As the nights draw in, I've pledged to make more of an effort to romanticise my autumn evening routine this year. A new season is a great opportunity to give your routine a reset, so I'm welcoming in autumn by bringing the cosiest vibe to my evenings. Naturally, autumn is a time of the year when leaves change their colours, earlier sunsets send the skies ablaze with colour, and we, too, experience a shift.
We feel the natural pull to slow down, spend time indoors and swap to restoring rituals. And is there anything better than hunkering down, lighting candles and spending a free evening watching Gilmore Girls? As a beauty editor who enjoys making autumn her whole personality (yes, that includes autumn perfumes, autumn hair trends and autumn nail trends), I think not.
I delight in the idea of cocooning under blankets, relish in spending a little extra time on my skincare routine in the evenings and soaking in a hot, steamy bath before climbing into bed. In my mind, there is no better way to spend a free evening, all while embracing the sentiment of the season.
If you want to elevate your autumn evening routine, look no further. I've created the perfect autumn evening itinerary to help you relax, restore and unwind, alongside the best products I love to enhance your skin, body, mind and wellbeing.
The Best Evening Beauty Routine for Autumn
1. Scent Your Space
First things first, we're setting the tone with scent. As soon as you arrive home or close your laptop for the day, it's time to change into something cosy and mark the start of the evening with a candle. Preferably, an autumnal-coded one to help enhance the cosy vibes. Think warming, enveloping scents like amber, wood or vanilla.
Striking a match to light your candle can become a ritual to signal to your mind and body to switch off, and filling your home with scent can help to unwind from the day and provide gentle, flickering light that perfectly accompanies a nostalgic autumnal film or show. May I suggest Gilmore Girls, You've Got Mail or even a Twilight re-watch? If you've been saving your luxury candle, this is the time to light it.
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All of Diptyque's candles are elite. But to me, Diptyque's Ambre candle is the most autumn-coded. From the amber glass vessel to the enveloping, glowing scent within, it will bring you just as much joy both when it is lit and unlit on your coffee table.
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Beauty Pie candles are amongst some of my favourite candles, and they just so happen to be some of the more affordable candles out there. Bahia de Miel is a firm favourite as the nights draw in. It carries a slightly masculine edge with a whisper of smoke, but once lit, it softens into notes of golden honey and smooth vanilla, creating a creamy, intoxicating warmth.
Take it from me, Byredo's candles are worth the splurge. Bibliothèque captures the notion of old books and libraries in the chicest way—the perfect accompaniment to burn while watching a dark academia show or getting lost in the pages of your book.
Yes, this candle it truly as good as it sounds. If you want to create the warm glow of being curled up by the fireplace with a roaring, crackling fire, this is the candle to try.
2. Bathtime
Now, this step is more than just hopping in the shower. It’s an unhurried pause, and a way to wash away the day and re-emerge softened and restored. Whether you prefer an evening shower or are loyal to a nightly bath, this is your chance to turn your bathroom into a sanctuary where time slows down.
This is the time to reach for your favourite aromatherapy oils, body washes, body creams and body oils to not just leave your skin feeling softened, but to relieve the tension you've carried throughout the day. As you emerge from the steam, wrap yourself in your fluffiest towel or robe, carrying that sense of comfort into the rest of your evening.
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I treat myself to a bottle of this aromatherapy oil every year. You can pour it into a bath, or apply directly onto your skin just before stepping into the shower, and it transports you to spa levels of tranquility. The relaxing scent helps to ease away tension and stress, leaving you feeling deeply relaxed for bedtime.
For autumn, I like to switch from body washes to shower oils to give a little more nourishment to my skin. This is my all-time favourite—the silky oil transforms into a skin-softening, milky texture that smells delightfully of almonds.
Similarly, I enjoy using richer body creams in my post-shower routine. Naturium's Multi-Oil Body Butter has a rich texture that melts into a silky slip on the skin, leaving your limbs glowing and your skin impossibly soft.
We're told not to wallow in bed, but this brand practically invites you to linger as long as you like with its cocooning body oil. With the scent of grounding patchouli and geranium, it will help you prepare for bed while looking exceptionally chic in your bathroom.
3. Skincare
Much like how we're approaching our bodycare routine, we're also carving out time for our skincare routine. I love to take my cleanser or cleansing balm and really massage it into the skin. Removing makeup can feel like a chore, but taking an extra minute or two to massage your skin makes it feel more sensorial, and a way to relieve tension in your face (fellow jaw clenchers, I see you). Alongside my nightly skincare routine, I like to add on a few steps that can be done from the comfort of my bed—think a sheet mask, an LED mask and a lip mask to enhance my usual routine of cleanser, serum and moisturiser.
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As cleansing balms go, there's nothing that compares to the Pro Collagen Cleansing Balm—it's one of the best Elemis products. For autumn, may I suggest the black cherry cleansing balm, which not only effortlessly melts away the day but also adds a sensorial and autumnal scent to your makeup removal.
I've been using LED masks for a few years now and can see the visible difference they make to my skin (evidenced here in my Currentbody LED Mask review). However, there's also something incredibly relaxing in bathing in the warmth of LED light prior to bed—I love it as a way to wind down pre-bed.
I love using a sheet mask before bed—my skin always thanks me come morning. Yes, it's an indulgence, but an Augustinus Bader sheet mask just feels a little more special than others—and a great way to try the luxury skincare brand without spending hundreds.
Come autumn, sometimes a lip balm isn't enough to shield from the elements. Which is why I love to use a lip mask in the evening to bestow extra moisture upon my lips, and Laneige's iconic one has a permanent spot on my bedside table. There are often seasonal scents and flavours, but the Vanilla is delightful.
4. Bedtime
A good day starts with a good night’s sleep the night before, and your pre-bedtime routine can make all the difference in the quality of your sleep. Rather than doomscrolling, pick up the book you've been meaning to read and mist your pillowcase with a sleep mist to help encourage a restful night's sleep. Alternatively, some gentle stretching is a great way to unwind (and yes, you can also do that from the comfort of your bed—there's no need to roll out a yoga mat).
Lastly, I'd highly recommend switching out your iPhone alarm for a physical alarm clock and leaving your phone out of reach and on Do Not Disturb mode. Since switching to a sunrise alarm clock, I sleep better and I'm woken up to gentle light, rather than the shrill alarm of my phone. It makes all the difference in regulating my circadian rhythm and helps me rise during the darker mornings.
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As someone who was a serial snoozer, this sunrise alarm clock is a total game-changer. It not only gently wakes you up with a gradually increasing light that mimics a sunrise, but there's also a sunset setting that works in reverse, gently dimming into atmospheric light to help you wind down once you're in bed. I'd highly recommend it.
As a beauty editor, I've tried several pillow mists, but this is by far the very best of them all. I spritz it on my pillow just before turning off the lights, and the lavender scent is the perfect scented precursor to a good night's sleep. It's almost trained my brain to fall asleep—often, I can only make it through a few pages of my book before my eyes become heavy.
This padded eye mask is a luxury, but I promise you, you won't be disappointed. It's plushly cushioned and made of silk, which feels like a hug for your skin. Unlike other sleep masks I've tried, it has a much larger surface area than flimsier eye masks, so it blocks out all light so you can enjoy a peaceful night's sleep.
A lot of supplements can be expensive, but these affordable ones have become a welcome addition to my routine. Magnesium plays a role in various functions in the body, including reducing muscle aches and pains and enhancing your sleep, making it a great way to supercharge your snooze and wake feeling better rested.
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