I’m a Beauty Director—These Are the 30 Products I’m Most Excited About This Fall

Most Wanted is a weekly series in which one editor, staffer, or influencer shares their top 30 must-haves or current wish-list items.

I was going to start this article with the usual spiel about the number of products I test and research as a beauty director. I know, I know—you’ve heard it all before. But I don’t know if you realize how often these testing escapades occur. It’s 4:33 p.m. on a Tuesday, and before sitting down to write this article, I slathered my face with Chantecaille’s Gold Recovery Mask ($275) in the hopes that I’d be able to write my entire intro before I have to take the mask off in 15 minutes. Mind you, I’ve already tested a brow gel, lip scrub, and face oil today, and the day is still young.

My point is that testing products is an all-day, everyday sort of thing, so I feel like I have more insight than the average person when it comes to what’s exciting, trending, and interesting in the beauty world. This is exactly why I wanted to round up the 30 products I’m most excited about this fall, and while I haven’t tried every single item on this list, I’ve done my research and can confirm they’re all worth the hype. Below, check out my beauty picks, from a honey-infused face oil to a temporary eye-tightener to the ultimate air-dry cream. I promise there’s something to get every single one of you excited for the colder months ahead.

I love a good face oil, and this one does not disappoint. It’s the latest (and arguably the biggest) launch from Gisou. It’s an antioxidant-rich concentrate formulated to nourish your skin using Mirsalehi honey, other natural actives, and freshly cold-pressed oils from botanicals inspired by the Mirsalehi Bee Garden. Honey and safflower oil deeply moisturize the skin while vitamin E helps strengthen the skin barrier. Evening primrose and rosehip seed oils reduce the appearance of fine lines and soothe, regenerate, and even skin tone. It’s basically a can’t-live-without recipe for great skin. I’ve only been using it for a few days, but my complexion has a newfound glow that’s hard to ignore.

I can’t tell you how often I spritz myself with this soothing, refreshing mist in one day. It’s made with vegetable glycerin that locks in moisture while damask-rose oil soothes and softens skin. It’s the ultimate afternoon skin pick-me-up.

This serum is buzzing in the beauty world right now. Its Iceawake™ and caffeine complex visibly depuffs, smoothes, and brightens the eye area instantly.

Neutrogena just came out with three new facial exfoliants for oily, dry, and combination skin that gently exfoliate, reduce the look of pores, and help even out skin tone. This formula contains a 9% blend of AHAs and PHAs that complements the skin’s natural renewal process while gently lifting away dead surface skin. This is the kind of product you want in your fall skincare lineup—especially for $15.

These single-use hand masks are just what my parched hands need. Pop these bad boys on, and leave them on for 10 minutes. The nourishing combo of shea butter and prebiotic oat will leave your hands visibly soft, smooth, and healthy-looking. 

This product needs no introduction. It has gone completely viral on TikTok and has sold out multiple times, which makes me want it even more. It helps tighten, firm, and smooth the look of crow’s feet, fine lines, and wrinkles in minutes.

I love a lip balm, and this one has the nicest texture and feels so lovely on. It’s not sticky at all, and it gives my lips a subtle sheen. I find myself grabbing for it throughout the day to keep my lips feeling and looking juicy.

This is such a unique gel-cream formula. It absorbs quickly like a gel, but it has the lasting, moisturizing power of a cream. It’s made with purified hyaluronic acid, which instantly quenches dry skin and keeps it looking smooth, supple, and hydrated all day.

I love a good gel cleanser that washes away impurities and tones skin at the same time. This one is full of interesting ingredients like broccoli seed oil, which is rich in omegas and plays a vital role in cell regeneration. It’s lightweight, lathers up nicely, and doesn’t strip your skin of all its moisture.

I’m a Vintner’s Daughter stan, so you can only imagine how excited I was to hear about this collaboration with the Tea Huntress. It’s a limited-edition tea blend rich in restorative botanicals like nettle leaf, and it’s made with skin-beautifying mineral silica, alfalfa (which helps brighten skin), and spearmint (a great ingredient for healthy digestion and skin). 

Okay, yes—every single shade is gorgeous. But can we talk about the actual palette?

This just launched, and I’m totally smitten with every single shade. It’s a 2-in-1 crayon that creates the most insane shimmery wash on your lids. The eye-shadow crayon on one end is easy to blend in with your finger, and the opposite end is a non-sticky glitter gel that adds an elevated wet-look effect. I’ve been rotating between the volcanic, champagne, and lava colors. 

This cheek palette is full of all the essentials you need to fake that post-summer glow. I’d apply a line of each shade at the top of my cheekbones: the highlighter (on the far right) at the top of my cheekbone, the blush below it, and the bronzer on the bottom. Then I’d use an angled brush to blend them together. You’re welcome. 

Sure, the golden brass tube is nice, but the wand is the real star of the show. It’s composed of both vertical and horizontal bristles, which make the application really precise. Plus, I always get compliments on my lashes whenever I use this. 

This cushion-tip concealer helps reduce the look of dark circles and redness and brightens dull skin. It can also be used to contour, so $8 feels like an extremely good deal. 

Highlighters aren’t revolutionary, but this one feels extra special because you can use it on your face and body. More importantly, it has SPF 15, which I don’t see often in highlighters. 

This stuff is no joke. I’m telling you after one spritz, your entire complexion will have the prettiest glow. It’s made with tons of standout ingredients like cucumber and chamomile along with green tea and vitamin E—a must-have cocktail for glowing skin.

A velvety lip liner that lets you fake a fuller pout by enhancing your natural shape.

I’m a total brow gal—the fuller, the better. This brow-boosting gel not only defines, sets, and holds my brows in place, but the formula also helps promote brow growth, which is a winning combination in my eyes. 

It’s the color for me. 

Brushing my hair has become such a dreaded step in my routine, so I’m willing to try anything that claims it can painlessly detangle my locks. 

Eliminates frizz and tangles. Adds moisture and shine. Need I say more?

Your scalp is just an extension of your skin and needs as much exfoliation as the rest of your body does, and this clarifying scalp scrub will do just that. You only need to incorporate it into your routine once a week in order to see the benefits. Not only will it slough away flaky, dead skin, but it’ll help alleviate dandruff and promote hair growth with moisturizing and healing shea butter and argan-oil extract.

I don’t know about you, but my post-summer hair is always extra frizzy, so having a styling product on hand that helps condition hair and control frizz is essential. I also love that this is infused with mongongo oil, which helps protect against UV rays.

What can I say? I’m a sucker for a cute scrunchie, especially when it’s part of a package deal. 

Since I’m on a scalp-exfoliating kick, I’ve got my eye on this shampoo. It’s rich in sacha inchi oil, organic star anise, and organic passion fruit, all of which help purify and balance the scalp, remove skin cell buildup, and promote healthy hair growth.  

If you’ve never used a dermaplane, fall is the time to try one. I use it on my face bi-weekly to get rid of peach fuzz and dead skin. My face always feels so soft and smooth afterward. 

Olaplex is known for its patented bond-building technology that strengthens hair, and this mask is no exception. It moisturizes, smooths, and adds body and shine. What more could you want? 

Most of the hair products featured in this story are for wet hair, which is why this is such a standout. It’s a prewash treatment that smooths frizz, adds shine, moisturizes, and helps detangle hair. It’s made with cuticle-sealing vitamin C, omega-rich sea buckthorn oil, and shine-boosting plumeria monoi oil. 

I’ve been so excited by Jonathan Van Ness’s new haircare line, and while there are so many incredible products, this has been the true star. I’m a no-fuss hair person, so this allows me to skip the hot tools while still defining my natural hair texture (without it feeling crunchy). It’s formulated with a patented, sugarcane-derived hemisqualane that improves your hair over time by creating healthier, stronger strands. It also has chia seed for soft hold and control and moringa seed oil to add softness and shine.

Next: 8 Cheap Concealers That Are Just as Good as These High-End Ones