Fall Beauty Updates.

Shopping for new beauty products is, for me, a bit akin to shopping for back-to-school supplies when I was younger. I get so excited to try the newest colors, see what the big trends are, and decide for myself if it’s something I’m going to try. Though I don’t wear a lot of makeup in my everyday life, I obsess over finding the best products possible – the products that perform the best, new technology, and so on and so forth. And so, when Kohl’s approached me about curating my favorite Fall beauty products, the answer was an immediate YES! You may not know this but Kohl’s actually has an incredible beauty department… stocking some of my favorite brands like LORAC, Cargo, and Bliss.

I chose to focus on cosmetic must-haves, but I did include one product for hair… this heated round brush from Chi. A heated round brush is different than a curling iron as it’s more like a brush… that tames your hair. I will run it through either air-dried hair or day two/three blowout hair as if I’m brushing my hair… but then I’ll wrap the ends around  it for a few seconds when I get to the bottom. It tames flyaways, smooths out the cuticle, and gives you a nice little faux blowout!

Not surprisingly, I am very excited about a bold lip for Fall. As always.

I’m wearing the LORAC PRO Matte Lip Color in Ruby in the top photo. This is my new red obsession. It stays on all day, isn’t at all drying, and has a nice matte finish. I am going to go back and buy it in a few more colors (I have my eye on Fuchsia, Coral, and Magenta next… aren’t the straightforward shade names refreshing?!) Literally, it won’t budge, but doesn’t dry your lips out. Such a good product.

Red is my go-to when I’m doing something bold, but I was really curious to try out a deep plum this Fall. I picked up this CARGO lipstick (in Napa) and love it. It’s the perfect wine/berry and it’s really highly pigmented. I wore it to my sister’s book party last Thursday night and got a lot of compliments on it. For a bold look you can apply straight out of the tube… but you can also just apply a little bit with your fingers to get a more natural look, like you’ve been eating berries or a grape popsicle.

Okay, let’s talk about eyeshadow for a minute. My best friend cracks me up. She basically taught me about makeup when I moved to New York ten years ago. Prior to meeting her, I had, like, five beauty products and they all were mostly lip gloss or mascara. Oh how things have changed. She’s now a big0time senior beauty buyer for a department store, which is so perfect for her. Anyway, the other night she texted me… “ARE YOU WEARING EYESHADOW?!” She’d seen a selfie I had posted. Yes, I was… and this is a rare thing for me. But guys, I’m kind of really, truly, actually into eyeshadow this year. Groundbreaking, I know.

The key for me is to apply a little bit of concealer (I love this one) to my eyelids before shadow. It makes such a huge difference. Besides making the shadow last longer, it adds dimension to it. I love this Bliss eye palette (in nude). It has every shade you could possibly need. My own little eyeshadow routine is to apply a bit of concealer to my eyelids, and then one of those first four light shades all over my lid. Then I will apply one of the middle shades to just the crease… and if I’m feeling really daring I’ll line my lids using the black or gray.

And on that eyeshadow note, I also really love this palette from LORAC. It contains sixteen perfect neutral shades (both shimmery ones + matte shades) and it comes with a primer (you can use the primer instead of concealer to anchor the shadow). On my lashes, I will apply a few coats of LORAC’s Lash Pomade. This is different from mascara as it leaves lashes just a little bit shiny (while also lengthening + thickening them). I call them my “doll lashes.”

I was so excited when I spotted this CARGO lip palette. I had almost the exact same one in college, ages ago. CARGO’s lip glosses aren’t sticky at all, and the colors are really beautiful. This one has four super wearable shades (great for everyday) and comes with a really nice lip brush. A bold lip is very in for Fall, but sometimes I just want to do something pretty and natural. For days like that, this is just the best.

Lastly, I had to include a few products for face!

We already talked about this Bliss Concealer (I use the Radiant Ivory shade) briefly (it doubles as a great base for eyeshadow). What I love about this is it is so, so ultra hydrating… and it also contains a bit of illuminator, which is great for dark circles. I have dry skin so there is nothing worse than a cakey concealer. It sits in fine lines and just ages you. This one moisturizes and sinks right in… like your own skin, but better (which if you read here regularly, you know is my gold standard for makeup).

I had to include a highlighter here as it (+ mascara) is probably my one desert island beauty product. This illuminating fluid from Bliss is a good one. It’s highly pigmented so you only need a few drops. I actually like to just mix in a drop or two with my tinted moisturizer for an all-over glow, but you can also apply directly to the areas you want to highlight (cheekbones, bridge of nose, cupid’s bow, collarbone and/or shoulders). Golden Hour is my favorite as it’s a little bit bronzy… gotta keep that summer glow going strong!

This finishing balm is unlike anything I’ve ever tried but I am completely obsessed with it! It is actually magical… the best way for me to describe it to you is to say that it is like the blur tool in Photoshop, IRL. You can apply it to bare skin or over your foundation/tinted moisturizer. It makes you GLOW, while also helping to mattify and control excess shine. It took me a little while to get the hang of (the first time I applied it, I used too much and looked like a human pearl) but once I figured it out, it was magic. Just use a light touch (with the brush it comes with) and gently buff it all over your skin.

Sponsored by Kohl’s and ShopStyle.