Fall Makeup
Richer shades, softer edges: How to wear fall tones without overdoing it
By Leslie Peck / Art & photo by Getty Images
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Fall makeup always brings on a little drama: deeper lips, smoky eyes, richer colors and a return to more defined beauty. This season, it’s less about covering up and more about enhancing what you already have.
The newest trends aren’t about piling on more products. Instead, they focus on beautiful skin, thoughtful placement and choosing the features you want to emphasize. The result is makeup that looks polished without looking overly done.
Let Your Skin Show
The days of completely masking the complexion are giving way to skin that actually looks like skin. Choose products that are lighter, more flexible and more luminous.
Instead of automatically reaching for full-coverage foundation, consider using a sheer or medium-coverage formula and applying concealer only where you need it.
The goal isn’t perfectly poreless skin. It’s healthy-looking skin with a little dimension and natural texture. Well-hydrated skin gives makeup something beautiful to sit on, so your fall routine should always start with moisturizer, a hydrating serum and SPF before you ever reach for foundation. Don’t cover your skin. Enhance it.
Blush Before Contour
For years, contouring dominated the makeup industry. Now blush is taking center stage. Cream and liquid blushes can give warmth, dimension and a youthful-looking flush without the visible lines that traditional contouring can create.
For a more lifted appearance, place blush slightly higher on the cheekbones and blend outward toward the temples. Shades of rose, berry, soft terracotta and muted pink are beautiful for fall.
The most important part of applying blush is to make sure you blend. You want the color to look like it belongs to your skin, not like it was painted on top of it. Think fresh, flushed and softly sculpted rather than heavily contoured.
Choose Your Statement
One of the easiest ways to update your makeup is to stop trying to make every feature the star. If you’re wearing a deep berry lip, keep the eyes softer. If you’re creating a dramatic smoky eye, pair it with a neutral or softly tinted lip.
This doesn’t mean your makeup has to be a snooze fest. Quite the opposite. Giving one feature room to stand out can make the entire look feel more sophisticated.
It’s also an easy way to transition your makeup from day to evening. Keep your skin simple and add drama to one feature when you’re ready to go out.
Berry Is the New Fall Neutral
Fall will always belong to deeper shades, but this season they’re getting a softer, more wearable interpretation. Think blackberry, mulberry, wine, plum and sheer cherry rather than a dark, bold lip.
Shades of berry have so much versatility. A sheer berry balm can give you an effortless daytime look, while a more saturated lipstick instantly becomes ready for a night out on the town. Berry tones also work beautifully on cheeks, creating that monochromatic look that makes makeup feel intentional without requiring a dozen products.
Swap Black for Brown
If black eyeliner feels a little harsh, fall is giving you permission to switch it up. Espresso, chocolate, bronze and deep brown create definition while giving the eyes a softer, more dimensional appearance. Brown is especially beautiful when smudged along the lash line or blended into a subtle smoky eye.
Try a wash of warm brown shadow, a little deeper brown along the outer corner and plenty of mascara. It’s polished enough for dinner but effortless enough for everyday.
