By Jenn Harper, Founder & CEO of Cheekbone Beauty
I don't LOVE fall but I LOVE makeup.
There is something about September in Canada that makes me immediately want to change everything. The sweaters come back out, the mornings get cooler, the leaves start changing, and suddenly the bright, easy makeup I wore all summer feels like it needs a little more depth.
And for me, the easiest place to start is always the lips.
This fall, we created a new Cheekbone Beauty lip pencil that I have been waiting to share: Sumac.
Sumac is that rich, beautiful burgundy-berry shade that instantly makes a makeup look feel like fall. It has depth, but it is still incredibly wearable. You can use it just around the lip line for definition, blend it inward for a softer look, or fill in the entire lip when you want that gorgeous, deeper fall colour.
And this is exactly why I love lip pencils so much.
Why Lip Pencil Has Become One of My Favourite Makeup Products
As I've gotten older, I've become much more interested in makeup that does something rather than makeup that simply adds more product to my face.
Lip pencil is one of those products.
Our lips naturally lose some definition as we age. A great pencil lets you bring that definition back, shape the lip, create symmetry and add colour without needing a complicated routine.
You also don't need to think about lip pencil as something that has to be perfectly drawn around the perimeter of your lips. I actually love using Sumac almost like an all-over lip colour. Line first, then lightly fill the pencil inward and blend, never hit the corners.
From there, you can completely change the look depending on what you put over it.
That is where the fall lip wardrobe begins.
LOOK ONE: Sumac + Berry
This might be the quintessential Cheekbone fall lip.
We created our Autumn Berry Lip Duo by pairing Sumac with our Berry Lip Balm. Start with Sumac to define the lips or fill them in for more colour, then add Berry over top.
The balm softens the intensity of the pencil while adding hydration and another beautiful layer of berry colour.
The result is effortless. Rich berry, but not overly done. Polished, but still easy enough to wear with jeans and a sweater on a Tuesday.
This is the combination for the person who wants to start wearing deeper fall colour but isn't quite ready for a full dramatic lipstick.
LOOK TWO: Sumac + Saskatoon Honey
Now we get a little glossier.
Our Harvest Honey Lip Duo pairs Sumac with Harmony Lip Gloss in Saskatoon Honey.
I LOVE this combination because it shows just how versatile a darker lip pencil can be.
You have the depth and definition of Sumac underneath, and then Saskatoon Honey adds that juicy, glossy finish over top. The gloss catches the light and gives the lip dimension, while Sumac keeps everything defined.
It feels rich, warm and very fall without feeling heavy.
This is the lip I want with glowing skin, a little bronzer, mascara and basically nothing else.
LOOK THREE: The Full Berry Lip
If you are ready to really embrace berry season, go all in.
One of my favourite things about fall is bringing back those blackberry, wine and deep berry shades that feel so natural this time of year.
Our Berry Lip Kit plays in exactly that world with Crush Lip Pencil, Sustain Lipstick in Onhwéntsia and Harmony Lip Gloss in Wild Plum.
You can build this look depending on how much colour you want. Pencil and lipstick gives you a beautiful polished berry lip. Add gloss and suddenly you have even more dimension.
Fall makeup does not have to mean brown everything. Berries, wines, burgundies and deep fruit tones can be incredibly flattering, especially when the rest of the face is kept fresh.
LOOK FOUR: Let Sumac Be the Lip
And then there are days when I don't want a combination at all.
Fill your lips completely with Sumac.
That's it.
A great lip pencil can absolutely be the entire lip look. I love this with natural skin, a little Unify where you need it, blush or bronzer, Moondust, mascara and a strong burgundy lip.
Simple makeup with one intentional colour moment will forever be one of my favourite ways to do beauty.
Don't Be Afraid of Deeper Lip Colour
This is probably the biggest thing I want women to take away from our fall lip collection.
Please don't decide you are "too old" for a certain colour.
I'm 50. I'm not interested in disappearing into beige because somebody somewhere decided women should become less colourful as we age.
No thank you.
What I am interested in is learning how to wear colour differently.
Maybe instead of the super-matte lipstick you wore years ago, you use Sumac for definition and add a hydrating Lip Oil like Connect. Maybe you pair a deeper pencil with gloss. Maybe you fill in the entire lip when you want something bold and use just a tiny amount the next day.
Makeup should change with us. It doesn't have to disappear.
Welcome to Fall at Cheekbone
Sumac feels like the beginning of a new season for us.
It's rich, wearable and incredibly easy to make your own. Wear it alone. Pair it with Berry for our Autumn Berry Lip Duo. Add Saskatoon Honey for our Harvest Honey Lip Duo. Or start experimenting with the lip products you already have and see how Sumac transforms them.
That is the fun of makeup.
One pencil. Completely different looks.
And if you're wondering what I'll be wearing this fall, there is going to be a LOT of Sumac involved.
Jenn