I'm a Beauty Director—24 Under-$50 Staples I Think Everyone Needs This Summer

Once summer rolls around, I become 75% lazier when it comes to my beauty aesthetic. But because I don't want my skin or hair to suffer the consequences of a sudden laissez-faire attitude, said downslide in time and effort means I prioritize a revamped regimen and product selection that works smarter, not harder.

There is a third, slightly trickier caveat: My new slew of staples can't burn out my summer budget that's strictly reserved for any highly anticipated festivities I have planned—vacation, sun, water, sand, tropical-themed cocktails… You get the idea.

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(Image credit: Erin Jahns)

I'm not one to shy away from an expensive beauty product if it's truly worth the investment and if the results make up for a stingy investment. But in general, I like to keep each pop of spending to about $50 or less. Below, I'm sharing 24 under-$50 summer beauty staples I'm currently loving and plan to keep on my top shelf all season long. Keep scrolling to see which products I think every beauty lover needs in their shopping cart, stat. 

Up next, My Facialist Friend Said These Random Finds Would Change My Skin—She Was Right

Beauty Director

Erin has been writing a mix of beauty and wellness content for Who What Wear for over four years. Prior to that, she spent two and half years writing for Byrdie. She now calls Santa Monica home but grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and studied writing, rhetoric, and communication at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, and spent a summer in L.A. interning with the Byrdie and Who What Wear family. After graduating from UW, she spent one year in San Francisco, where she worked as a writer for Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen before moving down to L.A. to begin her career as a beauty editor. She considers her day-to-day beauty aesthetic very low-maintenance and relies on staples like clear brow serum (from Kimiko!), Lawless's Lip Plumping Mask in Cherry Vanilla, and an eyelash curler. For special occasions or days when she's taking more meetings or has an event, she'll wear anything and everything from Charlotte Tilbury (the foundations are game-changing), some shimmer on her lids (Stila and Róen do it best), and a few coats of the best mascara-type product on earth, Surratt's Noir Lash Tint.