Cool Fall Nights, Hot Beauty Finds!

It is absolutely no secret that I am a makeup junkie. And it’s even more obvious that my favorite glamour getaway spot is Sephora. I remember the first time I went into a Sephora store was when my husband took me to New York City for the first time in my life and I went to the store in Times Square. I never knew a store like this existed. Growing up, makeup was the “Buy One Get One” goodies you got from the Avon Lady or the drugstore splurge you invested in when you went to pick up tampons. I remember I walked in the door and just began to drool. It was like the Disneyland of Glamour. They handed me a bib and a shopping basket and the addiction began.

 With school back in session and the trees turning from green to gold, I have already begun to add a few of the season’s hot fashions to my closet. The dark denim skinny jeans, long tunic sweaters, jazzy high boots, and lots of leather! But with all great outfits comes great accessories, and makeup is my favorite accessory of them all! The rich hues of the season can go right from your wardrobe onto your eyes and lips for a finished look with pizzazz.

 While I spent my hour of monthly therapy at my local Sephora, I came across some great finds that I think are a “must have” for this Fall. My cosmetic co-pay was spent on these must haves this season:

• MDskincare’s “All-In-One Facial Cleanser With Toner” – As soon as the days become shorter and the nights become cooler, my face begins to flake. This means I have to change my skin care routine to include a more gentle cleanser and a more enriched moisturizer. Of course, if Indian summer sneaks in, then I have to swap everything out again for the oil-slick stoppers. It’s such a pain. This cleanser might actually stop the game of musical skin care. It has a very odd consistency, almost like soft butter, but it cleans thoroughly without clogging pores or over drying skin. The longer you massage it onto you dry face, the more or a deep cleaning you’ll get. Felling dry?… rub it on for 10 seconds. Feeling oily?… rub it on for 30 seconds. It’s non-irritating, mildly scented and easily adaptable for the ever-changing weather of the season. It keeps my skin feeling soft and night tight at all.

• Urban Decay Eye Shadow in “Gunmetal” – Smokey eyes are still the rage, and this shadow will give you just that with a little bling. This is THE perfect slate grey shade for Fall. In fact, Urban Decay is promoting it as a main ingredient for the “Glitter Over 40” look. (Okay, stop right there because I want it to be known I did not buy it for that reason. As far as anyone knows–except the clerk at DMV–I am 29… 32 max!) I’ve been looking for a great grey shade for a while now with no luck. Some were too light and many were almost onyx. This is a true dark smoky grey. What I also love is it is a bit sparkly. Yup, there is some glitter, but it is the perfect amount and doesn’t make your face look like a disco ball. It easily can be worn both day and night. Urban Decay’s shadows are a cult-favorite in the cosmetic industry with shades ranging from subtle to slammin’ and styles from matte to metallic. They contain very little binders and can be worn dry for casual wear or wet for a dramatic effect. I use “Gunmetal” as an accent lid color as well as a deep liner too.

• Stila Lip Glaze in “Blackberry” – It is without hesitation that I think Stila Lip Glazes are the ultimate gloss in my cosmetic wardrobe. When I first discovered them this summer, I selected shades is sheer pastels (Grapefruit, Banana, Fig…ok, so I like fruit!) Now with closet filling up with cozy fabrics and colors, I wanted to add a nice rich neutral wine colored gloss to the collection but not have it look over the top with my red hair. “Blackberry” was exactly what I wanted. Nice scent and taste, and had a nice berry shade that worked well all by itself. It isn’t painfully dark, but has a warm purple tone to it. And of course the built-in brush tube is still the perfect applicator for me (once I mastered the click dispenser that is). FYI– the gloss is WAY darker in the package then it is on the lips so don’t be afraid to try!

• Sephora by Opi Nailcolor in “Because I Said So” – Ok, admit it…don’t you just LOVE the names of Opi’s nail shades? I mean you have to just smile when you put on “I’m With Brad” or “It’s Somewhere In My Purse”. Since I had retired all my hot pink, coral, raging blue and tangerine polishes for the year, I was now in search of my first shade for Autumn. When I saw this shade on display, I immediately fell in love. This is a really deep metallic burgundy nail polish. It has a nice frost-shimmer to it and goes on true to the color in the bottle. Like all Opi polishes I’ve used in the past, it goes on smooth and even and dries quickly. Two coats and you are good to go. I’m glad Sephora and Opi took on this great relationship. I mean really…”How Cute Is That?” Oh wait, that’s a shade name too!

• Philosophy’s Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath in “Pumpkin Spice Muffin” – The name says it all. All those great fall aromas are blended together in one bottle to make bath time a scrumptious experience. The infamous Philosophy formula leaves your skin & hair clean, soft and hydrated. You’ll love the smell so much, you’ll wonder if there is any way to enjoy it all day long! Actually, you can… Philosophy also makes their Lip Shine in the same great flavor. Not only can you have the scent, but you can get the yummy taste as well!

Fall is my absolute favorite time of the year. I love picking apples with my family, pressing colorful leaves from the trees in my backyard, and decorating my house in the rich warm tones of the Autumn. With these great little finds from Sephora, now I can pamper myself from head to toe while enjoying all the shades and scents the season has to offer.

Tags: Fall Autumn Colors