Ah, July, the month of heat, holidays, and a burn hopefully turning into a tan by tomorrow. This summer brought us so many hot days and good memories but most importantly so many new beauty drops! From skincare to hair care we’ve seen it all. As an employee at Ulta Beauty (I just work there but Do Not speak for the brand or the company), I’ve gotten a chance to try and see so many new products, these are my top 5 best products of July. It’s a mix of new products, new flavors, and old favorites that I fell in love with this summer, all highly recommended.

No. 5 Cocokind Ceramide Lip Blur Balm in Vanilla Chantilly

Ms. Cocokind you did it again. Anyone who knows me or has talked to me about skincare knows how much I love this brand. Women-owned, affordable prices, good ingredients, and skincare that actually gives you results, I truly believe this is the most underrated mass skincare brand. Their lip treatments are no different. The creaming lip blur balm has already been in many different blog posts, reviews, and TikToks, but their newest flavors have changed the game. This smooth buttery balm not only leaves lips soft and moisturized but also leaves the most beautiful glossy glow. The newest launches are their strawberry shortcake flavor with a beautiful soft pink finish and their vanilla chantilly flavor in a clear glossy finish. I personally LOVE the vanilla chantilly flavor. It’s deliciously vanilla-scented and sweet enough to eat. It’s a perfect topper for any lip color from berry to nude. I love to pair this balm with a mauve colored lip liner from elf for a natural look. Add a little blush and bronzer and you’ve got the perfect no-makeup, makeup look!

No. 4 Rhode Pocket Bronze Stick

Speaking of a good no-makeup look, this creamy stick bronzer from Rhode is a must-have! Its soft balm-like formula allows for a beautiful and seamless blend creating a very natural bronzed effect. For a Rhode product, it’s not incredibly overpriced. It retails at $28 which isn’t too bad for the amount of bronzer you’re getting. It is only 0.18 oz but the formula is so pigmented you will get a lot of use out of very little product. It comes in eight different shades from light to dark, offering a good amount of diversity compared to competing brands. If you are looking for a more affordable option I would recommend elf’s bronze stick, a direct dupe for this product. While I’m normally a dupe girlie I highly highly recommend just buying the name brand because this formula is truly so soft and blendable. There is also a very cute pocket brush to complete the pocket set! 

No. 3 Beauty of Joseon Tinted Mineral Dayscreen

Beauty of Joseon was one of my first introductions to Korean skincare, and their mineral sunscreen is one of the best sunscreens on the market in my opinion. Mineral-based sunscreens often leave a horrible white cast, but this formula is soft and smooth, protecting the skin beautifully. I was so excited to see that they released a tinted sunscreen! It comes in so many shades for all different skin tones and blends out beautifully on the skin. The lightweight and slightly pigmented formula allows for customizable and buildable coverage. It’s a blurring and hydrating sunscreen offering protection and a beautiful makeup base or no-makeup look. A tinted sunscreen is a summer staple in my book. It retails for $20 and is mainly sold in stores at Sephora or online. 

No. 2 Cocokind Hydrating Electrolyte Rescue Serum

Yet again another win for Ms Cocokind. I love the electrolyte line but this serum has been a game changer. This serum is not only a great hydrating serum for all year round, but incredible for the stressed, sun-damaged skin of summer. I used it repeatedly in Hawaii to heal my poor sunburned face. (Please wear sunscreen the sun is no joke) It helps with deep hydration not just surface-level, while also calming sensitive or stressed skin. It is also incredible for me personally as an acne girl. The best part is I can still use this serum even when I’m breaking out because it doesn’t irritate or cause new breakouts! It retails for only $18 and is worth every single penny. If you’re going to buy one product from this list it should be this one or the No. 1 item. It’s a great addition to any skincare routine and virtually any skin type. It also pairs beautifully with the other products in the electrolyte line like the water cream and mist. 

No. 1 Cocokind Electrolyte Water Cream

Which brings us to number one yet another cocokind product. This water cream was the best beauty award winner for Allure in 2025, but unfortunately I didn’t discover it until 2026. Since then I have repurchased this moisturizer three times and have sworn off any other moisturizing creams, balms, or lotions. It is my most-used product in my skincare bag, becoming a staple in both my morning and night routine as well as a perfect base for my everyday makeup. Since using it I’ve noticed such a difference in my skin’s elasticity and texture. My normally dehydrated skin bounces back and feels soft to the touch even with congestion. The most beautiful part is that it’s actually helped my congestion instead of irritating the skin and causing new breakouts like other moisturizers have done. It’s soft, lightweight, non-irritating, and so incredibly hydrating. It seriously feels like a drink of water for the skin. I would repeatedly choose this $20 moisturizing water cream over high-end products promising perfect results. Cocokind really is that girl for clean simple products that actually work, which is why this water cream is and will continue to be a number one favorite for me. 

This was a beautiful month for beauty lovers and I can not wait to see what August brings. What new products are you looking forward to or want me to try? Leave your recommendations in the comments!