It’s time to put away your favourite summer beauty products, and give yourself a fall beauty update. Here are my top eight September beauty favourites that are perfect for both the new weather and school year:
1. Too Faced Melted Matte Liquified Long Wear Matte Lipstick in Mrs Roper
Pros: I have been searching for months to find the perfect true orange. After many unsuccessful attempts and lots of money wasted, Mrs Roper lives up to my orange dreams. This colour is vibrant, highly pigmented and bright, while still perfect for fall. Use this instead of your go-to summer Barbie pink for a seasonal update.
Cons: This lipstick needs to be reapplied approximately every three hours or after eating. Otherwise, the fading is quite noticeable with such a bright colour. While these Too Faced “liquified” lipsticks do not hold up against other brands that are more specialized in liquid lips, the brand makes up for it with its large colour selection and incredible pigmentation.
Cost: $25 CAD
Animal cruelty free: yes
Vegan: yes
Where to buy: https://www.toofaced.com/p/lipsticks/melted-matte/mrs-roper-matte-bright-tangerine/
2. Jeffree Star Cosmetics Skin Frost in Peach Goddess
Pros: This highlighter embodies Jeffree Star — it’s big, loud and bold! At 0.53 oz, this highlighter is just over double the size of the Becca products. I could never imagine finishing the whole pan, especially considering that you only need one stroke to get a good, desirable amount of pigmentation.
Cons: The shine of the highlighter is much more apparent than the individual colour. I bought a highlighting brush specifically for this product to ensure that I didn’t use too much; after all, I think highlighter looks best if it appears like a natural shimmer (not like you rolled your face in glitter).
Cost: $38.21 CAD
Animal cruelty free: yes
Vegan: yes
Where to buy: http://jeffreestarcosmetics.com/collections/skin-frost/products/copy-of-skin-frost-peach-goddess
3. Sephora Collection Foot Mask in Almond
Pros: After wearing heels for twelve hours straight, this foot mask was my saviour. It helped reduce swelling, moisturize my feet and noticeably repair any rough patches. Instead of applying the cream how you usually would with a regular mask, you slip your feet into plastic, disposable socks that already have the cream inside. These socks not only make the entire process hassle free, but they allow you to still be mobile and productive while you have them on.
Cons: For the price, I could not justify using this mask often. I tried to reuse them to see if they would have any effect on the second day. While there was still some benefit, it had noticeably decreased since opening. I would recommend using these before a special occasion, not for daily use.
Cost: $6 CAD
Animal cruelty free: yes
Vegan: no
Where to buy: http://www.sephora.com/foot-mask-P408904?skuId=1781442&icid2=products%20grid%3Ap408904
4. Atelier Cologne Collection Azur in Figuier Ardent
Pros: Unlike most other perfumes, Figuier Ardent, and the rest of the Atelier Cologne line, has no underlying scent of alcohol. This perfume is strong and natural, giving the overall “cool girl” vibe that you aren’t wearing perfume… that’s just your natural smell.
Cons: The price seems steep for such a small bottle, however only one or two sprays last all day, unlike other designer fragrances.
Cost: $90 CAD/ 1 oz
Animal cruelty free: no
Vegan: no
Where to buy: http://www.ateliercologne.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=figuier
5. Sephora Collection Luxe False Lash in Flare
Pros: These lashes are so natural, no one can actually tell that you’re wearing them. They give your eyes enough extra volume to make you look gorgeous, but not enough to look overdone. The band is thin, and fits right to your eyelid. If you want to leave people wondering why you look a bit different, but unable to determine why, there are the lashes for you.
Cons: I can’t think of a single negative thing about these lashes — they’re even easy to apply!
Cost: $21 CAD
Animal cruelty free: yes
Where to buy: http://www.sephora.com/luxe-false-lash-P397401?skuId=1806132&icid2=products%20grid:p397401
6. Tarte Lip Facial Lip Scrub
Pros: In the craze of mattifying liquid lipsticks, you must be crazy to not use a lip scrub beforehand. Unlike other lip scrubs, Tarte’s Lip Facial Lip Scrub fits the same texture found in a lip scrub pot into a pencil. The pencil is easily portable, and perfect for daily use to avoid the mess that using the pot and your finger would generally bring.
Cons: While the pencil is convenient to use, if you are used to using a scrub that has large pieces of sugar, this pencil might disappoint with its slightly softer texture.
Cost: $21 CAD
Animal cruelty free: yes
Vegan: no
Where to buy: http://tartecosmetics.com/tarte-item-lip-facial-lip-scrub
7. Morphe Brushes 35 Colour Nature Glow Eyeshadow Palette in 350
Pros: I am still in shock at the price of this palette. With 35 colours, each shade costs a little under a dollar each; however, the quality is comparable, if not better, than brands that sell individual shadows for $20 a piece. These shadows are easily blendable, and the wide spectrum of colours makes it easy for even a beginner to master the perfect smokey-eye.
Cons: While the products themselves are inexpensive, shipping to Canada is $32 CAD. Do a bulk order (and #treatyoself) or order with friends to reduce and justify the total cost of shipping.
Cost: $30.29 CAD
Animal cruelty free: yes
Vegan: no
Where to buy: https://www.morphebrushes.com/collections/pro-makeup-palettes/products/35o
8. Benefit Cosmetics ka-BROW! Cream-Gel Eyebrow Color with Brush
Pros: This formula is creamy, and applies smoothly to give you your perfect brows. The colour builds up nicely, which is ideal when trying to create gradient brows or any sort of fading. The best part of this formula is that once you’ve applied your brows they’re there to stay, so you don’t need to worry about your brows dripping down your face the next time you go for a sweaty gym session.
Cons: The brush that comes with the gel is awful. With a handle that is only about two inches long, I feel like I’m using a makeup product meant for children. Invest in a proper brush to help with precise and easy application.
Cost: $30 CAD
Animal cruelty free: no
Vegan: no
Where to buy: https://www.benefitcosmetics.com/ca/en-gb/product/ka-brow