Second-Day Hair and Last Night’s Eyeliner—My Favorite Fall Beauty Trends Are Surprisingly Low-Effort

Is anyone else tired this fall? Don’t get me wrong. I love a bold beauty look as much as the next person, but fall is my pre-hibernation season, and I tend to err on the side of lazy when it comes to doing anything. I love to look at a Pinterest board full of beautiful and artistic looks, but does that mean I want to execute them myself? I think you already know the answer to that one.

Lucky for me and anyone else who’s feeling lazy AF this season, makeup artists and hairstylists are actually on board with this. They’re noticing a major uptick in low-maintenance looks, and honestly, I feel so seen. “We’ve started celebrating skincare and prioritizing it more than ever,” says celebrity makeup artist Jamie Greenberg. “Real skin is in, and that means less makeup! On top of that, we’re all busy, so any chance to pick up the pace is a blessing. Products and formulas have come a long way in the multitasking department, and we’ve realized that great makeup doesn’t have to be complicated.”

In that vein, many of this season’s best beauty trends actually require very little effort on our part—from single-color eye shadow looks to a second-day eyeliner vibe. If you truly can’t be bothered this season, look no further. I tapped Greenberg and a few other experts for the full low-effort beauty cheat sheet you need. Here’s what they had to share.

Smudged Eyeliner

Much to my relief, there’s no need for a sharp-as-a-knife eyeliner game this season. Instead, folks are embracing the second-day look, sporting smudged eyeliner that’s less than perfect. Greenberg can confirm. “Instead of a super-precise, time-consuming dark smoky eye, we’re shifting to softer, smudgier lids,” she says. “Lived-in, nostalgic ’90s vibes—not the precise cat-eyes that take hours to do right. I love this because it’s incredibly forgiving. It doesn’t require precise blending or a 10-step shadow routine. Just swipe, smudge, and go.”

Rich, Solid Hair Colors

Hair color is definitely an area of beauty I like to keep low-maintenance, and hairstylist Angelica Datuin at Benjamin Salon is loving certain one-note colors this season. And one-note doesn’t equal boring—I promise! “Some of the fall trends I’m seeing this season are going back to less highlights and more rich solid colors like auburn, deep brown, and cooler tones,” Datuin shares.

Think trending brunette hues like glacé chocolate and inky espresso. For top-tier color, try a colorist who uses Schwarzkopf’s Igora Vibrance collection. It’s the collection behind so many gorgeous celebrity colors we’ve seen recently.

Terra-Cotta Blush

Blush is always in, but specifically, Greenberg says the shade terra-cotta will be a hit all through fall. “This color is everything right now and getting a good terra-cotta blush is a great multitasker,” she says. “Not only does it help you hold on to your sun-kissed summer tan, but you can use it as bronzer, on your eyes, or your lips. It’s an easy transition into autumn’s natural warmth.”

Soft-Girl Hairstyling

Datuin also says that lower-maintenance cuts and styles are in for fall, specifically, ones that are still chic and add softness. “I’ve noticed clients are craving longer lengths that are healthy and cut blunt, with softer face-framing layers around the face or curtain bangs to bring softness to all that length,” she shares. “I’ve also been seeing more polished [but easy] styles that are achieved by using a roller set. T3 has a great hot roller set that’s easy to use. Mason Pearson brushes are also great for brushing out the curls for a softer, glamorous look that can still look low-maintenance.”

If Mason Pearson is not in your budget, Tangle Teezer’s new Complete Carebrush is absolutely amazing for this. Hands down, it’s one of the best brushes I’ve used that won’t break the bank.

Cosmic Eye Shadow

I used to be intimidated by chrome eye shadows, but now, I love to just swipe and go with them. Greenberg says this is the way to go for fall. “Want a cool-girl night-out look that doesn’t take forever? Use an iridescent chrome eye shadow,” she says. “Just one color all over the lid—not a ton of colors and 16 brushes for blending. You can also just use an iridescent shade to highlight the inner corners of your eyes. This will catch the light beautifully.”

Greenberg and I share a love for Danessa Myricks’s Colorfix liquid shadows for this, but my other all-time favorite is R.E.M.’s Starlet Liquid Shadow in Fembot. It’s 100% perfect for the swipe-and-go method.

Skin Tints

Celebrity makeup artist and beauty brand founder Jenny Patinkin says that despite hearing rumblings that full-coverage foundation à la 2016 is back, she still thinks that applying a good skin tint is the way to go this season. Many skin tints also have SPF in them, so you’re killing two birds with one stone. Low-maintenance beauty at its finest!

Mono-Colored Eyes

If chrome or iridescent eye shadow just isn’t your thing, don’t worry. There’s another lazy beauty trend that Patinkin foresees being huge for the rest of the season. There’s a time and place for flashy duochrome shades, but a simple, single hue can look just as good here. Patinkin says, “I love this one because it fits my lazy perfection aesthetic so well, and there are so many good lid tints and shadow sticks on the market now. A traditional lid/crease/outer corner eye shadow look can feel dated these days. I am a big fan of the Armani Eye Tints. The colors have a lot of dimension and have incredible wear time.”