are offering up lightweight, refreshing options. There’s even a fresh new scent from Chanel that’ll transport you beachside with a single spritz. Here are all this month’s best new launches to get excited about...

Maybelline New York Lemonade Craze Eyeshadow Palette, $17.99, walmart.ca
This palette has nothing to do with Beyoncé’s album and everything to do with twelve summer-worthy matte and shimmery eyeshadow shades. Unlike the brand’s previous palettes, each shadow is individually named. Shades like Old Fashioned and Sweet Tea are your perfect everyday neutrals, while hues like Ice Pop, a vibrant pink, and Lemonade Craze, a citrusy yellow, pack a punch. And while the lemon-y scent is a fun bonus, the real sell is the finish and colour pay-off.

Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly, $35, clinique.ca
If you’re looking to swap your heavy winter moisturizer, this lightweight, oil-free version boasts a water-jelly texture that hydrates sans sticky residue. It has the added benefit of pollution protection.

Omorovicza Hydra Melting Cleanser, $135, omorovicza.com
This triple-phase cleanser from the Hungarian thermal spa-inspired brand starts off as a gel cleanser, melts into an oil when it comes into contact with your skin and washes away as a milky emulsion when it mixes with water. Star ingredients include a cocktail of essential oils like rose geranium and Roman chamomile, along with vitamin-rich sea buckthorn berry oil and skin-soothing mallow flower extract.

Beautyblender Sapphire (limited edition), $26, sephora.ca
You’re either beautyblender-obsessed or you’re not. If you fall under the former category, you’ll want to stock up on this limited-edition version available in a vibrant sapphire shade. The jewel-toned sponge does everything the OG hue does so well while adding a jolt of colour to your vanity.

Les Eaux de Chanel, Paris-Biarritz Eau de Toilette, $149 for 125 ml, chanel.ca
Part of a new collection of scents called Les Eaux De Chanel, Paris - Biarritz was inspired by one of Gabrielle Chanel’s favourite sunny escapes. It’s where she opened her first couture house in 1915. A spritz will transport you to the beachside town with notes of grapefruit and mandarin warmed up with white musk and vetiver.

Almay Goddess Gloss, $10.49, at walmart.ca or amazon.ca
Almay just got a makeover. Part of a collection of new shades, these lipglosses are a highly wearable nod to the prismatic trend. The soft, shimmery hues are more subtle than frosty and are a fun addition to your summer makeup routine.

Céla Seed to Skin Scrub, $42, thisiscela.com
Launching in time for Canada Day, this local skincare brand is the brainchild of Celine Tadrissi, the co-founder of Hammam Spa in Toronto. Each product, like this gentle exfoliating scrub, pays homage to the country, from the locally sourced botanical ingredients like juniper berry, evening primrose and Northern high bush berry right down to the pretty packaging, inspired by Canadian topography.

Biotherm Life Plankton Essence in Mask, $12 (single sheet) or $64 (pack of 12), biotherm.ca
Perfect for a Sunday beauty session or slipping into your carry-on, this mask is soaked with the equivalent of eight days’ worth of Life Plankton Essence and promises glow-y, hydrated skin. The biodegradable mask is 100% organic cotton, which means that it retains excess serum and goes straight to your face.