Five Fab Beauty Trends for Fall

For the beauty-obsessed, it's hard to be surprised by new products. For the savviest junkies, new skin care, hair care, and color products can start to blend together in a beautiful haze. Brands tend to follow trend forecasting, which inundates the market with similar new products, from matte lipsticks, to sleeping masks, to contouring palettes. Among these, we find plenty of duds, but we keep trying for the rush of finding that new holy grail product that we suddenly can't live without. Trends can come and go, but some items are so incredible that they become iconic. Chanel's Starry Night polish, anyone? Or Urban Decay's original Venom lip gloss? What once began as disruptive, game-changing additions to the beauty world are now staples that we'll always reach for...which can lead to another sort of rut, right?

So how do we cultivate new looks without succumbing to every trend flooding the market?

When the planets align and new products meet the sweet spot between revolutionary, effective, and available, it's worth sharing. So we rounded up our favorite innovative, can't-live-without-them pieces to inspire you to try something you might not normally pick up. Check out our top five favs and be sure to include your own in the comments!

1. Milk Makeup Holographic Stick

The new cool girl on the block, Milk Makeup has established itself as a brand that eschews fussiness and embraces beauty on the go. Their products are mess free, stress free, and can get you gorgeous in less than five minutes. While I don't necessarily embrace the branding of "cool girl beauty" as it excludes a huge portion of the demographic, I am obsessed with the Holographic Stick. The highlighting trend is here to stay, and it can be easy to fall into the trap of too glittery or too frosty--but not with this baby. Cool toned in lavenders, pearls, and dusty iridescent pinks, this creamy stick adds an otherworldly glow to your cheekbones. Unlike many other highlighters, this one truly does work on all skin tones, from pale to dark. It blends beautifully and layers well, from subtle to intense looks. The bonus? It's cruelty-free and vegan, so you can feel good knowing you've made a conscientious purchase.

2. Bite Agave Lip Mask

Over the summer, I had a sunburn so intense that my lips were peeling for weeks. I tried everything--coconut oil, intense lip balm, Aquaphor, and none of it could provide relief. I stumbled upon Bite's Agave Lip Mask while lamenting how it would be weeks and weeks before I could wear one of their recently-launched shades (Kale, if you must know) and I was immediately wooed by the texture. It's thick and rich without feeling greasy, warms on your skin without melting, and sunk immediately into my lips where it kept them hydrated for actual hours. Within three days, my chapped, raw mouth was back to normal and I was singing the praises of Bite once again. Ive even smeared this miracle cure on my cuticles and noticed immediate and sustained health. I've thrown away every other chapstick I own in favor of this mask, and I'll never turn back.

3, IT COSMETICS Bye-Bye Under Eye Illumination Full Coverage Concealer

I tend to be very, very skeptical about concealers. Either they flake, budge, or disappear after application. They don't match my skin. They leave me feeling hyper aware of what I'm trying to cover, eventually ending up hardly used in my make-up drawer. But after a sample of this IT COSMETICS gem, I've changed my tune. It's thick, but easily settles once patted into the skin. It blends like a dream and can be layered for heavier coverage. A little goes a long way with this product, and even though they don't have the most impressive shade range yet, it's easy enough to top with foundation or powder for an exact match.

4. Fresh Vitamin Nectar Vibrancy-Boosting Facial Mask

The name is a mouthful of lofty claims, but this beauty does exactly what the name advertises. Like all Fresh products, this mask is exquisitely made with impeccable ingredients. The formula is 50% crushed citrus fruits, as seen in the marmalade-like texture and heady scent. These fruits contain natural AHA acids, which gently exfoliate and power up your skin's natural glow. The best word I can think of to describe my post-mask skin is: balanced. I didn't feel dry, nor did I feel greasy, but instead I felt perfectly hydrated and soft. Most notably, my complexion was immediately brighter, so much so that three people asked me if I'd had a facial.

5. Smashbox Always On Matte

The matte lipstick trend is still dominating, but followers can often be on point while sacrificing comfort. Most matte lipsticks are intensely drying, leaving lips crusty and sad. But Smashbox's new liquid lipsticks are revolutionary--soft, supple, and saturated with gorgeous color. Ive been obsessed with Girl Gang, which reads as a deep, rich, 90s plum berry. Perfect for the transition into fall!