The best beauty trends to try this fall

I’ve always loved the fall.

Maybe it’s because it’s my birthday season and Virgos like me carry ancient ties to the harvest and bounty of autumn. Maybe it’s just because I’m such a sucker for a fall candle (Sweater Weather by Bath & Body Works is a gorgeous, affordable scent), cold air and a pumpkin coffee.

Fall also means a new season to experiment with our looks. I scoured social media along with the rest of the interwebs to track down some of fall’s biggest beauty trends for you.

Warm reds

While a bright red lip is always a staple, this fall trend is a little spin on the classic. Warm reds — think colors like terra cotta or spiced apple — give off instant warmth and coziness. Keeping with spring’s monochromatic look, wear these reddish-tan hues on eyes, cheeks and lips. This look should be done in a stain-like finish on lips, with lots of blending and no harsh lines. Look for cream products to achieve a softer look for eyes and cheeks.

 

Hair accessories

The hair accessories trend isn’t going anywhere. Try out some ribbons and bows in luxurious textures such as satin and velvet, as well as jewel-encrusted barrettes in all sizes and bedazzled bobby pins like those by Kitsch x Justine Marjan. Bonus points if your clips spell out your feelings. Also, grab headbands Blair Waldorf would be proud of in luxurious fabrics. The best part? Nothing hides roots or your skipped washes better than hair accessories.

 

Long lashes

From extensions to lifts and tints to super-powered mascaras and falsies, long, luscious lashes are having a moment. Tarte Big Ego Mascara and false lashes such as Ardell Demi Wispies each provide high-drama eyes. Eyelash extensions build onto your real lashes and allow you to wake up looking like you’re wearing falsies. You don’t have to look like a Real Housewife meets “Charlotte’s Web,” either. Using mascaras such as Glossier Lash Slick or opting for a lash lift and tint (a perm and dye-job for your real lashes) give a flirty, fluttery look without making you look like you’re ready to fly away.

 

Flushed cheeks

I stand by my thought that blush is single-handedly the most underrated beauty product. Hopefully, this will give blush the recognition it deserves. Personally, I love a matte blush for fall, including favorites KKW Beauty Blush in Destiny (a powder formula), Glossier Cloud Paint in Dusk (a gel-cream) and NARS Liquid Blush in Dolce Vita. No matter the formula, the concept for this season’s look is the same. Apply a little blush just above the hollows of your cheeks and starting underneath the center of your pupil. (Don’t go in any farther or you’ll look like an extra in “Lovely Ladies” from “Les Misérables.”) Blend back toward your hairline and make sure there are no harsh edges. It should look like you just came in from the cold.

 

A little sparkle (or a lot)

Don’t be afraid of a little glitter. Sparkles don’t have to be reserved for festivals or New Year’s Eve. A little glitter can be worn year-round in any capacity you feel comfortable with. It can be subtle like a swipe of eyeliner or pressed in all over your lid like a disco queen. You can wear it on your lips or your cheeks. It can be fine glitter or full-on rhinestones artfully placed around your eyes. You can find glitter eyeliner such as Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in about 18 shades. If you want to use loose glitter, make sure you’re buying beauty glitter and not craft glitter. The latter is meant for art projects and will scratch your corneas up. Grab something like Make Up For Ever Star Lit Glitters, which come in 14 shades and are made to be a worn on face and body.

 

No-fuss styles

We love low-maintenance fashion. Fall’s hairstyles are incredibly simple, and stray pieces and imperfections are welcomed. Try low ponytails, effortless half-up styles and messy topknots. Employ some hair accessories (like my FAVORITE — the claw clip) and toss your hair up for a look that’s incredibly chic and lived-in.