Just so that you know beforehand – I love fall, and I love fall makeup collections. It may be because the (usually) rich, earthy colours always suit me, and are colours that I gravitate naturally towards – all those dark reds, jewel tones, and velvety nudes – I just love them and if you handed me some money, I’d buy them in bulk (looking at my stash, I already have) and I’m rather lenient towards fall collections IF they deliver the prettiness. Anyways, here’s our fall round-up – I picked the usual suspects for your reading pleasure, the big names you’ll easily find at counters around the world.

Chanel – Les Automnales

Chanel - Les Automnales
Chanel – Les Automnales

 

Chanel named its fall edition helpfully ‘autumnal’ so that we know what we’re dealing with here. Thank you Chanel, so helpful! The collection is the epitome of fall makeup. Palettes in earth tones? Check. Deep red and nude lip? Check. Vampy nail polishes? Check. Thankfully not everything in that collection is limited edition, so you don’t need to rob a bank just right now. What you should get immediately is Ardent, the stunning bronze eyeliner (limited edition) and one of the lipsticks – the Rouge Coco Shine in Temeraire if your taste runs towards glossy rusty reds, or the Rouge Allure Velvet in La Bouleversante if you like matte and clear reds. Both will have you set for fall in your lipstick needs. Alezane, the blush, has some hidden glitter but a stunning muted peach colour that will suit nearly everybody. The quint is limited edition – but you’ll get other ‘naked’ palettes for a much better price. The polishes are limited edition, but dupable. There’re also three Illusion d’Ombres, one of them in a new matte formula (Fleur de Pierre, dark grey). The other are the much sought after and repromoted New Moon and the limited Rouge Gorge (orange). I personally don’t buy any high end products in that formula (Chanel, Dior etc.) any more because those suckers dry out after a while and I just don’t use them enough to justify the price. All in all – a really rounded out collection, very pretty and wearable. I can’t even snark about the unoriginality because it’s just so nice and has good products qualitywise. Sigh. My only pet peeve is that this collection is out already in the US and we in Germany will get it in October. What the heck, Chanel, what the heck.

 

 Dior – Cosmopolite Collection

Dior
Dior – Cosmopolite Collection

 

‘Her makeup is a reflection of her wants, her needs and her many facets. (…) Like a manifesto of freedom for each and every woman, the collection promises plural forms of beauty, a “Cosmopolite” beauty.’ (Dior press release)

Ho-hum. Ok Dior, let’s have a look at this ‚manifesto of freedom’. Two new products are featured here: Eight Addict Fluid Shadows and three Blush Cheek Sticks (all perm). The fluid shadows are very metallic and quite difficult to apply (if the shades blow you away, have a look at our difficult eyeshadow tutorial on how to apply liquid eyeshadows!). The blush sticks are incredibly pigmented and made to carry around for touch ups during the day. Never had the urge to do that, but ymmv.

This is the first collection of Peter Philips (formerly Chanel) for Dior, and he really put his focus on an ‘everybody can wear this’ approach. With the quints, I’m not so sure he’s right. Both (LE) feature gorgeous jewel tones (green/purple/silver & nude/blue/gold) I’d wear in a minute, but I’m afraid that very fair and cool toned beauties might find it lacking. All nail polishes, fluid sticks and lipsticks are limited edition and feature some rather staid and muted nudes, rosewoods and wine colours, so if something catches your eye, go for it. But personally I can’t see any must-haves, sadly. My ‘manifesto of freedom’, I guess. It’s out in August if you wanna snatch something up.

 

 Guerlain – Bloom of Rose

Guerlain - Bloom of Roses
Guerlain – Bloom of Rose

 

Even Guerlain itself calls its own fall ‘Bloom of Rose’ collection unexpected in its press release. This screams spring for me (though the name seems to suggest summer), but let’s have a look at it. Guerlain too takes the opportunity of rolling out new permanent products in its fall collection, first a line of new powder blushes (Rose aux Joues) and then the KissKiss Roselip Hdyrating & Plumping Tinted Lip Balm, a tinted lip balm (you wouldn’t have guessed, right?) in the white bulky cases of the KissKiss lipsticks. If you need a tinted balm for 37$ … ; ) A word of caution about the blushes: Like the older blush duos these don’t swatch well, but perform like normal powder blushes once you apply them to your face.

There’re one 4 couleurs and one 6 couleurs ecrin palette in this ‘collection’, both new (Beaugranelle – blue – and Les Cendres – peachy nudes). The two KissKiss lipsticks and Gloss d’Enfers are also new, and feature shades of coral and pink. I can’t detect a cohesive theme here. Why they didn’t just come out with their two new product lines and call it a day is everyone’s guess. For me, this one is a fail from start (the spring-like promo pic) to finish (the uninspired and tired execution of the theme). Someone give the people at Guerlain a huge vat of coffee (or wine) and let them start all over again – or let them just roll out two new products (blushes and balms) that are perfectly fine in themselves.

 

 YSL – Rebel Metal

YSL Rebel Metal
YSL Rebel Metal

 

Lo and behold, it’s not Cara in the promo pic! (It’s Edie Campbell.) But the look is very similar to YSL’s apparent grungy-edgy approach to their last collections nevertheless. Not sure if people who’re into this look really look into YSL to get their fix or if they buy MAC or something of a similar lesser price point? Is YSL trying to snatch up a younger customer base? I’ve no idea – but it definitely looks like it.

In some parts of the world the collection is called Pretty Metal and in some Rebel Metal. Well, it’s definitely metallic. Its showcase is the Metal Clash Eyeshadow palette that features golden, brown and burgundy shades and is both incredibly fall appropriate, metallic without being obnoxious reflective and oh so pretty.

YSL
YSL – Metal Clash Eyeshadow Palette

 

The kohl eyeliners are like traditional kohls, they’re soft, smudgy and a nightmare on oily skin and/or watery eyes. You could also use those as a base. Lip products are light and shimmery, be it the Rouge Volupte Shines or the Gloss Voluptes. Interesting are the silvery gloss shades (Rose Lurex, Violet Sequins) that are made to layer, which I always intend to with my lighter glosses but actually are too lazy to do. Poudre Compacte Radiance Perfection Universelle is an illuminating setting powder like the Nars one and it’s new. Apart from the palette and the nail wraps (just say no – or do you want to be a walking advertisement with the YSL logo on your nails?! There’re better and prettier nail wraps around!) nothing is limited edition – I think the palette will be sold out in no time. This will be out at some point in August in Europe.

 

 Tom Ford

Tom Ford Flawless Face
Tom Ford Flawless Face

 

Tom Ford has split his ginormous collection into two parts – Flawless Face and the Color Collection. While the look of Flawless Face is more reminiscent of golden spray paint that has been sitting in the desert for too long (that poor model!), I love the soft mauve hues of the promo look for the Color Collection. Key Piece of Flawless Face is the Skin Illuminating Powder Duo in Moodlight, a duo highlight powder which two colours are supposed to mimic the glow of both natural light and candlelight on the skin, an approach for that Hourglass powders are famous for. The soft golden white and peachy bronze shade are 12g and a whopping 80$/56£. There’re also two new primers (two shades) and a new powder foundation (8 shades) that will both become permanent, plus a single Illuminating Powder that works as a finishing powder.

Tom Ford Color Collection
Tom Ford Color Collection

 

The key pieces of the Color Collection are the ombre blushes in four shades (Bronze Ombre, Peach Ombre, Pink Ombre and Plum Ombre). Ombre brushes is something that Estée Lauder, the parenting company of TF Beauty, does very well – they’ve done it for their own brand, Estée Lauder, and for MAC as well. Now they’ve done it again for TF. These are surprisingly light and I rather doubt that darker beauties (with skintones darker than medium) will be very happy with those. There’re also two brow kits (each kit contains two powders and a colourless wax – both run rather warm) and four lipglosses (Ultra Shine lipglosses in Naked, Love Bruise, Sugar Pink and Peach Absolut). I can’t either see a fall theme or a coherent colour story, but they’ve a sure winner on their hands with Moodlight. I want to whine that this again is a collection that is centred around some new permanent products with some eye catching stuff thrown into the mix, but the TF crowd will see Moodlight and the ombre blushes and stampede to their next counter nevertheless, so I’ll just shut up. (But can companies please put some thoughts into their collections? Please? That’s all I’m asking. Oh, and some great products. Ktxbai!)

 

 Lancome – Parisian Fall

Lancome (Auda)City Palette
Lancome (Auda)City Palette

 

Lancome, like Estée Lauder and Clarins, has been battling it’s just not cool image for a while, and getting Lisa Eldridge as creative director has been a very good move on their part. Their main fall collection seems to be the Parisian Fall one, flanked by the (Auda)City Palette that I don’t know where it’ll be released outside of the US. 16 neutral and flattering shades, curated by La Eldridge, and curated very well indeed. This ranges from neutral to smokey, warm to cool (68$). The main collection is inspired by Caroline de Maigret, Lancome’s Parisian muse and face. This collection also revolves around a multi-purpose palette, Mes Incontournables de Parisienne Palette, which includes a highlighter, a blush, three eyebrow powders and four eyeshadows, all in muted rosy-brown shades. They’re housed in a leather clutch, and I think for 95$ you can get something similar for cheaper – it reminds me of the coffrets that litter airport duty free areas. You pay for the exterior, and not the interior of the palette here. This is a large collection with another palette in similar shades, three new shades of the Hypnose Dazzling Eyeshadows (similar eyeshadow texture to the Chanel Illusion d’Ombres), Grandiose mascara in burgundy, two blushes and lipsticks. All those shades seem new to me, but I’ve no information about whether those will become permanent or are LE. Funnily I can’t imagine two brands further apart than Lancome and TF, but both collections centre around the same colour scheme – rather subdued, rosy, mauve browns, with pops of red in Lancome’s case (well, I can’t imagine a Parisian collection without any red lips or tips!).

 

 Clarins – Pretty Day and Night

Clarins - Pretty Night and Day
Clarins – Pretty Day and Night

 

A tagline that could’ve come from a drugstore brand. I’ve to admit that my eyebrows rose when I saw that name – why settle for ‘pretty’ when you could promote a look as ‘beautiful’? Why on earth should I settle for a product that will simply make me pretty? Questions, Clarins, that need answering. Two nude palettes (one more nude, one more smokey) called Day and Night, mascara, eyebrow pencils, eyeliners, and their Ombre Eyeshadow in Matte (a dark grey, reminiscent of Chanel, and a taupe), and two Rouge Eclat lipsticks in nude and red, again for the Day and night theme. Nice products, but completely foreseeable and uninspiring. I hope you’ve something better in your sleeve for the Holiday collection, Clarins.

 

 Nars – Private Screening

Nars
Nars – Private Screening

 

Nars’ fall collection is called Private Screening and the promo pic definitely evokes some kind of 30s movie star glamour for me. Like always, François Nars’ vision seems to be above such mundane things as seasonal collections, and throws an eclectic mix of products at us – that work really well together (take notes, companies!). Have a look at the two new Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows (duochrome!!!!!!!!), imagine them either solo with a red lip (the beautiful fallish VIP Red) or layered over the new Velvet Shadow Sticks and a nude lip (-> done with one of the new lipglosses from the collection) – two different but glamorous looks. Add the (sadly LE) ‘rosy shimmery sand’ blush in Tribulation (pssst, François! That’s a highlighter, not a blush, even on the palest beauties!) and you’ve a look that can transition you from hot summer into fall. I Like! There’re different opinions out there about the quality of the Velvet Shadow Sticks, so best try them before buying.

 

 Add on: Estée Lauder

Estée Lauder Liquid Lip Potion
Estée Lauder Liquid Lip Potion

 

Estée Lauder will come out with a lot of stuff for fall, but for me, there’re two rather exciting new products they’re launching: The Pure Color Matte Sculpting Lipsticks and the Liquid Lip Potions.

There’re 12 shades in the line-up of the matte lipsticks and seeing Christine’s swatches, I’ll definitely buy at least one (hello Unattainable, you sexy little thing!). These look GOOD! They also promise a creamy yet lightweight matte formula, and I hope it’s not too lip-wrecking. The lip potions come in 16 colours, and promise an 8-hour wear time, a satin finish and a moisturising and comfortable formula. If that’s true, I want them all. Jane from BritishBeautyBlogger has swatches and while I don’t dig any of the colours she shows, she says all the claims EL makes are true. Oh my poor wallet!

 

 

 Conclusion and recommendations

Chanel has a traditional, extremely pretty collection, while YSL goes a little bolder. Go for the Chanel blush (Alezane), at least one of their lipsticks and the YSL palette and you picked the best this fall has to offer. I can’t yet get excited about Lancome apart from the Auda(city) Palette. If you’ve got big bucks to spend, the TF Illuminating Duo is great and right on the strobing trend. Unique it is not. NARS has a beautiful little collex with some great products – sadly the two most beautiful are also LE (VIP Red and Tribulation). Given their success with the Envy Lipsticks I guess nothing can go wrong with Estée Lauder’s new product launches. I’m looking forward to them.

 

And congrats, you made it through this post! Have a cookie!