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Hauls Sephora

Sephora Haul Picks for Spring

January 30, 2025

Sephora Haul New Spring launches 2025 January

I have a Sephora haul with a look at some new launches along with some repurchases I made recently. I shared a mini haul on Instagram Stories a week ago and a number of you asked for a blog review with swatches so I have them rounded up today! You can watch the quick haul and try-on here if you still want to see the items in action!

New Spring Lip Launches

I hauled quite a few of the new lip launches and there are so many I haven’t had a chance to try all of them yet. If you want a more detailed review on any of these let me know in the comments!

Makeup by Mario launched a new Hydrating SuperShine Lip Gloss ($26 each). These are sheer glosses with a thick texture. I have mixed feelings about these. I think the tones he created are stunning but the pigment is very sheer and texture is on the thick side with a sticky feel. I don’t mind the formula, but the colors pull so sheer on me and I would have really loved to see more color payoff. I picked up Sunlit, Watermelon, Rose Crush, Rosewater, Perfect Pink with the brightest one Watermelon being my favorite color. They have a strong vanilla scent I find pleasant.

Makeup By Mario Supershine Lip Gloss Haul

Makeup By Mario Supershine Lip Gloss Haul swatches

Dior reformulated their Addict Lip Glow Balm ($40) yet again and while I find all the reformulations a little confusing, I have to say the newest version is really good. A few past options have been a little waxy feeling but this 2025 version applies smoother and is noticeably more hydrating on me. I picked up a few shades in Candy, Mahogany, Soft Nude and Rosewood. So far I’ve only had a chance to play with Candy which is a shimmery pink and has a subtle color shifting effect for a warm pink on my lips. These have the same minty feeling with a slight cooling sensation.

below left to right: Candy, Rosewood, Soft Nude and Mahogany

Dior Addict Lip Glow new formula 2025

Dior launched several new shades of the Addict Lip Maximizer Gloss ($40) in their spring Glowmania collection. I shared a demo of the new shades here and I think every shade is beautiful. (One of the shades Nudemania appears to be exclusive to Dior.com but the rest are at Sephora.)

Dior Glowmania Addict Lip Maximizer Lip Gloss

Dior Glowmania Addict Lip Maximizer Lip Gloss swatches

New Huda Launches

Huda launched a mini collection of lilac pink items and I picked up two of them. I love the idea of lilac pink makeup but find I can rarely wear the colors. This collection has changed that for me! The Faux Filler Lip Gloss ($21) in UUU Baby is one of the best sheer pinks I’ve ever tried and I am in love with the Huda Blush Filter ($23) in Ube Cream.

New Huda Beauty UUU Baby Faux Filler Gloss and Ube Cream Blush Filter

I tried the liquid blush in store over the summer and thought they would be too dewy but I have to say I’m really loving the pink one and might check out more. It blends out so nicely and easily. It does look dewy on the skin but so far it’s been staying put very well. You can see them in action here. I added swatch comparisons to her other pink glosses which I really love (they’re smooth and truly non-sticky).

New Huda Beauty UUU Baby Faux Filler Gloss and Ube Cream Blush Filter swatches

Complexion / Face

I never really knew how to make the Saie Glowy Super Gel Illuminators ($16 to $28) work for me until a few of you told me you mix it in with your foundation and I’m in love with the result. This dry season I’ve been wanting my bases to be a little more glowy and a little more sheered out and these gels from Saie do just the trick.

Saie Glowy Supergel Rose Glow and Warm Glow

They launched a new shade in Warmglow which is a champagne gold. I restocked the mini in Roseglow which is a lovely pink shimmer. I wish they made a medium in-between size because I find the regular size too large while the minis get used up too fast.

If your foundation has been looking or feeling a little dry but you don’t want to switch up your skincare, I recommend adding 1-2 pumps of this into your liquid foundation.

New Hair Pick + Some Repurchases

Sephora repurchases and restocks Tarte, Pat McGrath, Glossier, ABH, K18

I picked up the mini of the K18 AirWash Dry Shampoo ($24 for the mini) at the checkout area as an impulse buy and I really like it. It’s different from most dry shampoos I’ve tried. The formula seems more liquid/fluid when you spray it on the hair (ie it’s not really an aerosol). I love that it’s clear and doesn’t have any white cast on my hair. Does a great job at absorbing excess oil on Day 2 hair. It kept my hair looking refreshed throughout the day. I don’t know how long it lasts past 24 hours because I’m still the type of person who has to wash her hair almost daily (I’ll go 2 days max without washing my hair). Overall really love this.

I restocked a few things including the Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Foundation ($69) in LM14, Benefit Precisely My Brow ($27) in Shade 2.5, Anastasia Brow Definer ($26) in Caramel and the Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara XL ($27). The Glossier Lip Line Longwear Lip Pencil ($18) is the best new lip liner formula I tried in 2024 and I repurchased Grip which is a my-lips-but-better rose. The formula has really good color payoff and I love the tones.

New Blushes + Highlighter + Contour

Blushes seem to have taken over the spring launches right now. I picked up a few of the YSL Make Me Blush Powder Blushes ($45 each) and shared a demo here. These have two finishes right now: matte and shimmer. I prefer the shimmer ones but they’re all very good. The formula is soft and pigmented but they are really easy to blend and build. Pigment is easy to control so if you just want a hint of blush you can get a more diffused look.

YSL Make Me Blush Buildable Powder Blush

YSL Make Me Blush Buildable Powder Blush

Natasha Denona also launched her Hy-Blush Cloudy Cream Cheek Duo ($42 each) which has a highlighter and cream blush in one compact. I’ll review and swatch them all soon.

Natasha Denona HyBlush

Patrick Ta added four new shades of the Major Headlines Double-Take Duo ($38 each) but I’m probably going to pass on these (I still think his shade Not Too Much reviewed here is the best neutral).

Urban Decay launched their Face Bond Luminizer Waterproof Glow Drops ($34 each) and I’ve been loving the Space Cowboy shade for the perfect champagne glow highlight and PCH is a really pretty one too. These are multi-taskers you can use a number of ways. I am still experimenting with these but thought I’d share quick swatches here.

Urban Decay Face Bond Luminizer Waterproof Glow Drops

Urban Decay Face Bond Luminizer Waterproof Glow Drops

Neutral Eyeshadow Palette

I’ve been wearing the Anastasia Beverly Hills Mini Spice Palette  ($29) in a few looks and a number of you asked for swatches. I actually picked this up last year but realized I never swatched it on the blog. I really like the tones and the mix of mattes and shimmers. There a few true mattes in this palette and then some that have a tiny bit of sparkle embedded in them. The pure mattes are smooth and buttery with excellent pigment and color payoff. The mattes that have a tiny bit of sparkle pull sheerer but you can still build them for full pigment.

I do think the shimmer and glitters are prone to fall out if you don’t pat them on the lids or pack them on. You’ll have to do some clean up from the fall out but for me the good news is that once they are on the eyes they don’t migrate.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Mini Spice Palette

Anastasia Beverly Hills Mini Spice Palette swatches

As much as I like it, I do think there are better options out there for quality. If you’re looking for a good everyday neutral with mattes and shimmers I still think the Natasha Denona I Need a Nude or I Need a Warm and the Too Faced Born This Way Natural Nudes are better buys. I know the Too Faced palettes have been around forever but out of all the launches over the years, it’s still a solid staple of mine.

That wraps up my Sephora haul roundup! Let me know if you want a detailed review on any of these. I will have a full blog post on the YSL and Natasha Denona blushes soon!

What have you hauled this January? Any good finds, new loves or misses?

Sales Sephora Skincare

Skincare and Body Care Favorites from Sephora

November 6, 2024

With the Sephora sale in full swing I’m sharing my favorites in skincare, body care and fragrance today. As a beauty creator I am fortunate to be able to try a wide range of products. I love trying new skincare but to keep my list edited I’m focusing on my tried and true staples, ie products I repurchase over and over again. Dates and details below, use code SAVINGS if shopping online! (some exclusions apply):

  • Rouge members 20% off: 11/1 – 11/11
  • VIBs 15% off: 11/5 – 11/11
  • Insiders 10% off: 11/5 – 11/11
  • All Sephora Collection 30% off: 11/1 – 11/11

Best Skincare Sephora Sale

Makeup Removers and Cleansers

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser

For removing makeup double cleansing is still a must to effectively remove all traces of makeup or sunscreen. I love a good cleansing oil but my favorite isn’t sold at Sephora (it’s this one from Chanel). I do have several solid balm makeup removers I love which I’ll list below.

Farmacy Green Clean is one of the best makeup remover balms. I love the classic one and this is the one I always keep stocked at home, but their limited-edition scented ones are always so fun for me to try.

Elemis and Clinique also make great solid cleansing balms, but I feel like the Farmacy one is the best and most effective.

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser is the best everyday cleanser for me and Andrew. After trying dozens of cleansers over the years I have to say this has the best consistency to clean the skin without drying it.

Serums and Moisturizers

Drunk Elephant Skincare Favorites Protini Polypeptide Cream and Serum

I’ve been neglecting essence treatments this year but I think I need to start using one again since they really make a difference! I just repurchased the La Mer Treatment Lotion for the sale.

For serums my 3 go-to’s include the Drunk Elephant B-Hydra (great for year round), Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Dark Spot Serum (for brightening) and La Mer The Concentrate Serum (best splurge).

I have several favorites for moisturizing creams. My top 5 are the La Mer Moisturizing Soft Cream, Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream, Augustinus Bader The Cream, Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Firming Moisturizer and the Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base.

La Mer Skincare Favorites

I would rank the La Mer and Charlotte Tilbury in my top 2 right now. Those are the two formulas I packed with me in October. While La Mer is quite the splurge, I do think it has been worth it for me. I have repurchased the Moisturizing Soft Cream multiple times and also bought one to gift to my sister-in-law for Mother’s Day and she loves it.

With any of these formulas I highly recommend checking out a travel set or value set to try first. I always find it helpful to try something in a smaller size to sample before committing to the full size. Some great options:

Several of you asked me if I use retinol or tretinoin – I do not. I have really loved the Kiehl’s Micro-Dose Retinol Serum in the past but haven’t repurchased in a while. Right now I’ve been loving La Mer’s new Rejuvenating Night Cream. I’ve been using this for several months now and every other night (it is suitable to use nightly though) and I 10/10 love it.

Eye Treatments

La Mer and Caudalie Eye Cream

I have a few eye treatments I love from Sephora. The La Mer Eye Concentrate Cream is my go-to right now. It has the best consistency and texture for me – not too thick and not too thin. It helps with fine lines and hydration.

I’ve also been very impressed with Caudalie’s Resveratrol-Lift, Premiere Cru and the Vinoperfect Dark Circle Brightening Eye Cream. I’ve repurchased the brightening one and will probably repurchase the Resveratrol-Lift before the sale ends.

Face Masks and Treatments

Innisfree Pore Mask

I have used pore clearing and detox masks the most this year out of any face mask or treatment. I have three I think are 100% worth checking out. Innisfree Super Volcanic AHA Pore Clearing Clay Mask is one of the most gentle pore masks I’ve tried and I’m obsessed. Caudalie Pore Minimizing Instant Detox Mask is also excellent but it’s on the stronger side (absorbs a LOT of excess oil). A few readers recommended the La Mer Deep Purifying Mask to me earlier this year. I decided to give it a try and it 10/10 lives up to the hype from you! It is quite the splurge and currently sold out online but you can always add the notification restock alert to your account if you’re interested.

For the best sheet mask I still swear by the La Mer Treatment Lotion Hydrating Sheet Masks but it costs an arm and leg.

Lip Balms

Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balms

I am a lip-balm junkie. I love trying different formulas! I could go on and on about ones I’ve loved, but the three I’ve used up and repurchased are Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm (this mini set is so cute), Laneige Glowy Lip Balm (love this cute set too) and the La Mer Lip Volumizer (love the clear one, but the tinted ones are also fun).

Swatches of the Summer Fridays ones below:

Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balms swatches

Sunscreen

Caudalie and Charlotte Tilbury Sunscreen

My top three sunscreens right now are the Caudalie Vinosun Protect SPF 50, Charlotte Tilbury Invisible UV Flawless Primer SPF 50 and Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion SPF 60. I also really like a lot of formulas from Supergoop! but right now those three listed above are what I have been using lately.

Body Care

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Body Cream

I love trying different body washes and shower creams. I don’t have any loyalty to a particular formula or brand as I love trying new ones all the time. I will say I gravitate towards ones that can be unisex or have that clean smell because Andrew likes to use them too. Our top three most repurchased formulas are the Ouai Dean Street Body Wash, Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Play Body Wash and Jack Black Turbo Wash. I will say that for winter the turbo wash is a little too drying so we’ve switched it out for the Necessaire Body Wash in Santal (love this Body Wash Discovery Set they’ve launched this year).

For a shower oil Andrew loves the L’occitane Almond Shower Oil. We used to love the Shea Shower Cream but they changed the formula/scent recently and it has an unflattering floral scent to it now.

If you struggle with body acne (we sometimes do in the hot summer months) we recommend the Kosasport Good Body Skin AHA Enzyme Exfoliating Body Wash.

Two body creams I really love are the Herbivore Botanicals Cloud Milk Coconut Body Cream and Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream. As a huge fan of Phlur Missing Person’s scent I also really love the Missing Person Body Oil (although I think Osea and Chanel make the best body oils, unfortunately they aren’t at Sephora).

That wraps up my current skincare and body care favorites! I know finding the best skincare can be overwhelming as it really takes time to try and see if something works for your skin type or needs. I really wish there was 1 single brand I could use all of my skincare from. If I had to pick just one I think Drunk Elephant has the best variety and range.

If you’re looking for recommendations I hope you found this post helpful!

Sales Sephora

Best Makeup To Shop from the Sephora Sale

November 1, 2024

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer Ginger

The Sephora Savings Event starts today with first access for Rouge Members! Use code SAVINGS if shopping online! (some exclusions apply).

  • Rouge members 20% off: 11/1 – 11/11
  • VIBs 15% off: 11/5 – 11/11
  • Insiders 10% off: 11/5 – 11/11
  • All Sephora Collection 30% off: 11/1 – 11/11

Here are my Top 3 favorite picks by category.

Primers

NARS Light Reflecting Primer and Setting Spray

I’m not usually a primer fan because it adds an extra layer that I don’t really want. I’m into multi-taskers and these are my top 3 primers.

Foundation Favorites

Summer Fridays Sheer Skin Tint

Best Skin Tints/Sheer

All of my favorite skin tints are reviewed in this Best Skin Tints for Summer post (note not all of them are available at Sephora, but it has all my shades + swatches listed).

 

Armani Luminous Silk Glow Blush

Best Medium Coverage

Westman Atelier Vital Skincare Complexion Foundation & Stick Foundation Review VI

Best Stick Foundations

Best Concealers

YSL Touche Eclat Radiant Touch Concealer

My top three favorite formulas for concealer are ones that won’t cake or crease:

Setting Powders

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Powder Medium | The Beauty Look Book

Top three favorites for setting powers:

Bronzer

Armani Luminous Silk Creamy Bronzing Powder

My top three powder bronzer favorites:

Contour Favorites

Rare Beauty Contour Bronzer Stick

The best contour sticks:

Blush Favorites

New Gucci Beauty Launches Blush Shades, Lipsticks and Illuminator

Blush – Powder

I feel like I don’t have new favorites for powders except for those Hourglass Palettes which are sold out online. There are 3 favorites I have with shimmer and 3 more that are more satiny/matte.

Blush – Cream/Liquid

Hourglass Unreal Liquid Blush Review and Swatches

Top three favorite liquid/cream formulas:

Highlighter Favorites

Dior Forever Glow Maximizer Longwear Liquid Highlighter swatches

So many highlighter options I love these days, but if I were forced to pick just three:

Eyeshadow Palettes

Natasha Denona I Need a Warm Palette

I think Natasha Denona makes the best palettes. I think there is something for everyone and she has a good range of color options!

Eye Shadow – individual/singles

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Shadow (new formula)

If you try one cream shadow formula, I recommend trying the Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Cream Eyeshadow – love the new reformulation, review here.

Mascara

Top three mascara formulas:

Lipstick Favorites

Fenty Gloss Bomb Stix Review via The Beauty Lookbook

Soooo many lipstick favorites! It was hard to narrow down to just three, but here are the best ones I’ve tried:

Tinted Lip Balm/Oil

YSL Candy Glow Tinted Butter Balm

 

 

Top picks:

Guerlain KissKiss Bee Glow Oil

Lip Liner

Glossier Lip Liner

There are so many good lip pencil colors, but the formulas aren’t all the same quality, here are 3 I swear by:

The new Tom Ford Longwear Lip Liners are really good too!

Lip Gloss

Dior Lip Maximizers Shimmer Macadamia and Rose Nude

I think Lip Gloss is my favorite beauty category, I could probably list at least 20 I love, but my absolute top 3 favorites

That wraps up my makeup favorites for the holiday savings event! What’s on your list/radar?

I’m going to be hosting several giveaways this holiday season! Kicking it off with a $250 egift card for Sephora (US site) to one Beauty Lookbook reader! It is open to anyone 18+ and to enter for a chance to win, use the widget below to enter. Best if you open this on a desktop browser or Chrome. Giveaway ends 11/5/2024 11:45 PM est. I’ll pick a winner from the entries within 48 hours and announce on this blog post and email them directly from [email protected].

a Rafflecopter giveaway

As always thank you for your love and support! xoxo

Hauls Sephora

Sephora Summer Beauty Haul

June 20, 2024

Sephora Beauty Haul Beautylookbook picks

I did a Sephora recently and picked up some of the new popular launches. I shared the shopping haul on reels and today I have everything swatched! I have some hits and some misses.

Skincare + Fragrance

Sephora Haul Picks Caudalie, Farmacy, Shiseido, Valentino

I just ran out of the Instant Foaming Cleanser ($30) which is a nice gentle formula, but instead of restocking this one (it was a little too gentle for me) I decided to pick up the new Vinoperfect Brightening Daily AHA Micropeel ($38). It’s like a foaming cleanser but you apply on dry skin, massage in for 30 seconds and rinse. It’s one of the most gentle peels I’ve used and it really does work. I like it better than other acid treatments or powder exfoliating cleansers because it doesn’t burn and there’s no harsh texture. The description says it’s gentle enough to use daily but since it’s summer and I’m exposed to more sun I use it 1 to 2x per week.

You girls know I’m a huge fan of cleansing balms. I love the ones from Farmacy Beauty and they launched a limited-edition Honey Vanilla Cleansing Balm ($36) and it smells incredible. The fragrance in their limited-edition balms do not irritate my skin, if you need something that has no fragrance I recommend the Elemis Pro-Collagen NAKED Cleansing Balm.

I restocked the Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector SPF 60 ($50) as it’s my favorite body sunscreen. It’s the best longest lasting that will hold up the best in water or with sweat. I reapply when I’m outdoors and it’s easy to reapply without it pilling. I also really like the Ultimate Sun Protector BodySpray with SPF 40 ($38), but find myself reaching for the lotion more.

I’ve seen a lot of raves about the Valentino fragrances so I picked up the Donna Born in Roma Travel Set ($90). All three are very strong and potent if you’re looking for a good date night scent that will last. I like the Born in Roma the best which is a sparkling floral with blackcurrant, jasmin and bourbon vanilla. I don’t know that I love any of them enough to buy the full size, but it’s a fun one to try.

Lip Haul

Sephora Lip Haul Gucci, Armani, Kosas and Gisou

I hauled quite a few lip products and I have some hits and some misses. I’ll start with the hits. I love the Armani Prisma Glass ($38) shades in Amber Shine 06 (brown) and Nude Glow 07 (nude). I still think they could have given us more product and a better applicator for the price but I love the color and shine.

The Gisou Honey Infused Lip Oils ($28) are hits for me, but do note the scents are very strong. I bought two of the shimmers. Watermelon Sugar is a pink shimmer but it’s pretty much clear on the lips. Coconut Frost is a sweet coconut scented color with pearly white shimmer. The Coconut one shows up better on my lips and give them a clearish pearly shimmer. They feel nicely hydrating without being too thick.

Misses for me include the Gucci Liquid Lipstick ($47) and Kosas Hotliners ($22). I love the colors of the Gucci Liquid Lipstick but I’m giving it a solid miss because it’s definitely not transfer proof as the name says and it does not last super long. They are more like a whipped velvet liquid lipstick but they go on a little patchy and require a lot of blending.

I bought 3 of the Kosas Hotliners ($22) with high hopes they improved the formula and removed the crayon smell from them. I picked up a few from Sephora, but FYI Kosas is having 20% off sitewide for their summer sale (no code needed). They no longer smell like rancid crayons, but the colors aren’t as good as I hoped. But do note I have pigmented lips and a lot of neutrals simply don’t show up on me.

Formula is not a smooth gliding formula which isn’t a deal breaker, but they tug a little. The upside of this is it makes it long wearing but it ends up looking a little dry on my lips and I’m just not really impressed. I like the concept and the neutrals look SO pretty. They’re just not for me.

Sephora Lip Haul swatches

I’m undecided about the Ilia Lip Sketch Lip Liner Crayons ($26). The colors are beautiful. Formula is long wearing with a soft matte finish but they look dry on my lips. They’re described as “hydrating, moisturizing and plumping” and I didn’t see any of these with the wear. I don’t think they’re necessarily drying but they look dry with the matte finish and I definitely did not feel any hydration. I like the look when topped these with a clear gloss and balm, but formula is not something I’m in love with. I also think they could have included a sharpener since these are chubby sticks that aren’t going to fit into a standard sized pencil sharpener.

Ilia Lip Sketch Lip Liner Crayons

Ilia Lip Sketch Lip Liner Crayons

Bronzer Picks

Bronzer Haul Picks Gucci, Saie and Kosas

I hauled three in this shopping trip and I regret buying two of them. The Gucci Beauty Bronzer in Shade 3 is a hit. I repurchased this and love the color and soft texture.

I picked up the Kosas Sun Show Bronzer in Beachy which is the second lightest shade in the lineup. It appears they reformulated or repackaged these from the original launch. On the hand and arm these swatch BEAUTIFULLY! The glow is finely milled and super soft which makes me want to wear it all over my body. On the face the shade is a little too dark, a little too warm and oxidizes/darkens. I think the glow is a little too harsh. I could fix this simply by using less but even a light brush tap picks up a lot of product.

Saie is a brand that gets so much love, but it’s one I just can’t really get into. I think they have a few good staples, but the ones that go viral aren’t for me. I picked up the Dew Bronze ($25) in Swim which is not neutral or light-medium on me at all. It’s very warm and orangey looking. Finish is very dewy and just sits on top of the skin. Packaging does not look or feel good. I swatched it next to the Sun Melt Bronzers which are also highly rated. I cannot get consistent results with these. Sometimes it looks amazing on the skin, but most of the time it pulls off all my foundation/powder once applied and blended.

Wearing the Prisma Glass 06 below with each bronzer look

Bronzer Haul Picks Gucci, Saie and Kosas

NARS Talc-Free Blushes

NARS Talc-Free Blushes

NARS reformulated their blush into a Talc-Free Powder Blush formula and to me they perform just as well as the original. I don’t still own all the blush shades in the original, but they did change the colors with the new formula.

Below wearing the new NARS Orgasm Blush, lips are the Afterglow Sensual Shine and Lip Gloss both in Orgasm

NARS Talc-Free Blush in Orgasm

The new Talc-Free Orgasm shade no longer has that beautiful peachy pink base undertone and it’s now just a straight peach gold shimmer. I consider the shade now ruined, although at this point I think pretty much everyone must have owned in a palette or individual form there’s a chance you still have the older formula/color. I swatched 2 different Orgasm blushes from different years just to make sure. Thrill is now deeper and brighter although on my face they end up look really similar. If you like the idea of a peachy pink blush but don’t want shimmer, Orgasm Edge is a matte version which is really nice.

NARS Blush swatches

Kosas Blush is Life

Kosas Blush is Life Baked Blushes

I’ve saved the best for last which is the Kosas Blush Is Life Baked Talc-Free-Dimensional Brightening Blush ($29 each) and these surprised me. TikTok influenced me to buy these and based on the fact that I’ve found Kosas products to be a strong hit or a strong miss, I didn’t know what to expect. The first shade I tried Butterflies was a little disappointing for me mainly because the color payoff wasn’t anywhere near what I expected from what I saw in the pan. It’s a sheer baby pink with a brightening effect, more like a highlighter than a blush. I think this shade would be better as a topper for me, but if you have fair or light skin I think you’ll probably love this color.

I almost didn’t try the others and was going to give them away but I’m glad I gave the other shades a chance because they are PURE LOVE. Dreamland is a lighter color on me, almost like a highlighter glow. I love the peachy tones in Blissed and Thrill. Hype is also a really pretty pink coral.

A number of people have said they’re just like the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes but I disagree. There are similarities in the marbled swirling and glow factor, but the Hourglass has a much better texture and better quality when you compare them and touch them side by side. That being said I think the Kosas blushes are really good. They’re glowy but not as glowy as the Rare Beauty Powder Blushes.

Kosas Blush is Life Baked Blushes swatches

Below wearing: Armani Luminous Silk Foundation 6.5, Givenchy Prisme Libre Shade 3, Natasha Denona I Need a Nude Palette, Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Soft Brown, Top is from Reformation (wearing a Medium) and nails are OPI Over-Slay Your Welcome

Butterflies Blush + Malibu Wet Lip Oil

Kosas Blush is Life Butterflies

Dreamland Blush + Unhooked Wet Lip Oil

Kosas Blush is Life Dreamland

Blissed Blush + Papaya Wet Stick

Kosas Blush is Life Blissed

Thrill Blush + Papaya Wet Stick + Dip Lip Oil on top

Hype Blush + Revealed Wet Lip Oil

Sephora Beauty Haul Beautylookbook picks

That wraps up my Sephora haul! I hope you found this helpful! If you’ve tried any of the things I hauled, would love to hear your thoughts. Especially if my misses worked for you, let me know how you’re using them.

Bronzer + Blush Sephora

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Luminous Blush

April 12, 2024

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Luminous Blush

Rare Beauty launched a new blush called the Soft Pinch Luminous Blush ($26 each at Sephora) and they’re so beautiful. They’re shimmery blushes with the softest silky texture I’ve ever felt. I bought 4 of them to try but also ordered the other 2 (coming in the mail).

  • Cheer is a pale pink
  • Happy is a cool pink
  • Joy is a soft peach
  • Hope is an iridescent rose

I shared a Reel applying these last week. I really love these alone or layered on top of a cream blush, but I want to preface this by saying I love a good shimmer in blushes. I was chatting about these with a friend last week and her first question was “does it emphasize the pore situation?” and my answer is “yes it can, but it’s not as pore emphasizing as some powder highlighters I have (like the ones from Hermes, Becca or Benefit)”.

The texture is super smooth and the shimmers are UNREAL! These truly feel lightweight like there’s nothing on the skin. They have a beautiful finish and the shimmer is very soft and glowy without being frosty. This makes me want to try the Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighters although I am pretty shopped out with everything I hauled from the Sephora sale.

See them in action here:

 

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If you have a lot of texture and large pores I do think this could emphasize it. I do not have perfect skin but I don’t have large pores (except my nose area). These went on smooth for me and I had no issues. If you’re conservative on the glow in blushes then I’d recommend the Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic which have a more subtle shimmer to them.

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Luminous Blush swatches Cheer, Happy, Joy, Hope

Swatching each shade, also wearing:

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Luminous Blush Cheer

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Luminous Blush Happy

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Luminous Blush Hope

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Luminous Blush Joy

I really love these. I think the colors are fun, youthful looking but not too trendy. I am 42 for a few more weeks and I think they are wearable for any age. The only downside is they do seem a little delicate/fragile.

You can still take advantage of some savings with the Sephora Savings Event using YAYSAVE (20% off for Rouge, 15% for VIBs and 10% off for Insiders, with 30% off all Sephora Collection).

I don’t know that I will have time to post my full haul here before the sale ends, I will try to round up everything by Monday. If you want to see my IN-STORE SEPHORA HAUL you can check it out here. I’ve saved some snippets to my SEPHORA RECOMMENDATIONS highlights on Instagram too @beautylookbook.

Beauty Favorites Sales Sephora

Best Makeup to Shop During the Sephora Sale

April 5, 2024

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer Ginger

The Sephora Savings Event starts today for Rouge Beauty Insiders! By popular request I’m sharing an updated roundup of the best in makeup for every category. Use code YAYSAVE if you’re shopping online to save:

  • Rouge members 20% off: 4/5-4/15
  • VIBs 15% off: 4/9-4/15
  • Insiders 10% off: 4/9-4/15
  • All Sephora Collection 30% off: 4/5-4/15

This is a pretty large list but I’ve split it by category for face, eyes and lips. Here are the best things in makeup I’ve tried in each category.

Base Makeup Favorites

Patrick Ta Major Skin Creme Foundation and Finishing Powder Duo Light Medium 2

Best PrimerBobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base is a great multi-tasking moisturizer and primer in one, wears really well under makeup and a formula I’ve repurchased numerous times

Best Glowy Primer – Tie between Dior Forever Glow Star Filter and Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter. I think the thinner texture of the Dior Forever Glow Star Filter makes it easier to wear all over the face if you layer on foundation + concealer etc. The Charlotte Tilbury is still a classic I think I will be using forever though

Best Tint MoisturizerRare Beauty Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer – I love this sheer Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 20 because it’s not too dewy. Has sheer to medium coverage that isn’t too sheer. I wear 24N.

Best Tint with SPFSupergoop! Protec(tint) SPF 50 – This is another great skin tint with sheer medium coverage and high SPF. Has sheer coverage and great lasting power. I have 24N and 26W.

Best Natural Looking TintFenty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint – This is a great no-fuss skin tint without SPF. Coverage is similar to the Rare Beauty, just slightly more coverage. Looks very natural and sets beautifully. I wear Shade 9 or 10.

Best Medium Coverage Glowy Foundation Armani Luminous Silk Foundation – Best medium coverage glow foundation I’ve used. I wear Shade 6.5.

Best CC CreamIt Cosmetics CC+ Nude Glow – Best CC+ Cream with medium coverage and a natural glow. I wear Medium Tan.

Best Foundation StickWestman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick – My go-to foundation stick perfect for everyday, and also really convenient for travel. Depending on how tan I am, I wear Shade V, VI or VII.

Favorite Classic Finish FoundationPat McGrath Sublime Perfection Foundation – Another classic formula you can’t go wrong with. Love this for an everyday staple. My match is Light Medium 14.

Great for Travel Patrick Ta Major Skin Creme Foundation Powder Duo has a great natural looking finish for both the foundation and powder, I use the Shade Light Medium 2.

Best Concealers

Best Concealers YSL, Natasha Denona, Givenchy, NARS and Armani

Best Brightening ConcealerYSL Touche Eclat hands down is the best of the best. I use Shade 3.

Best Medium-CoverageNARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (Macadamia or Ginger) is a cult classic and even to this day still is the best creamy under eye formula for me. I also still really like the Givenchy Prisme Libre Skin-Caring Concealer for a creamier finish and a little more coverage.

Best Full CoverageNatasha Denona Hy-Glam Concealer is the best of the BEST for concealers. It’s creamy, opaque, easy to blend, long lasting and does not crease. I wear N6, 7, 8 or 9 depending on how much I want to match or brighten. The Armani Luminous Silk Concealer is another great option, I wear 6.5 or 7.

Best Powders & Setting Products

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder

Best Setting Spray – Two way tie between the Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray and Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray.

Best Pressed PowderCharlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish in Medium or the NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Powder

Best Under Eye Setting PowderPat McGrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Blurring Under Eye Powder

Best Loose Setting PowdersGivenchy Prisme Libre or the Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (also available in a Talc-Free Blur version)

Best Contour/Bronzers

Gucci Eclat Soleil Bronzing Powder Shade 01, 02 and 03

I am currently looking for a new bronzer since the ones I’ve used I’ve used for YEARS. I’m ready for something new but nothing has caught my eye yet. I’m hoping new formulas and shades will pop up this summer!

Best Cream Bronzer/ContourRare Beauty Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick in Happy Sol or Always Sunny are great shades and the formula is easy to blend. Also love Westman Atelier Face Trace Cream Contour Stick in Truffle.

Best Powder BronzersGucci Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer in Shade 3, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer in Luminous Bronze Light, Dior Forever Natural Powder Bronzer (best matte formula), Patrick Ta Major Sculpt Duo in She’s Bronzed

Best Blushes

New Gucci Beauty Launches Blush Shades, Lipsticks and Illuminator

There are so many good blush formulas these days!

Best Powder Blushes

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Beauty Blush Wands

Best Cream Blushes – Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks (sheer-medium) and the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Beauty Blush Wand (medium coverage)

Highlighters

Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand Swatches | The Beauty Look Book

Best Golden/Bronzey Highlighters Tom Ford Soleil Glow Highlighter in Oasis or the Soleil Glow Highlighters are really stunning

Favorite Shimmer Liquid Highlighter Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Highlighter Wands are always a win, I love Peachgasm, Pinkgasm and Pillow Talk Light the most

New FavoriteDior Forever Glow Maximizers are really stunning, I like Peachy and Rosy the best (new shade Nude just popped up online, I just tried it and it’s almost identical to Gold, Nude is just more champagne in undertone)

Best Eye Makeup

Too Faced Born This Way Natural Nudes Eyeshadow Palette

The best eyeshadow palettes and formulas are from Natasha Denona, Too Faced and Pat McGrath. Here are my favorites right now.

Best Eyeshadow FormulaNatasha Denona I Need a Nude, Glam or My Dream Palette for her larger options, for the minis I love the Mini Starlette or Mini Biba.

Best Everyday PalettesToo Faced Born This Way Natural Nudes or Sunset Stripped are in heavy rotation and have been for years! I really love the new mini Born This Way Palettes too.

Best Mix of Matte + ShimmersPat McGrath is quite the splurge and some of her sparkles are really glitzy but I love them.

Best All Matte PaletteMakeup By Mario Master Mattes is the best all-matte eyeshadow palette for me.

My Most Used PalettesPatrick Ta Major Dimension and Major Dimension III are also ones I use all the time.

Mascara

Best Mascaras: Tarte Tartelette Tubing and Tartette Tubing XL

Lip Liners

Huda Beauty Lip Contour 2.0 Automatic Lip Pencils

My go-to lip liners remain the same, I keep hoping I’ll find something new and exciting, but I still love my staples I’ve loved for years:

Lip Gloss

Dior Lip Maximizers Shimmer Macadamia and Rose Nude

My top three gloss formulas are the Pat McGrath LUST Gloss, Fenty Gloss Bomb and Dior Addict Lip Maximizers.

I also really love the Refy Lip Glosses (they have great neutrals), Charlotte Tilbury Collagen Lip Bath (new shades added!) and the new Huda Faux Filler Gloss (swatched here).

If you like a jelly gloss the new Armani Prisma Glass lip gloss is a nice sheer formula. I swatched 3 of the colors here.

Lip Balms

Hourglass Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm swatches

A lot of the balms I use can double as gloss. My top 5 favorites:

Lipsticks

Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump Shimmer Glass

I feel like I could write an entire series on the best lipsticks. There are so many that I love it is challenging to narrow down my top picks.

That wraps up my Sephora Makeup Favorites roundup! Use code YAYSAVE if you’re shopping online to save:

  • Rouge members 20% off: 4/5-4/15
  • VIBs 15% off: 4/9-4/15
  • Insiders 10% off: 4/9-4/15
  • All Sephora Collection 30% off: 4/5-4/15
Beauty Favorites Haircare Sephora

Best Hair Care + Tools to Shop During the Sephora Sale

April 4, 2024

Best Hair Care to Shop during the Sephora Sale

The Sephora Savings Event starts on April 5th for Beauty Insiders and I’m rounding up my absolute favorites in every category starting with my Hair Care favorites. Dates and details for the event, use code YAYSAVE if you’re shopping online:

  • Rouge members 20% off: 4/5-4/15
  • VIBs 15% off: 4/9-4/15
  • Insiders 10% off: 4/9-4/15
  • All Sephora Collection 30% off: 4/5-4/15

A little background on my hair: I have thick unruly hair prone to frizz from humidity. I color treat with root touch ups every 2-3 months. I almost always blow dry as air drying leaves my hair frizzy. Even though my strands are thick I had a lot of hair loss and shedding about 2 years ago. The shedding has thankfully stopped and it’s started to grow back in baby hairs (natural growth).

I’ve split my recommendations of things I tried and loved by category to help you sort through my list. There are lots of great HAIR CARE SETS available and a wide range of items are available in MINI SIZES which are great to try.

Hair Tools

Dyson Airwrap Ceramic Pink

I love really love the Dyson Supersonic and Airwrap. I’ve had the Supersonic since 2017 and it still works perfectly just like the day I got it. I’ve used the Airwrap since 2020 and really love it too. I think they’re game changers for the way I style and dry my hair. Yes they’re a huge ouch to the wallet, but they were both well worth the splurge. They recently added a Ceramic Pink and Rose Gold color (limited-edition) and I decided to upgrade both my tools with this new color.

The Dyson Airwrap has been updated since I bought it the improvements have made it noticeably better! Attachments have slight changes in the design to make them multi-functional.

(new demo with the new airwrap coming soon, but here’s the original below)

Dyson Airwrap Styler

If you don’t curl your hair I’d recommend sticking with the Supersonic. It has stronger air flow with the nozzles for faster more efficient drying. It’s easier to travel with (if you don’t use the case).

That being said I think the Airwrap is amazing. It allows you to do so many different things in styling and drying. I will say that the curls take more time than a regular curling iron because you’ll need to use it on damp hair, use the heat and cooling options and add hair spray. For me it’s easier to use than a regular curling iron for me because of the wrapping feature. With the Airwrap I can get more relaxed beachy waves which is what I prefer, but with a hot curling iron your curls will definitely last longer.

The ghd Platinum+ Styler is my go-to hot tool for straightening and curling. It is technically a flat iron but I use it to curl my hair. The temperature is set to a constant 375 degrees and has sensors to maintain constant heat. This leaves my hair looking smooth and sleek. It goes with me on every single trip. I’ve done a few reviews and demos with this tool. 100% recommend. Smooth sleek hair in action HERE. Easy waves HERE.

ghd Platinum+ 1” Styler

ghd Platinum+ 1” Styler Curled Hair

Shampoo + Conditioner

Oribe Home & Away Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo & Conditioner Set

I’ve been absolutely obsessed with Oribe and Kerastase lately. They’re the formulas I keep going back to.

Oribe Gold Lust Repair and Restore Shampoo and Conditioner are the best formulas I use and repurchase the most. I have splurged on the liter bottles and refills. They’re quite expensive but the larger sizes are a better buy. If you’re new to this formula I recommend trying this #Oribeobsessed Mini Trio or this Gold Lust Ritual Set (value priced).

Kerastase Premiere Line is new and incredible! It is exactly what I needed to help clarify and clean my hair of buildup from hard water in Florida. Even with water softeners the water is still very harsh on my hair here. Most detox and clarifying shampoos almost always strip my hair or cause my scalp to become irritated. This Premiere line is the formula I have been looking for to clarify and restore my natural shine.

I do think you need the full system to see the best benefits. I tried this with just the shampoo and conditioner but the Pre-Shampoo Treatment made a HUGE difference. My hair hasn’t felt this healthy and clean since I left California. If you don’t want to splurge on the entire line, I would say stick with the Pre-Shampoo Treatment, Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner. The Serum is incredible for smoothing and protecting from heat and humidity. Since this is a repairing line I don’t think I would use these everyday, these would most likely be a 1x per week routine.

Kerastase Premiere line

I’ve tried nearly every Kerastase formula on virgin hair, hair with bleached highlights and now on hair that has root touch ups. They have a formula for every hair type.

  • Nutritive is the line great for dry hair and I really loved it.
  • Resistance is great good to help strengthen weak hair from heat styling
  • Discipline is their anti frizz smoothing line
  • When I had bleached hair and highlights the Blonde Absolu was my go-to line

I also still think Olaxplex and the Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair formulas are great. I just used up some bottles of Olaplex. I haven’t used Briogeo in a while but it’s one I would repurchase in a heartbeat.

Best Masks

K18 Biomimetic Hairscience Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask

My favorite formulas for hair masks:

Color Wow Money Mask is a great hydrating treatment

Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair Deep Conditioning Mask is the best for smoothing

Kerastase Resistence Strengthening is great for split ends and weakened hair, also smells amazing

K18 Biomimetic Hairscience Leave-In is a leave in mask, but I still really think it’s 100% worth the splurge

Best Hair Oils / Leave In Conditioners

Kerastase Elixir Ultime Hair Oil Serum at Sephora review

Kerastase Elixir Ultime Hair Oil Serum review

Kerastase Elixir Ultime is one of the best hair oils I’ve tried

Virtue Hydrating Healing Oil is great for smoothing and repairing

Olaplex No 7 Bonding Oil is great for split ends

Shu Uemura Essence Absolue is another great hair oil for added shine, but it can feel a little heavy if you use too much

Best Heat Protectant / Blow Dry Primers

Oribe Royal Blowout Heat Styling Spray

I’ll mainly use a primer heat protectant on damp hair for blow drying. There are other heat protectants designed to use on dry hair for heat tools like irons.

Oribe makes a lot of heat protectants. I really like their Royal Blowout Heat Styling Spray or Imperial Blowout Styling Cream.

Kerastase makes tons of primers in all of their formulas. I’ve really loved Resistance, Chronologiste or Nutritive the most.

Olaplex Blow Dry Mist is another great option that also adds volume.

Best Dry Shampoo

Olaplex No.4D Clean Volume Detox Dry Shampoo

Three formulas I really like that don’t add any white cast to my dark hair include the Olaplex No 4D Clean Volume Dry Shampoo (probably my favorite right now), the Living Proof Perfect Hair Day PhD and PhD Advanced (both are great) and if you want to splurge the Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo is excellent.

Misc/Others

Best Detangling Spray Oribe Detangling Primer

For other miscellaneous styling products, here are three I really like:

That wraps up my hair care favorites post! I know there’s a lot but I hope this helps give you some recommendations if you’re looking for any new hair care.

If you have any ride or die favorites, let me know in the comments! Stay tuned for a roundup on the best makeup and skincare.