sephora sale 2022 – Leave it to Lea

Beauty, Favourites, Hair, Makeup, Skincare

My 2022 Sephora Sale Recommendations

November 4, 2022November 4, 2022by Lea1 Comment

Hey guys, it’s that time of year again – the Sephora Sale! The sale is currently underway for all members and will end on November 7. Members can receive anywhere from 10% to 20% off. This is a great time to stock up on products or buy some higher ticket items as Sephora doesn’t often do store-wide sales. I have done many posts in the past and I still stand by all the recommendations in my 2021 Sephora Sale Recommendations post so I highly suggest checking out that post. Today I am sharing 15 new recommendations, many of which I haven’t mentioned yet on my blog. So let’s get into it!

Starting off my makeup section I’m going to recommend a product that has been circling all over Tiktok – the Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey. This lipstick-lip balm hybrid is super comfortable on the lips. The shade is meant to be universally flattering. Because it’s on the more sheer side it’s easy to do one swipe for a light colour or apply more to intensify the colour. This has become my everyday lip product because it looks good, feels nice and wears well. I love it!

The Benefit Cosmetics POREfessional Super Setter Pore-Minimizing Setting Spray is becoming a holy grail product for me. It’s incredible but I do see a difference in the look of my pores after using this setting spray. It’s also amazing at helping my makeup last longer. This product lives up to its claims so it gets a thumbs up from me!

Brows is a category where I like to stick to the classics. I don’t experiment with brows all that much as I find the current brow trend of laminated brows doesn’t look very good on me. But I still want a product that keeps my brows in place. Enter the Nudestix Brow Set Gel XL. If you want something that sets your brows but doesn’t feel like super glue this is for you. I use this almost every day!

I love blush – it’s one of my favourite products to test and I love trying different formulas out. One of my recent favourites is the Patrick Ta Major Beauty Headlines – Double-Take Crème & Powder Blush. There is both cream and powder so I can pick which consistency I prefer on a certain day. The staying power of these blushes is INSANE. Blush is usually the first product to fade for me but with both formulas, my blush is still strong at the end of the day. I have the shade “She’s Blushing” and it’s so unique compared to my other blushes! A great product!

My final makeup recommendation is the ITEM Beauty Lash Snack Clean Lengthening Mascara. I wasn’t sure how I would feel when I got this product in my Boxycharm. But this is a great mascara! If you’re looking for a straight-up lengthening mascara this is the one for you. It has a small brush so it’s also amazing for the lower lash line. If these qualities are up your alley then you should check it out!

Moving into skincare now, we’re going to start with a boujee product – the Caudalie Grape Water. I like using a skincare spray before going in with my hyaluronic acid so the serum has something to absorb. I love the aerosol spray on this product. It feels so refreshing to spray. If you have sensitive skin I could see this being amazing and helping soothe the skin. It’s excessive but I love it so I thought I would share!

A second Caudalie product which I enjoy is the Pore Minimizing Instant Detox Mask. I got this when I went to Paris and I’ve loved it since! Whenever my skin is feeling gross or congested I always reach for this mask. If you can dry skin stay away because this will suck all the moisture out of your skin. But for me, it gets rid of all the oil and gunk. And it’s pink which is so fun!

The exfoliating product that I’ve been enjoying recently is the Clinique 7 Day Face Scrub Cream Rinse-Off Formula. This scrub has a nice balance between creaminess and grittiness. It does a great job of getting rid of any flakes or dry patches and leaving my skin feeling soft and smooth. It’s not too aggressive so I think people with drier skin would still enjoy this scrub.

Another mask favourite of mine is the Farmacy Honey Potion Hydration Mask. This mask is perfect for when my skin needs a little pick-me-up. It helps with texture but is also hydrating at the same time. The mask is cool because it goes on this honey colour but as I rub it in the mask turns white and warms up on the skin. It’s quite a unique mask which is why I recommend it!

The final skincare product is the Biossance Squalane+ Rose Vegan Lip Balm. Is lip balm considered makeup or skincare? I always apply it after I do my skincare which is why I’m including it here! This lip balm has a very interesting consistency almost a little waxy so it stays well on the lips. I love the tube packaging, makes it easy to apply. The Laneige lip balms are amazing but this is a great option if you’re looking for something fragrance-free!

Onto the final category, which I am calling miscellaneous. First I have to mention the Ouai Texturizing Hair Spray. My friends got this for me for my birthday and I fell in love. I love spraying this in my hair after curling it to give a messy and natural look to my curls. It makes them look less polished and more realistic. The smell is also amazing. Ouai sells the scent in a perfume and I’ll be buying it in the future, it smells divine. It’s not Curly Girl approved BUT I don’t use this often so I’m fine with it. Highly recommend this spray!

The next hair product is another product I got from my friends for my birthday – the Bumble and Bumble Curl Reactivator. Now this product isn’t Curly Girl approved but it’s so good that I don’t care haha. I’ve always struggled with my curls not holding their shape and becoming wavy/straight on the second day. I got this product in a set and it works so well! I dampen my hair with some water, spray this all over and scrunch my hair and my curls are back! It’s not as nice as freshly washed hair but still pretty good! I recommend my curly-haired friends check out this product.

My final hair recommendation is a scalp massager. The Sephora Collection one I own is slightly different than the model they currently have available. It looks similar to the one Briogeo is selling. Now that I’ve started using one I don’t think I could ever go back. I use it in the shower after I have applied shampoo but before I rinse it out to clean my scalp. I’ve always liked scratching my scalp with my nails but this is way better. Not only does it feel good, but apparently using a scalp massager is a great way to stimulate the scalp and promote hair growth! I gave one to my one last Christmas and she loves it as well!

My perfume recommendation this time around is the Ellis Brooklyn Salt Perfume. This is a very summery perfume so it’s not the most seasonally appropriate scent but I wanted to share a new one! I got this perfume during the spring sale and I loved wearing it this summer! I find summer beachy perfumes are often very coconutty, which don’t get me wrong I love that scent. But this is a little more sophisticated. As the name implies, it has an almost salty scent to it. The main notes are ylang ylang, Tahitian tiare and ambergris. Smelling this perfume just transports me to the beach! If this sounds up your alley check it out.

My final product recommendation is the Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Body Cream. I have talked about this on my blog before but since it wasn’t featured in past Sephora rec posts I had to include it. This body cream smells divine. It’s a very sweet and gourmand scent so if that’s not your thing then pass. But whenever I wear this body cream I always get compliments on how I smell, especially from guys. Men just seem to love sweet scents! This cream is also so lush, leaving my skin feeling soft after I applied it. And if you like the scent they have so many other products like sprays and hair oils (even deodorants) so I recommend at least going in-store and smelling it for yourself!

And that’s it for my recommendations! Please let me know in the comments what you’re picking up during the sale. I have already received my order for this sale so I’m excited to share with you guys in a future post all the goodies I picked up!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Haul, Makeup, Review, Skincare

Sephora Sale Haul + Review

April 26, 2022April 26, 2022by Lea1 Comment

Hey guys! I am finally sharing my Sephora Spring Savings sale haul with you all. I know the sale has been long over so sorry about the delay. It’s been a very hectic month, to say the least. I gave my first impressions of the products in my Youtube video that I posted on Sunday. I filmed that video over a week ago so I’ve been able to test the products more. Let’s get into it!

The products I picked up during the Sephora Spring Savings event.

Starting with my one skincare product, I picked up the Origins GinZing Refreshing Scrub Cleanser. I picked this up because I finished my other exfoliator and had this on my wishlist. This cleanser has natural jojoba and carnauba wax to gently exfoliate as well as ginseng and caffeine to boost radiance. I initially liked this cleanser. It’s not too abrasive but still does a good job of leaving my skin feel soft and smooth. I like that it has a slight ginger and citrus smell. My skin has been breaking out lately and I’m not sure if it’s because of this cleanser or some other products I’m testing. I’m going to continue testing it and I’ll give you guys an update if I figure out if it’s this cleanser or another product.

I decided to pick up another perfume this sale. It’s starting to become a thing that I pick up a new perfume each sale haha. This time I got the Ellis Brooklyn SALT Eau de Parfum Travel Spray. I got this travel-sized spray because this is a very summery scent, so I don’t see myself using this much except during the summer. The notes are ylang-ylang, violet leaves, tiare flower, magnolia, ambergris, musk and sandalwood. It reminds me of a beach in the summer but without the coconut. I can’t wait for it to be summer so I can wear this all the time!

If you watched my haul video, you would know I was quite on the fence of the shade I got in the Merit Signature Lip Lightweight Lipstick. I got the shade Slip, which they describe as a warm neutral. I find that it’s quite brown on me. I like to wear a pink lip liner underneath to help warm up the lipstick and make it look less like I have chocolate on my mouth. I really really like the formula. It’s a very sheer and satin finish, so it’s very comfortable on the lips. It does wear off easily but it’s super easy to reapply. I love Merit’s lip oils more, but these are still great lipsticks.

A product that I repurchased is the Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional: Super Setter Pore-Minimizing Setting Spray. I got the mini during the last sale and I just recently finished it. I love it so much that I decided to upgrade to the full-sized setting spray. It’s unlike anything in my collection because it visibly blurs my pores and makes my makeup last longer without making my face look matte. Oftentimes long-lasting setting sprays are mattifying but not this one. But it also isn’t dewy or glowy either. It just helps blur everything. This setting spray is starting to cement itself in the hall of fame alongside my Mac Fix + and Urban Decay All Nighter. It’s so good!!

Another product that is quickly becoming a holy grail is the Nudestix Brow Set Gel XL. I wasn’t the biggest brow gel person before. I would only use it if my brows were getting particularly unruly. Since I’ve gotten this Nudestix brow gel, I’ve used it every day. It does an amazing job of putting my brow hairs in place without looking slicked down or like there is something in my brows. Sometimes clear brow gel will have a white cast but not the case with this brow gel! If you’re looking for something to laminate your brows this might not be the product for you. But if you just want to keep everything in place, check out this brow gel!

I’m so happy I placed my order on the first sale of the sale because the Patrick Ta Major Beauty Headlines – Double-Take Crème & Powder Blush is sold out in the shade that I got! I got the shade She’s Blushing, which they describe as a beige. Not sure why they describe it as beige because I think it’s pink. But I am loving this blush duo! The cream is so pigmented but very easy to blend. And the powder is so long-lasting, which doesn’t often happen with blushes. It’s a little on the pricey side, but it is two products in one in a beautiful compact so I’d say it’s worth it. If you’re a blush fan you need to check this product out.

And the final product I purchased is the JVN Nurture Deep Moisture Mask. If you follow my blog then you would know I’m on the hunt for a good hair mask. I’ve only used this mask once so far so it’s a little early for me to have formed my opinions yet. My first impression is that the mask has a strong scent that has lingered in my hair in the days since I’ve washed it. It’s a unisex scent, almost musky in quality but I don’t mind it. I would say that my hair does feel soft but I want to use it more and compare it to my regular conditioner before making any judgements. I will keep you guys updated on the mask.

And those are the products I got during my Sephora sale! Let me know in the comments what you guys got during the sale. I always love discussing what people got because it gives me ideas for the next time I order hehe.

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Makeup, Skincare

My 2022 Spring Sephora VIB Sale Recommendations List

April 1, 2022April 1, 2022by LeaLeave a Comment

Hey guys! With the Spring Sephora VIB sale starting today for Rouge, I thought now would be the time to share my recommendations for the sale! The Sephora Spring Savings Event runs from April 1-11 for Rouge, April 5-11 for VIB and April 7-11 for VIB. The savings range from 10-20% off depending on what level you are, so it’s the perfect time of year to pick up something you’ve been eyeing. During the last sale, I did a super in-depth list and I still stand by all those recommendations so check out that post! Today I wanted to keep it short and sweet. If someone were to put a gun to my head and say “You’re only allowed to recommend five of your favourite products” then these would be my picks.

Starting with my current obsession, the Merit Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil. I picked this up when I did my Testing Beauty Youtubers’ 2021 Favourites post and my love for it has only grown since then. I brought this with me to Vancouver and let my friend try it. She loved it so much she picked one up for herself. I also gave my mom one for her birthday and she also loves it. So I am sharing this wonderful lip product with all of you to go out and get during the sale. It’s sheer but still has enough pigmentation where it’s not a clear gloss. Since it’s an oil it feels so comfortable on the lips. It can be worn by itself or on top of lip liners or lipsticks. I have the shade Taupe and it’s my perfect your-lips-but-better shade. If there is one product from this list you should buy, it’s this lip oil.

The second makeup product I recommend is one I’ve mentioned dozens of times but it’s the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer. I have tried so many concealers and I’ll love them for a couple of weeks and then I find myself going back to this one. The concealer is true to its name, it’s so creamy so it’s a dream to blend. It’s medium coverage so it helps brighten the undereyes but doesn’t look cakey. Because it’s creamy it can get a little creasy near the end of day but it’s easier to touch up with a beauty blender or powder. If you haven’t tried this concealer yet I highly recommend it.

Moving onto skincare, a product that I’ve been hyping up a lot lately is the Peace Out Salicylic Acid Acne Healing Dots. These make such a difference with my breakouts. Whenever I have a gross whitehead I’ll put one on before bed and by the next morning it’s cleaned out all the gunk. I notice my skin doesn’t scare as badly, or sometimes at all, when I use a patch on top of a whitehead. The key is that these are most effective on whiteheads. If you have something that is below the surface it’s not as effective. I know their not the cheapest on the market but these acne patches are by far the best I’ve tried so far.

I recently repurchased the Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm and I’ve fallen in love all over again. I’m telling you it’s the best makeup cleansing balm out there. It does the best job at removing all my makeup, including liner, lash glue and glitter. Yet it’s still pretty gentle at the same time. My skin doesn’t feel stripped after. I would say that the Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm is a close second, but the Farmacy one just leaves my skin feeling cleaner. I also think that if you wear makeup getting a cleansing balm is one of the best skincare products to invest in because properly cleansing your skin will go a long way to preventing breakouts.

The final recommendation I have is not necessarily the most exciting product but it’s something I use every single day – the Smashbox 24 Hour Photo Finish Eyeshadow Primer. I have very oily eyelids and if I don’t prime them then my eyeshadow creases so badly. This primer does an amazing job at ensuring my eyeshadow stays put and doesn’t move around. I know that tinted and tacky eyeshadow primers (such as P. Louise) are popular but I find those so difficult to work with. I just apply a little bit of the primer and then set it with some powder and I’m good to go. I also only need a tiny amount so this tube has lasted me forever. It’s not an exciting product but one that will make a real difference in your final makeup look.

And those are my five Sephora sale recommendations! Let me know what you guys are picking up during the sale in the comments. And of course, I’ll be sharing what I get so stay tuned for that!

xoxo

Lea