How to Freshen Your Look For Fall

Reign in your hairstyle. I know summer’s come to a screeching halt when I find myself planted in my hairstylist’s chair. There, highlights are taken out (there’s no pretending we’re at the beach anymore), and ends (which have spent most of the summer tucked in a ponytail) finally get that much-needed trim. By going back to a simpler, more uniform color and a giving your hairstyle a crisper edge, you’re halfway ready for fall.

Pay extra attention to your skin. Be aware of any changes that are going on with your complexion, because you’ll have to tweak your skincare routine accordingly during this transitional season. Indian summers are common enough that you can likely get away with using the same regimen that worked for you in the warmer months.

But once the cooler air does kick in, know that you’ll have to upgrade to more hydrating formulas. Oily skin will become combination skin, and dry complexions only get drier. Keep a couple of different moisturizers on deck.

Double-check your foundation shade. Whether you’re fair or dark, your skin tone is deeper in the summer than it is in the fall. Make sure the foundation you’re currently using matches your autumn complexion.

Here’s how: Simply apply your foundation, and inspect your face in natural light. If your makeup looks orange or dirty, it’s too dark. If it looks ashy, then it’s too light. And if you can’t see the foundation, then it’s the perfect shade for you. This is why I recommend always having two foundations on hand: One for the peak of winter and another for the height of summer. In between seasons, mix the two together.

Use bronzer. Good news: You can still look tan, sunny, and gorgeous long after Labor Day. A few strategic sweeps of powder bronzer across your cheeks and forehead, down your nose, and on your neck recreates the healthy, beach-y glow that you just don’t get from staying late at the office in September. I couldn’t survive without my bronzer.

Switch up your palette. Quick rule of thumb: If it reminds you of sorbet, save it for next summer. Pastel makeup looks out of place in the fall sunlight and when worn with the season’s typically heavier, more textural clothing.

This fall, I’m loving a cool, sophisticated neutral: Mauve. A combination of plum, gray, taupe, and brown, mauve looks great on almost every skin tone and adds instant polish to your look.

For day, a stroke of black eyeliner, a coat of mascara, a sweep of mauve powder blush, and a swipe of mauve lip color is all it takes to look chic and pulled together. Up the drama for evening by intensifying your eyeliner—just thicken and lengthen the line—and applying a deeper mauve lipstick. It’s that easy.