What’s in your favourite fictional girl’s summer bag?

The summer heat is here, and let’s be honest—our beauty routines are sweating harder than we are. Skincare melting off by midday? Check. Hair frizzing to new heights (literally)? Check. But while we’re all trying to keep it together in this heat wave, in our imagination our favourite fictional It-girls have it all under control. So, what would be their summer beauty arsenal?

We took a look at some of our favourite fictional characters and imagined exactly what they’d be reaching for this summer. From their go-to perfume to the nail shade they’d choose in five seconds flat, these are the glam summer essentials we think they’d bag.

Isabella “Belly” Conklin, The Summer I Turned Pretty

Belly embodies the ultimate girly girl—the one who had her high-school glow-up, left the awkward years behind, and is well on her way to It-girl status. It’s easy to imagine her reaching for Chanel Chance Eau Splendide this summer. Her beauty routine would stay ultra-simple and effortless: just a touch of Bobbi Brown Skin Full Cover concealer, a sweep of Milk Makeup's Cooling Water Jelly tint, and a nourishing slick of Dr. Jart+ Vital Hydra Solution Lip Mask. Frolicking season leaves no room for high-maintenance blowouts, you'll find a Tangle Teezer for quick fix and her Polaroid camera to continue building out her ultimate Pinterest-worthy bedroom.

Elphaba, Wicked

Summer—and summer activities—are probably not our dark academia queen’s idea of a fun time. Beach day followed by mani-pedis with the gang? Please—she’d rather knock out a few more chapters of Caliban and the Witch by Silvia Federici in the comfort of her room. If she has to step out (the operating term being if), her vanity is low-effort, high-impact: a spritz of Le Labo LYS 41, a swipe of MAC Dazzleshadow Liquid, and a swipe of Sunset Makeup’s green lip tint—bold, budge-proof, and right up her alley. If she’s in the mood, she might even throw on some O.P.I velvet green press-on nails. And of course, tucked in her bag? The Moxie Flyaway Stick, ready to tame rebellious baby hairs on the go.

Anora ‘Ani’ Mikheeva, Anora

Ani is the quintessential party girl—always ready for the next event. She’s loud, fun, edgy and always the last to leave. Her summer scent? YSL Black Opium Over Red—sweet with a bite. For makeup, she keeps it high-impact: Danessa Myricks Chrome Gel as eyeshadow and highlighter to match her hair tinsel, Hourglass Mini Ambient Lighting Blush for a flushed look, and the OG Makeup by Mario Suede Lip Cream on the lips. Time is of the essence, so she’d do her nails in minutes with Gush Beauty press-ons—easy, bold, and no fuss if you knock one off trying to push your way to the bar. And she’s never without her Marc Jacobs boots, ready for whatever the night throws at her.

Piper Ratliff, The White Lotus

Piper is the clean girl but make it moneyed. Her signature fragrance? A skin scent like the Glossier You—understated and fresh. She lathers up with Simple Kind to Skin, rinsing away the salt air without waging war on her skin barrier (she’d rather prevent than treat). For blush, she opts for Rare Beauty Worth—ultra-pigmented, so it lasts all day without reapplying. On her lips: Dr Bronner's Organic naked unscented lip balm is a non-negotiable. And everything—from a L'Occitane Shea butter Hand cream, her annotated Buddhism book to her summer syllabus—fits neatly inside a Loewe x Paula’s Ibiza raffia Puzzle tote.

Helly R, Severance

Corpcore to the bone—she might look like the type who reads the company handbook for fun, but she knows the office air is toxic in more ways than one. Her defence? Dr. Barbara Sturm’s Anti-Pollution Drops and the iS Clinical Youth Intensive Cream—her power duo against the central AC chill. She wears Byredo Super Cedar like armour: crisp, woody, and unmistakably fresh. Her bangs? Always smooth, always sharp, courtesy of her Dyson. And on her feet? Tabi leather slingbacks—a subtle flex and a quiet threat.

Carrie Bradshaw, And Just Like That…

Carrie Bradshaw is still the main character—because once a fashion girl, always a fashion girl. Her summer scent? A spritz of Terre d’Hermès. Her face sticks to the classics: La Mer Creme de la Mer cream to give her skin the TLC it actually deserves. NARS Orgasm X keeps her cheeks flushed with just the right amount of drama, and MAC Russian Red is her forever lipstick—punchy and iconic. Her hair’s always undone-but-done with a pump of the Kérastase Elixir Ultime oil-in serum. And the finishing touch? A Loewe tomato clutch—because she’ll always choose a conversation starter over a practical one.