The last days of summer are upon us (*sniff*) but don’t fret; the change of weather just means that there’s a whole new crop of autumn-friendly styles and colours to add to your beauty repertoire. Get the trendiest looks this season by throwing these five essentials in your makeup bag.
A bold red lipstick
Maybe it has something to do with the whole Mad Men phenomenon, but for whatever reason, this classic beauty staple has come roaring back. Red lipstick may seem like an intimidating colour to wear, but any girl can pull it off “ just make sure to go light with the rest of your makeup and pick the right shade for your skin tone (bronze/orange hues work for warm tones, while blue/plum tones work for cool tones). Line your lips first and carefully colour inside the lines to avoid a messy-looking pucker.
A matte foundation
Keeping in line with the retro, sixties notion of glamour, matte skin was a big feature on the fall runways this year at New York Fashion Week. If you weren’t blessed with a flawless, oil-free complexion, be sure to pick up a specially-formulated foundation or mineral powder that reduces shine, like Maybelline’s Dream Matte Powder or Laura Mercier’s Mineral Powder with SPF 15. If you have particularly oily skin, it’s a good idea to apply a foundation primer beforehand; it’ll smooth out your skin and allow your makeup to last longer.
A dark metallic shadow
The smoky eye is still very much in vogue, but with a little extra shimmer for autumn. Pick a deep blue or purple colour, like Annabelle’s Studio Pigment in Karma, for an eye-popping new look. To create the smoky effect, line your eyes first (making sure to smudge it a bit) and apply the shadow in the creases of your lids, with more concentrated amounts of colour towards the outer corners of your eyes.
A warm cream blush
As evidenced by the bevy of rosy cheeked models on this season’s runways, a little bit of rouge is necessary to pull off your fall looks right this year. Choose a warm shade with a red or orange undercurrent to create a healthy flush in your face. To achieve a more subtle and radiant glow, opt for a cream product, like NARS Cream Blush in Enchanted, and gently blend it on your cheeks using your fingers.
A brow pencil
Gone are the days of pencil-thin, barely-there eyebrows; this fall, big is in. Let those hairs grow in a bit this season (while still maintaining a neat and tidy shape, of course), and foster your brows’ strength with an earthy brow pencil. Try to go a shade lighter than your natural colour to avoid making things too overpowering, and use short, light strokes to fill the spaces between the hairs.
