Fall Beauty Guide

Fall has arrived, and a collective sigh of relief has resounded through San Diego. Let’s be real- summer beauty routines are rough. When the sun isn’t melting your face off, the endless pool and beach action is washing it off, while drying out your hair, and burning your skin. Hopefully you at least got a good tan out of it.

The onset of fall weather means an altogether better beauty atmosphere, with conditions conducive to looking and feeling our best. Goodbye crunch, crackle and clammy skin. It’s time to put your best face forward, indulging in some new trends and old ones that are getting reinvented for the season.

Discover our top fall beauty picks.

Lash Extensions

Each fall, we see the return of smoky eyes in makeup trends. Whether in grays and blacks, browns, or emerald greens, more makeup seems to take the spotlight this time of year. But with thinning lashes, the look gets shorted from its full-blown potential. Fortunately, The Lash Studio located downtown on 11th Avenue uses licensed estheticians with extensive training to apply silk extensions that look natural and last up to 3 months. Technicians tailor lashes to each individual’s needs, enhancing personal eye shape. Eyelash extensions are the perfect gift to treat your eyes to in light of an upcoming vacation, wedding, prom, photo session, or anytime you want some extra flirty looks. From the mild and subtle, to the wild and dramatic, your eyelashes will be thanking you.

Neutral Nails

Neutral nails are in as one of the top nail trends for this season, elongating fingers and hands the way nude stilettos do for our legs. Sophisticated yet sexy, these bad boys are a fresh and uplifting change to the dark blacks and purples we saw last year. For a true nude shade, try the RGB Nail Polish in F2, available at RGBCosmetics.com or the Deborah Lippman Nail Polish in Naked. Kick the nude up a notch with a little gold shimmer, found in Estee Lauder’s Pure Color Nail Laquor in Satin Gold, available at Bloomingdales. For a flawless manicure with bonus natural benefits, leave the colors to the pros at Bellemani Salon in La Jolla or at 20 Lounge Nail Bar in Cardiff by the Sea.

Restored Skin

After a summer of skin damage, it’s time to consider more restorative treatments for your face. Many spas are offering fall treatments, ideal for both their seasonal ingredients and value in cleansing. Bien-Etre Spa in Solana Beach has specific and custom facials for clients, non-invasive but highly effective. The Stem Cell Therapy treatment uses stem cells to provide special growth factors that the skin uses to repair DNA at the deepest level. Based on stem cell research, this very gentle facial therapy rapidly decreases inflammation and redness and penetrates to correct cellular damage with proven results. Every stem cell treatment includes Retinaldehyde peel and LED therapy to further encourage cell renewal. For beauty consideration, lose that skin shine with a makeup artist’s touch. Try a foundation with micronized powders to control oil production and leave skin matte, but not dry, such as Nars Sheer Matte Foundation at Nordstrom.com.

Red Lips

When battling with the brights, proceed with caution. Pick a focus and stick with it- either the lids, lips, or cheeks. Keep eye makeup to a minimum when boosting the red pucker, and for added elegance, lift the hair back and away from the face. For pale skinned people, choose a red with orange tones in it and look for sheer textures, such as Top Shop’s Rio Rio Lipstick. Warmer red shades flatter brunettes with olive skin tones, such as Chanel Rouge Coco in Gabrielle. Simple clothing colors like black and whites look best with a red lip, and the color-blocking style makes an even bolder statement. Pucker up!

New Workout Routine

Just because you think you need a little extra winter padding to keep you warm, doesn’t mean your summer workout routines should go to waste. It’s true that a few months of doing the same regimen produces fewer results, so why not shake things up a little? Take on a workout that challenges you in new ways, so even holiday eating marathons have nothing on your metabolism. For long, lean muscles and a killer workout, try Pilates Plus in Pacific Beach. Lead Instructor Nick was recently featured in Shape Magazine- read more about him and the killer workout here. Or, to really confront your workout, get in to one of the many CrossFit gyms in San Diego.  These workouts are comprised of varied functional movements like pushing, pulling, squatting, lifting and running, executed at high intensity. Instead of finding the expected stationary bikes and weight machines, you’ll simply find pull-up bars, kettlebells, barbells and wide open space for squatting, running, jumping, climbing, lifting and throwing — all of which help to work out your body mimicking movements performed in day-to-day life or sport.

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