Is makeup boring right now or am I just getting boring?

Recent thoughts, what I AM enjoying, and what I'm looking forward to because I am so so done with summer (sorry summer lovers).

For the first time in a long while, I’m not excited by new makeup, and with holiday products already launching, this is a new feeling for me. There’s the unbeatable feeling of a dopamine hit after walking into a store - usually Sephora - and buying something I’m really excited about. And then there’s also the unbeatable disappointment of walking into a to spend money and do some retail therapy and leaving completely empty handed. And yet that has been me for the past few months over and over again and I’m left wondering….am I the problem?

It’s not all negative, because there are products I’m excited about right now (read on to find out what they are!), and there’s definitely a lot I’m looking forward to with fall beauty (also more on this later)

Is it just me?

Maybe it was just the summer doldrums (if you haven’t heard me say I hate summer the first 1000 times, you’re hearing it now), or if I’m finally finding and settling into my signature everyday look, or maybe…just maybe the makeup industry has finally hit its saturation point.

It’s likely all three - two of which are my own doing - but for the first time since I really got into makeup circa 2008, when I anticipated every new makeup launch and seasonal collections, I find my eyes glazing over whenever I see news of a new launch or feel like I'm seeing deja vu.

Even in more recent years I curiously watched how the explosion of makeup brands and launches created or followed social media trends, but it’s just all blending together now.

New launches have been coming left and right but how many times can I really talk about how pretty a lip tint is before they all become indistinguishable, or how skin-like a skin tint is when I have 10 others like the newest launch?

Don’t get me wrong, there are definitely products that excite me, like a particular tinted lip balm formula or limited edition holiday palettes from Hourglass, and there are heaps of good products that work fine, but these days finding a truly exceptional product is like finding a needle among a haystack of very good hay. 

It feels like these days I’m trying a lot of products where the packaging isn’t quite where I want it to be, or the shades are slightly off, or it’s simply too similar to something I already have. 

Back to basics

I already raved about the new Phytosurgence Calm Conditions Lip Balm in a previous post but they have become a regular part of my makeup prep routine as well as a makeup bag and travel essential because it does such a great job of keeping my lips moisturized without being too shiny or too heavy. But a newer addition to the tinted lip balm world and a new permanent member of my makeup bag are the Violette FR Bisou Jelly balm.

These have a fun layered element where the outer ring is a jelly balmy texture that's mostly clear, and the middle core is where the pigment is. These have the ideal tinted lip balm texture that I look for - it's not slippy at all, hugs and cushions my lips, and leaves the perfect amount of light tint that could almost fool someone that my lips were naturally tinted that way. Unsurprisingly, Bonbon Caramel is my favorite shade for a caramel nude that goes with everything, but I've also been really leaning into a just bitten red tint with Pomme d’Amour.

I wore it fresh off a 6 hour plane ride and it instantly brightened up my whole face, which was otherwise very tired and had very little makeup on:

wearing just some concealer and Pomme D’amour after a cross-country flight

As for blush, I've had 3 in constant rotation and to know surprise to anyone, they are all varying shades of neutrals. First is the Rhode Pocket Blush Toasted Teddy, which I'm finding to be a really fantastic formula with a soft matte natural finish that lasts through most of my day without setting with an additional powder blush. The shade is a surprisingly unique reddish brown that I tried to dupe with several blushes in my collection without any success.

Screenshot from my stories trying to dupe Toasted Teddy

In the end I determined that the shade more closely resembles some of my brownish red lipsticks than it does a blush, which mea s that I've also used this a lot as a lip tint. It also pairs beautifully with Espresso lip tint which is the shade I'm reaching for the most lately out of all of Rhode’s lip tint shades. Espresso is a gorgeous deep cool brown that one my skin tone has a cool 90s look. 

Learning more fully into brown blush territory, I've been reaching for the Ciele Blush and Protect in June over and over again and it's perfect for those light makeup days (which is most days for me lately) when I want some kind of color and definition but I don't want anything too bright. June is this really interesting burgundy brown shade that ends up as the perfect neutral brown with a hint of rosiness. It looks deep and intimidating at first but sheers out to be a really approachable shade. 

June also pairs well with so many other blushes. As summer started to wind down I paired it with my most valued holy grail Westman Atelier Peau de Peche thanks to the suggestion of an Instagram follower (you can see it in action in this reel!) but as we approach fall I've been craving something a little deeper and the Dior Rosy Glow in Mahogany is a perfect companion to June. It looks scary deep in the pan and looks even scarier when I swatch it on my hand but use a light fluffy brush (like this one) and it deposits the sheerest layer of toasty brown to my cheeks that pulls much more in the ‘mysterious contoured and pulled together’ way than ‘just ran through a mud puddle’ kind of way. I can already tell it's going to be a go to blush for the fall for that sculpted 90s look I've been gravitating towards lately.

I've also been keeping it ultra minimal on my eyes for a change, often just swiping on an eyeshadow stick with some liner with mascara and calling it a day. These days I can't get enough of a cool neutral brown eyeshadow and while my Chanel Contour Stylo in 12 Clair Contour is near and dear to me, I realized recently that the Make Eye Shaping Stylo in Meridian, which I've also reached for over and over in the past year, is actually a near spot on shade dupe for Clair Contour. 

The formulas are a little different, with the Chanel being a little drier (but not dry or skippy) and thus more versatile as a liner formula since it stays put exactly where I apply it, while the Make is a little creamier and can be blended out a little easier for a smudgier softer look. Both wear great on my eyes so they're honestly both interchangeable for me. 

Here is Chanel Clair Contour, Make Meridian in the middle, and Laura Mercier Mocha, which is similar but warmer than both:

I also have a few things that I haven't yet put through full proper testing, but so far I'm really enjoying the new Nabla Close Up Blurring Blushes as a buildable soft focus matte powder blush (especially the shade Enigma and Satisfaction, which are both very me soft mauve and bronze shades), and the nuanced neutral tones of the Close Up Lip Shapers are just perfect for a soft smudgy but still contoured lip. 

But honestly, as I sit in the lull that is the summer to fall transition (because it's a little difficult to get cozy when it's still 80+ degrees and I still sweat walking down the block), there are a few things that I am looking forward to diving into as soon as the weather cools down. 

Did I say I was excited for fall yet?

Here's a preview of what I'm excited to dive into for fall and what you can expect to see from me in the next few months:

Here's a preview of what I'm excited to dive into for fall and what you can expect to see from me in the next few months:

• The return of brown and berry and burgundy tones - I'm not sure why the media is making these out as if they were new colors to wear for fall but nevertheless I always love wearing browns, burgundies, and berries throughout fall and winter. I'm talking lipsticks and blush and eyeshadow yes, but also shoes, handbags, clothing. I CAN'T WAIT. Except berry and brown lipstick roundups, wine themed looks, and more.

• Matte skin is back! - Stayed tuned for more on this soon but as a person with oily skin who has always preferred a more matte look, I'm so glad its finally coming back. I'm working on a roundup of matte powders that are both tried and true and some newer ones on the market, and expect more matte eyeshadow looks too.

• Cozy and smoky fragrances - I look forward to wearing all my cozy, warm, and smoky fragrances each year. I've already started dipping my toe into some favorites for some cooler nights we've had lately. Specifically, Diptyque Orpheon Eau de Parfum has been a recent favorite since the juniper berry lifts the fragrance a bit to make it feel lighter in contrast to its cedarwood, Tonka, and jasmine notes. It truly feels like a jazz club with it's smokiness and effervescence. For a more gourmand option, I'm wearing Snif Crumb Couture after a brief hiatus during the hot summer months. It's true to life fresh croissant scent is both comforting and cozy to ease into cooler weather. I also love the detergent to wash my towels and sheets with so I can always be enveloped in a soft croissant scent. 

• Don't forget candles, too - I don't love burning candles in the summer because again, hot, but fall is when I start to burn a candle nonstop. Last year I blew through Maison Margiela REPLICA By the Fireplace Candle and it is not only the most beautiful smoky sweet fireplace scent but it's also the cleanest burning candle I've ever used. The wick burned straight down to the bottom so well that I had no residue to clean out, which I've never experienced before in another candle. I already have 2 backups ready to go for this year. A newer candle to me that just screams fall is the Snif Half Baked Pumpkin Smash Candle which smells like a pumpkin pie. Gourmands that smell too much like actual baked goods can feel a little nauseating to me sometimes but this one has a bit of spiciness to it so it doesn't feel like I'm breathing in a pumpkin pie, but it truly evokes a pumpkin warmth that I only want in the fall. 

My brain is starting to buzz with ideas with fall themed makeup and content that heavily involve products I already own rather than falling for the hype of new releases. I'm waiting with half-bated breath to see whether this year's holiday releases catch my eye (other than the new Hourglass holiday palette, which I already bought).

How are you feeling about the makeup launches lately? What are you excited about for fall?