It has been hot this summer. But you don’t need me to tell you that. I’m currently writing this story with two fans directed at me and my Shark Depuffi stationed on my desk for some cooling cryo breaks. And I’m not sure about you, but as soon as summer heatwaves begin, my beauty routine gets a serious shake-up. This shake-up tends to happen subconsciously, and I don’t realise just how different my daily routine has become until I sit down and look at my empty beauty products at the end of the month.
July was a clear example of this. Whereas my Empties Edits usually comprise a healthy mix of makeup, skincare, haircare, perfumes and candles, this month, every single empty is somehow related to the intense heat we’ve been experiencing. I’ve been getting through body creams like there’s no tomorrow, making sure my shower gels are working overtime with the three showers I’ve been having every day and prioritising decongesting cleansers to tackle sweat build-up.
And with over a decade of beauty editor experience under my belt, I test hundreds, if not thousands, of products every single year, so I can assure you that only the best of the best make it into my routine and get used to the very last drop. These eight beauty products have been so game-changing over the past month, in fact, that I’m ready to repurchase every single one immediately. Introducing The Empties Edit for July 2026.
1. Tatcha The Rice WashI have two cleansers in my life that I consider the best ever made. The first is Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip (which I waxed lyrical about in last month’s Empties Edit and feature regularly on these pages). The second is this one: Tatcha The Rice Wash. Unlike Ceramic Slip, which has a gel-like, creamy consistency, this stuff is a thick cream. The texture is almost putty-like, meaning you only need the smallest amount, and it works into one of the most luxurious, efficacious lathers in the cleansing game. It’s pH-neutral and contains hyaluronic acid and red algae to really nurture and protect your skin’s natural moisture barrier, but my gosh, it is hardworking, too. With Tatcha’s iconic Japanese rice powder and an amino acid base, it does a stand-up job of removing build-up and delivering a truly standout cleanse. If you have congestion-prone skin, do not sleep on this cleanser.
