When the beach seems far, far away...

Fall is my favorite time of year for many reasons; the weather, that tiny chill in the air that makes you want to throw on a scarf and boots (but not quite cold enough for mittens and earmuffs), the festive atmosphere of Halloween, and the preparation of Thanksgiving, (and it's also my birthday season!) There is nothing more magical to me than the leaves changing colors, the smell of fireplaces, and hot apple cider. I could go on all day about how much I love fall, but there is one thing that fall can't offer, and that is a glowing tan. Beach days are a thing of the past by now, meaning that your tan is probably (if not completely) faded.



One of the beautiful things about fall is the darker clothing options; it's time to pack up the pastels and brights and trade them in for something a little bit more sophiscated and bold. But naturally, whenever you change your wardrobe in any way (much like a hair color) your makeup wardrobe must change with it. It's time to pull out your under-the-bed storage container and put your bright pink lipsticks, nude lip glosses, dark shimmery bronzers, and poppy colored blushes safely in it. For me, the hardest thing to part with is my bronzer. During the summer months (and in Florida we have a lot of them) it becomes my best friend. On days when I didn't sleep much, it fakes 8, it transforms my skin from dull and lifeless to "hello Cancun!" and it is the perfect accessory to absolutely any summer outfit. But when the weather turns colder and my skin loses its natural tan, bronzer looks nothing short of Anne Hathaway in Bride Wars (you know what I'm taking about.)

The most important lesson this fall in terms of changing your makeup wardrobe is this: don't fight it! When your skin looses its summer luster, don't overcompensate with bronzer and wear a turtleneck to cover up your super pale neck and chest. Choose a flattering blush for fall that is not candy colored, which only really looks good on tan or darker complexions. Instead choose something a little bit more wine or ruby hued that will work with your skin even if you get a few shades lighter. My favorite for fall is NARS blush in Dolce Vita because it adds natural looking color to the skin without sparkle or Playboy Bunny artificial-ness:

Another important thing to remember when you're choosing a fall palette is to steer clear from nudes and other light summery colors that will wash you out. This fall season, the right lip color is your best accessory because it will flatter your warmer clothing choices as well as your darker cheek colors. I love how the models at the Dolce and Gabbana Spring 2010 show (above) look sophiscated without seeming to harsh or dramatic. Their skin has a little bit of glow, but no fake orange-y tan, and their dark lip colors flatter their complextions perfectly. Go for one that will add warmth to your skin, such as a dark pink or a sheer berry. I would steer clear of bright, bold reds for now, they can be very hard to pull off during the day, and can wash out lighter skin tones if not chosen correctly. My top fall picks are (from left to right) NARS lip stain gloss in Sayonara (which looks very light in this picture for some reason, but is a deep berry in real life) and Urban Decay Lipstick in Wanted; a sheer berry, frost-bitten color that can be layered for a darker effect.

Bold Lips

To me, being able to successfully execute a dramatic lip takes serious skill. It takes research to find the exact color to compliment your skin tone, it takes time to find the right consistency, and it takes style to design the entire effect. In my opinion, it is a lot more challenging than creating a dark or dramatic "eye" look because most everyone looks good with a bit of definition on the eye to make them pop. Plus, if that wasn't hard enough, you've got to get over your mouth hang-ups. Believe me, I've heard them all; "my lips are too thin for lipstick" or "my mouth is too wide for a dark color" or even "I don't want to draw attention to my teeth." You don't ever hear somebody complaining that she doesn't want to draw attention to her eyes, now do you? Of course not.
Another problem with trying to find that exact shade of dramatic red or pink or burgundy is that there is never enough of a variety. Most brands create their darkest colors for women who have extremely dark complexions in strange colors like shimmery brown (does brown lipstick look good on anybody?) And there might be one or two shades of red, but they're so fire engine red that if you decided to wear it, people might start calling you Ronald. Another important thing about a dark colored lipstick (and this is not so important with a light color) is that the consistency is very creamy. Have you ever tried to wear a dark, dramatic colored lipstick that was old or just really bad quality? It's sort of like trying to rub a mushy chalk on your lips, and even if you have the nicest lips in the world, they are still going to resemble paper mache.
Normally I wouldn't even write an article on dark lipstick because it is too hard to find a color range that suits all or most skin tones, and it wouldn't be fair to the rest of the lipstick loving community. But alas...I have found the Holy Grail of Lipsticks from Urban Decay; and the packaging even resembles one of my favorite stories, The Sword In The Stone. The color range is stunning and broad, ranging from rich reds to dark rose, to its newest addition not for the faint of heart (Oil Slick, the infamous black shadow now becomes a lip color.) The consistency is creamy and smooth, so much so that I don't even feel the need to wear anything on top or underneath it. Plus all of the colors have an amazing caramel smell that makes me never want to go back to a glue smelling lipstick ever again. They're feminine with an edge; the kind of woman who keeps a pair or thigh high black stiletto boots in her closet that only she knows about. Even though I'm one pair of boots short, I still am enchanted by this newest collection from Urban Decay.