Like many girls who came of age in the 1990s, my earliest beauty tips came from the pages of Seventeen and YM. These magazines often ran features in which a young starlet was photographed alongside the emptied contents of her make-up bag, and quizzed on her top beauty picks. I loved discovering what products Jennifer Love Hewitt or Janet Jackson couldn’t live without, especially if it was something I could run out to Rite-Aid and buy with my babysitting money. I remember being fascinated to learn that Niki Taylor washed her face with plain old Dove soap, and that Liv Tyler swore by Dr. Pepper LipSmackers (me too!).
Magazines no longer hold the authority or allure they once had, but I still love the idea of beauty as a shared knowledge that’s passed around among girlfriends. So, in the spirit of a ‘90s teen magazine (but with the perspective of a suburban mom in the sunset years of her 30s), here are my must-haves fall beauty products.
Fall Must-Have Beauty Products
–Olio E Osso Lip/Cheek stain in No. 3 (Crimson)
If I had to pack for a desert island, and could only take a tiny bag of beauty items, this would be the first thing in that bag. It looks like a miniature stick of deodorant, and has a smooth, solid gel-like consistency and a lightly citrus scent. It gives the face and cheeks a gentle jolt of dewy color.
–Sprouts lip balm in Apple Cider
I like to switch up my scented products with the season—peppermint in winter, strawberry in spring, and coconut in the summer. Currently on rotation is this glossy spiced cider balm. Swipe it on for an instant dose of autumn (even if it’s 90 degrees outside)!
–Essie nail polish in “Mani Thanks”
This is a polish so goof proof you can apply it in the car (which I often do). I find that shades with a bit of a sheen and/or glitter are much more forgiving than flat, opaque shades. The glitter in this polish is subtle, so the effect is not little-girlish, and the gold-flecked color works for all four seasons.
I add a couple drops of this soothing, sleep-inducing oil to a palmful of unscented lotion, and apply it to my skin before bed. Sleep is beautiful, and sleep = beauty, ergo this is a beauty product. A dab of this also works to dry out a zit.
–Mad Hippie Triple C Night Cream
This moisturizer reminds me of my weighted blanket—it’s got some heft to it, and feels like a thick, cool, marshmallowy blanket for my skin. Try it!
–Native deodorant in Sugar Cookie
When I lifted this off the shelf at Target and held it to my nose, my first thought was, Mmm, I want to take a bite of this! Followed by, Should under-arms smell like something you want to eat? I gave it a chance, and I can tell you, smelling like an oven-fresh cookie—especially in the fall and winter months—is not weird at all.
–Burt’s Bees Nourishing Mascara
I’m still searching for my ride-or-die, forever-and-always mascara, but until I find it, this formula does the job. Cheap, clean, available everywhere, and I love that I never have to mess with a makeup remover to take it off—it washes off entirely with soap and water.
This lightweight cream provides a tiny bit of structure and shine. Best of all, its fragrance is reminiscent of a giant, perfect gardenia in full bloom.
–Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar, in Unscented
I’ve used this since the aforementioned ‘90s supermodel revealed it to ‘Teen as her regular cleanser. Cheap, efficient, classic.
–Not Your Mother’s Dry Shampoo (Unscented)
It’s hard to imagine a beauty roundup for moms that didn’t include dry shampoo, and this list is no exception. A hairstylist friend once told me dry shampoo is one item to save your money on, as formulas don’t vary that much. This is my pick because it’s 1.) inexpensive, and 2.) completely scentless.
This is not a product, but I included it here as it’s where I stock up on many beauty products, as well as basic household staples like hand soap and sunscreen. Pharmaca is constantly running sales of 25% to 30% off, and those discounts are on top of mark-downs on many items. There’s also free shipping for orders over $45.
Share Your Fall Beauty Must-Haves
What’s one of your fall beauty product must-haves? What products are always in your medicine cabinet or in the top drawer of your bathroom? Help a busy mom out, and share what you know and love, as we don’t have the time to spend hours sampling everything at Sephora!
Do you have a hand cream you adore?? I’m still searching for a great one. Or how about a mineral sunscreen that doesn’t leave thick white streaks? An under-eye concealer that does its job? Please, share away!
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