Quick answer: In this longer sit-down, Nikol walks through her full fall beauty routine in three parts: a gentle, enzyme-based skincare ritual for mature skin, an easy neutral makeup look built around the matte Strong Brew eyeshadow palette, and a timeless fall style edit centered on suede, camel, and burgundy. The theme throughout is simple and classic over trendy — invest in pieces you will reach for year after year.
Key takeaways
- Mature skin does better with gentle exfoliation — Nikol leans on a powdered enzyme cleanser instead of harsh scrubs.
- The Strong Brew palette creates a soft, matte, monochromatic eye that works for day and builds into evening.
- A bright cheek is the focal point of the look, so warm blush and bronzer do the heavy lifting.
- Fall 2024's texture story is suede, camel, and burgundy — think a cropped suede jacket, a wool cape, and rich top-handle bags.
- Shop your own closet first and do regular edits; timeless investment pieces beat chasing every trend.
Hey ladies — grab a coffee, because this is one of Nikol's longer, cozier videos. It moves through skincare, a quick classic makeup look, and a fun fall styling session, all with the same message: keep it gentle, keep it simple, and keep it timeless.
What's in Nikol's gentle fall skincare routine?
Nikol's skin has taught her to go gentler as she ages, so this routine is all about kind, effective steps rather than aggressive scrubbing. She works through it in order:
- Start with a powdered enzyme cleanser (hers is from Auteur) — tip a little into your palm, add a few drops of water to make a paste, and massage it in for a soft, non-stripping cleanse.
- Remove everything with a soft, biodegradable disposable washcloth (she uses Clean Club) to keep makeup off your good towels.
- Exfoliate two to three times a week with gentle exfoliating pads (hers are from Wyse Beauty), taking them down onto the neck too.
- Follow with a vitamin C serum for brightness and antioxidant support.
- Treat the eyes with a rich eye serum and cream (she reaches for Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv), then a nourishing soft cream all over.
- Gently exfoliate lips with a lip polish (hers is La Mer) and follow with a hydrating rose lip balm — flaky lips show up fast under lipstick as skin matures.
- Finish with sun protection: a sheer mineral SPF 50 stick (Bloom Effects Tulip Dual Shield & Glow) that goes on without a heavy white cast.
She also touches on little extras — an LMNT electrolyte drink in the morning, an Olive & June cuticle serum she keeps in her purse, and Frownies facial patches she has used for nearly two years in place of Botox. A few of the third-party products have discount codes, which she shares in the video's description. As always with skincare, patch-test anything new and check with a professional for specific concerns.
How does the simple Strong Brew eye look come together?
This is a quick, classic, almost monochromatic look — Nikol wanted minimal cleanup and maximum wearability. She chose the matte, neutral Strong Brew palette over a shimmier option specifically because it has less fallout. Here's the order she follows:
- Neutralize the lids first with an eye primer — Nikol's biggest tip for mature eyes, because it makes every shade sit more beautifully.
- Sweep the mid-tone Strong Brew shade all over the lid, press the deepest shade softly into the crease with a tapered brush, then place the lightest shade up top; blend with a clean smudge brush to soften.
- Curl the lashes, then line the base of the lashes with a waterproof dark chocolate eyeliner, winging it up just slightly for lift.
- Coat lashes with Volume Up mascara, and comb a milk chocolate brow mascara through the brows (Nikol uses it to blend in a few grays).
- For skin: tap a peach color corrector (Just Peachy) under the eyes, work in concealer with a precise dome wand and angled brush, then buff on BB Cream in Light for light, semi-matte coverage.
- Add warmth and glow with the Classic Beach Glow face palette (cream blush, bronzer, and highlighter in one) plus the shea-butter Creme Brulee hybrid bronzer.
- Prime any textured areas with the Fiercely Smooth face primer, then finish lips with the natural Silk waterproof lip liner, Figure It Out lipstick, and Good Vibes gloss on top.
The name behind Figure It Out is a little story Nikol shares: it comes from her husband's go-to phrase, and it became her message to women who feel stuck — take the power today and figure it out for yourself. If a neutral lip feels too bare, she says to simply build up that rosy blush so the cheek becomes the focal point.
What are the must-have fall 2024 style pieces?
Nikol read a "five things to invest in for fall" article and used it as a jumping-off point — agreeing with some ideas and gently pushing back on others. Her edit is built on texture and rich, wearable color:
- Suede jacket: a new cropped suede jacket with gold buttons from Talbots, plus a tip to "shop your closet" for anything with a similar soft, suede-like texture (she pulls out an older Escada piece as an example).
- Suede bag: her first Giorgio Armani purchase — a chocolate suede bag with magnetic closures and a removable strap for shoulder or cross-body wear.
- A cape: a camel wool cape from Alice Walk, a brand she loves for featuring mature women; it's light, hands-free, transitional, and has cozy interior pockets.
- An iconic top-handle bag: a glossy chocolate Ferragamo top-handle bag she chose over a cobalt version because the neutral will carry season after season.
- Burgundy (oxblood): a Gucci V-neck cashmere sweater found on consignment, plus a vintage burgundy Cartier bag — proof the color can come secondhand.
- A classic moto jacket: Nikol disagrees that moto is "out" — she styles a soft Ferragamo moto and a belted navy Veronica Beard version, both bought secondhand.
Her styling philosophy ties it all together: don't blindly follow trend lists, shop your own wardrobe first, do regular hard edits (try everything on and photograph it), and invest in timeless pieces you'll wear for years. She mentions she'll link affordable secondhand options in the video's description.
The bottom line
This is classic Nikol: gentle, considered beauty and timeless style for mature women, with an encouraging "figure it out" spirit throughout. Nothing here is about chasing trends — it's about feeling good in what genuinely works for you. Ready to recreate the soft, matte eye or shop the shades she loves? Explore the eyeshadow palettes, browse lip colors and glosses, and find your everyday base in the face collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Strong Brew eyeshadow palette?
Strong Brew is Nikol Beauty's neutral, matte eyeshadow palette. In this video she uses it for an easy daytime eye — a mid-tone all over the lid, the deepest shade softly in the crease, and the lightest shade on top. Because it's matte with minimal fallout, it's quick to apply and easy to build into an evening look.
Why does Nikol prefer an enzyme cleanser for mature skin?
Enzyme cleansers exfoliate by gently dissolving dead surface cells rather than scrubbing, so they tend to suit thinner, more reactive mature skin. Nikol has found she needs gentler products as she ages, so she reaches for a powdered enzyme cleanser instead of harsher physical exfoliants. Always patch-test new products and consult a professional for specific concerns.
What makeup does Nikol use for this simple fall look?
She primes and neutralizes the lids with an eye primer, sweeps on the Strong Brew palette, lines with a waterproof dark chocolate liner, and adds Volume Up mascara. Skin gets a peach color corrector, concealer, and BB Cream in Light, plus the Classic Beach Glow face palette and Creme Brulee bronzer. Lips wear the Silk liner, Figure It Out lipstick, and Good Vibes gloss.
What are the must-have fall 2024 pieces Nikol recommends?
Her fall edit leans on texture and rich color: a cropped suede jacket, a suede shoulder bag, a camel wool cape, an iconic chocolate top-handle bag, and a burgundy cashmere sweater. She frames these as timeless investment pieces — and a classic moto jacket — rather than fleeting trends you'll tire of after one season.
Does Nikol think you should follow every fall trend?
No. Her core message is to shop your own closet first, do regular closet edits, and invest in timeless pieces you'll wear for years rather than chasing whatever a trend list calls "in" or "out." She even keeps her "out" moto jackets because, to her, a good moto is always classic.
