Autumn’s Best Beauty Buys

Fall is in the air, which means it’s time to switch up your skin care and makeup

Indulge that back-to-school nostalgia by replenishing your stock with some new supplies. Freshen up your skin care after a summer spent outdoors, and reassess your colours as we transition to cooler weather.

Check out our favourite items below to get you through another season looking—and feeling—your best…

1. BeachPlease Luminous Tinted Balm in Office Hours by Tower 28, $26

BeachPlease tinted balms are multipurpose, working on cheeks, eyes and lips. This new colour is the seventh shade in their award-winning collection, offering a sun-kissed mauve that’s a beautiful transition colour from summer’s bronze to autumn’s berries. For anyone wary of mauve’s reputation for being cool-toned, this one truly looks like a natural flush. It’s blendable and buildable, and like all Tower 28 products it’s created using the (US) National Eczema Association guidelines to avoid any potentially irritating ingredients.
Available online

2. Moisture Repair Face Melt Crème by Hymnologie, $89

This Indian-Canadian brand takes its lead from traditional Ayurvedic practices and has a tightly curated line of eight holistic skincare products. In the jar, the face melt crème is in solid form, but use the back of your nail to scrape a small amount and it will quickly melt into a beautiful pool of velvety oil. It features apricot kernel oil and jojoba oil, which work with your skin’s natural oils to provide a beautiful glow and long-lasting hydration. Use it immediately after cleansing on its own, or on top of any other lighter skincare products. The scent is delicately earthy: deeply lush with sweet, nutty notes.
Available online

3. Jumbo High Tide Deep Waver by amika, $165

Amika’s first deep waver hair tool went viral, creating the mermaid waves of your dreams. Meet its big sister, Jumbo. The original appliance had 0.7” barrels that gave tighter, more defined waves, while the new jumbo appliance has 1.25” barrels that create looser, natural looking waves. It styles longer hair very quickly but even if you have shorter hair, as long as you can capture at least two “bumps” as you clamp down, it looks great on lobs. When using the hair appliance, hold it horizontally and start from several inches away from the roots unless you’re purposely trying to capture that ’90s volume.
Available online

4. White Ginseng Radiance Refining Mask by Sulwhasoo, $89

K-beauty is here to rescue your skin after you’ve had a season of outdoor fun. With increased exposure to outside elements, skin can get dull. This mask will not only help revive your skin and restore its natural radiance, it’s actually designed to be used in the shower for maximum convenience. The scent is distinctly herbal as it contains not just ginseng but licorice root and honey as well. This pale golden gel mask is easy to spread on, and after five minutes, gently rub in circular motions to let the fine walnut shell powder exfoliate your softened skin. The result is beautifully plump, radiant skin that’s perfectly primed to absorb your skincare.
Available online

5. Poutsicle Hydrating Lip Stain by Fenty Beauty, $30

This delivers the impossible: a glossy slick of colour that leaves a beautiful stain of colour. Before applying, remove any lip balm beforehand or it’ll apply streaky and the stain won’t be able to adhere properly to lips. Swipe on a few layers to ensure even application and you’ll have glossy, juicy lips. As the gloss wears off, you’ll still have colour as the transfer-proof stain is revealed. Genius.
Available online

6. Halo Glow Liquid Filter by e.l.f., $18

Yes, this is always sold out, but keep trying. It’s worth it. TikTok-famous for good reason, this is a very close dupe for the Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter at one-third the price. The e.l.f. version is also in a narrow glass cylinder with a metallic twist cap and satisfyingly large doe-foot applicator. Where it differs is that it’s got more play time before setting and has more tinted coverage. Wear this alone for an all-over glow, under foundation, mixed with foundation, or tapped onto the high points as a highlighter (just be sure to blend).
Available online

7. Self Tan Luxe Whipped Crème Mousse by St. Tropez, $59

Not too dark or too warm, this self-tanner will help prolong your summer glow realistically and easily. Start with half a pump (it dispenses a lot) as you apply, using the colour guide to ensure even application—it has the colour and texture of chocolate mousse and is so satisfying to spread across your body (and easy to keep track of). The full colour develops in about eight hours and will last for days. It is a touch sticky so best to apply this during the day (after exfoliating well) and wash off before going to bed.
Available online

8. Co-Mingle Body Scrub by Lush, $25

As a scrub, this is a brilliant product. The calming scent has Lush’s cult-favourite “Sleepy” vibes and the Tagua nut powder provides a beautifully fine and elegant exfoliant. A little of this product goes a really long way and it’s the perfect prep to self-tanning or if you just need to slough off any post-summer ashy areas. The first ingredient is glycerine and it contains other moisturizing superstars like almond, Brazil nut and argan oils as well as shea butter. Despite this, as well as the descriptor of a “three-in-one”, you’ll most likely still need an after-shower lotion if that’s part of your regular routine—same for its cleansing claims. This might not be the perfect three-in-one, but it is the perfect body scrub.
Available online

9. Midnight Recovery Omega-Rich Cloud Cream by Kiehl’s, $66

If you’re already a fan of Keihls’ Midnight Recovery facial oil, you know this new cream will deliver a rich, nourishing “blanket” for your skin. If you’re new to this range, the cloud-like, lightweight cream is infused with botanicals rich in Omegas 3 and 6, nourishing and protecting your skin barrier. It has the same herbaceous scent as the oil and is the perfect final step to your nighttime skincare routine. Be sure to gently massage the product between fingertips then tap all over your face (after applying serum) as the final occlusive layer. You’ll wake up to delightfully plump, radiant skin.
Available online

10. Beauty Flash Peel by Clarins, $55

The transition between seasons always stresses the skin. To give it a reset, incorporate this innovative acid peel into your nighttime skincare routine two to three times a week. Glycolic acid (AHA) will break down the sticky bonds between the outer layers of your skin, making it easier for fresher, smoother skin to emerge. Salicylic acid (BHA) also helps with resurfacing by loosening any scaly or thickened skin as well as targeting breakouts by actively unblocking pores. The product comes with a built-in brush head, making smooth, even application a breeze.
Available online