How to Get the Meg Ryan Fall Look

There are a lot of wonderful things about fall, from the fashion to the food, but chief among them is the fact that it’s Meg Ryan’s season of reign. The second we see a leaf fall, we’re cuddling up to watch You’ve Got Mail and dressing like both Harry (you know the sweater) and Sally in When Harry Met Sally. TikTok got on board this year dubbing this season “Meg Ryan fall,” but to us, every fall is her season—we’re just glad others are taking notice.

“The Meg Ryan fall look really is about stripping back a lot of makeup layers and simplifying our look with bold moments,” says professional makeup artist Michael Byron Shepherd. “It’s about being soft, yet confident, a lot like Meg Ryan’s characters.” Professional makeup artist Nicole Emano calls it the perfect look for when you want something soft, natural, effortless, chic and minimal.

Featured experts

• Michael Byron Shepherd is a professional makeup artist
• Nicole Emano is a professional makeup artist
• Natalie Dresher is a professional makeup artist
• Sarah Potempa is a celebrity hairstylist and the founder of The Beachwaver Co.

How to get the Meg Ryan fall makeup look

Go matte

“To achieve the Meg Ryan fall makeup look, we have to start by taking away the glowiness of summer and begin with a matte, clean canvas,” says Shepherd.

Don’t forget the blush

We need the perfect subtle flush of color on the cheeks to look like you’ve been walking around New York City in the crisp fall air. Emano recommends a fresh berry-toned blush.

Stick to neutrals for eyes and lips

Meg Ryan fall is all about the eyes and the lips, says Shepherd, and the “General rule for fall is to keep it all warm.” So “grab your chocolate browns and maroons. For lips, let’s save the reds for winter and New Year’s, and now pull out our taupe, wine and brown lip colors.” 

Wear black liner

“When I think of Meg Ryan, I think of effortless eyes, wine-stained lips, a smudged pencil liner,” says professional makeup artist Natalie Dresher. Emano recommends a soft smudged matte black liner to complete the look.

How to get Meg Ryan fall hair

Celebrity Hairstylist and The Beachwaver Co. Founder Sarah Potempa says Ryan’s look in You’ve Got Mail is the perfect reset for your hair with “a dramatic cut bringing the hair up above the chin removing any damage for a fresh new look.” The key is removing any dead ends and damage, adding texture to the ends and voluminous layers throughout, with a soft face framing, says Potempa. Ryan’s look in When Harry Met Sally is fluffier, fuller and longer. Her soft, voluminous hair tousled with a perfect blowout.

Products to help you get the Meg Ryan fall look

1 / 10

Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon ($29)

Dresher recommends this eyeshadow stick to get the look. For a light or medium skin tone, she suggests the shade Champagne Diamonds and Golden Quartz for a deeper skin tone. ”The goal is to make the eyes look like they have a cool-toned color on them but not too much and not too dark,” she says.

• BUY ON REVOLVE – $29
• BUY ON NORDSTROM – $29

2 / 10

One/Size Turn Up The Base Full Beat Liquid Foundation ($44)

As Shepherd suggested, we’re leaving the glowy tinted moisturizers behind and opting for matte foundation. He recommends this formula to keep your canvas clean.

• BUY NOW – $44

3 / 10

Lawless Forget The Filler Balm in Sugar Plum ($26)

Dresher suggests pairing a tinted balm, like this warm berry shade, for a wine-kissed look. Pro tip: “If you want a more defined look, you can take a lip liner that is close to your lip color to create a structured border prior to applying the balm.”

• BUY ON LAWLESS – $26
• BUY ON SEPHORA – $26

4 / 10

Kosas Blush is Life in Butterflies ($29)

Emano recommends this cool baby pink blush that gives the perfect cold-air flush to cheeks.

• BUY ON KOSAS – $29
• BUY ON NORDSTROM – $29

5 / 10

Patrick Ta Major Dimensions 3 Palette ($70)

Shepherd loves this palette because of its duality, offering both cool and warm-toned shadows.

• BUY ON PATRICK TA – $70
• BUY ON SEPHORA – $70

6 / 10

Beachwaver Second Chance Dry Shampoo ($28)

“When choosing products for this look, we want to focus on volume and shine,” says Potempa. A dry shampoo “will help absorb oils and add grittiness to the hair to add body and volume.”

• BUY NOW – $28

7 / 10

Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Color in Lilac ($33)

Emano says this blue-toned pink rose shade is a great way to get the Meg Ryan lived-in pink lip look.

• BUY ON NORDSTROM – $33
• BUY ON SEPHORA – $33

8 / 10

Beautyblender ($20)

To nail this aesthetic, Dresher recommends applying foundation or face makeup with a Beautyblender to get a sheered-out complexion and skin-like finish.

• BUY NOW – $20

9 / 10

NARS Powermatte Long Lasting Lipsticks ($34)

Shepherd predicts these lipsticks from NARS will be your bestie this fall since they keep lips hydrated underneath all that color and leave them feeling kissably soft.

• BUY ON NARS – $34
• BUY ON NORDSTROM – $34

10 / 10

Beachwaver Shine Squad Shine Spray ($28)

“Many volumizing products will give a mattifying effect to the hair, which is not what Meg Ryan’s hair is giving. Her hair is so shiny and healthy looking, so we would want to add a glossy topcoat to the hair,” says Potempa. “This will not only add shine but will also strengthen the hair as you style using an active ingredient that repairs the bonds of your hair from the inside out.”

• BUY ON BEACHWAVER – $28
• BUY ON AMAZON – $28