the edit | autumn 2014

The transitional months between winter and summer and summer and winter have always been my favorites. I love watching the earth burst forth with new life in the spring, and I adore the blazing leaves of autumn. Hence, you'll find me much more interested in beauty, fashion—in short, everything—to do with autumn and spring than in that of summer and winter. That's not to say that I despise any season: I simply like my crisp mornings and bundled-up evenings. This is, as Keats puts it, the "[s]eason of mists and mellow fruitfulness," of comfortingly itchy sweaters and burrow-worthy blankets.

In the beauty world, this typically means trading summery sheer reds and pastel polishes for berries and smoke. If the trees change colors, why wouldn't we? Now is the autumn of our richer shades, our plums and russets. I, for one, thoroughly enjoy the shifting of shades, although there are some areas of my routine that remain the same.

makeup

Not much of my eye makeup changes from season to season. My favorite look to this day is a cat eye, which I wear year-round. I do like a bit more smoke during colder months, though, so I break out the cotton buds and smudger brushes, like the one I got in a set from Tarte about two years ago. Tarte doesn't make any more of this particular model, but just about any pencil or smudging brush will suffice. I simply line my lashes somewhat messily with a pencil and go to town with the brush, sometimes adding a bit of eyeshadow to alter the shade of the liner.

I typically keep at least two lip colors with me in my little makeup bag—one "my lips but better" shade, one bold. My most conventionally autumnal colors for either option are Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte lipstick in Touch of Spice, that ubiquitous drugstore nude-plum, and MAC Satin lipstick in Rebel, a famously lovely hue with an unfortunately less-than-amazing formula. I normally shy away from shades with any hint of brown, but Touch of Spice has enough pink and plum to balance everything on me. Its scent isn't exactly pleasant—think very artificial fruit—but it fades quickly, and the comfortable matte formula more than makes up for it. Rebel, however, does not have a particularly lovely formula. It's very waxy and tends to cling to dry patches. With a lip primer and some patience, though, it's a beautiful pink-based plum. I probably will not repurchase it, but I will certainly finish it.

skincare

My skincare routine is constantly changing. I know what works for me in general, but I like to play around a bit. A good moisturizer, though, is key to any decent routine, and La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra fits the bill. It's an inoffensive, emollient last step in my routine that keeps my skin happily soft. If you have dry, sensitive skin, this is worth a test.

fragrance

I'm not one to switch fragrances with the seasons. I love trying new things, but I'm prone to scent-related headaches, so I'm quite particular. I tend to favor citrusy green scents with jasmine and/or rose—no patchouli. I recently received Firebird perfume oil in Pomegranate Basil in a reddit exchange and have been thoroughly enjoying it! It features notes of tart pomegranates, juicy red currants, and heady basil, all of which I love. Its deeper fruity tones make it an excellent twist on autumnal perfume.

nails

As you can see, I'm quite a fan of nail polish. It takes a bit of time each week, but I love the results. My favorite shades include pastels, reds, nudes, and berries, but the latter two categories feature prominently in the autumn. Granted, I wear nude or neutral polish at all times of the year, but it seems especially appropriate with the grayer weather. I recently purchased the Nails Inc. NailKale polish in Westbourne Park Road, a gorgeous lavender-gray with hints of pink. I could not care less for the supposed benefits of kale extract in nail polish, but I can confirm that the formula and brush of this polish are among the best I have ever tried. On the other end of the spectrum is the Clinique A Different Nail Enamel in Black Honey, a deep, blackened red that goes on nearly opaque in two coats. It's unlike any other color I own, and I'm glad to have it in my collection.

What are you adding to your routine this autumn?