Sally Foran: My top eight heatwave beauty heroes

Our unprecedented recent heat is making us need to adapt our beauty routines

My picks for beauty products that can stand up to this summer heat

Thu, 23 Jul, 2026 - 01:00

With Ireland experiencing unprecedented heat right now, a basic face mist won’t suffice any more. We don’t get this weather often enough to be prepared but, thankfully, a host of new cooling beauty products have been designed to help us cool down in a hurry. Here are my top picks.

1. Garnier Super UV Cooling Water Gel Sunscreen SPF 50

First up, sunscreen. There are plenty of new cooling formulas available, which couldn’t have come at a better time. This innovative sunscreen delivers not only superior SPF 50 protection but also an instantly refreshing sensation. It provides a -2°C cooling effect upon application, which feels heavenly on flushed, hot skin.

Despite being a gel, it’s neither heavy nor sticky. The lightweight water gel glides effortlessly onto the skin, absorbs quickly without leaving a white cast, and sits beautifully under makeup.

€9, Boots

2. Sadies Secrets Blue Bomb

This handbag-friendly cooling stick has been a lifesaver, not just for my puffy eyes but for cooling down my entire face. It delivers an icy burst of hydration and depuffing in seconds thanks to cornflower water, which soothes and reduces redness, blue wildflower water to instantly refresh tired skin, caffeine to target puffiness and dark circles caused by fluid retention, and hyaluronic acid to hydrate and plump.

Originally created with women experiencing menopause in mind, it’s really coming into its own during this heatwave.

€32.99, Avoca

3. Voya Cryo Cooling Gel

This combines cooling menthol with nutrient-rich seaweed extracts to soothe tired limbs, replenish moisture, and reinvigorate the skin after heat exposure or exercise.

It absorbs instantly without any sticky residue, making it ideal during these hot, sweaty days. Unlike traditional cooling gels that rely on alcohol for a temporary cooling sensation that can dry out the skin, this formula uses menthol for a genuine, longer-lasting cooling effect, while deeply hydrating thanks to seaweed and aloe. A saviour for heavy legs in this heat.

€37, Brown Thomas

4. Eucerin Hyaluron Mist Spray

Keeping a facial mist at your desk, bedside, or in your handbag is one of the easiest ways to stay cool. My current favourite is this ultra-refreshing hydrating mist, which delivers instant nourishment while helping to reduce dryness and sensitivity.

A blend of hyaluronic acid and gluco-glycerol provides lasting hydration, while the fine spray distributes the mist evenly across the face. I keep one in the fridge for especially hot days.

€16, Meaghers Pharmacy

5. IS Clinical Hydra Cool Serum

I cannot tell you how refreshing it feels to apply this serum. It’s so lightweight and delivers intensive hydration while instantly cooling and calming my skin. Suitable for all skin types, it combines powerful antioxidants, botanical extracts, and bionutrients to help soothe irritation, replenish moisture, and support healthy-looking skin.

Ideal not just after sun exposure but also for shaving or during travel, it helps restore dehydrated skin and also provides antioxidant protection beneath sunscreen, helping to defend against UV damage. It can also be layered with your active skincare products to help minimise sensitivity.

€75, harpargrace.com

6. Aliso Beauty Cryo Face Tools

There’s nothing better than reaching for these straight from the fridge whenever the heat becomes too much. Crafted from surgical stainless steel, they harness the natural power of cold temperatures to boost microcirculation while delivering a soothing, anti-inflammatory, and firming effect.

They help calm inflamed skin, reduce puffiness, and minimise the appearance of pores, particularly around the eye area. Their ergonomic shape hugs the contours of the face and neck perfectly, making every use feel like a spa treatment at home.

€28.99, alisobeauty.com

7. Clarins Lip Oil Balm Cryo Plumping

This cooling balm from Clarins’ iconic Lip Oil range takes inspiration from cryotherapy. Infused with menthol and field mint essential oil, it leaves lips feeling instantly refreshed, hydrated, and comfortable.

It also works as a treatment, enhancing your natural lip colour with sweetbriar rose and jojoba oils, while peptides visibly plump and smooth. The glossy finish is the perfect bonus. It’s earned a permanent place in my makeup bag over the past few weeks.

€33, Clarins Boutique

8. TIRTIR Matcha Tea Pads

When you need instant redness relief, these pads are brilliant, especially when stored in the fridge. The generously soaked dual-sided pads provide visible cooling, depuffing, and soothing in a single swipe.

Infused with Jeju Matcha Water and 1% Jeju Matcha PDRN essence, they recreate the feeling of applying freshly brewed matcha tea compresses to irritated skin, inspired by traditional Korean skincare rituals. The textured side gently refines skin and unclogs pores, while the smooth side delivers a concentrated burst of calming hydration to overheated, flushed skin. They’re suitable for all skin types and particularly effective after sun exposure, exercise, or to reduce puffiness.