I have a mini Sephora Haul to share – I ordered some things online for their Sephorathon promo that ends today 12/9. I restocked on a couple things and also bought some items I had my eye on. Use code SAVE2020 online at Sephora to save depending on tier. You can also use the code in store (ends today) – it’s a one-time use promo:
Kate Somerville Eradikate Cleanser – one of my favorites to help prevent acne. I’ve raved about this one so many ties, it’s REALLY the best one to help with acne-prone skin. I ran out (even though I had recently restocked), stopped using it and started getting a wave of breakouts. It could have been from a number of things (hormones, stress, extra sweat) but when I use this I feel like it truly helps keep my breakouts under control, especially with the mask wearing.
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Sol de Janeiro Hand Sanitizer Spray is back in stock at Sephora. It doesn’t leave a sticky film and I love how it smells just like their body cream/shower gel. I ordered a couple more because I’m obsessed. The current version has a clear bottle (original one had a tinted bottle). Makeup bag below is from The Daily Edited (large size), also reviewed here.
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Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencils have been on my radar as I used to use and love Peyote and Naked2 a lot. These have a smooth texture with a lot of great neutrals. I ordered 1993 (90’s-ish brown), Rush (rose pink), and Naked2 (nude pink). I swatched it next to Liar (deeper rose) and Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk.
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Lawless The Little One Eyeshadow Palette was on my radar and I have mixed feelings about this one. I haven’t had a chance to try it on my eyes yet since it just arrived but upon swatching it I feel like the powders have a LOT of powdery kick up. Also the colors look a little dry/chalky on the skin with my arm/hand swatches. The Anastasia Beverly Hills or Natasha Denona Palettes seem to have a much better texture and color payoff. I will keep you posted once I get a chance to try it on my face.
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Last I ordered the Too Faced Hangover Rx Pillow Talk Balm. I had this one a while ago but gifted it away (brand new) to a friend and decided to buy one for myself again. It has a cushiony feel, glides on nicely, smells almost like a minty pina colada with a cooling sensation. Tingle is minimal. So far I really like it!
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Did you haul anything during the Sephorathon promo? Or did you already shop a lot during Black Friday/Cyber Week?
The weather has shifted and dry season is officially here and my skin has been in desperate need of some extra TLC. So many of you had mentioned Skinfix to me as a new brand that you really love and I am thrilled to partner with them to give you a closer look at their Barrier+ Triple Lipid Peptide Cream.
The Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid Peptide Cream is my latest skin saver. It’s a rich hydrating cream that comes in a pump dispenser jar. I love that it is unscented, soothing and has that lush creamy feel without a super heavy texture. The Triple Peptide Cream is one of those moisturizers great for stressed or sensitive skin. It’s great especially if you have eczema or irritation from acids or retinol – there’s no stinging when you apply and it is very soothing.
For those who are into natural skincare, you’ll be happy to learn that the cream is 95% naturally-derived. The highlighted ingredients include:
Triple Lipid Complex – to restore natural lipids, it makes the skin glow!
Peptide Protein Blend – supports skin barrier function to protect it
Lily Root Extract – to tighten the skin and help skin retain moisture
I’ve been using this for nearly a month now and skin is more hydrated and smooth without any irritation. I love it during the day or at night. I even use it on the hands and body although they do have an Eczema+ Hand Repair Cream and Body Cream I am really eager to try.
Bottom line if you’re looking for a good no-fuss moisturizer that is good for sensitive or stressed out skin, I highly recommend giving the Lipid Peptide Cream a try. I frequently give skincare to friends and family, my brother has eczema and I’m sending him one of these creams for Christmas!
I love trying new perfumes and my latest discovery is the Bvlgari Eau Parfumee Au The Blanc. I’ve fallen head over heels in love with it and think it is one of the most beautiful scents I’ve ever tried before. I’m so excited to partner with them to share a closer look today!
The Bulgari Eau Parfumee Au The Blanc is a light floral. It is a clean fresh scent with a beautiful mix of musk, amber, White Tea, Artemisia and white pepper. Au The Blanc has an incredible calming and relaxing kind of feel and I love how the amber mixed in adds warmth to it. It’s packaged in a gorgeous glass 2.5 oz cologne spray bottle and 3-4 spritzes lasts all day on my skin.
Au The Blanc has an elegant feel but is also suitable to wear for every day. I think it’s perfect for this upcoming holiday season as it’s fresh and pretty but not overpowering. It is also available in a Body Lotion and Shampoo and Shower Gel version which I now have on my wish list. The Au The Vert green tea version has come highly recommended by many of you and as a huge fan of bergamot notes I think this will be my next purchase!
I know perfume is so personal to each of us but if you are looking for a new fresh everyday kind of scent with a clean and relaxing vibe, I highly recommend checking out the Eau Parfumee Au The Blanc from Bulgari. I think it’s a timeless classic you can wear year-round as well.
Available at Sephora. If you are shopping the Holiday Savings Event don’t forget to take advantage of the savings which ends on Monday 11/9 – use code HOLIDAYFUN at checkout:
ROUGE Members save 20% off purchases
VIB Members save 15% off purchases
Insiders save 10% off all purchases
Shop the post:
Many thanks to Sephora and BVLGARI for partnering to sponsor this post. As always all opinions are my own.
Happy Friday! I’m rounding up the best for skincare, hair care, body care and fragrance from Sephora today. The Sephora Holiday Savings Event has started for Route and the dates and details are below! Use code HOLIDAYFUN (can use code multiple times in store and online):
Rouge First Access, save 20% off 10/30 through 11/9
That wraps up my favorites for skincare, hair care and body care from Sephora! Hope you found this shopping guide helpful. Would love to hear what your favorites are in the comments. Also as promised I’m hosting a giveaway. I’m giving away three $100 eGift Cards to Sephora. Three people will be selected at random through the widget below to win. Giveaway is open internationally but you must be 18 years or older to enter. The more steps you complete in the widget the more entries you will receive. I will email the winners directly (this is the only way I will contact winners) within 72 hours after the giveaway ends. Winners must respond within 72 hours or another person will be selected in their place. Runs through 11/04/2020 11:59 PM EST. Not sponsored or affiliated.
The Sephora Holiday Savings Event starts on Friday 10/30 for Rouge Members! I’m rounding up the best makeup to splurge on for the sale with my absolute favorites by category. Beauty Insiders can save on all purchases according to tier. The dates and details are as follows, use code HOLIDAYFUN (can use code multiple times in store and online):
Rouge First Access, save 20% off 10/30 through 11/9
VIB Members, save 15% off 11/3 through 11/9
Insiders, save 10% off 11/5 through 11/9
There are some limits so check out their disclaimer page once the sale goes live. I have so many beauty favorites from Sephora, many are not mentioned in this post – but if you have any questions let me know in the comments. To try and help provide a more edited shopping guide I picked my Top 5 per category (a couple of the categories have a few more than 5). I will have a separate post up for Skin/Hair/Body tomorrow!
Eyeshadows are an area that are nearly impossible for me to narrow down to my top 5! I feel like palettes are so personal to one’s taste and preference for shimmer vs matte, warm vs cool, powder vs cream. I picked out my favorite cream singles and then also have a list of my favorite brands for powder palettes.
Natasha Denona – I love her Mini Eye Palettes, in particular Mini Nude and her larger palettes like the Biba Palette or Glam Palette give you a lot for the price
Charlotte Tilbury also makes beautiful eyeshadow palettes that are easy to wear and versatile
Most-Used Eyeshadows – Charlotte Tilbury La Bella Sofia, Natasha Denona Nude, Tom Ford Mink Mirage or Natasha Denona Biba, Hourglass Scattered Light in Blaze, Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick in Rosegold
Liner / Mascara
Best Liquid Eyeliner – Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen (one of the best out there, and 100% worth the splurge)
Best Brow Pencil – Anastasia Brow Wiz (best color range, I use Caramel or Taupe because my brows are lighter than my hair color)
That wraps up my ultimate makeup shopping guide! I hope you find this helpful 🙂 I tried to link all the swatches and reviews I could where applicable. I’ll be sharing my skincare recommendations tomorrow and check back because I’ll be hosting a giveaway in that post.
To recap Sephora Sale details are as follows, use code HOLIDAYFUN (can use code multiple times in store and online):
Rouge First Access, save 20% off 10/30 through 11/9
Hourglass launched a few new things recently and I have a new Hourglass haul roundup featuring products for eyes, lips and cheeks. Everything is available at Sephora and Hourglass Cosmetics. In today’s roundup:
The latest addition to the Ambient Lighting Powder line is the new Ambient Lighting Infinity Powder. This has a mix of two Ambient Lighting Powders and a Strobe Highlighter in one swirled compact. I wasn’t exactly sure what this was intended for – is it a highlighter? Setting powder? Blurring powder? On my medium tan skin I found it to be a good finishing powder to use after my foundation and regular powder. It acts like a soft glow powder to add some radiance all over.
Color is sheer – it looks like a beige yellow with some pink swirls in the compact. On the skin I think your mileage will vary depending on skin tone but for me it’s sheer and subtle enough to use all over the face. The effect is subtle but still noticeable on my skin. I don’t think it’s different enough from the Diffused or Dim Light to justify owning but I do like how it looks on the skin.
I’ve read a few people said this made their skin look dry. This was not the case at all for me. However I do think some shimmer powders can emphasize dry patches or lines if the color is either too light or too matchy. Sometimes pale pink or pale champagne highlighters look terrible on my medium skin because the shimmer emphasizes lines.
Product is sheer so this will look different on you depending on your skin tone and undertone. Swatch comparisons below for reference:
Ambient Lighting Blushes
There are two new Ambient Lighting Blushes in Sublime Flush which is a soft pink shimmer (this was in Ghost 2019 palette) and At Night which is a brick red mixed with pink champagne. Both are really lovely! Pigment is medium but easy to build or sheer out. On me lasting power is very good – they stay put all day. Swatch comparisons to a few other blushes, they look really similar on my arm but they definitely look different on the face:
Sublime Flush is not quite as deep or flushed on my medium tan skin but definitely shows up. Since I’m a bit darker than normal it is almost light a highlighter.
Below wearing the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Sublime Flush with the No. 28 Lip Oil in Adorn. Beauty breakdown:
At Night is a really pretty soft almost diffused brick red on the skin. It’s very wearable and for me one of the more unique colors. I think this is the perfect transition to fall. It’s not too dark or dramatic.
Below wearing the At Night Blush with At Night Lip Oil
No 28 Lip Treatment Oil
I’ve been a huge fan of the No 28 Lip Treatment Oils even though I think they are crazy expensive. At Night is a medium-sheer brick red with blue tones on my skin. I believe it was a limited-edition release a while ago but it slipped my radar until now. The color itself will fade within a few hours but since it’s an oil it fades evenly and nicely so you don’t have that dark ring around the edges. This is a nice red option that isn’t too bright or deep – it’s the perfect red for those who feel like they can’t pull off reds. It’s what I had hoped the Victoria Beckham Bitten Lip Tint would be (which turned purple on my lips).
Mascara is a category I just don’t get excited about. I feel like most of them are hype but in all fairness I have wimpy lashes which will rarely holds the curl and since they are very straight it often looks like I don’t have any. The Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara is a tubing mascara which I found ok for a tubing formula. It takes 2-3 uses to get it going for me. I found it did lengthen and added nice volume but it had zero holding power for the curl and it made my lashes straighten out. I prefer the Caution Extreme formula from Hourglass, but out of all the new formulas that have launched this year I feel like the best ones are the new Pat McGrath Dark Star and Kosas Big Clean. A lot of you have mentioned you love the Ilia Limitless Lash which I did try and like the look of, but think I’m allergic to (my eyes got terribly itchy with this one).
Bottom line I think it’s ok. Didn’t work for me but most formulas don’t. If your lashes can hold the curl and you don’t mind tubing mascaras then I do think it’s worth a try.
Voyeur Waterproof Liquid Liner
The Hourglass Voyeur Waterproof Liquid Liner isn’t a new launch but it’s been on my radar for some time. I had high hopes as I love their 1.5 MM Mechanical Gel Liner. My feelings are mixed – it does give a super deep glossy black finish and is indeed waterproof on me. Cons for me are the dry time isn’t quick so it smudges if I blink without letting it dry. Once it sets it does stay put. The other downside for me is the brush. It’s like a felt tip which is very delicate and after one use already looks like it will wear down. Since the applicator is kinda essential I don’t think I will be repurchasing. The Tom Ford Eye Defining Liquid Liner Pen and Cle de Peau Intensifying Liquid Eyeliner are far superior and 100% worth the splurge.
I think there are some winners with the new launches! I really love the look of the At Night blush and lip oil. Sublime Flush is a pretty pink but still a little light for me unless I pack it on. The Infinity Powder ended up working for my complexion but I don’t think it’s unique enough to get super excited about.
You can find the Hourglass launches now at Sephora and Hourglass Cosmetics. Have you checked anything out yet? What did you think?
I hauled a few of the Fenty Slip Shine Sheer Shiny Lipsticks ($22 each for 2.8g / 0.098 oz) from Sephora and finally have a review with swatches. I’m a huge fan of sheer glossy lipsticks in general so I had high hopes for these sheer lipsticks from Fenty. I think they’re winners – they’re comfortable, cushiony, not heavy or too slippery and have a nice sheer-medium coverage. I feel like they have a little less slip than the YSL Rouge Volupte Shines (these feel like they slide around a little more) and a little more pigment than the neutral Chanel Rouge Coco Flash lipsticks.
Given the overall vibe of Fenty Beauty I was surprised to see so many neutrals in the lineup. I’m not complaining though since I’m a neutral lip lover! My favorite one ended up being the brightest color they launched. I hope they expand the line – would love to see a plum, a deeper brighter rose, and a few more peachy colors.
Lasting power is decent for a sheer lipstick. They have a balmy like feel so they won’t be long lasting like a traditional lipstick. You can always use these to top a liner for more depth or color. I hauled 7 of the colors. I love 5 of them. 2 were just ok because of the color, but quality is still really nice.
Close ups and swatches of the Fenty Slip Shine Sheer Shiny Lipstick on the arm, as usual with sheer lipsticks, these will look very different once on the lips. All of these have some degree of shimmer in the tube but it’s not frosty at all. The shimmer is very subtle on my lips.
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Makeout Break is a light sheer beige nude. Since I have pigmented lips this barely showed up on me so I had to pack it on. Other things I’m wearing in the post:
Glazed is a really nice neutral beige. It has a slightly pinkish undertone on my lips, but on the hand it pulls more peachy.
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Retro Rose is such a pretty soft pink rose, I kinda wish this were a little more pigmented but I like the overall vibe. I can just add a rosy lip liner underneath to bring out the color.
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Goji Gang is a deeper rose with a subtle plum tone to it.
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Cookies and Cocoa is a great everyday brownish plum color.
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Suga Kiss is a blue based baby pink. When I bought this I knew it probably wouldn’t work but I still wanted to give it a try. Does not work with my coloring.
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Tang Thang is my favorite. It’s a bright orange in the tube but is more wearable than it looks.
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I’m overall pleased with my haul picks and I think the quality is really nice. They’re comfortable to wear. Naturally flattering. Easy to just throw on for some shine and color. I almost think they are better than the YSL formula. My top three picks are Glazed, Retro Rose and Tang Thang. That being said if you’re a sheer lipstick or balm fan and you haven’t bought any of these yet, you may want to wait for the new Pat McGrath Rose Decadence collection launching this week and there are new tinted balms which I am DYING to see.
I bought mine from Sephora. You can also find these online at Fenty Beauty. Have you tried any of these yet? What did you think?
