Best in Class
Remember that I Love Lucy chocolate-factory episode when the candies zip down the conveyor belt so fast that Lucy and Ethel can’t keep up? It feels a bit like that when samples of fall beauty products land in my office. But W’s beauty editor, Katie Becker (my Ethel), and I stayed strong as we sniffed, spritzed, and blended hundreds of potions. Here, our favorites for the season.
1
This extra-wide stick foundation glides on like a dream and has light-diffusing micro-spheres as well as skin-soothing green tea and cucumber.
Marc Jacobs Beauty Smart Wand Tinted Face Stick, $42, marcjacobsbeauty.com.
2
Seemingly tailor-made for Katie’s combo skin, it has supersoft bristles for her sensitive cheeks and firmer ones at its tip for less delicate, oil-prone areas.
Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush, $90, clinique.com.
3
A few spritzes on damp hair gets me—a true blow-dry klutz—a bit closer to salon-sleek.
Kérastase Discipline Spray Fluidissime, $42, kerastase-usa.com.
4
A sugar-based polymer smooths fine lines, peptides de-puff, and a wheat-based complex brightens.
Chantecaille Le Camouflage Stylo Anti-Fatigue Corrector Pen, $49, chantecaille.com.
5
I’m really into fur-toned shadows this season, like the mink and chinchilla hues in this quartet.
Chanel Quadra Eyeshadow in Tissé Gabrielle, $61, chanel.com.
6
Katie loves this shimmery shade, which lies somewhere between deep red, magenta, and purple, and comes with a high-tech-gel top coat that keeps talons chip-free for more than a week.
Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in Mad Women, $10, drugstores nationwide.
7
Monsieur L’s new nail line contains the rich reds you’d expect, but I’m partial to the neutrals, like this malted-milk-ball shade.
Christian Louboutin Beauté Nail Color in Me Nude, $50, sephora.com.
8
This densely pigmented black formula—which mimics the intensity of faux lashes—is Katie’s go-to when she wants big drama.
Urban Decay Perversion Mascara, $22, sephora.com.
