The Best Beauty Products to Darken Your Everyday Look For Fall
:upscale()/2024/10/24/857/n/1922153/a1ac9f55671aa13d0bedc8.48008764_.png)
Once upon a time, you couldn't wear dark makeup without being considered "neo-goth." Apply an aubergine lipstick, tawny eyeshadow, and some smoked-out kohl liner, and you'd be deemed radical for attempting such a grim look. Luckily, we've come a long way since then. Today, dark makeup can be both glamorous and gothic, subtle and moody, sexy and a little spooky.
While there's no rule against wearing dark colors in the spring and summer, they're undeniably compatible with the fall and winter seasons. Mastering the darker aesthetic we crave in the cooler months is as easy as adding just one (or 10, pick your poison) bold products into our arsenals, whether it be a plum blush paired with a bronze shadow or a fuschia lipstick amplified by a musky fragrance. Better still, you can find everything you need to build this bolder version of you at Nordstrom.
:upscale()/2024/10/02/864/n/1922153/b973fcac922048fa_MAC_satin_lipstick.png)
Best Multiuse Lipstick
MAC Cosmetics M•A•CXIMAL Sleek Satin Lipstick ($25)
A magenta lipstick is like water wings for those just dipping their toes deeper into the dark makeup pool. It's not nearly as intense as a mulberry or wine shade, but noticeably darker than your average pink or red lipstick. Matte finishes are especially on-brand for the colder months, but a pigmented satin formula, like the MAC Cosmetics M•A•CXIMAL Sleek Satin Lipstick in Rebel, is smooth and bold but still creamy enough to sheer out (if you're so inclined to delicately approach this seasonal trend). And this lipstick isn't just for lips — it can also be worn on the cheeks!
:upscale()/2024/10/02/864/n/1922153/f84c414c6aafad25_DG_highlighter.png)
Best Highlighter
Dolce & Gabbana Everlift Luminizer Oil-Infused Soft Halo Highlighter Powder ($58)
Maintaining balance is a key trick to making dark makeup work for you. Though we may be pulling inspiration from vampires, that doesn't mean we should cosplay as one. The secret to rocking bolder makeup everyday is to pair a plum lip or smudged out waterline with a peachy highlighter, like the Dolce & Gabbana Everlift Luminizer Oil-Infused Soft Halo Highlighter Powder. This oil-infused powder can create a near-instant halo effect, adding a lively radiance to your complexion.
:upscale()/2024/10/02/867/n/1922153/5ed5f1d26ac117ca_dior_lipstick.png)
Best Long-Lasting Lipstick
Dior Rouge Dior Refillable Lipstick ($49)
Faded dark lipstick can totally be a vibe, but we prefer our pigment to be long-lasting, like the Dior Rouge Dior Refillable Lipstick. Available in over 40 shades, there are plenty of bold colors to experiment with, including a velvety brown, deep maroon, and cool-toned plum. It doesn't hurt that each formula (both the satin and matte finishes) is made to hydrate lips for up to 24 hours, which is probably how long you'll want to keep it on — it's that good. And don't worry about wearing this lipstick out quickly. In fact, its sleek, magnetic, and refillable case kind of suggests you should wear it as often as possible.
:upscale()/2024/10/02/868/n/1922153/ff6f227895d327ec_ysl_palette.png)
Best Eyeshadow Quad
Yves Saint Laurent Couture Mini Clutch Luxury Eyeshadow Palette ($68)
Fine-tuning your smoky eye skills is a lot easier when you have an eyeshadow quad that does all of the heavy lifting for you. The Yves Saint Laurent Couture Mini Clutch Luxury Eyeshadow Palette includes a satin, matte, metallic, and shimmer shadow that can be used alone or, better yet, all together to create a versatile smoky eye. Whether you're looking to channel rockstar-girlfriend energy with a melted look or are genuinely interested in the neo-goth aesthetic that restarted it all a decade ago, these oil-enriched formulas will provide the stand-out, edgy pigments you're missing.
:upscale()/2024/10/02/864/n/1922153/a08337228c0f7c40_armani_blush.png)
Best Blush
Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Liquid Blush Cheek Tint ($39)
You won't catch us retiring doll blush any time soon, but there's something especially tempting about a warmer blush shade for fall. Though not as edgy as black lipstick or smudged eyeliner, a mauve, cinnamon, or berry blush can take your everyday look to new heights. Some darker blushes — i.e. anything out of the realm of pink — are easily misunderstood or overlooked with the assumption that you'll look cartoonish with purple cheeks. A lightweight liquid blush should circumvent that risk. The Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Liquid Blush Cheek Tint melts into skin so even a more extreme purple or red will look flattering.
:upscale()/2024/10/02/868/n/1922153/f5764f97b81c0650_tom_ford_black_lacquer.png)
Best Woody Fragrance
Tom Ford Black Lacquer Eau de Parfum ($255)
A dark glam aesthetic shouldn't stop at makeup. In fact, an equally dark, sexy fragrance will only enhance your new and improved fervor for the dark side. Few brands evoke that after-dark, sultry energy like Tom Ford — and the Black Lacquer Eau de Parfum is no exception. What makes this fragrance so special are its innovative notes: a smoky, opulent black lacquer accord and a Makassar ebony wood that elicits a leathery, sappy scent. Together, the fragrance blooms into something elusive but monumental — surely not for those too shy to make an impression. And to match the moody fragrance? An equally moody, midnight-black bottle.
:upscale()/2024/10/02/864/n/1922153/891049ff1c456be1_bobbi_brown_eyshadow_sticks.png)
Best Eyeshadow Stick
Bobbi Brown Dual-Ended Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick ($58)
Navy blue eyeshadow would make anyone used to the clean-girl aesthetic a little nervous — so much color! So much pigment! But when applied via an eyeshadow stick, a moody look is possible within seconds. No muss, no fuss, no brushes or a lot of blending required. The limited-edition Bobbi Brown Dual-Ended Long-Wear Cream Shadow Sticks are an easy way to try the seasonal trend but, thanks to four shade options, wearable year round. From the metallic bronze to the rich blue, these eyeshadow sticks are bound to become staples in your makeup bag.
:upscale()/2024/10/02/864/n/1922153/0a130b96676ae4f7_CT_mono_shadow.png)
Best Single Eyeshadow
Charlotte Tilbury Hypnotising Pop Shot ($34)
Yes, you can build a look from just one eyeshadow. When compared to a black or gray, a bronze or hunter green eyeshadow doesn't seem nearly as daring as the trend (or your mood) calls for. But don't count them out just yet. The beauty of a shimmery shadow, like the Nordstrom-exclusive Charlotte Tilbury Hypnotising Pop Shot, is that it can usually be built up from a sheer twinkle to a burnished glow that — bonus! — flatters any eye color. Sure, a wash of color is great, but let's commit, shall we? Use a wet dense brush to apply the color to lids to create a thicker, opaque finish.
:upscale()/2024/10/02/864/n/1922153/221165dcd8ad5fae_dior_perfume.png)
Best Floral Fragrance
Dior J'adore l'Or Essence de Parfum ($200)
Created for Dior by Francis Kurkdjian, the Dior J'adore l'Or Essence de Parfum is a sensual, musky floral fragrance that smells as luxurious as it looks. It's surprisingly moody and rich, a scent that garners attention — and if there's anything the dark glam beauty trend inspires, it's your desire to be noticed. Considering how effectively scent can adjust your mood, wearing a fragrance like this will help you channel the enchanting spirit a moodier aesthetic inspires.
:upscale()/2024/10/02/867/n/1922153/d0f0bcf0fece472c_lancome_eyeliner.png)
Best Eyeliner
Lancôme Le Stylo Waterproof Long Lasting Eyeliner ($28)
The obvious solution to mastering dark glam is a black eyeliner, right? Not so much. Yes, black eyeliner matches the vibe, but if this trend is all about experimenting, why not opt for a similarly moody shade that's out of your comfort zone, like a mossy green, prune, or even gray? Go for an eyeliner that comes with its own smudger, like the Lancôme Le Stylo Waterproof Long Lasting Eyeliner — it makes smoking out the color on both your waterline and lash line easy.
:upscale()/2024/10/02/864/n/1922153/835b719199941ff8_nars_lipstick.png)
Best Satin Lipstick
Nars Explicit Lipstick ($40)
Here, it's all in the shade names — Unrestrained, Incendiary, Bewitched. The Nars Explicit Lipstick encourages you to channel your inner vamp to pull off this trend. This creamy, long-lasting lipstick comes in over 30 dimensional satin shades — all of which are smudge-resistant. Pro tip: dark lipsticks look best when precise, so you may want to get used to lining your lips before sweeping a deep wine, raisin, or sepia shade onto lips. No liner? The Explicit Lipstick comes with a new precision-tip bullet that can help define and sculpt.
:upscale()/2024/10/02/870/n/1922153/fb370a0233b765dc_charlotte_tilbury_mascara.png)
Best Volumizing Mascara
Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes Volume Mascara ($29)
We love the antimascara trend as much as the next person, but there's something particularly sexy and glamorous about thick, voluminous lashes, especially when they supplement your eyeliner du jour. Not every mascara can deliver the kind of intense curl and volume like the Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes Volume Mascara, which is smudge-, flake-, sweat-, and clump-proof.
:upscale()/2024/10/02/864/n/1922153/3c34a8c24129dee3_CH_lip_gloss.png)
Best Lip Gloss
Carolina Herrera Good Girl Lip Gloss ($40)
If a berry lip feels too severe for every day, opt for a product that puts the glam in dark glam, like the Carolina Herrera Good Girl Lip Gloss. This lip gloss offers up to eight hours of lightweight, non-sticky shine. Plus, it's infused with peppermint extract, which can create a cooling, plumping effect. Our favorite? The shade Luxe Plum.