LADIES! We are talking all about beauty today, and I am super excited to share my BEST OF SEPHORA picks just in time for the SEPHORA SALE.
I did my first ever Sephora Haul in May of 2019, and I’ve been hooked on shopping Sephora ever since, ESPECIALLY during their Bonus Events. I always grab my favorite products that I need to restock at home, and the sale prices also give me a reason to order products I’ve been interested in and wanting to try!
The majority of today’s post is dedicated to these personal tried and true favorites of mine. I will also be sharing a couple of new (to me) products.
CODE: YAYHOLIDAY
Rouge members get 20% OFF right now, VIB members get 15% OFF now and all Insiders will get 10% off their purchase starting today. If you haven’t signed up for Sephora’s Beauty Insider program yet, just make sure you sign up now to unlock 10% off so you can start shopping. It’s so easy!
MY TIP TOP FAVORITES
Let’s start with some of my very favorite spring and summer products for my face. These are items I’ve been using for at least a year and HIGHLY recommend. I often get questions about how these face products differ. I’m going to talk about each product in detail below, but in a nutshell…
The Isle of Paradise Self Tanning Drops is a self tanner that “tans” your skin. I put it on at night, the color develops while I’m sleeping, and I wake up with a nice glow. I mix the tanning drops the Magic Cream, which is one of my favorite moisturizers. I also mix the Magic Cream with the Sunshine Drops. The Sunshine Drops are NOT a self tanner. Think of the Sunshine Drops as a very sheer tinted moisturizer. They provide really light coverage, but with a bronzy color. The SuperGoop Glow Screen is a heavier tinted moisturizer with SPF. I use the Self Tanning Drops every 3-4 days, and then I typically either choose to use the Magic Cream and Sunshine Drops combo OR the Supergoop Glow Screen for my “foundation”. All 4 of these products are amazing, more details below.
Isle of Paradise Self Tanning Drops / Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream / Drunk Elephant Sunshine Drops / SuperGoop Glow Screen
The Isle of Paradise Self Tanning Drops were one of the blogger products that I’d heard about for well over a year before I decided to try them for myself. They totally lived up to all of the blogger hype. This product totally blows me away.
Here’s what you do. You mix drops of it into your favorite moisturizer (again, I use this Charlotte Tilbury one). The more drops, the deeper the tan. You rub it all over your face, being careful not to miss any spots. And within a couple of hours, a “tan” develops. It’s magical really. (Make sure you wash your hands very well afterwards.)
I appreciate that you can control the deepness of your tan with the number of drops you use. They call it “controlling your glow”, and I’m here for it. I grabbed the medium formula, and I using 3 healthy sized drops mixed in with my moisturizer. I feel like it gives me an even bronze glow that’s not streaky or orange.
I think it’s best to apply it at night so it can develop while sleeping. When using 3 drops, the color fades in about 3 days, so I typically use this product about twice a week.
I would like to direct your attention to my arm in the picture below. Do you see the horizontal stripe below my wrist and the vertical stripe down my forearm? That’s the sun-kissed glow it gives!
If you are still on the fence, I highly recommend hopping over to the site to read some of the other reviews. Because MY GOODNESS, people are obsessed with this product.
Isle of Paradise Self Tanning Drops / Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream
Okay, now let’s talk about Drunk Elephant Sunshine Drops. I LOVE THIS PRODUCT. The packaging was recently updated to more of a rectangular bottle, but it’s the same product. I combine these drops with my Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream…and I’m telling you….MAGIC happens.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream / Drunk Elephant Sunshine Drops
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream – I added this moisturizer into my routine after reading about it on several blogs and in several “BEST OF” beauty articles, and now I’ve been using it for about 2 years now. Lots of users compared it to the much more expensive La Mer line, but said they preferred this product! That was it, I was convinced I needed to try it. Officially, it’s a cream that floods skin with moisture for a glowing complexion in a flash. A little goes a long way with this cream, and it’s not greasy, but it is incredibly hydrating. There is a very light rose scent to this cream, and I don’t normally care for rose, but it doesn’t bother me at all.
I’m now devoted to it. It has a cult following and a large group of women that absolutely swear by it. I’m now a part of that group.
Drunk Elephant Sunshine Drops – This product is awesome. AWESOME. I mix it with the magic cream and just use one full squirt of the sunshine drops. It gives a really pretty glow with a bit of coverage immediately! Again, this is NOT a self tanner. It’s a tinted moisturizer. It’s very sheer, and I love the amount of color it gives. These drops also have a lot of amazing ingredients in them that are great for your skin. They are made of vitamins, antioxidants, platinum peptides, and barrier-supportive fatty acids that defend skin from environmental free radicals. YES, PLEASE!
Below you can see how I just add a pump to the magic cream and then blend it together before applying it all over my face and neck. I’m telling you, it just gives your face a wonderfully healthy looking GLOW.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream/ Drunk Elephant Sunshine Drops
The Supergoop Glow Screen is a makeup primer with SPF40! And the best part is that it has a pearlescent finish which also gives an immediate glow. The Glow Screen gives a bit heavier coverage than the Sunshine Drops give, and it’s also a bit more glowy, but doesn’t give as deep of color. You can wear it under other foundation, which I’ve definitely done, but I most frequently wear it on it’s own as my “foundation”.
And y’all! This past summer I had a FANTASTIC idea (if I do say so myself). I mixed one pump of the Sunshine Drops with the Glow Screen (instead of the Magic Cream). It resulted in heavier coverage and deeper color! I MEAN! GENIUS!
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Some of my other very favorite products that I absolutely swear by are the lip products below. Like I’m telling you right now, I can’t live without them.
Brazillian Kiss Lip Butter / Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask
The Brazillian Kiss Lip Butter is only $18, and I think it’s an awesome product. First of all, it smells heavenly. It goes on very smoothly and isn’t sticky at all, but the best part about it is definitely the smell.
If you needs something super hydrating that will repair cracked and dry lips, go with the Lip Sleeping Mask.
Brazillian Kiss Lip Butter / Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask
This Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask is a product that I absolutely swear by. I keep it on my nightstand and use it every single night. Like, I can’t go to sleep if I don’t have it on, and I travel with it too.
I don’t suffer from dry and flaky lips, which is what this product really targets, but I do love going to bed at night with super moisturized lips and my goodness does this product deliver. For me, it just gives me extra silky and smooth lips. If you suffer from dry and flaky lips, this is going to be a game changer for you. If you apply a thick layer at night, when you wake up the next morning, the flakes are going to be sitting on top of the skin. They then recommend taking a damp wash cloth to wipe the flakes away.
Carter got terrible wind burn on his lips playing soccer last weekend, and we were able to totally get them back to normal just using this product for 2 days. This mask has over 8,000 5 star reviews, and I totally get it.
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NEW TO ME PRODUCTS
I grabbed this product earlier this year, and I love it.
Check out these Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops! This product is for all skin types and it combats dryness and dullness. It makes my skin feel great, look great, and it smells freaking amazing. My favorite way to use this product is just to apply it to a clean and dry face on the days I’m at home and not wearing makeup. I’ve also applied it to the high points of my face as sort of a natural highlighter, and it can also be used under makeup as a primer.
I haven’t tried the Maria Badescu Drying Lotion yet (because I have and love the Origins Spot Remover that I talk about later in the post), but I grabbed it on sale because so many other influencers totally swear by this product and I wanted to give it a try! I do know that you aren’t supposed to shake the bottle (the product appears separated), and that you’re supposed to apply it as soon as you think you see a pimple forming.
I picked up the Banana Bright Eye Cream on my last trip to Sephora. Shay loves it and totally convinced me I needed to try it. #influenced It targets dryness, fine lines and wrinkles, and darkness. It’s enriched with Vitamin C (soooo good for our skin!) and will revive and brighten your eye area! I love the way it looks (it really does brighten the area immediately), and I’m excited to see long term results.
The Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Setting Spray has FANTASTIC reviews. It’s alcohol free, oil free, and it hydrates while setting your makeup. The reviews convinced me because people say that they’ve tried dozens of makeup setters, and this is the only one that they’ve ever purchased again!
Banana Bright Eye Cream / Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Setting Spray
Here we are after we grabbed lunch one week. We had such fun in Sephora, trading “secrets” on our favorite products and convincing each other what we needed to try.
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MAKEUP FAVORITES
I love the Maracuja Juicy Lip in Strawberry from tarte. The color is so soft and pretty, the formula is very hydrating, AND it smells like coconut! My entire face is done with tarte products in this picture, and you can head to my instagram story highlights and click on the one that says “tarte” for direct swipe ups to all products used in this picture. Click HERE for all tarte products at Sephora.
Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Glass Bomb Lip Lumizer – I’m a lip gloss lover, but I’m SUPER picky. It can’t be sticky, it can’t have a weird smell, it needs to have staying power for a gloss, and it needs to be VERY SHINY. After seeing the number of 5 star reviews and reading the words “explosive shine”, I grabbed this one. It goes on very smoothly, the applicator is a good size and shape, it’s hydrating, and it truly offers explosive shine.
This very well could be my favorite lip gloss ever. I have a couple of different full size glosses and I also got a small sampler pack during Christmas. I love every single color I’ve tried. One more thing I love about it? The scent! It smells like peaches and vanilla. It’s not overwhelming at all though, it’s just delightful.
NARS blush / Fenty highlighter duo / Charlotte Tilbury Magic Powder / bronzer brush
NARS blush – I like a bright pink blush (my shade is called “Amour”), and this one does the trick. I love the rosy hue! For those of you that don’t love a pink, the Nars “orgasm” shade is supposed to be a universally flattering color.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Powder – Believe the name. This powder is magic. It’s another one of my Top 3 favorites. Officially, it’s “a loose setting powder that blurs imperfections, veils shadows, and visibly boosts radiance.” I swipe it on, and I love the look. It really does seem to just even everything out and give a beautiful matte finish, without settling in lines! Some reviewers complain of a smell, but I haven’t noticed anything! I’m Color 1, which is fair.
Bobbi Brown Bronzer Brush – I like my brush and have used it for years, but it doesn’t have great reviews, so click HERE for other brush choices.
Fenty highlighter duo – This highlighter duo has 2,446 5 STAR reviews. It’s a cream powder hybrid that “melts into skin”. I like it a lot, but I don’t think I know how to use it to its maximum potential. I need to go back in to Sephora for a little tutorial, but right now I just put it along the top edge of my blush line and down the bridge of my nose. It definitely gives a radiant boost to my face.
One review made me realize the fact that I probably need pointers on how to use it….she said “Trophy Wife” makes my face look like God himself descended from heaven, grazed his almighty fingers across the highlights of my face, and said “let there be light.” I mean, that’s a rousing endorsement!
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OTHER FAVORITE PRODUCTS
Now I have some product favorites that aren’t makeup…
Breakouts aren’t something I thought I would still be dealing with at my age, but here we are. Now, they aren’t frequent, but they do still happen. For the past couple of years, I’ve been spot treating any little bumps that popped up with the Colleen Rothschild clay mask, and it worked pretty well, but now I feel like I have a secret weapon.
This tiny little bottle is packed full of salicylic acid that powerfully spot treats blemishes. My spots disappear faster, as does the redness that always goes along with them. And I’ve found that it dries the spot out, without over-drying my skin or causing me to peel. The second I even start to think that a blemish is about to pop up, I cover it up with just a dab of this gel. A teeny tiny little bit goes a long way. #alittledabwilldoya The bottle is TINY, but I’ve had it for over a year.
If like me you are still struggling with occasional blemishes, I highly recommend giving this product a try!
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The Peter Thomas Roth Hydra Gel Eye Patches have gained some serious popularity over the last couple of years.
I was first introduced to them in April of 2018, and I’ve been using them ever since.
You use the enclosed spatula to gently lift and separate a patch from the others, and then you apply the patches under your eye to clean and dry skin.
If you apply with the pointy side up, you will target under eye puffiness and wrinkles. If you apply with the pointy side down, you can target your crow’s feet. They feel nice and cool on your skin when you put them on (I’ve heard some even keep them in the fridge), and I leave them on for 10-15 minutes. The caffeine that’s in them helps de-puff the eye area, and the 24K gold will leave your skin appearing firmer, lifted, and brighter! #YESPLEASE
They are expensive, but I really do notice a marked difference after using them. I don’t use them every day, only when I look extra tired or have extra puffy eyes.
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I was also interested in a new hairspray, and the helpful Sephora employee recommended these as the 2 most popular. One is a flexible hold, one is a firm hold, and I really like both of them depending on what my needs are for that day.
Living Proof Flex Hairspray / Moroccanoil Treatment / Moroccanoil Hairspray
Moroccanoil– I’ve been hearing about this product for years from friends, and I finally tried it. And now that I have, I feel so stupid for waiting so long. BECAUSE IT’S AMAZING. It’s used for conditioning, styling, and finishing. It claims to detangle, speed up drying time, and boost shine. It does not contain Parabens, Sulfates, or Phthalates.
The main benefits I’ve noticed is that it tames flyaways and BOOSTS THE SHINE LIKE CRAZY. My hair is silkier, softer, and more manageable. It’s seriously SO SOFT and SO SHINY.
I do wish it came with a pump dispenser, but I just turn it over with my middle finger placed on top to make sure I don’t pour too much out at a time. I rub it on my palms or on my fingertips, and then I apply the oil all throughout my hair. It’s not greasy, but it’s incredibly moisturizing. It doesn’t weigh my hair down, and it smells amazing.
My hair has never looked or felt better.
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These masks are placed strategically at the check-out counter at Sephora. #wellplayedsephora
They are brightly colored, look like a lot of fun, and the packages tell you what the masks target. For example, the pink mask is “ultra moisturizing and brightening”. The yellow mask is “pore perfecting and smoothing”.
I grab one or two masks like this every single time I place an order or go to Sephora.
Click HERE for a large selection of single use masks to choose from!
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Sol De Janeiro Bum Bum Cream – Okay, this product has been all over blogger’s feeds for a good long while. People scream and shout about it. People say it smells like a little piece of Heaven. People says they will never go without it. But even with all of the hype, I’m going to be honest, I had no idea what it was for. WELL. It’s what it sounds like. It’s cream. For your bum bum. But not just your bum bum. For your whole body really. It’s thick and rich, and it’s supposed to combat dryness, dullness, and uneven texture. And it’s formulated to promote firmness and elasticity. And after reading tons of online reviews (and seeing some before and after pictures), some users are even reporting that it combats cellulite! WHOAH. Other reviewers say it’s worked wonders on their dry and cracked heels and hands, so I’m going to start putting it on my heels for sure.
I like that it’s not oily or greasy, and it really just absorbs into the skin. It has a very subtle shimmer to it, but don’t let that scare you! It’s VERY subtle. I’ll be honest, I’m not great about consistently applying body butter or lotions to my body, so I don’t notice any big time results….but it feels and smells amazing, and it’s super hydrating.
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And just because we’ve now talked about soooooooooooooooo many beauty products today, I thought it might not be a bad idea to highlight one of my favorite beauty organizers again!
I’ve been SO HAPPY with the purchase of this 360 degree beauty organizer. You can adjust the shelf height for your personal needs, it spins all the way around, the products are super accessible, and it holds ALL THE THINGS! I highly recommend this baby.
I’ve also been totally pleased with this organizer. I bought them both so I could have pretty pictures for a previous beauty post, and now I can’t imagine my life without them.
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Whew! That’s all for today, y’all!
Tons of beauty products that I LOVE, ADORE, and HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
In closing, I wanted to give y’all a reminder that if you aren’t in the program already, you can sign up to be a Sephora Beauty Insider for free! As an Insider, you will receive birthday gifts, product samples, and access to the special events where you get discounts. After you are in the program, you will start collecting points based upon your purchases, and your points will determine your level (which determines when you can shop during these events). As soon as you sign up, you’ll be classified as an Insider.
So now I want to know…
Do you have some Sephora favorites that you think I need to try? Influence me in the comments!
Shay Shull says
I loooooove Sephora!!! I just added like 12 things to my cart.
Kathy says
I always love your makeup posts:)
Your blog is still one of my “happy” places.
Sheaffer says
Kathy, that means so much. I always love when I see your name pop up. You are definitely one of my most loyal readers, and I appreciate you so much!!! xoxo
Jessica Tribbett says
Love these posts! Question, does the eye cream smell like bananas? Like at all? I’ve been tempted to try this (currently use Colleen Rothschilds) but I despise the smell of bananas. 🙂
Sheaffer says
Jessica!!!! Bananas make me straight up gag!!!!!!!! ??? I do not think it smells like bananas! Xoxo