Summer Beauty 2009 - Best Beauty Buys

Summer's Best Beauty Buys

L'Oreal Paris Bare Naturale Mineral Doux

• "Very sheer" and "never blotchy" is how makeup artist Carolina Gonzalez describes this weightless, skin-soothing mineral blush. Bonus: It lasts for hours, even on the most sweltering summer day.
• $15; buy online now at ulta.com.

Chanel Glossimer

• This long-lasting, fragrance-free formula delivers just the right amount of color and shine you want from a gloss. Katy Perry's makeup artist Jake Bailey says: "I work with a lot of singers who don't like gloss because it's too sticky. All they say about this one is, 'Can I keep it?' "
• $27; buy online now at chanel.com.

Guerlain Terra Cotta

• Tiny flecks of peach and pink mixed in with bronze and copper make skin look sun-kissed, not baked. "It doesn't look like a fake tan," says N.Y.C. makeup pro Nick Barose, who uses it to give Mischa Barton that just-back-from-Bali glow.
• $50; buy online now at saks.com.

Nars Schiap

If just looking at the bottlemakes you happy, here'ssomething else to smileabout: The vibrant hue is sorichly pigmented that all youneed is one coat for "theperfect streak-free manicureor pedicure," says N.Y.C. nailpro Gina Viviano.

$16; buy online now at

narscosmetics.com.

La Mer Lip Balm

• Hydrating your lips doesn't get more luxurious than this: The balm is loaded with vitamins, botanicals and marine extracts. Or as makeup artist Vanessa Scali says, "It just feels buttery and lovely."
• $45; buy online now at lamer.com.

Dior 5-Colour Palette

• "If I could have only one shadow palette, this would be it," says Nicole Richie's makeup artist Tasha Reiko Brown-Jovel. The highly refined, versatile shades go on like velvet and stay put all day. Apply with a wet brush for a bolder look.
• $56; buy online now at sephora.com.

Lancome Definicils

• Unlike other long-wear formulas, "it doesn't make lashes stiff," says makeup artist Jeanine Lobell, who also praises its superior thickening ability. The best part: It comes off easily with makeup remover, so no more lost lashes.
• $24; buy online now at lancome-usa.com.

Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer

• Experts like to add a drop of this shimmering liquid to foundation for allover radiance or dot it along cheekbones to make them pop. "I like that it's not too sparkly," says pro Jeanine Lobell.
• $58; buy online now at giorgioarmanibeauty.com.

Stila Convertible Color

• These watercolor-inspired shades "aren't super-pigmented, so they give that delicate lit-from-within look," says Brett Freeup, an L.A. makeup artist. According to Jeanine Lobell, "It's beautiful on lips too." She has used it on Natalie Portman and Naomi Watts.
• $25; buy online now at stilacosmetics.com.

I.D. Bare Minerals

• The first of its kind and, pros agree, still the best for quick, on-the-go makeup with a clean, sheer finish. "It doesn't get too powdery," says N.Y.C. makeup artist Carolina Gonzalez, who applies it with a soft, natural bristle brush.
• $25; buy online now at bareescentuals.com.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer

• This tinted moisturizer achieves the ideal balance between color and glow. "Skin looks fresh, but not like you're wearing makeup," says L.A. makeup artist Michele Burke.
• $42; buy online now at lauramercier.com.

Clinique City Block Sheer SPF 25

• You don't have to be an urban warrior to appreciate this sunscreen, which combines blockers with antioxidants that fight free radicals (those pesky molecules that accelerate aging). It also "has a nice matte finish," says New Orleans dermatologist Mary Lupo.
• $18/1.4 oz.; buy online now at clinique.com.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 40

• Beloved for its super-stable UVA blocker called Mexoryl SX, this lightweight formula now comes in SPF 40. "We waited forever for this stuff," says Bank. "It doesn't break down in the sun and actually makes your skin feel nice and soft."
• $30/3.4 oz.; buy online now at anthelios.com.

St. Tropez Everyday

• With golden (not carrot-colored) undertones, it mimics the skin-warming effects of natural sun exposure. "And you get a streak-free bronze," says makeup artist Fiona Stiles.
• $30/6.8 oz.; buy online now at sttropeztan.com.

Coppertone Sport Continuous Spray

• The easy-to-apply SPF 70 spray covers vulnerable, hard-to-reach spots like the back of the neck and ears, says Walnut Creek, Calif., dermatologist Min‑Wei Christine Lee.
• $10/6 oz.; buy online now at drugstore.com.

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 85

Doctors rave about this sunscreen because it disappears into skin without a trace-no small feat for such a high SPF, says dermatologist David Bank of N.Y.C. It doesn't clog pores either, regardless of how much you sweat.

$11/3 oz.; buy online now at

drugstore.com.

Clarins Radiance-Plus Self Tanning Cream-Gel

• This quick-absorbing formula delivers a "healthy, fresh glow-not a George Hamilton tan," says L.A. makeup artist Gita Bass. Pros also praise its mild scent.
• $52/1.7 oz.; buy online now at clarinsusa.com.

Kérastase Nutritive Bain Oléo-Curl/OléoRelax Masque

Instead of leaving tight ringlets shellacked, crispy, or greasy, these crystal-clear liquids lay down frizz with shorea and palm oils, says N.Y.C. stylist Gabrielle Corney. "If you're going to straighten your hair, you'll get an easier blow-dry." If not, curls are left light and springy and parched ends are quenched.

John Frieda Frizz-Ease

• "This one will battle the worst humidity and frizz and still hold a curl," says Carla Gentry Osorio, who praises its low price. River Lloyd says, "It's failsafe. You can use it without reading the directions and still look great."
• $7/1.7 oz.; buy online now at ulta.com.

David Babaii for Wildaid

• Created by Babaii, an L.A. stylist, in collaboration with Kate Hudson, his longtime friend and client, this collection is free of harsh detergents, artificial fragrances and parabens. Instead, the team turned to natural ingredients from the South Pacific, including hydrating kiwifruit and mineral-rich volcanic ash, to produce rich lathers and luxurious textures.
• Shampoo, $10/13.5 oz.; buy online now at .
• Conditioner, $10/13.5 oz.; buy online now at .

Bumble and Bumble

• "This has the control of a gel with the lightweight texture of a lotion," says N.Y.C. stylist Erin Anderson, who has used it on Mischa Barton. "I can do everything with this," says stylist Sean James of Santa Monica. "It gives volume and smoothness. It's all-purpose."
• $23/8 oz.; buy online now at bumbleandbumble.com.