I know to most people, autumn is all about the warm tones, but to me it's when I start reaching for cooler shades, like berries and mauves. Most warm-toned anything really clashes with my skin (I swear, if it was any cooler I'd be blue), so I just admire all the beautiful orange eyeshadow looks from afar. I've picked through my collection to find my top cool-toned picks in case you, like me, love a good cool color. Be warned - it's a mauve and berry overload here.
EYES
I love some blush and mauve tones on the eyes. They create such a soft, beautiful look that pairs well with lots of lip colors, from nudes and neutrals to vampier shades. My go-to single shadow is almost always the Burberry Wet & Dry Silk Shadow in Rosewood. It's the best mauve-y rose-y brown. I also love the NARS Dual Intensity Eyeshadow in Himalia for a shimmery taupe shade, and the Dior Fusion Mono Eyeshadow in Fahrenheit for something a little deeper - this shade is an especially stunning berry-toned chocolate brown. As for palettes, the Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Nude Dip is always one I reach for. It's the perfect mix of taupe and blush, and it creates a really sophisticated look. I've also been gravitating towards the Maybelline Blushed Nudes Palette a lot lately - I've actually been finding I can get a lot of similar looks as I get with Nude Dip (although the formulas are not comparable). This palette is the perfect place to start if you're just dipping your toes into the cool tones. The shadows are quite sheer, but buildable.
CHEEKS
Mauve tones are so pretty on the cheeks - they're quite defining and don't make the skin look too flushed or red. My favorite powder blush (probably ever) is the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Mood Exposure. It pairs well with many different looks, and it adds just a hint of color to the cheeks. This formula is lovely and gives such a natural-looking glow. For creams, I love love love the Bite Beauty Multistick in Gelato. I got this one purely because of Amelia, and I'm so glad I did. It's just a stunning shade on the cheeks (and on the eyes!). I love that it's a little grayed out and dusty - it's a perfect muted shade. And you had to know I'd mention at least one Glossier Cloud Paint, right? They're just my favorite blush formula. Haze is going to be my go-to for autumn. It's a really pretty berry shade that just adds the best flush to the cheeks. As for highlighters, I've got a few lavender and pink ones, but my favorite for this year is the Fenty Beauty Match Stix Shimmer Skinstick in Starstruck. It's super shimmery, and when warmed up and applied with fingers, looks shiny and dewy. It's a pink-champagne-verging-on-taupe shade. In my original review I wasn't a huge fan of this on the cheeks, but I'm really coming around to it.
LIPS
Lips are where I went a little overboard in my curating efforts. I just have so many mauve, berry, and wine shades that it was hard to narrow down. The vampiest color in this lineup is the Tom Ford Lip Color Matte in Velvet Cherry. Stunning shade, stunning formula, definitely worth the price of a week of groceries (whoops). Then there's the Burberry Liquid Lip Velvet in Bright Plum - as the name suggests, it's quite a vibrant shade that's perfect in these warm fall days we're still having here. My favorite true mauves are the Sephora Cream Lip Stain in Marvelous Mauve (a classic), the Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Backtalk, and the NARS Audacious Lipstick in Anna. These are actually all quite similar shades - all a little dusty and smoky. They add a good amount of color and oomph to the lips without being over the top - they're great for everyday. There's also the Clinique Pop Lip Color + Primer in Plum Pop. It's such a good lilac-toned pink shade that's quite girly and pretty. The formula of these lipsticks is so nice too - I definitely need more shades. And then we have the nudes - the Nudestix Gel Color Lip + Cheek Balm in Pulse, Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Very Victoria, and the Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Lip Colour in Milky Way. Pulse is a pure plum nude shade, Very Victoria has a little more grayed-out beige thrown in, and Milky Way is a cool brown shade. They all add such different effects to looks, and they're all beautiful. Lastly (because I don't really know where to slot it), is the Glossier Generation G in Jam. If you just want a tiny hint of berry lipstick, check this one out. It looks just like a popsicle stain on the lips and adds the perfect flushed look.
Do you like cool-toned makeup? What are your favorites?