Hey guys! So let’s start with the announcement because that’s the exciting part. So I’ve mentioned on both my Instagram and Youtube that I got a part-time job that’s not in PR for the time being. So today I have my first in-store shift at SEPHORA! I know, super exciting! The position is only a seasonal cashier for now. Since it’s only part-time I am still planning to be posting twice a week. But I do want to make it clear that all opinions on my blog, Instagram and Youtube are my own and do not reflect those at Sephora.
So let’s get into the haul. Sorry I didn’t get the chance to post this before the sale was over. This isn’t going to be an in-depth review just because I haven’t had the chance to test the products out. I just wanted to let you guys know what I got quickly so you could pick them up while they are still in stock.
The first item is the Briogeo Merry Multi-Masking Kit ft. Don’t Despair Repair Deep Conditioning Honey Bear Mask. I got this set because I’ve heard so many good things about the Honey Bear mask in this kit. Unfortunately, the kit is sold out, and it’s the only way to get the Honey Bear mask. But the other two masks in this kit (the Don’t Despair Repair and Be Gentle, Be Kind masks) are both permanent products so you guys can still pick those up. There are also other kits featuring these masks as well.
The next product I got is the Farmacy Honey Potion Renewing Antioxidant Hydration Mask. I had a sample of this mask before and I loved it so much that I decided to get a full size. It’s different compared to other hydrating masks because it gets warm and tingly. I would describe it more like a restorative mask. It takes my skin from blah to ahhhh. And the packaging is just beautiful.
The final two products are both Hourglass. The first is the Mini Ambient Lighting Edit. This is a limited edition product for the holidays that features a powder, blush, bronzer and highlight. I have heard so many good things about Hourglass face products so I thought it would be a nice way to try multiple of their products. The second Hourglass product is Unlocked Instant Extensions Lengthening Mascara. It’s a tubing mascara, which means that I only need to use water to wash off the mascara. I’ve never tried a tubing mascara so I thought it would be interesting to try!
I am so excited to play and test out all of these products. Let me know in the comments what you picked up in the Sephora VIB sale!
Hey guys! So today I am sharing a comprehensive list of recommendations for the Sephora VIB Sale. For those who don’t know, twice a year Sephora does a sale where you get anywhere from 10-to-20% off your purchase. This is huge because Sephora doesn’t often do sales. The dates of the sale and the percentage depends on what level of their BeautyInsider program you are (see photo below). I was debating doing this post but then ALL my friends were asking what I was getting and what I recommend. So if you are interested in what I’m ordering head over to my Instagram stories because I’ll show my cart there. I will also do a haul once I get my order. Here I will be doing an in-depth recommendation list. I’m going to go through each product category for makeup and skincare. Unfortunately, I don’t have the money (or have received in PR) to have tested every product under the sun, so I will be listing some products that I haven’t tried but I have heard positive reviews for. I will mark if I’ve tried a product or not. Okay, let’s get into it.
Makeup
Primer
First is a cult-classic, the Smashbox Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Primer. This is the primer to use if you have oily skin or if you just want to have a smooth and even canvas for your makeup. This is a primer I will always have in my collection. One that is my wish list is the Laneige Glowy Makeup Serum. I have loved every Laneige product that I have tried and I have heard amazing things about this primer. This serum is supposed to hydrate the skin and keep oils at bay while giving a visible glow to the skin AND helping makeup last longer. That sounds pretty perfect to me.
Foundation
There are so many good foundations on the market and it’s all about personal preference when it comes to foundation. Either of the Fenty foundations, the Matte and the Hydrating are both amazing. Both foundations are full coverage and long-lasting on the skin. A foundation that I have on my wish list is the NARS Soft Matte Complete Foundation. I’ve heard Kathleen Lights and Samantha Ravndahl rave about this foundation and they both have dry skin. They say that while it’s matte the foundation is quite natural and looks good on the skin. Sounds amazing to me. Now I’ve had a few people ask me for a lighter coverage foundation/tinted moisturizer. I haven’t tried either of these so sorry if it doesn’t work out. But if you want something with lighter coverage check out the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer and the NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer.
I could be here forever if I were to list all the blushes, bronzer and highlights that I’ve heard good things about. There are just so many good ones on the market. So instead I’m going to give you some tips for picking out a good one. First, decide what formula you want. There is a difference between using a powder vs a cream/liquid. Picking a formula will help narrow down the options. Next, decide what shade you want. Not every brand has every shade. If you want a specific blush or highlight shade then that will limit what brands you pick from. Bronzers some brands will lean more warm-toned or cool-toned. A good list of brands for blush is NARS, Rare Beauty, Hourglass, Charlotte Tilbury, Tarte, Fenty and Nudestix. For bronzers I recommend: Benefit, Charlotte Tilbury, Marc Jacobs, Fenty and Milk Makeup. For highlight: Hourglass, Charlotte Tilbury, Becca. As you can see there are a couple of brands who just do face products well across the board like Hourglass, Charlotte Tilbury and Fenty.
Setting Powder
One of my favourite setting powder is the Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder. It gives a very soft and natural look to the skin. Not cakey and matte unlike a lot of setting powders. The one I would like to try is the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder. Similarly to the Hourglass one, the Charlotte Tilbury setting powder is supposed to blur and reduce shin. It’s not a heavy-duty powder.
You can’t go wrong with a brow pencil from Anastasia Beverly Hills or Benefit. Both the Brow Wiz and Precisely My Brow are fan favourites for a reason. I’ve noticed that a few brands are coming out with their version of the Glossier Boy Brow. Benefit, ABH and Urban Decay all have their version that I would be interested in trying in the future.
Eyeliner is usually not a product I get excited over. I generally don’t go “oh that eyeliner looks so good I want to get it”. So I don’t have any on my wish list. I do have two recommendations. The first is the Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Eye Crayon. The second is the Make Up For Ever Artist Colour Pencil. I find the Marc Jacobs eyeliner to be creamier than the MUFE one. This means that the Marc Jacobs eyeliner is more pigmented and impactful, but it’s not as long-lasting. Both have an impressive shade collection so you can probably find the shade you’re looking for between these two eyeliners.
Mascara
I love mascara. It’s one of my favourite products to test out because I’m pretty picky. I have quite a few recommendations. First, any of the Tarte mascaras are good, but my favourite is the Tarteist Lash Paint Mascara. I know not everyone is a fan of the plastic wand, but I never accidentally get mascara on my lid while using this mascara. I think it gives the perfect balance between volume and length. The next is the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara. I like the formula but I don’t like the wand. I always get mascara on my lids. The formula gives me defined lashes and intense volume. And then one in the middle brush-wise is the Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara. This gives me long, fluttery lashes. I didn’t like it at first but once it dried out a bit I like it now.
Lip Products
Okay, there are SO many lip products out there so it’s hard for me to have tried everything. I’m going to give a few options for each category. I haven’t tried all of these but I’ve good heard reviews for sure. So for lipliners, I would recommend Charlotte Tilbury or Pat McGarth. For lip gloss, Fenty and Bite Beauty. I also really want to try Tower28. For liquid lipstick, 100% the NARS Powermatte Lip Pigments are my fav. And finally for lipstick the MAC and Charlotte Tilbury.
Skincare
Skincare is hard to give recommendations because everyone has different skin types. I also haven’t tried every single product under the sun because I obviously only use products for my skin type. So please keep that in mind with my recommendations!
My current favourite face serum is pretty pricey ($95 CAD oof) but I love the Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil. If that’s a little out of your budget, I’ve heard good things about the OleHenriksen Truth Serum. I’ve also heard great things about The Ordinary, but I can’t figure out their brand and what products would be good for me.
Woo and that’s it! I decided not to do any haircare since I don’t really have any recommendations – I buy most of my haircare from the drugstore. I hope you guys enjoyed this post and it gave you some inspo for your shopping cart. Please let me know in the comments what you are getting from the sale this year!
Hey guys! My Sephora VIB Sale order has finally come in! I ordered one of the last days of the sale which is why it took so long to come in. I usually do full reviews on the products, but since it took so long for the products to arrive I thought it best to just do some first impressions so I could get this post up asap.
The first product is a Beauty Blender set! I’ve mentioned this before but every sale I always buy a new Beauty Blender. They are great sponges and I use them almost every time I do my makeup. This one came with a red sponge and a solid cleanser. It’s a good deal because it’s the same price as a regular Beauty Blender.
The next product is the one I was waiting for the most! I got the OLEHENRIKSEN Truth Juice Daily Cleanser. I finished my other OLEHENRIKSEN cleanser the other day so it was great timing. I tried it this morning and I think I like it. It smells like orange which I love. It lathers up nicely and left my skin feeling soft. I need to try this cleanser a bit more to say whether I love it or not, but so far so good.
I got two eyeliners. The first is the Tarteist Double Take Eyeliner in the shade Brown. I have been wanting a brown liquid eyeliner. I thought this one would be good because it also has a pencil on the other end. Now this is a felt tip, which I’m not as good at using. But I was able to create a pretty good wing with it. But I will say it’s darker than I expected. I think I like this and will get some good use out of it.
The second eyeliner I bought was the Makeup Forever Artist Color Pencil in the shade Boundless Bisque. I like to put white in my waterline, but sometimes white can be a little too bright. I thought this nude would be a good shade. And I was right! I used the pencil and it make my eyes just look so awake and bright. I’ve only had it in my waterline for two hours but it’s still there! I think I will like this liner.
The final product is the Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer. I have heard so many good things about this bronzer and have had it on my wish list for awhile. I thought now was the perfect time to get it ahead of summer. I’ve only used it once but I am already it love. This bronzer blended out so easily. I also love that it’s a matte formula. I find that sometimes creams can make me look greasy, but this one just looks so natural. It’s also a great shade match for me. OH I LOVE THIS ALREADY!
And that is my Sephora VIB Sale haul. Let me know in the comments what products you guys got during the sale!
Hey guys! So I did a poll on Instagram and A LOT of you wanted to see my Sephora VIB Sale recommendations. I also decided to throw in my wish list. I probably won’t pick up everything (if anything) on my wish list, but I thought it would be fun to share it with you guys. I tried to keep things pretty general, but if you want specific product recommendations feel free to DM me! My friends ask me all the time products for their specific skin type or my thoughts on a specific product. I want you guys to make well-informed decisions with your money, especially during this crazy time we are going through.
Sale Recommendations
1. Beauty Blender and brush cleanser
I love my Beauty Blender. It’s a great sponge and I use it almost everyday. But they unfortunately don’t last forever. I buy a new Beauty Blender every VIB Sale. While you can clean a sponge to help it’s longevity, eventually the sponge either breaks down or because unsanitary. So if you like using Beauty Blender, the sale is a good time to get them.
I also recommend getting a brush cleanser. It’s important to clean your brushes, and might as well get a boring product when it’s on sale. I currently use the Beauty Blender Liquid Cleanser but they are many on the market.
2. Restock favourites
Sale time is a great time to restock on favourites. These are products that I use all the time and can’t live without. They are also ones that I go through quickly. A few restock classics are:
Mascara – I love all the Tarte mascaras, but specifically Tarteist Lash Paint
Skincare is another great thing to stock up on if you have a favourite product. If you want some skincare recommendations just send me a DM.
3. Face masks
I love a good face mask. Sometimes masks can be pricey if you are not using them on the daily. So that’s why buying them during a sale is a great time to get them. I have three that I love and would recommend:
Origins Out of Trouble – if you have oily skin get this mask. It is amazing at helping heal and deal with active breakouts.
Caudalie Instant Detox Mask – this mask if great when your skin just feels blah. Resets the skin and leaves it feeling smooth and clean after. Also it’s pink!
Glow Recipe Watermelon + AHA Sleeping Mask – I don’t like this as a sleeping mask, I only use it for 10 minutes. It does a great job of evening my skin texture. My face feels like a baby’s bottom after.
4. Palettes
Eyeshadow palettes can be expensive. So that’s why getting them during a sale is the best time to get them! Everyone likes different things when it comes to eyeshadow palettes, so it’s really personal preference. But if I had to recommend one, I would say the ABH Soft Glam palette. I have gotten a lot of use out of it. They colour palette is also very approachable and wearable for both everyday and glam looks.
5. Perfume
Once again, perfumes are expensive. So might as well get it while it’s cheaper. I wanted to add this recommendation because I recently got a new perfume for my birthday! I got the TOCCA Florence. I got it as a sample with Sephora and I fell in love. I don’t normally like florals, but this one is so fresh. The bergamot and pear balance out the gardenia so it’s more clean than sweet floral. This is a great spring/summer scent.
My Wish list
I have quite a few items on my wish list. The first is pretty random, but I wanted the Origins Ginger Souffle Whipped Body Cream. I love body lotion and I use it all the time. This one is described as “a relaxing body lotion created to spread warmth as tangy ginger embraces your body and nourishing oils surround skin in softness.” Like YUM sign me up. The reviews are also amazing! The only thing holding me back is that its $50 CAD, ugh. One day I’ll purchase it.
I have been loving cream blush and I have my eye on two others. The first is the MAC Glow Play Blush. I have seen a few people use and love this blush. It is said to apply like a cream and finish like a powder, which I love. They are currently sold out of a lot of the shades so I will probably wait. The other blush is the new Fenty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush. I have seen a bunch of people talk about them but not a lot of reviews. But I just know that these would be good.
Continuing the cream train, is the Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer. I have so many people rave about this and I have almost bought it so many times. I will one day buy this product as well.
I have heard everyone and their mother talk about the Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask. This is apparently one of the best hydrating masks and it’s suitable for combo/oily skin folks as well. I do have a sample of it, so I will try it out and if I like it I will probably purchase it.
The final item on my wish list is the Olehenrikson Truth Juice Daily Cleanser. As soon as it launched I knew I wanted to try it. I have been loving all the Olehenrikson products that I have tried. It’s supposed to be purfying and brightening AND smell amazing. I think once I finish my current cleanser I’m going to pick this one up.
And those are my recommendations and my wish list. Let me know in the comments what you guys are thinking of getting or have already purchased!
Hey guys! If you guys have been following me for awhile, you know when I don’t post for a bit it’s usually because I am busy with school. So sorry for taking so long to get this up, BUT school comes first! I still wanted to share my Sephora VIB Sale haul even though the sale is over. Might be useful for some Christmas wish-list inspiration 😉 I have two bonus products that I bought on Sunday with a coupon I got in the mail. So without further ado, my haul:
First I got the Isle of Paradise Self Tanning Drops in medium. I am going down south before Christmas, so I wanted to get some self-tanner. My friend owns this self-tanner and she recommended them to me! You add a few drops to your moisturizer and then apply it to your body. I will definitely update you guys on how it works!
Next I repurchased my two favourite setting sprays. The first is the MAC Prep + Prime Fix +. I love this setting spray because it does an amazing job of melting my makeup into my face and making it look so flawless. The other setting spray I got is the Urban Decay All Nighter. I really do think this spray makes a difference in how long my makeup lasts. I got a mini so I can bring it with me on my vacation.
Another repurchase is the GlamGlow Bubblesheet mask. I kinda hate that I love this mask because $12 is a lot for one sheet mask. But it does such an amazing job at cleaning out my skin. Plus it’s really fun to use. So I have this one for special occasions, and only buy it when its on sale.
My favourite moisturizer at the moment is the Laneige Water Bank Hydro Gel. I have been using this moisturizer for almost a year now, I am just in love. It’s the perfect texture – not too thick and not too thin. It really hydrates my skin and I have really noticed a difference using this moisturizer.
Next is a very boujee purchase. I bought myself the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in the shade Pillow Talk. This shade is their best seller and is known to be the perfect nude. I have heard so many people rave about it that I decided to try it for myself. While this lipstick is pretty pricey, sometimes you have to treat yourself!
Final product is a repurchase of the Beauty Blender. I love this sponge, but it ain’t cheap. I always like to get it during the VIB sale to save money. I basically buy a new one every sale and throw out my old one. While these babies last longer than disposable sponges, it’s important to change then after a couple of months.
And that is my Sephora VIB Sale haul! Let me know what you guys bought in the comments below!
Hey friends! So today I am sharing what I got during the Sephora VIB Sale. The sale goes until Monday, so if you still have a chance to pick up some stuff! I went a little crazy, but 20% off is a great time to stock up or get items that you have been eyeing for awhile.
First, I repurcahsed the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser. You guys know how much I love this cleanser, so I had to pick up a mini for when I travel later this month. I think once I finish this one I will invest in the full size one.
I bought a second cleanser, since I like to use a different cleanser in the morning and night (yes I’m that extra). I got the OLEHENRIKSEN Find Your Balance Oil Control Cleanser. I was looking for a new cleanser meant oily/acne prone skin. This one had good reviews and smelled pretty good, so I am excited to try it out.
The final skincare bit is my Beauty Insider birthday gift! I decided to go with the Drunk Elephant giftset. It comes with a deluxe sample of the Prontini Polypeptide Cream and the Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser. I have never tried anything from Drunk Elephant but I seen many good reviews of their products. I’m going to try them out, and if I like them they will be the perfect size to bring to Europe with me.
Next up I bought two lip balms, because you can never have too many lip balms. The first is the new Laneige Lip Glowy Balm. They are completely sold out online, but they still have a few Pears in store. I have a feeling I am going to like this more than their sleeping mask! I tried it once already and I loved it. It is thinner and feels amazing on the lips. Excited to wear this more!
The second lip balm is the new Bite Beauty Agave+ Daytime Vegan Balm. I have the original Agave Lip Balm, and I am curious to see how different this new one is from the original. I know the big difference is that this balm is now vegan, which is pretty great! Let’s hope that the formula isn’t too different and that is just as amazing as the original!
Next I really wanted to pick up the new Fenty Bronzer, but they were sold out in the shade that I wanted in store. BUT they did have the Lil Bronze Duo, which includes a mini of the Sun Stalk’r bronzer and a Match Stix bronzer. I got the shade Shady Biz and Sinamon. I haven’t tried the Match Stixs yet either, so I thought this would be a fun set to purchase!
The final products I purchased are a new BeautyBlender and the Liquid BlenderCleanser. I usually purchase a new Beauty Blender every VIB sale since they are a bit pricey but are honestly the best makeup sponge I have tried. I have used the solid Beauty Blender cleanser and I really enjoy it, but I find that is gets gross pretty quickly. The last time I used it I found little black dots, which I think is mold. I thought that the liquid cleanser would be more hygienic, so I am going to try it out!
And that is what I got during the VIB sale! I am excited to try out all my new products. I am curious what you are purchasing during the sale, let me know down below in the comments!
Hey guys! It’s that time of year again – time for the Sephora Sale!! This weekend is the sale for those who are VIB Status, which is 20% off. Next weekend is the sale for everyone who is a Beauty Insider, which is 15% off. Sephora doesn’t do sales very often, so this is the time of the year to make some purchases! I have decided to round up my recommendations on what to buy from Sephora.
Having good tools make applying makeup easier. If you have a good brush you can make even a mediocre product look better. Things like Beauty Blenders are expensive and maybe not the most exciting thing to purchase, so it’s nice to buy them when there is a discount available. I use my Beauty Blender daily to blend my concealer and apply powder, and while there are some drugstore dupes they’re not as great as the original. There are so many different brushes available at Sephora, but some of my favourite are the actual Sephora Collection ones. They have both sets and individual brushes, and some really cute ones too!
3. Skincare
Skincare can be expensive man! But it’s important to take care of your skin, because it makes makeup apply easier. There are so many amazing skincare brands at Sephora, and obviously every has different skin types, so what I like might be different than you. Some of my favourite brands are Origins, First Aid Beauty and Peter Thomas Roth.
4. Palettes
Palettes are probably some of the most expensive makeup items, so getting them during a sale is a great way to save money. Last VIB sale I bought Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam palette and the Tarte PRO Glow Highlight and Contour Palette. I really like both of them! Urban Decay and Too Faced also make some great eyeshadow palettes. Maybe I do a palette collection post sometime, let me know if you guys want me to do that!
5. Fun Purchases
I know that is a broad category, but I mean something that you would not purchase/use on a regular basis. Some examples include a new lipstick, some glitter or even false lashes! My lipstick recommendation are the Bite Beauty ones! They currently have some nice gift sets, so perfect time to try them out. For glitter, you can never go wrong with the Stila glitter eyeshadow – I own two and love them both. I also just bought the Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner, I will let you guys know how I like them. Finally, for lashes there are so many different ones, so it really depends on what you like/are looking for. I’ve tried the Sephora Collection ones and they are pretty good!
Those are my recommendations for the VIB sale! I also recommend to just try whatever product you have had on your wish list for awhile! The best time to try something is when you can get it on sale!
I personally only got a few products, so I will probably not being writing a full blog post of what I got. But check out my Instagram (@xoxoxoleelee) because I will definitively be showing what I got on there!
Leave it to Lea 