Sephora Sale Haul + Review

Hey guys! I know I’m quite late posting getting my Sephora sale haul and review up. If you follow me on Youtube then you know it’s been a hectic month for me! I got my Sephora order right before I went to Vancouver and then a few weeks later I started a new job. I’m starting to get into a new routine so I finally have the chance to write this post. While the sale has long been over, it’s always a good time to talk about makeup 😉

Let’s start with some repurchases since I made a few. The first thing I got was a Beauty Blender Makeup Sponge. I’ve tried a bunch of sponges and this is still one of my favourites. I like to have a couple of sponges on hand so when one gets dirty I have another clean one available. It’s expensive so I like getting a new sponge during the sale.

The next repurchase is the MAC Cosmetics Prep + Prime Fix+. This is one of my favourite setting sprays and I always like to have a bottle in my collection. It helps the makeup melt into the skin and gives a soft look. Whenever I’m not happy with how my makeup is looking I spray this on my face and it always makes it look better. Such a classic makeup staple and since I was running low it was time to stock up.

The final repurchase was not in my original haul but purchased after. I’ve been having some issues with my skin lately so I decided to switch my cleanser to one of my favourites – the OLEHENRIKSEN Find Your Balance Oil Control Cleanser (for some reason I can’t find just the cleanser on the website but I bought it in-store and it’s still available on the Ole website so idk). This cleanser is meant for acne and oily-prone skin, with lactic and glycolic acid to help deep clean the skin. My skin responds well to this cleanser so I’m happy to have it again.

I decided to purchase a different shade of the MAC Cosmetics Matte Lipstick. I was looking for a dupe for a discontinued lipstick that I have and the shade Yash matched perfectly. I love the formula of the MAC lipsticks and I know that Yash is one of their classic shades. The shade is described as deep neutral. It’s the perfect shade to wear with a bold eye look because it’s very neutral. I think this will be a great addition to my lipstick collection.

While doing my most recent makeup declutter, I discovered I needed some new brown eyeliners. I picked up the Sephora Collection Hot Line Brush Tip Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Brown and Sephora Collection 12-Hour Contour Pencil Eyeliner in Cappuccino. I was able to save 30% on these eyeliners since they’re Sephora Collection! I tested out the liquid liner a few times and it’s good. It’s easier to use and remove and lasted well. I like the brown shade for more everyday wear as it’s less harsh than black. I haven’t tested out the pencil yet as I like pencils for more intense looks and I just haven’t done any yet! If I have any strong opinions (good or bad) I’ll be sure to share them with you guys.

I picked up two Rare Beauty products during the sale. The first is the Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick. I got the shade Happy Sol, which is described as having cool undertones but I find it to be quite warm. That’s my only real complaint. I find that the bronzer applies and blends so easily onto the skin. It also lasts a long time as well. It’s a pretty good bronzer! The other product I got is the Positive Light Under Eye Brightener. I put this product to the test because I have been super tired the past few weeks. This colour corrector adds that little pop of brightness I need under my eyes. It’s quite thin so it doesn’t make my under eyes look cakey when I apply my concealer on top. On very light makeup days I apply just this to my under eyes for just a little something. If you’re looking for a lightweight colour corrector this is a great product.

The final makeup product I got is the Makeup By Mario Soft Pop Blush Stick in the shade Pale Petal. I like this blush! The stick formula makes it easy to apply to the face. It takes a little more effort to blend but that’s okay because the longevity of this blush is crazy! I find that blush is usually the first product to fade from my face but this one lasts until the end of the day. The shade is so pretty and adds such a youthful flush to the face. My only complaint is that I don’t like the dense brush that the blush comes with. I find it harder to blend my blush using that brush than my normal brush. I often accidentally open the brush side while trying to open the product side because there isn’t much space between the caps. I honestly would be fine if this product didn’t come with a brush to be able to lower the price.

The other skincare product I purchased was a mini of the Clinique Take The Day Off Charcoal Cleansing Balm Makeup Remover. I needed a mini cleansing balm for my trip to Vancouver and this was the smallest one I could find in the store. Now I’ve never tried the original Take The Day Off so I’m not sure if the charcoal one is different but I wasn’t that impressed with it. The dark colour meant that it stained any white towel I used. I had to use a lot of product to remove my makeup and sometimes had mascara residue. I’ll continue to use it since I like having the mini size for travelling but it’s not my favourite.

A product that I absolutely love is the OUAI North Bondi Eau De Parfum. I’ve had this perfume on my list for a while so I’m very happy to finally have it in my collection. It smells exactly like the texturizing spray I have so it’s nice to match the scents. The main notes are Italian Lemon, Jasmine, and Bergamot. It’s fresh and floral with a little bit of musk to balance it all out. The longevity is also pretty great which I always appreciate. The perfect scent for spring and summer!

The final product I got is the Sol De Janeiro Bom Dia Bright Body Cream in the mini size. I find with the Sol De Janeiro body creams you either love or hate their scents. You have to go in-store and try it for yourself. I personally love this scent, as you can tell from the perfume I just bought I like the scent of jasmine haha. I also enjoy the formula of the Sol De Janeiro body creams. I find the creams to be rich but blend easily into the skin and the scent will linger throughout the day. I’m slowly building up my collection to have all the scents – I’m missing one more before I own all of them haha. The original scent is still by far my favourite.

And that’s everything I got during the Sephora sale! Let me know if you’ve tried any of these products before. And if you have any recommendations for me (especially perfume) let me know in the comments!

xoxo

Lea

My 2023 Sephora Spring Sale Recommendations

Hey guys! We are just around the corner from the 2023 Sephora Spring Sale. The sale starts today for Rouge members and will end for everyone on April 24. Members can receive anywhere from 10% to 30% off products, which is huge as Sephora doesn’t often do sales. I always do my BIG round-up post in the fall and I still stand by every product I recommended in my last Sephora sale recommendations post. Today I am going to share five products that I would recommend but haven’t mentioned much yet on my blog. So let’s get into it!

I know everyone and their mother is into Rare Beauty currently and are eyeing to get their new lip oils during the sale. But if the shade you’re looking for sells out, then consider checking out their Stay Vulnerable Glossy Lip Balm. This is one of my favourite lip products at the moment. It’s way more nourishing compared to traditional lip glosses. The gloss is buildable so I can play with how much pigmentation I want. The shades are the same as their liquid eyeshadow and cream blush so you could have a cute matching moment as well. I highly recommend checking these out.

My ride-or-die concealer at the moment is the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Self-Setting Medium Coverage Concealer. Between my growing fine lines and ever-lingering darkness under my eyes, it’s been hard to find a good concealer. This concealer is lightweight, has a natural finish and doesn’t crease as much compared to some of my other concealers. It’s a true medium coverage, so some days when I’m tired I’ll have some darkness peeking through. But otherwise, this is a stellar concealer! Make Up For Ever has every undertone under the sun so I think you’ll be able to find your shade match.

If you’ve read my blog before, you’d know that I generally prefer lengthening mascaras. But I am loving the Ilia Fullest Volumizing Mascara! It gives volume without looking clumpy, something I find can happen with volumizing mascaras. This also still delivers a decent amount of length. It also helps my lashes keep their curl, something I struggle with. I get no smudging or flaking. I know everyone is currently obsessing over Ilia’s lengthening mascara, but their volumizing mascara is worth checking out!

I got the Grande Cosmetics GrandeLASH Peptide Lash Enhancing Serum in my Sephora Advent Calendar. I was skeptical so I didn’t take any before photos but I swear this product helps grow my lashes. I would often get sparse spots where I’ve had a few lashes fall out. After using this product consistently I find that my lashes are a lot more even and thicker throughout. They’re not much longer but to be fair I’ve always had decently long lashes naturally. If you want some help with your eyelashes definitely check this product out! But pro tip: just buy the mini. I’ve been using the mini one daily now for over four months and it’s still going strong. Save some money with the smaller one.

And my final recommendation is the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel. As we move into spring and summer a lot of people like to switch to a lighter moisturizer and this one fits the bill perfectly! It’s super lightweight. I use two pumps and it’s enough for my whole face. It sinks quickly into my skin and adds the perfect amount of hydration my oily skin needs. Just be careful when ordering online because Clinique has the Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+ in the same packaging but it’s way thicker (and personally too much for my oily skin). I had originally bought the lotion and had to exchange it for the gel haha.

And those are my five recommendations for the Sephora sale! Stay tuned because I will be posting my wishlist to my Youtube channel soon. I will also be posting a full haul and review of all the products once my order arrives. Let me know what you’re picking up during the sale in the comments!

xoxo

Lea