These 13 Cosy Autumn Beauty Buys Are So Gilmore Girls-Coded
At the strike of 1st September every year, I begin my annual re-watch of Gilmore Girls. Don't get me wrong, I adore summer. But, deep down I secretly crave the crisp air of autumn and the chance to dig out my knitwear and boots. An afternoon spent binge-watching this cosy show is my ideal way to spend my weekend hours—preferable wrapped in a blanket with an autumnal candle flickering while rain pitter-patters on the window. The series feels like it is perpetually suspended in the autumn months, and I'm so here for the aesthetic.
The Gilmore Girls Y2K style has often been dissected, but as a beauty editor, I often think about the beauty mood. What beauty products would you find in Lorelai and Rory Gilmore's bags to achieve their 'no-makeup' makeup looks? How do they get their glossy brunette hair so shiny? And what would be their signature perfume? My guess would be that Lorelai would 100% wear Maison Margiela Replica Coffee Break (£60).
As we bid farewell to summer, a number of autumn beauty launches are landing on the beauty desk, and they feel *so* Gilmore Girls coded. As we prepare for the cooler months ahead, scroll below for both the best beauty for autumn, as well as the new beauty launch staples that I think the Gilmore girls would totally approve of in 2024.
The Best Beauty Products For Autumn That Are Gilmore Girls Coded
Lorelai: "What do you need? Hot tea, coffee?" Rory: "Lip gloss." Lorelai: "Aha. I have vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and toasted marshmallow."
Clearly, the Gilmore girls enjoy their lip gloss, and I think they would be fans of the Rhode Peptide Lip Tint, specifically in the shade Espresso, which is the perfect neutral brown that suits everyone—it's the perfect autumn hue. Plus, the hydrating formula acts as the perfect shield from chilly weather as the temperature drops. Wear it alone or layer with a lip liner for more definition.
I have a feeling that Lorelai and Rory would love Glossier You. Just in time for autumn, Glossier has brought the scent into this indulgent body butter, which leaves skin buttery soft with a long-lasting scent of the brand's iconic perfume. It enhances the lasting power of the eau de parfum, but the scent is definitely noticeable in the body cream hours later when worn on its own. If you're not already familiar with the scent, its been designed to smell a little bit different on everyone., and the creamy, musky scent is a total crowd-pleaser and makes you feel so cosy when you wear it.
As I binge-watch through the seasons, I can't help but notice how glossy the Gimore's brunette hair is. Around this time of the year, many of us consider trying a new autumn hair colour, and what I love about Glaze's hair gloss is that it allows you to dip a toe into a deeper hair shade without the commitment of permanent dye. They come in several shades, but I'm tempted by the espresso shade to add cooler brunette tones to my lengths with a high-gloss finish that gradually washes out.
The Gilmores keep it pretty low-key when it comes to their makeup. At most, we see a slick of mascara, maybe a slight brick red lipstick in the evening scenes. But, one thing they always seem to wear is a blush that gives their cheeks a just-come-in-from-the-cold flush. It's barely detectable, but so pretty. Refy's Lip Blush has creamy matte finish that adds a realistic cold flush to the cheeks, and also doubles as a lip colour too. It's a great multi-use makeup essential to throw in your bag.
Lorelai's obsession with coffee is tied into her love of Luke, so I think she would be all over Maison Margiela Replica's Coffee Break fragrance. Think warm pastries and the smell of roasted coffee beans wafting through a cafe on a chilly day. It has a soft milk mousse accord, which smells as heavenly as it sounds.
The Gilmore's are often seen wearing half-up, half-down hairstyles and a claw clip is the low-maintenance way to update your hairstyle for autumn. If you haven't already, invest in a tortoiseshell design, which is both stylish and timeless as it is practical on days when you want to look put together with minimum effort.
The Gilmore Girls colour palette features lots of autumnal browns, and I think this Victoria Beckham Smoky Eye Brick is a stylish investment that the Gilmores would approve of too. These eyeshadow hues are perfect for this time of the year. The neutral, cool-toned browns are versatile enough to be worn in the daytime as they are for bolder evening looks.
Byredo's Vanille Antique is the most heavenly vanilla scent created, ever. It's golden, expensively sweet and warming on the skin. It totally makes me think of a syrupy sweet dessert that Sookie would've whipped up in the kitchen, wafting through The Dragonfly Inn. If you like gourmand perfumes, you'll love this vanilla scent combined with cocooning cashmere wood, amber and freesia.
Given Emily Gilmore's hovering influence, I think Rory's glamorous grandmother would have slipped her a bottle of Chanel's Rouge Noir nail polish to wear on occasion. It's not only one of the chicest autumn nail colours around, but this specific shade is so timeless. It's one of the best Chanel nail polish colours, hands down.
Loewe's Hazelnut candle is so autumn-coded, and comes in luxe ribbed vessel that you'll want to keep on display long after the wax has fully burned. The roasted hazelnut scent has a hint brown sugar which gives it a smooth, subtly sweet hint to the nuttiness. It's a little spicy and a little smoky, making it the perfect candle to curl up with as you batten down the hatches.
I can't not include Maison Margiela Replica by the Fireplace, because it's such a timeless and cosy autumn perfume that I reach for year after year. I originally smelt this on a friend of mine and she smelt so good, I demanded to know what it was. It so perfectly captures the cosiness of being curled by a roaring fire crackling with golden warmth. It's woody, smoky and sweet chestnut, burning wood, clove and vanilla that is guaranteed to get you several compliments.
Autumn is the time to hunker down with a cosy candle. While pumpkin spice is a traditional seasonal favourite, Bibliotheque is one of my all-time favourite autumn candles to burn. It's inspired by the scent of old books in libraries, with notes of plum, peach and vanilla, grounded with earthy patchouli and the leather of old books. Given Rory's studious nature, I'd reckon she'd love burning this candle while studying in the evenings.
Ask any beauty editor about their favourite body wash, and there is no shadow of a doubt that L'Occitane's iconic Almond Shower Oil will be mentioned. The subtle almond scent is utterly addictive, and leaves the skin silky soft and nourished after rinsing. The oil transforms into a milky texture on contact with water and fills your shower with the nutty and creamy scent of almonds. It feels even more special as a bathing treat at this time of the year.
Eleanor Vousden is the beauty editor for Who What Wear UK. She was previously deputy editor at Hairdressers Journal, health writer at Woman Home and junior beauty editor at beauty website Powder. She has also contributed to Wallpaper and Elle Collections with written and styling work.Working as a beauty journalist since 2015 after graduating in fashion journalism at the London College of Fashion, she has been highly commended at the BSME Talent Awards for her work on Powder and also contributed to the title winning Website of the Year at the PPA Awards.Eleanor’s journalistic focus is to provide readers with honest and helpful beauty content. Through words, video and live broadcast, she has interviewed several celebrity makeup artists, hairstylists and top dermatologists throughout her career, as well as celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Scarlett Johansson. She has a particular interest in finding solutions for acne and eczema, which she has experienced firsthand. She has also amassed a large collection of fragrances and can never say no to a new candle.When she’s not writing or testing Wholesale Replica Bag beauty product or treatments, she’s on the seafront in her hometown of Brighton and Hove, where she lives with her partner and her miniature dachshund.
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