I buy my beauty products almost exclusively from Sephora (with the exception of one or two drugstore-brand favorites sprinkled in). Some things I will buy regularly such as mascara and dry shampoo, but for other (read: more expensive) items I will wait to stock up until Sephora has a sale.
This post is dedicated to my favorite items to pick up from Sephora (you know, the ones that I refuse to live without), just in case you were on the hunt for something in particular or just needed a little confirmation that a product is actually worth the purchase.
SKINCARE
– Kiehl’s Calendula Deep Clean Foaming Face Wash: I use this twice a day and it really helps to control my oily skin without drying it out. Plus, the light calendula fragrance is so uplifting both in my morning shower and just before bed at night.
– La Mer Moisturizing Soft Cream: I use this product SUPER sparingly, but it’s so worth the splurge. I only ever buy the little mini pots which are honestly even more perfect for me because I insist on bringing one with me when I travel. While the original Crème de la Mer is extremely moisturizing, I find that my skin doesn’t quite need that level of hydration intensity; the Soft Cream is the perfect balance for my skin’s all over moisture as well as for spot-treatments (ugh, combination skin probs). I promise that you’ll get your money’s worth… a little goes a long way and this product definitely delivers on its promise!
– SK-II Facial Treatment Masks: I tried the SK-II Hydrating Essence system, but found that the most effective step (for my skin) was actually the masks! They’re definitely another splurge, but honestly so worth it. I love using them during a flight (terrifying everyone around me) or when traveling to dry climates. The instructions say that they’re only good for one use, but sometimes I can stretch them to a second use if I carefully refold the mask and put it back into the original pouch where there is some remaining excess Pitera solution, and then seal the pouch within a Ziploc bag to keep it airtight. I don’t recommend doing this often as the masks are only designed for single-use, but I’ll reuse them every once in a while when I need back-to-back hydration blasts (think winter weather).
BEAUTY
– Fresh Sugar Lipstick in “Petal”: Not only does this product have great moisturizing power, but it’s got SPF 15 in it! It gives a sheer hint of color, so it’s basically the ultimate summer lippy.
– Fenty Gloss Bomb in either “FU$$Y” or “GLOW”: My husband HATES when I wear “sticky stuff” on my lips, but sometimes you just need a gloss! These gorgeous universal colors by Rhianna are absolutely stunning giving just the right smooth, glossy feel without being ultra sticky.
– Dr. Brandt Pores-No-More Primer: My friend Chase turned me onto this product and I’ll never go back! It smoothes onto skin so well and transforms the surface to the most delicious satin-feel. It’s lightly tinted and some days it’s all I wear on my face to just even out my skin tone. LOVELOVELOVE.
– bareMinerals BARESKIN Concealer in “Light”: I use this religiously on any major discolorations such as blemishes and/or under eye circles. It’s the perfect medium concealer in my opinion; not so opaque that it looks like paint on your face, but effective at disguising any unfavorable skin tinting.
– Bobbi Brown Eye-Opening Mascara: My eyelashes are surprisingly long, but the tips are blonde (weird…) so without mascara they look abnormally short. I adore this mascara because it gives my lashes definition and length that looks super natural (which is the look I’m always trying to achieve).
– Bobbi Brown bronzer in “Golden Light”: I always shied away from bronzer because in my mind it was associated with extreme looks that didn’t exactly mesh well with my desire for a more natural appearance. Then I had my makeup done for an event and the artist used bronzer on me in the most subtle way and I LOVED the slightly sunkissed effect it had. Needless to say, I bought bronzer that same day and immediately incorporated it into my daily beauty regimen. The Golden Light color is just the right tone to define certain parts of my face on my naturally fair skin, but it somehow still works when I use a bit of self-tanner too!
– Bobbi Brown Luxe Lipstick in “Neutral Rose”: When I need a little bit more color to my lips than just a sheer tint, I turn to my Bobbi Brown Luxe Lipsticks. The formula makes it glide on so smoothly and it won’t dry out your lips! My absolute favorite every day color is the classic “Neutral Rose”, but I also have “Bahama Brown” which is a pinky brown that I like to use in the winter months, and a bold blue-red called “Retro-Red”.
– NARS blush in “Orgasm”: I like to have a hint of flush to my cheeks and I feel like blush makes everyone look a little bit healthier. There’s a reason why this brand (and specifically the color) have a cult following… it’s the perfect balance of pink and peach and works well for so many skin tones! I love to do a light swipe of it on my cheekbones to give my complexion a rosy glow.
– Urban Decay Naked2 Basics Eyeshadow Palette: As I’ve mentioned, I tend to prefer a more natural look even when creating a bit more drama so this palette is perfect for me! It’s a collection of “basic” neutrals to create a subtle, smoky look that I love. It’s also compact enough to live in my everyday makeup bag.
– Urban Decay Priming/Setting Sprays: Both of these mists can be purchased individually, but the set is a great deal and they’re awesome travel sizes! These are great for every day use, but I’ve also had amazing success using them to keep my makeup in place during outdoor events (even in the heat and humidity of The South!). Highly recommend.
HAIR
– Living Proof Dry Shampoo: This product smells great and actually CLEANS your hair with a very minimal residue feeling. I try not to wash my hair every day and on those “skip days” this dry shampoo really helps to give my roots a refresh, especially since my scalp tends to be a bit oily.
– Living Proof Full Dry Volume Blast: This is a new discovery for me and I LOVE it. While my wavy hair has a decent amount of body, each strand is pretty fine so second- and third-day hair can often be a bit limp. With a few spritzes of this volumizing spray, my hair is back to its freshly-washed appearance. It has the hold of a traditional hair spray, but boosts tresses rather than keeping them in place.
– Ouai Wave Spray: Perfect for air-drying hair days during summer (or otherwise), I swear by this texturizing spray. I mist it all over my hair and gently “scrunch” it while it’s still damp after towel-drying… you could just leave it like that and head out the door, but I personally always end up blasting my roots with a hairdryer for a minute or two (otherwise it dries super weirdly – lol).
– Olaplex Hair Perfector No.3: I love this product so much that I did an entire featured post on it that you can read here. I do a fair amount of heat damage to my hair on the regular, so in order to revive it I swear by using Olaplex. I was surprised to notice a major difference in the texture of my hair even after the first application! It’s seriously magic – I can’t believe that I’m only just now hearing about it! 100% worth the purchase.
– Olaplex Bond Smoother Reparative Styling Creme No.6: I was reluctant to believe that I would love any product as much as I love the Olaplex No.3, but this the No.6 formula is awesome for the days that I wear my hair straight – it seriously makes it feel like silk. I use a little bit on my damp, towel-dried hair after a shower before blowing it dry (it actually helps to cut down on drying time too!) while using a round brush… I barely need to use a straightening iron afterward!
I’ll stay on top of this list and update it as I try new products. What have you been loving at Sephora lately?
xx, Natalie
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