We Co-Founded a Beauty Brand — Here’s What Actually Earned a Spot in Our Summer Routines

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Between the two of us, we’ve spent years formulating, testing, and pulling apart ingredient decks for our own beauty brand — which means we know the difference between a product that’s genuinely well-formulated and one that’s just well-marketed. This isn’t a sponsored roundup. It’s what’s actually on our counters this summer, chosen the way people who’ve built a brand actually shop: by ingredient list first, packaging claims second

The Cleansers We Actually Reach For

Christina swears by Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm Makeup Remover, $15 — a cleansing balm that actually dissolves waterproof sunscreen and makeup without the tugging most balms leave behind.

For a gentler daily option, Intensive Moisture Cleanser, $49, is built for skin that gets tighter and drier in summer air conditioning rather than oilier — worth knowing, since most “summer cleanser” advice assumes the opposite problem.

If double-cleansing is part of your routine, PRE-CLEANSE, $20, and the Skin So Balm Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm, $20, are both genuinely well-formulated first-step options at a fair price.

Exfoliation Worth the Investment

The Daily Microfoliant Exfoliator, $19.50, is a rice-based powder exfoliant that activates on contact with water — the kind of formulation detail that tells you a brand actually invested in the product rather than just the packaging.

For a stronger option, Biologique Recherche Lotion P50 Exfoliating Toner, $45, has a cult following among people who work in the industry specifically because it works — it’s not an influencer-created trend. If you want something gentler, the Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Exfoliating Toner, $37, is the more forgiving version of the same active.

Serums That Are Doing Real Work

The C.E.O. Glow Vitamin C and Turmeric Face Oil, $40, is a genuinely stable vitamin C formulation — a lot of vitamin C products oxidize and lose potency within weeks of opening, and this one holds up.

Sunday Riley’s A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum, $85, is a real retinoid at real strength — not a “retinol alternative” dressed up in marketing language, so build up slowly if you’re new to it.

For peptides specifically, Medik8 Liquid Peptides Advanced MP, $4.40, and BIOEFFECT EGF Day Serum, $165, sit at opposite ends of the price spectrum but both use ingredient technology (growth factors, in the second case) that’s rarely available at accessible price points — worth knowing the tier you’re actually buying into.

If dark spots are the concern, Major Fade Active Seal Vitamin C + Glutathione Moisturizer, $58, pairs two actives that genuinely work better together than either does alone.

Moisturizers Worth Their Price Tag

The Multi-Active Day Moisturizer with Niacinamide, $62, does the quiet work of both hydrating and brightening at once, which is harder to formulate well than most brands make it look.

CHANEL’s HYDRA BEAUTY MICRO GEL CRÈME, $110, is a genuine splurge, but the gel-cream texture is built specifically for humidity — a real summer pick, not just a status one.

If you’re on a budget, La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer with Niacinamide, $12.99, is the one we’d point anyone toward first — it’s the drugstore formula that dermatologists actually recommend, not just the one with the biggest marketing budget.

For barrier repair specifically, SkinMedica HA5 Hydra Collagen Water Burst Moisturizer, $78, Skin Mercy Recovery Cream, $38, and Left Un-Red CalmBack Nightly Rescue Face Cream, $58, all target the barrier disruption summer sun and AC swings cause — a real category, not a marketing invention.

Sun Protection (Non-Negotiable)

La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVAir Sunscreen Serum SPF 50, $39.99, and Screentime Non-Comedogenic Hydrating Sunscreen SPF 30, $38, are both formulated to sit invisibly under makeup — the actual reason people skip sunscreen, solved rather than lectured about.

The Extras We Don’t Skip

For travel, the Vacation Skin Starter Set, $78, solves the TSA-liquid problem without sacrificing your actual routine.

The Cryo + Soothing Hydrogel Sheet Mask, $18.99, and Dew Cloud Eye Mask, $25, are our go-tos after a flight, and Holy Hydration! Hydrating Eye Cream, $10, is proof that a $10 eye cream can genuinely compete with the $150 versions on this list — formulation matters more than price point, which is exactly the kind of thing running a beauty brand teaches you to notice.

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