It’s finally autumn, the season when we can wear more than tinted sunscreen without sweating it off before 10am.
After recommending the best skincare for ageing skin, trying over a dozen lip balms and adding new beauty products to our own personal regimens, we have accumulated a list of the ones worthy of your dollar.
If you’re refreshing your routine for fall, we found 10 deals as part of Nordstrom’s autumn beauty sale on items we have tested and love – from Korean skincare to multitasking makeup.
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Mediheal PDRN Lifting Serum
Mediheal PDRN Lifting Serum none-selected
After receiving a skin analysis on a recent trip to Korea, Karen Yuan, Filter commissioning editor, discovered Mediheal’s PDRN Lifting Serum, which a consultant at the clinic recommended for refining her pores. “I’ve found it absorbs quickly, isn’t sticky and leaves my skin looking brighter,” she said.
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Estee Lauder Night Repair Serum
Estee Lauder Night Repair Serum none-selected
In Filter contributor Tobey Grumet Segal’s guide to the best skincare for people over 50, she recommended this serum: “I slather it on as the last part of my nighttime regimen. It’s thick, and it feels luxurious on my face, so though I can’t clock daily changes, I always wake up feeling smooth and refreshed.” While it was also part of Nordstrom’s recent anniversary sale, we think it’s worth grabbing if you forgot to add it to your cart then.
Read more: I started using these 13 skincare products after 50, and they really work
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Nars Radiant Longwear Foundation
Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation none-selected
This foundation is loved by Bri Giscombe, a beauty content creator, who recommended it in last year’s beauty holiday gift guide. “This foundation is my jam! The shade range is soooo good, especially for Black and brown girlies, and the finish is full coverage but looks like my natural skin,” she said.
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Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sunkissed Glow Bronzer
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sunkissed Glow Bronzer none-selected
Another recommendation by Grumet Segal was this bronzer, which she shared in her roundup of the best makeup for people over 50. While she says she uses this in summer, its natural finish makes it a solid option for anyone not ready to give up their summer glow.
Read more: The 12 makeup products I swear by after turning 50, from hydrating lip gloss to the perfect mirror
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VT Cosmetics Reedle Shot 300
VT Cosmetics Reedle Shot 300 none-selected
“As the first step in your skincare routine, its tiny micro-needles create pathways in the skin for everything you apply afterward to absorb deeper. (The needles are made from silica, so there’s a slight tingling on application, but it doesn’t hurt),” writes Yuan of the product her mom swears by for smoother skin in her 60s.
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Nars The Multiple Cream
Nars The Multiple Cream none-selected
Yet another recommendation from Grumet Segal is this multitasking cream stick: “I tried a bunch of cream and liquid blushes, but I just can’t quit The Multiple. Velvety smooth and lightweight, I swipe it over my cheekbones – though like the Miracle Balm, it can also work on eyelids and lips.”
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Prada Moisturizing Lip Balm
Prada Moisturizing Lip Balm none-selected
“Much too expensive, but the best of the ones that I tried – by far,” said one reviewer in our test of the best lip balms on the market. If you’re intrigued to see how this luxury option stacks up to your Aquaphor, it’s now $43, as part of Nordstrom’s sale.
Read more: The best lip balms in the US for 2026
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Shiseido Eyelash Curler
Shiseido Eyelash Curler none-selected
There’s perhaps no eyelash curler with as much hype swirling around it as Shiseido’s, which tops many beauty rankings. For years, I refused to spend over $20 on this simple beauty tool when my $5 drugstore ones sufficed. After mine broke, I caved and bought this model. And I’m here to report that it’s worth the splurge. While I do still find that the curl falls throughout the day, it still lifts my lashes better than any model I’ve tried.
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Ilia The Base Face Milk Essence
Ilia The Base Face Milk Essence none-selected
From Rhode to Byoma, milky toners have taken over the skincare world. “The idea is to apply straight after cleansing, to slightly damp skin, before the serum step, to increase hydration and comfort, and impart that glassy look popularised by Korean skincare (from where, it can fairly be said, milky toners first came),” writes Sali Hughes, Guardian beauty columnist.
I’ve savored every last drop of mine from clean beauty brand Ilia. It leaves my skin feeling both soothed and hydrated, which makes it perfect to apply after long travel days.
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Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara
Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara none-selected
I hate the feeling of heavy mascara. After I discovered this one from Ilia in college, I never looked back. Since I’m not genetically blessed with long, curled lashes, I rely on this mascara for lengthening. It also adds a bit of volume without looking clumpy or spidery. I always purchase the cheaper travel size, which lasts me about three months without drying out.
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Other pieces you might enjoy from the Filter, the Guardian’s guide to buying fewer, better things:
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Five of the best Korean skincare brands you can actually find in the US
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I started using these 13 skincare products after 50, and they really work
