Autumn Beauty Favourites

The 10 best hair, makeup and skincare products to buy this fall

Whether you’re back to school or back to work, these 10 beauty products will perk you up as you transition into a new season and new projects…

 

1. Diamond Bomb All-over Diamond Veil in How Many Carats? by Fenty Beauty

To celebrate one year since dominating the beauty industry, Rihanna has released a couple of stellar products, including a new highlighter. In the package, it looks starkly silver and glittery, if not chunky. However, on the skin it transforms to something far more translucent and almost wet-looking. The texture is a jelly-powder formula that’s bouncy and simply melts onto skin. Rihanna has done it again.
Available at Fenty Beauty and Sephora, $46

 

2. Your Skin But Better CC+ Oil-free Matte with SPF 40 by IT Cosmetics

IT Cosmetics’ cult favourite CC cream now comes in a matte formula. This oil-free cream feels surprisingly hydrating thanks to hyaluronic acid and hydrolized collagen. But it’s definitely an oil-controlling formula with charcoal to detoxify and colloidal clay to keep you shine-free the entire day. Like the other CC creams in their lineup, this one provides high coverage, high SPF and advanced skincare benefits. And it comes in 12 shades.
Available at Sephora and IT Cosmetics, $49

 

3. Bloom Nettare di Fiori by Gucci

This is the third fragrance in the Bloom franchise by Gucci, this version being less crisp and green than the original, more sensual than the second (Acqua di Fiori). Tuberose and jasmine are still at the centre of this fragrance, but it’s rounded out by subtle rose, softened by osmanthus and warmed with ginger and musk. Like the others before it, this is a beautifully balanced feminine floral. If you enjoyed the original but want something a bit more intense and complex, this is for you.
Available at Hudson’s Bay, Shoppers Drug Mart, Nordstrom, Holt Renfrew and Sephora, starting at $128

 

4. Normaderm Hyaluspot by Vichy

Vichy’s newly re-formulated spot treatment for acne-prone skin combines salicylic acid (unclogs pores and prevents scarring) and hyaluronic acid (counteracts the dehydration that plagues acne spots) to quickly take care of pimples, blackheads and whiteheads. It also features a “bandage effect” technology that leaves a protective film barrier so makeup can be easily applied over.
Available at Vichy, $32

 

5. Magic Away Liquid Concealer by Charlotte Tilbury

This concealer has been called “the Spanx for undereye circles.” It’s not magic, but it really is effective at blanking out dark circles and blemishes without looking dry or cakey. It has a unique gummy texture that gives it a seemingly elastic stretch that almost acts to resurface the skin. It comes in a click-y pen with sponge-tip applicator that works really well with the texture of the product to dispense and spread evenly over the skin. And it comes in 16 shades.
Available at Holt Renfrew, Nordstrom and Sephora, $38

 

6. Himalayan Salt Scalp Scrub Shampoo by Goop

It smells like a spa (thanks to rosemary, peppermint and orange essences) and feels like you’re scooping up whipped butter. Slather it in your hair where it starts to foam up, allowing salt crystals to gently exfoliate the scalp, which is absolute heaven for anyone who’s ever had a dry, flaky scalp. Clarifying shampoos just aren’t enough to properly treat the scalp if the issue is a buildup of flaky skin. After one use of this salt-scalp scrub, hair is left incredibly soft with a lift you probably haven’t seen without a blowout in years.
Available at Goop, $56

 

7. Rouge d’Armani Matte Lipstick by Giorgio Armani Beauty

Fall is all about matte lips, which usually forces us to choose between fashion and comfort—until now. Armani’s newest matte lipstick is incredibly lightweight, fragrance-free and intensely pigmented (it contains 50 percent more pigments than traditional matte lipsticks). Like most matte lipsticks, it is long-lasting; but unlike other matte formulas, it is impossibly comfortable to wear, delivering a rich, velvety suede finish that lasts for hours. It also contains subtle light-diffusing properties that give lips a soft-focus effect, resulting in a matte-not-flat, dimensional finish. Pat onto the lips with fingertips for a more stained effect. Shade No. 506 Maharajah (pictured) is what I’ve been living in: a beautiful brightening pink that perks up the complexion without looking too bold.
Available at Sephora and Armani Beauty, $46

 

8. Vitamin Nectar Antioxidant Glow Water by Fresh

Fresh co-founder, Lev Glazman uses this facial mist every time he flies—just before landing—to help revive his skin. It contains a proprietary mix of vitamins, citrus-fruit extracts and minerals to infuse thirsty skin with hydration and radiance. It actually works really well as a hydrating primer before applying makeup in addition to a mid-day (or end-of-flight) pick-me-up.
Available at Nordstrom and Sephora, starting at $30

 

9. Scattered Light Glitter Eye Shadow by Hourglass

It’s counterintuitive to think of glitter as sophisticated, but Hourglass—who does no wrong—has managed this impossible feat. Their new cream glitter eye shadows are little pots of micro-glitter that wash lids with multi-faceted pearls, resulting in multidimensional shimmer. The effect is spectacular, yet application couldn’t be simpler. They’re best applied directly with fingers, then using a fluffy brush or clean finger, buff over edges to blend out. Layer on for an opaque finish or transform existing eye shadows by topping over with one of these.
Available at Sephora, $38

 

10. Blackhead Clearing FIzz Mask by Dermalogica

This mask is part of Dermalogica’s “Clear Start” range of products, specifically designed to teach teens about proper skin care. Teens may not want to hear about skin health, but every teen wants to know how to keep their skin clear—and this new mask does just that. Apply only to areas of the face with blackheads (typically the nose, chin and forehead), wait a few minutes, then rinse off. The unique fizzing technology helps dissolve congestion, allowing for blackheads to be removed more easily. Sure, this product is aimed at teens, but it works on non-teen faces, too.
Available at authorized Dermalogica spas, salons and skin centres as well as Sephora, $28