I’m Having an English Countryside Fall—20 Beauty Finds That Whisper “Escape to the Cotswolds”

For as long as I can remember, the arrival of fall has been marked by the blackberry harvest. I grew up munching on them during my early childhood years, and I still like to treat myself to the juicy, tart treat to mark the coming of the season. I love this Jo Malone London scent because it layers savory notes of the berry with fresh bay leaf against a base of cedarwood as an ode to childhood memories of blackberry picking in an autumnal wood. I like to pair this one with the brand’s English Oak & Hazelnut Cologne for a fresh and woodsy touch that reminds me of Jill Barklem’s Brambly Hedge.

Historically, I haven’t been the biggest fan of gourmand fragrances. Many of them read too youthful, sugary, and bright for my liking, but for some reason, I’m always tempted to give them another try when fall rolls around. When I discovered Régime des Fleurs’ green take on the traditional scent profile, I was in love. Described by the brand as “vanilla all grown-up,” it offers a layered, complicated version of vanilla that’s delightfully earthy. Yes, there is vanilla, but its warmth is offset by spicy coriander, hazelnut, and woody vetiver. The result is a complex, alluring fragrance that I can imagine wearing year-round, but it’s especially nice in the fall.

A little-known fact about me is that before I dove into the world of fashion and beauty, I spent the first years of adulthood in the company of literary greats through their masterful words in the books I gorged myself on whenever I got the chance. Even though it’s been a while since I spent most of my time in the classroom, I remember how excited I was in September when a new school year kicked off with books I had never read. Bibliothèque by Byredo brings me right back to the hallowed halls of academic institutions and libraries with an enchanting mix of plum, cinnamon, leather accord, violet, and more.

I’ve struggled to find a fragrance that strikes the balance between powdery, fresh florals and sharp, cool spices as Le Labo has with its Baie Rose 26 Eau de Parfum. By blending pink pepper with clove, cedar, rose absolute, and musks, this is my idea of a multifaceted scent that can take its wearer from the sticky, sweet summer months to the coolness of fall. Its star note is pink pepper (baie rose in French), which exudes elegance and warmth against a cool base of spices. It’s truly the answer to all my prayers for an elevated spicy floral perfume that hasn’t been done before.

Finding a true, chestnut lip color hasn’t been without its challenges, but I’ve just found a color that looks natural on my melanated lips while adding a brown-red tint. This glossy lip balm by Hourglass has been in my makeup kit for a while in a few other shades, but I’ve kept coming back to Rouse since I discovered it over the summer. Its purple base helps separate it from other chestnut-like shades, but I’m also a huge fan of the hydration and high-shine finish it gives my lips. The hero ingredient? Hourglass’s Conditioning Complex that leaves the lips soft and smooth.

This year, I’ve been favoring cherry red, electric violet, and tangerine blush. Now, it’s time for brick red to warm things up just in time for fall. Nars just launched The Multiple: a multipurpose stick boasting vibrant, versatile shades for the lips, cheeks, and eyes, and I’m scrambling to snag it in the shade Brick Red to add a natural-looking flush to my complexion. Its unique cream-to-powder formula provides high-impact color that blurs and perfects skin with a soft-focus finish that’s hard to beat. I’m also thinking of grabbing this one in Fierce (a crimson berry shade) to enjoy this winter.

As much as I love liquid highlighters, I’ve been loving gel products like Westman Atleier’s Lit Up Highlight Stick. This one is a multitasking gel highlighter that lights up the skin, leaving behind a stunning glassy finish. Its formula firms and revitalizes the skin with ingredients like moisture-boosting vitis vita fruit extract, special-effects pigments for added radiance, and an emollient oil blend for smooth application. Plus, the Brûlée shade adds a sun-kissed, bronzed effect to my skin I can’t get enough of.

Of all the TikTok-driven fall makeup trends I’m looking forward to, ultra-blurred lips are at the top of my list to try. While I love my naturally lined lips with hyperpigmentation, I like to play up their shape even more by tracing them with lip liners a couple shades lighter than their coloring. Refy’s Lip Blur Liner is perfect for re-creating the viral blurred-lip trend because it uses a domed applicator to hug the lip line and has a creamy formula that blurs with every stroke for a diffused, soft matte finish. It’s especially satisfying to use since there’s no blurring or skipping during application.

As soon as the first cold front hits, I’m reaching for an ultra-hydrating moisturizer to help keep the moisture barrier intact and deter any dryness. This Instant Angel Moisturizer is one of my favorites for preventing dehydrated, dull skin since it supports and repairs the skin with restorative lipids, ceramides, peptides, and an advanced Moisture Complex. My skin always feels smooth and is left looking glowy and healthy seconds after application. This one is also fragrance-free, which makes it an ideal choice for sensitive skin like mine.

Last fall, I was all about botanically derived skincare, but this season, I’m drawn to formulas powered by tea. Fresh’s Black Tea Renewal Serum, for example, prevents signs of aging by visibly firming and smoothing the skin with a revitalizing blend of Mauritius black tea extract, ocean kelp extract, and niacinamide. The milky, fast-absorbing formula supports skin health and delivers bio-energizing molecules to boost skin-call renewal, leaving behind a sparkling bergamot scent. It reminds me of the English black teas I grew up with that I loved adding dried citrus to.

The last time I received a facial, I was told I needed to focus more on gentle exfoliation in my skincare routine to get rid of dry skin. Shortly after, I began using these exfoliating pads and noticed a huge difference in my complexion’s texture and tone. While this one is offered in a larger size, I’ll be snagging the travel-size (featuring seven exfoliating pads) so that I can support the health of my skin when I’m on the go. Each YSE Beauty pad is presoaked in an exfoliating blend of glycolic acid and PHAs to dissolve dead skin cells, support the skin barrier, and improve the overall appearance of the skin.

This fall, I’m planning on wearing my natural coils more frequently between protective styles and will need a leave-in scalp serum to help support the health of my strands. Nécessaire’s new Rosemary Serum has been on my list for a while, but I’m so glad I finally added it to my haircare rotation. Formulated with thinning hair in mind, this serum supports healthier-looking hair with Capixyl (a micro-dose of plant proteins), ceramides, and rosemary water, oil, and extract for denser and fuller hair long after fall has passed.

The start of the new season is the best time to start new habits. This fall, I’ll be taking special care of my hair during washday by protecting my strands and speeding up drying time with The Crown Affair’s microfiber waffle knit towel. It reduces frizz and breakage when your skin is the most vulnerable and absorbs moisture in a much gentler way than traditional terry towels. It also comes in two colors and has a patented shape with secure elastic to hold hair of all lengths and textures.

I don’t know if it’s just the name of this product or the fact that I sometimes associate it with my hair journey, but this hair mask inspires me to give my hair TLC from root to tip. One of the best pieces of advice I was given by a hairstylist is that achieving healthy tresses needs to start with acknowledging what needs to be improved. This hair mask helps repair damage caused by styling, pollution, and environmental stress with a combination of coconut cream, banana, and mango butter.

I won’t be exploring the windy British countryside this year, but I’ll be in the Pacific Northwest, where temperatures tend to take a dip in the last two weeks of October. I’ll be protecting my curls with this antibreakage styling serum, which not only hydrates parched curls by sealing in moisture but also helps replace lipids and fatty acids lost during the styling process. I’ve also used this serum for my twist-outs and love how defined my results were. There was no frizz to be found, and my hair had salon-fresh shine.

Whenever I’m slathering myself with this body lotion, my skin feels like it’s just experienced one of the most luxurious treatments. Crafted with sun-damaged and sensitive skin in mind, the Stone Crop Body Lotion promotes clear, radiant skin with skin tone–evening stonecrop, brightening lemon, and other skin-loving ingredients. It reduces unevenness, leaving the skin looking younger with a refreshing botanical scent (similar to how I’d imagine a countryside garden smelling after rainfall).

I never say no to an energy-boosting cup of chai to start my fall days, so why wouldn’t I use a bodywash that smells exactly like my favorite black tea? I came across this chai-scented bodywash by Philip B. last fall and have been stocking up on it ever since. It offers a rich, gentle lather with a cozy blend of white leaf, hydrolyzed soymilk, honey, apple extract, and shea butter that leaves my skin glowing and soft. While there is a hint of sweetness in this bodywash, it’s as warm and spicy as my favorite Masala chai.

As soon as it starts getting colder outside, I take hot bubble baths as frequently as I can. Afterward, I like to treat my skin to this body oil, which uses a fast-absorbing blend of rich Amazonian oils and antioxidants to deeply nourish the skin. It restores moisture balance and stimulates skin regeneration while boosting natural radiance. It’s also scented with palo santo and vanilla and smells like my favorite well-worn cashmere sweater makes me feel.