Every month, Vogue Scandinavia’s senior beauty editor, Josefin Forsberg tests an unholy amount of newness to find the formulas that actually earn their place on a bathroom shelf. Among June's favourites we find curl care and hair heroes to keep our strand looking lustrous, low-fuzz lotions, airy body mists and all-over SPF to set you up for summer
At a glance: A body mist version of Byredo's cult Rose of No Man's Land, blending pink pepper and Turkish rose petals with a Rose Damascena and raspberry blossom heart, over a base of amber and papyrus.
My experience: For the past six months, I've watched an impossible-to-ignore trend take hold: brands relaunching the body mist. To me, the format has always read as distinctly Y2K, a phenomenon of pop stars pushing saccharine scents on pre-teens who weren't allowed to wear perfume yet (I still remember asking my dad for a Victoria's Secret mist that never materialised). So watching its revival, not just on the high street but in the luxury segment too, is intriguing. Why reach for a mist when an eau de parfum lasts longer? Price aside, I found my answer on a long weekend at the country house, deep in summer, when an EDP can feel heavy and buttoned-up. That is precisely where this format comes alive, especially when it's a scent as good as Rose of No Man's Land.
Ideal for: Anyone who wants their signature scent without the weight of an EDP.
At a glance: A finely milled, shimmering purple-toned setting powder from Lancôme, designed to neutralise dullness and blur imperfections for a soft satin finish while controlling shine.
My experience: Another unexpected summer saviour, this one in the shade Prismatic Lilac. Milled so fine it's nearly imperceptible, with a slight shimmering purple pigment, it banishes perspiration and leaves behind a blurring, brightening effect that flatters a sun-kissed complexion. It's precisely because it's so imperceptible that it earns its place here. At the best of times, I find setting powder risks turning heavy, a sensation I detest, especially in summer, when I need it the most. This texture, though, is light as air.
Ideal for: Anyone who wants a powder finish without the powdery feel.
At a glance: A lightweight Korean hair serum formulated with 11 types of hyaluronic acid alongside camellia and argan oils, designed to hydrate without weighing hair down.
My experience: Hair is one of the categories I return to each summer. Between the fried texture that comes from exposing hair to salty seas, sun and chlorine, mine needs a little extra care by the middle of June. Normally I keep this routine confined to the shower, with hair masks and the bare minimum of styling (every part of my beauty routine shrinks in summer). But the first time I tried this Korean hyaluronic acid serum, I was floored. My hair has never felt as smooth. I was impressed enough to test it on three colleagues, who reported the same. It now lives in my beach bag as an instant smoothing step after a dip in the sea.
Ideal for: Anyone battling sun, salt and chlorine-frazzled lengths.
At a glance: An SPF15 lip mask from Finnish K-beauty brand Smuuti Skin, formulated with pear extract and prickly pear for hydration and antioxidant protection, worn under a glossy, invisible finish.
My experience: Despite being a beauty editor with a strict SPF routine (a broad-spectrum 50 daily, no exceptions), I'll admit my lips have never received quite the same treatment. That changed when Smuuti's SPF15 lip mask landed on my desk. I usually find SPF-rich lip products heavy, but this one is lightweight and moisturising, sinking in fast while protecting some of the most sun-sensitive skin on the face. What's not to love? It's become a small, reliable Piña Colada-coloured pleasure to reach for through a July spent mostly desk-side.
Ideal for: Anyone who protects their face devotedly but forgets their lips.
At a glance: An ultra-lightweight, broad-spectrum SPF50+ facial fluid from Swedish skincare brand Mantle, powered by the antioxidant Lipochroman molecule alongside vitamin E and hyaluronic acid, designed to absorb quickly and layer seamlessly under makeup.
My experience: Mantle has a strong track record of making it into my regular rotation, and its latest launch, a lightweight SPF50, is no exception. It has everything I look for in a facial sunscreen: fast absorption, no residue, and seamless layering under makeup. Better yet, the skin-loving ingredient list has kept not only me but my acne-prone comrades in beauty-testing arms breakout-free. That said, I'm of two minds about the size. 30 millilitres doesn't stretch far when you're applying enough skincare. On the other hand, it's the ideal carry-on companion.
Ideal for: Anyone who wants SPF50 protection without the weight.
At a glance: A silicone-free leave-in conditioner formulated with fermented microalgae oil, olive stem cells, and crambe abyssinica seed oil, designed to penetrate the hair shaft and strengthen strands from within rather than coat them.
My experience: Under Your Skin leans hard into its clean beauty philosophy, but I don't think there's any need to resort to it, considering the products speak most convincingly for themselves. The fragrance, slightly woody, is a delight, and as someone who has recently started embracing her natural wave pattern, the frizz-free, shiny finish is a welcome addition to my curly-girl routine.
Ideal for: Anyone easing into their natural texture.
At a glance: An ultra-light water-gel body lotion from Sol de Janeiro's Badalada line, formulated with multi-glycerin, guava leaf essence, and star fruit extract for 24-hour weightless hydration, in the brand's Cheirosa 48 scent.
My experience: This one smells like a holiday to me. As a water lotion, it sinks in quickly while giving thirsty skin a well-earned sip of hydration. The generous size means it lasts the whole summer, keeping limbs looking good despite the stressors of sun and salty breeze. My favourite way to wear it is on holiday, after an afternoon shower, layered with a leave-in hair mask and an eye gel. Who needs après-ski when you've got this skincare cocktail as your after-sun?
Ideal for: Anyone who wants their skincare routine to smell like a holiday, even when they're not on one.
At a glance: A buildable tubing mascara from Merit, formulated to lift, separate, and volumise lashes for up to 16 hours of wear, with an easy warm-water removal process.
My experience: Merit's original mascara has been a firm favourite of mine for about a year. Now, the new Clean Volume has become a summer staple. With buildable volume, it adjusts from the slightest daytime definition to va-va-voom evening eyes, and it lasts 16 hours. Better yet, it's a tubing formula, which makes clean-off a breeze.
Ideal for: Anyone who wants lash volume that survives a full day without smudging.
At a glance: A shampoo-and-conditioner duo from Olaplex's Curl range, formulated with the brand's patented 3D Bond Shaper and Hydra-Define technologies to strengthen, define, and hydrate coils, curls, and waves.
My experience: Another one that's made it onto my list as a recent convert to embracing my curls. Olaplex's curl-specific shampoo and conditioner have helped turn my defined waves into spring-loaded curls. That said, they verge on too heavy for my fine Scandinavian strands. If you've got coarse curls in need of a hydration boost, this duo is it.
Ideal for: Anyone with coarse or thick curls after serious definition.
At a glance: A hand-baked powder blush from Saie, formulated with plant-derived squalane, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid for a lightweight, diffused flush with a natural-blurred finish, available in six shades from soft pink to bright berry.
My experience: On holiday, I use very few makeup products. The one I never compromise on, however, is a berry or brick blush. Once I've got a little tan going, it gives the most gorgeous sun-kissed flush. I define my natural freckles with a brow pen too, though that part's optional.
Ideal for: Anyone who wants one product to do the work of a full face.