This season, my beauty staples are a mix of classic fall must-haves and newer products I’ve been trying out over the past month. We all know the traditional beauty trends to wear in the fall: 

• Red lips
• Matte foundation
• Earthy eyeshadow 

In addition to those classic makeup options, I’ve added some new staples that you may want to incorporate in your seasonal routine. On Instagram, a few of you agreed with me about liquid lipsticks being so drying. We all love a nice matte lip in a rich shade, but sometimes the dryness of a liquid lipstick just isn’t worth the color payoff. Luckily, I’ve swapped liquid lips for a more comfortable option and included it in the list, so keep reading to find out how I’m achieving the matte lip look without the liquid formula!

Top 5 Winter Beauty Essentials

1. Blue-light Glasses

I purchased my first pair of blue-light glasses over a year ago from Diff, but I wore those more for fashion purposes because of the trendy style. I partnered with the brand over the summer for a sunglasses campaign, and soon after decided to stock up on new blue-light glasses during their BOGO sale. Personally, I decided to start wearing blue-light glasses on a regular basis because between working in an office, running a fashion blog, and my upcoming graduate school schedule, I’m on the computer (and my phone) for a large chunk of my day. I want to try and protect my eyes as much as I can, so I’m wearing my glasses anytime I’m on my laptop these days.

The reason I’m including blue-light glasses as a top pick for fall and winter beauty is because of the time change! You should invest in a pair of blue-light lenses and try to wear them year-round, but I am especially seeing the benefit as the days become shorter. The harsh blue light on computer screens feels particularly straining on the eyes when you’re working in the dark, something that is inevitable now that it gets dark around 6 pm these days. Protect your eyes and grab a pair of blue-light lenses. Diff Eyewear has the most stylish selection, but you can find various styles at any department store.

2. Lip Pencils and Chubby Lip Sticks

This is the product that inspired this post! I tweeted a while back that I was ready for fall but not the liquid lipsticks and that mindset definitely hasn’t changed. I used to love liquid lipstick and likely will in the future, but I’m enjoying a little break from them right now. With that being said, I still want to rock a nice matte lip during the fall and winter seasons.

During this break, I’ve found a new love for chubby lipsticks and lip pencils. NARS and NYX both make great options that are comfortable yet long-wearing, but many brands offer some version of this product. The lip pencils are convenient to travel with and are much easier to apply on the go when compared with the traditional liquid lipstick. I used to just purchase matte lipsticks, but I find these chubby sticks have a significantly longer staying power.

Shot by @desertwillowstudios

3. Clear or Sheer Gloss

Okay, so I talked about matte lips and how much I love to wear them in the cooler months, but that doesn’t mean I’m totally ditching the gloss. In fact, earthy tones on your eyes pair beautifully with a nude gloss. As a general rule of thumb, I always wear matte bold lips and save the gloss for more neutral shades. Milani makes my favorite drugstore gloss, but Fenty Beauty hands down have the most moisturizing formula.

4. Press-On Nails

If you’re following on Instagram, you may have noticed a few previews of my nails over the last few weeks. I used to get my nails done many years ago, but I simply don’t care for the high maintenance upkeep and increasing costs. I originally picked up a box of press-on nails at Target as a “trial-run” of sorts to see if I potentially wanted to go back to getting my nails done, but I actually ended up loving the convenience of the press-on style.

There’s no awkward “in-between” stage where your nails need a fill, and you can swap styles out as frequently as you like. I typically keep press-on nails for a week or so before wanting to try a new style, but the glue holds up really well–unless you head to a music festival!

5. Hydrating Sheet Masks

Last but not least, we can’t talk about winter beauty essentials without mentioning skincare! I’m sure we all know by now that hydration is key! Even though I have oily skin, I still apply oils and serums to my face because I hate when my skin feels stripped after cleansing. In the winter, my skin leans more on the combination side and can even get a bit dry. In addition to my weekly baby skin facial by Drunk Elephant, I love to apply a midweek hydrating facial for extra moisture.

I picked up a few sheet masks while in Austin for a blogger shopping event and Tatcha’s Luminous Dewy Skin mask was easily the best one I purchased. The sheet is more of a microfiber cloth that comfortably rests on your skin, and there is plenty of serum left to massage into your face for additional hydration. Regardless of your skin type, I recommend picking up a few sheet masks to apply over the coming months.

I didn’t mention a hair straightener, but I also tend to straighten my hair more often at the end of the year because it gets a little too chilly for the wash and go style. Once I nail down my curly to straight routine, you may see it in a future post! For now, I’m naming cute bobby pins as an honorable mention. I talked about hair accessories earlier in the year, so be sure to check that post out for more information. To recap today’s post, my fall and winter beauty essentials this year are all about convenience, fitting a lifestyle, and comfort:

1. Blue-light frames
2. Lip pencils 
3. Clear or sheer gloss
4. Press-on Nails
5. Hydrating sheet masks

What are some of your winter beauty essentials?

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