1. Hair

Come summer, we all want that effortless, textured hairstyle that will pair perfectly with our collar shirts and shades. Sea salt spray can definitely do the trick, but your shampoo and conditioner can provide a good base. The SachaJuan Ocean Mist is a great example of texturising products that will give you that volume you want without going overboard. Apply it and you can leave it as is without any help from other stylers.

As for our trusty sea salt sprays, there are tons of good options out in the market right now, ranging from drugstore products to more premium choices. You have your VO5 and Toni&Guy sprays which are on the budget side, and SachaJuan Ocean Mist and EVO Salty Dog being the more expensive options that will give your hair a fun bounce once spritz on.

2. Skin

Wearing SPF is something you should be doing all the time, all year long, but doubling down during the summer won’t hurt the slightest bit. 

SPF is the biggest anti-ageing product and can do wonders for your skin. Ideally, you want a broad spectrum SPF that can protect your skin from UVA (ageing) and UVB (burning) light.

What we’re going to recommend are MFH favourites, so note them down. The SPF 50 from Tropic is matte in finish and doesn’t sit heavy on your skin, while the Hyalu B5, an SPF 30 aqua gel from La Roche-Posay will certainly make your skin plump with moisture with its water base. It doesn’t stick once you apply it and is by a great brand overall. Lastly, if you’re someone who prefers the convenience of having it in your day-to-day moisturiser, then you should try the Murad Oil and Pore Control Mattifier, which has SPF 45 and is a broad-spectrum product. It’s a mattifying moisturiser with all the protection of the SPF. What more can you ask for?

3. Fragrance

A great perfume can take an entire summer ensemble to the next level – it’s just a matter of finding the right one. You can go light and bright, or dark and moody. You can also opt for a fruitier scent – the possibilities are endless.

If you’re after the true summer scents, those with citrusy notes, the Creed Viking Cologne is a stellar option. It has that zing that lasts for a long time and an overall fun smell. It might be on the pricier side, but we say it’s worth copping.

However, if a budget-friendly alternative is what you need, then the Clinique Happy has all the same notes as the Creed Cologne for a fraction of its price. It’s bright, uplifting, and captures the essence of summer in a glass bottle.

Other MFH picks that tread more on the experimental, dark side include Tom Ford Tuscan Leather, a fragrance seemingly reminiscent of a soft leather jacket sitting out on a warm Tuscan day and the Oud Jaune Intense, with its fragrant pineapple notes and the gravitas of an oud.

4. Body Grooming

Since you’re going to be spending hours by the pool or the beach, either soaking up the sun or cooling down in the water, you’d want to have your body hair in check. You don’t necessarily have to remove everything, but it has to at least look neat.

A clean trim is possible with Manscaped products. They have an array of grooming tools that are easy to use and are impossible to cut yourself with. You can just move it up and down on your chest, and you have the whole situation figured out.

The Braun Series 7 offer great tools as well. You can change the heads depending on what you need it for, so you can use it to clean up the neck or swap it for a body grooming tool. There’s a head made for clipping as well, so you’re basically getting several products for the price of one.

So invest in a good grooming tool – it’s useful and you can bring it anywhere you want. It’s also going to help you feel more confident about yourself by getting rid of all your extra hair, which is what we want to achieve.

5. Self-tanning

A lot of people might be a bit apprehensive about the matter, but a good tanning product can take your summer look to a whole new level. Tan Luxe is an example of a brand with great self-tanners. They have a product that is both a lotion and a mousse, so it goes on easy on the skin. All you need is a couple of pumps onto exfoliated skin and you’re good to go. A tiny bit of advice to ensure it doesn’t clump up is to add moisturiser to areas of your body that’s a lot drier than the rest, such as your elbows or around your brows. After that is a gradual tanning effect that’s going to make you convert.

But what they’re really praised for are their serums and self-tan droplets. The serum has hyaluronic acid and can be used as your day-to-day serum after cleansing your face. It’s a really subtle tan, perfect for those who don’t want a drastic change. The Tan Drops, meanwhile, are good to add to your moisturiser as you can control the amount of product you want. Work it around and see the glow start to appear.