As the steamy summer days quickly approach — and spring cleaning is still a top priority — it’s the ideal time to make some swaps in your beauty routine. Toss gunky old creams in exchange for lighter lotions and oils. Think about repairing your skin while you sleep so you have more time to sit alfresco sipping rosé. And don’t neglect your fuzzy legs — there’s a new product for that, too. From French cult favorites to the must-have nail polish color of the season, these beauty buys are sure to up your game pre-summer.
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May beauty buys
Sleeping Serum
You probably know that melatonin levels are important for quality sleep. Now, you can apply it to your skin for better reparative action while you snooze. This melatonin-centric serum is light and offers a laundry list of overnight benefits, from brightening to calming to barrier repair.
Evoté 12h BioComplex Power Restore Night Face Serum, $90 at Evine
French Import
French cult favorite Buly 1803 recently made its debut in the U.S. at retailers like Bergdorf Goodman and Net-a-Porter. While all the products are fabulously packaged, it doesn't get much cooler than this shea butter-based balm that's great for hands and feet.
Buly 1803 Pommade Concrète Balm, $50 at Net-a-Porter
Scalp Rx
This is your cure for an oily, out-of-whack scalp. It's a leave-on serum that hydrates and provides antioxidant protection thanks to tamanu oil while balancing sebum production with seaweed extract. And it makes a blowout look even better.
Aveda Pramasana Protective Scalp Concentrate, $45 at Nordstrom
Go-To Razor
The season of leg baring has arrived and with it a bevy of new razors and hair removal gadgets. The latest option from Schick is affordable, surprisingly gentle, super effective and even smells delicious. What more could you want?
Schick Quattro You, $9.99 at Target
Lip Pencil You Can Eat
All of Bite Beauty's products are formulated to be as clean and natural as possible because you end up ingesting most of what you put on your lips. Its new pencils are all that and also fantastic at lining and defining lips and helping your color last all day.
Bite Beauty The Lip Pencil, $18 at Sephora
Summer Face Oil
Thanks to rosehip, jojoba and evening primrose, this decadent face oil fights fine lines incredibly well. Use it as a serum while the weather is cool. And when warmer months roll around, it's all you'll need.
Burt's Bees Complete Nourishment Facial Oil, $16.99 at Ulta
Standout Polish
There's nail polish and then there's Christian Louboutin nail polish. The latest collection is called Metalinudes and the standout is Preciosa, a glimmering rose gold you'll want to wear all summer.
Christian Louboutin Metalinudes Nail Colour in Preciosa, $50 at Nordstrom
Overnight Facial
Using a face mask a couple of times a week is great in theory, but in reality it's hard to find the time. That's where this overnight mask comes in. It's loaded with AHAs, retinol and probiotics to give you brighter skin by morning — all in a wildly moisturizing hyaluronic acid gel.
Allies of Skin Bright Future Overnight Facial, $120 at Allies of Skin
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