Fall Is Coming, and Adria Arjona's Bronzed, Windswept Beauty Vibe Will Be My Ultimate Uniform (2024)

Yes, it’s still summer, but currently, I have fall beauty on the brain. It’s hard not to crave crisper temperatures—and the fashion and beauty adjustments that come with them—when scrolling through our August cover featuring breakout star Adria Arjona swathed in layers of Miu Miu, Max Mara, and Dolce & Gabbana (the latter’s body-skimming black velvet dress being a personal favorite). In fact, Arjona’s city-tousled hair, twinkling skin, and glossy, nude-swiped lips epitomize my ultimate beauty uniform once fall begins its inevitable crescendo.

Growing up, I would pore over celeb-studded magazine spreads and analyze every last detail of the star’s hair and makeup. And while certain products might have been mentioned throughout an editorial, I was usually left to my own devices when trying to replicate the looks I loved. If you, like me, love a detailed breakdown of product IDs plus step-by-step instructions and tips, keep scrolling. Everything you want to know about Arjona’s stunning cover look is just below.

“Adria is such a natural beauty, so we wanted to keep the hair nice and classic—it’s soft and relaxed, but still super chic and cool,” explains celebrity hairstylist Jennifer Yepez. “I wanted her to be able to throw her hair around. She loves to move and show her personality, so I just wanted the hair to flow naturally.” Yepez began the styling process with her number one product when it comes to creating shiny, ultra-healthy hair: L’Oréal Paris’s 21-in-1 Multi-Benefit Perfecting Leave-In ($13). Next came a dab of serum for Arjona’s ends before Yepez started sectioning off the hair (while it was still somewhat damp) and using a medium-size round brush to smooth out the hair as she blow-dried. (Yepez swears by Dyson’s cult-loved Supersonic Hair Dryer, $429.)

After Arjona’s hair was fully dried, Yepez re-sectioned off the hair and took to the star’s strands using a large, 1.5-inch curling iron, steering clear of the ends. “When you don’t curl the ends, the result is so much more natural,” notes Yepez. “Instead, I like to curl the hair in different directions—one curl goes downward and one upward. Then, at the front, make sure that the two pieces are waved away from the face.” To keep flyaways and frizz at bay throughout a long day of shooting, Yepez relied on a lightweight hair spray. By using a formula with a little less hold, you ensure that the strands stay soft and touchable.

Now, on to the makeup. Because Arjona is blessed with naturally beautiful skin, celebrity makeup artist Misha Shahzada focused on skin prep first. “Adria has gorgeous skin and does not require much makeup, so I always start by spending a lot of time on the skin,” Shahzada confirms. Said process, she tells me, includes a milky cleanser, Westman Atelier’s Skin Activator Serum ($150), Augustinus Bader’s The Rich Cream ($300), U Beauty’s The Return Eye Concentrate ($148), and a face massage courtesy of Therabody’s TheraFace Pro Device ($399).

“We decided to keep Adria’s makeup on the natural side with warm tones and glowy skin. The goal was for everything to look and feel completely effortless,” says Shahzada. Armani Beauty’s famed Luminous Silk Foundation ($69) played MVP while the brand’s Fluid Sheer Glow Enhancer Highlight in Champagne Gold ($42) provided a subtle, light-catching glow. “I prefer not to over-powder throughout the day, as this tends to make the skin feel cakey and, over time, look dull,” Shahzada notes. “Instead, I like to use blotting papers when necessary, and I will also spritz an essence with hyaluronic acid to the face midway through the day to give the complexion a boost of hydration without feeling greasy or affecting the makeup.”

After creating her base, Shahzada used cream contour to sculpt Arjona’s eye sockets and cheekbones for natural-looking dimension. Next came a light wash of warm eye shadow on the lids and lash line for some definition, followed by mascara, and a gleaming nude lip. And because finding a flattering nude-lip combo can, at times, feel Everest-level difficult, Shahzada has some guidance. “I select nude shades based on a client’s undertone and their natural lip color,” she explains. “One nude-lip shade may look completely different on someone with naturally light lips versus someone with a medium-toned lip. For Adria, I used a tan lip liner coupled with a sheer medium-toned nude lipstick with caramel undertones.”