It can be hard to make a drastic change in your look. While some of us are super gung ho about switching things up, the rest of us get caught in our beauty ruts and are scared to try out a brand new look. What if it looks bad? What if you get tired of it? The good news is there’s a trendy choice for everyone, even those of us who are just a little apprehensive. Embrace this year’s fall beauty trends by incorporating one of them into your look!
1. Darkened Hair
Spotted: Selena Gomez at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, Louis Vuitton Fall 2013 runway, Marc Jacobs Fall 2013 runway
Ready for a big change? Every fall, the sky starts to darken earlier, and beauty and fashion follow suit: clothes get darker and richer in color, and everyone seems to be putting in some lowlights. Dyeing your hair can be a bit scary. We’ve all known that girl who dyes her hair five shades too dark and immediately regrets the decision, but never fear! That won’t be you.
If you’re naturally olive-skinned, you’re lucky, because it’s almost impossible to go wrong with this trend. Warm things up by adding some red, or go super bold with black – your call! For the fairer-skinned ladies, things get more complicated. If you have very light hair and light eyes, a darker blonde can be a good choice, because it will bring out light eyes. If you have pale skin but darker hair, a fun way to embrace this trend would be to change up the tone of your hair. If you have ash brown hair, try to darken to a chocolate shade, but be careful of going too dark, or you might look washed out.
When in doubt, always pick a shade lighter than what you want. If you’re super ready for the trend, your best bet is to spend a little money and go to the salon rather than trying an at-home dye kit. If you’re still on the fence about the trend, try it out with a temporary dye. We like Garnier Herbashine Haircolor, $6.35 at Walmart.
2. Burgundy Nails
Spotted: Zac Posen Fall 2013 runway, Reem Acra Fall 2013 runway
In The Cable Car Pool Lane nail polish by OPI, $9, Ulta
Essie Nail Color in Bordeaux, $7.79, Target
Ready to embrace the dark nail trend? Burgundy-, oxblood- and wine-colored nails were all over fall 2013 runways. Dark red is an unexpected yet fun twist in place of the classic black or navy. Go original by sweeping on two coats of your favorite version of the shade (we like OPI’s In The Cable Car Pool Lane and Essie’s Bordeaux), or switch it up with a half-moon manicure. Remember to avoid this trend if you have particularly short nails, as the dark color will make fingers look stumpy. Paint them on a Sunday night, and enjoy your fierce fingernails all week long.
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3. Thick, Bold Brows
Spotted: Lily Collins at the premiere of The Mortal Instruments, DKNY Fall 2013 runway
Put the tweezers down and stop plucking now, because slightly bushy eyebrows are in! It will take a little while for you to groom them up to look polished, but trust us, it’ll be worth it. The key is to keep the look authentic, not overdrawn.
To get the look, all you need is an angled brush and an eye shadow similar in color to your natural brows, like Maybelline New York Expert Wear Eyeshadow Singles, $2.94 at Walmart, which come in natural shades. Start by brushing your brows up and out towards your temples, and groom them into a shape you like. Next, take an angled brush, like the e.l.f. Studio Angled Contour Brush, $3 at Walgreens, and brush some shadow into the brow line, focusing on creating a smooth arch. Use quick, short strokes to keep things from looking too painted on. To really define your brows, apply a little concealer above and below your brow to highlight the shape.
4. A Low Pony
Spotted: Beyoncé at the 2013 Grammy Awards, Alexander Wang Fall 2013 runway, Chloe Fall 2013 runway
You know when you have a bad hair day and all you want to do is stuff your hair in a ponytail? We have good news! The low pony is officially back in style, according to fall runways, which exploded with the trend. Some designers kept their models’ low ponies sleek and sophisticated, while others showcased a messier, unkempt style. To get a sleeker, more polished look, apply Organix Moroccan Smooth Perfection Blow Out Cream, $5.99 at Walgreens to damp, towel-dried hair before styling, or apply a small amount to dry hair to smooth flyaways. To achieve a more effortless look, simply wear your hair with its natural texture and secure it at the nape of your neck. If you want to get fancy, wrap a strand of your hair around the hairtie and use a bobby pin to tuck it all in place.
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5. Au Naturel Skin
Spotted: Ralph Lauren Fall 2013 runway, Chloe Fall 2013 runway, Balmain Fall 2013 runway
If you’re a girl who typically piles on the makeup, an unexpected switch for you could be dialing down the product, especially during the week. Baring a more natural, simple face is quite striking, especially if your typical look is more done-up. Whether you have a perfect supermodel complexion or need a little coverage, you can still pull off the barely-there look.
Start with a moisturizer, like Aveeno Active Naturals Ultra-Calming Daily Moisturizer, $16.99 at Walgreens, to nourish your skin. Only apply concealer (we like Benefit Erase Paste, $10 at Ulta) where you totally need it, and apply it with a fluffy blending brush, like the e.l.f. Essential Blending Eye Brush, $2.75 at Salon Supply Store. Set this with a translucent powder, like Revlon PhotoReady Finisher Powder, $10.45 at Target. If you still want a little more coverage, add a BB cream, like Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream, $7.49 at Target.
6. The Wavy Bob
Spotted: Christina Hendricks, January Jones and Rose Byrne at the 2013 Emmy Awards
Cutting some length off your hair (the more inches, the more wow factor!) can be really liberating. The wavy, effortless bob was a huge hit on recent red carpets, and many celebrities are jumping on the trend. Ask your hairdresser for layered hair that hits just below the shoulder. Wear it relaxed and down during the week, then curl it on the weekends to get a really stylish look. For more info on dramatic hair changes, check out this Her Campus article.
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7. Pinned-Up Braids
Spotted: Alice + Olivia Fall 2013 runway, Badgley Mischka Fall 2013 runway, Christian Siriano Fall 2013 runway
We love braids! They keep your hair out of your face and still look cute on the way to class. The go-to braid style for fall is a pinned-up look that can be done in a variety of ways. You can simply make two pigtail braids and pin them to the top of your head, or make it interesting and intricate by French braiding your hair. Start at the front of your hair and make two French braids going down the sides of your head until they meet at the nape of your neck. Then, intertwine the ends of each braid back into the French braid. Use bobby pins to secure throughout. Once you’re finished, spray hair with Tresemme TRES Two Extra Hold Hair Spray, $5.49 at Ulta.
8. Cat-Eye Liner
Spotted: Cara Delevingne at the Anna Sui Fall 2013 runway, Karlie Kloss at the Michael Kors Fall 2013 runway, Donna Karan Fall 2013 runway
Nothing screams drama like a thick cat eye. The best thing about this trend is there are countless creative ways to interpret it. At the less dramatic end of the spectrum, there’s the thin, subtle line that just defines your lash line—perfect for day-to-day wear. We like Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Eyeliner, $7.94 at Walmart, because it makes it easy to build up on the line to make it just as thick as you want. Use the included brush to sweep on the gel from the pot. Be sure to use quick, short strokes to avoid a sloppy looking line.
A cool way to mix up the trend for a night out would be to use a fun, unexpected color, like bright blue. A great product for this look is Lancome Ink Artliner Gel Eyeliner in Indigo Charm, $14 at Sophia’s Beauty.
Before you decide to try something out or stick with your old look, ask yourself: “Self, am I bored?” If the answer is no, just pick a simple change, like painting your nails a different color or trying out some new makeup trends. After all, if it doesn’t suit you, that’s what makeup remover is for! But if the answer is “Yes, I’m bored to tears!” do something drastic! Cut your hair, or try out a darker color. Fall is for new beginnings of all kinds!