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If you haven’t heard, Sephora’s bi-annual sale is on starting April 9th.
This year, I’m really trying to hold back on my beauty purchases this year because I have other financial goals. But, I can’t resist a little indulgence. I’m restocking on some beauty staples and trying a couple of new things that have caught my eye.
Last fall I shared some pretty extensive shopping guides on makeup, skincare, and hair + body + fragrance. I've also recently shared my makeup brush guide, which includes many favorites from Sephora. I stand by all of those recommendations and they are my most comprehensive favorites lists to date with reviews, swatches and demos. Check them out for more recs!
Sale Info:
Rouge Members get 20% off from 4/9 to 4/19
VIB Members get 15% off from 4/13 to 4/19
Insiders get 10% off from 4/15-4/19
Membership is free so you’re guaranteed at least 10% off if you sign up.
*This post does utilize affiliate links.
What I’m Buying
Dior Backstage Foundation in 2WO (worn on the right) — This is a top 2 foundation for me
(tied with the Pat McGrath foundation), and I’m due for a restock. 2WO is probably my best color match of any foundation I’ve ever tried. I’ve raved about this foundation endlessly. It’s a fluid texture with medium coverage that gives a very natural, skin-like finish.
I love how adjustable this foundation is. It can give a light coverage when applied with a sponge, buildable to medium-full with a brush or fingers. It never gets cakey; it’s always skin-like. It’s waterproof and sweat-resistant. The plastic bottle makes it travel-friendly (and kit-friendly, for you MUAs out there!). Priced at $40 for a whopping 1.6 oz (most standard foundations are 1 oz.), it’s one of the most well-priced luxury foundations on the market. It’s one of the more inclusive luxury foundations too, with 40 shade options. I think it’s appropriate for most skin types except maybe the most dry.
You can see me using it here!
This is a new lipstick formula by Gucci, and I’m intrigued. It’s described as a lipstick that provides hydration and shine while also being long-lasting, between a satin and a sheer lipstick. I’m curious how they will hit shine and long-wear at the same time, but if anyone can do it it’s Gucci.
I’m dying at the packaging. Unlike their other lipsticks, this formula comes in a long, slim bullet format with gold accents and a vintage-inspired print on the tube. Personally I’m eyeing the shades Julie Blush (peach rosewood) or My Cousin Rachel (mauve rosewood) for a juicy lip for spring. If they are truly long-lasting, I’d consider these for my wedding look, too. More on Gucci in the next section, what I’m eyeing.
What I’m Eyeing
You’ll see that I'm interested in more makeup than skincare, haircare , or body care, and that’s because I’m trying to stay very consistent and minimal with skincare right now as I’m using tretinoin. I find that’s working best for me. I’m also fortunate to receive PR from several brands at Sephora, which allows me to still try a lot. Here's what I'm interested in.
Danessa Myricks Beauty Vision Flush in Bread ’n Butter (shade Ballet Slippers on the right) — I love the Vision Flush formula, a liquid formula designed for cheeks, eyes, and lips. It’s incredibly pigmented; just one dot will be more than sufficient for blush. This is a great formula for people who want to try liquid makeup but are nervous about stickiness, dewiness, or added texture. These set down all the way (not powdery, but no added texture), and are truly long-lasting. Bread N’ Butter is described as a natural pink, and appears to be a true neutral rose. I’d also love to pick it up in the shade Tiara, a golden champagne highlighter shade.
I have the shade Ballet Slippers, a mid-tone rosy coral with a hint of brown, shown on the right. I love it best as blush, applied to cheeks with a brush or with a sponge. It also works well as a lip tint. I admit, I haven’t used it on the eyes. You can see me using it here, along with several other Danessa Myricks products like the Dew Wet Balm and Colorfix!
Danessa Myricks is a Black-owned brand, and also one of the most affordable ranges newly available at Sephora. The Vision Flush goes for $20 for .21 oz. I promise it will last you forever because you only need a teeny tiny bit.
Fenty Beauty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint — Believe it or not, I have never tried a Fenty base product. Not for any particular reason other than the past formulas have not really caught my eye. This may be the one for me. Eaze Drop is described as a light/medium skin tint that leaves the skin looking blurred and smoothed with a natural finish. I’ve heard people with dry skin say this didn’t look great, but I am getting oilier by the day as we approach summer, and I think it might be perfect for me. I’m eyeing the shades 7 or 10. I think the price is right for this at $29.50.
Melt Cosmetics Cream Blush Light — No surprise, I am intrigued by the cream blush release from Melt Cosmetics. The shade Sandy Cheeks is described as a burnt peach, a peach with a terra-cotta orangey undertone. So up my alley. There's also a shimmer formula and I'm eyeing the shade Polished. I haven’t heard a lot about this formula, nor have I tried very many products from Melt Cosmetics, but the shade is what drew me in. It looks like a beautiful summer blush. And, at $22, it’s well-priced.
Natasha Denona Circo Loco— This is Natasha Denona’s latest eyeshadow palette. It’s very colorful, full of rich jewel tones. If it were one of her $65 midi palettes, I’d buy it, but it’s a tough pill to swallow at her full $129 price. To be honest, I wish all of her palettes were released as midi palettes, which still contain plenty of product. The only $129 palettes of hers I'd repurchase in a heartbeat would be Biba and Gold. As a mostly neutral lover, it doesn’t make sense to me to spends so much on a colorful palette, and I haven’t been wearing very bold eye looks lately. Nonetheless, I will continue to drool over it and admire it from afar.
Bread Beauty Supply Hair Oil Everyday Gloss — While I won’t be low on hair oil for some time, my next hair oil purchase will by the Bread Everyday Hair Gloss. Bread is a new Black-owned brand at Sephora and I’ve heard great things about this oil. Also the packaging is very chic. The full size is generously sized at 3.3 oz for $24, but they did just release it in a mini that’s $14 for 30ml, ~1 oz. That’s great with me because I go through hair oils pretty slowly.
A note on Gucci Beauty — I can’t resist it. There is an entire section of things I’m eyeing from the brand because it’s one of the few makeup brands right now that has truly captivated me. Everything about the marketing gets me: the nostalgic packaging, the luxurious feel, the sophisticated color stories.
Gucci has also proven to be one of the more inclusive luxury brands on the market, evidenced by their extensive shade ranges in their latest foundation release. The foundation, too, has become a top 5 foundation for me, and I recommend it if you’re normal to oily and want to look flawless. I wear the shade 250O (worn on the right), but I’m actually considering picking up a second shade, maybe in 220N, to mix with it to get my absolute perfect match. 250O on its own is beautiful but leans slightly warm. You can see me using it here!
Gucci Crayon Contour Des Lévres Lip Liner in Miel — I am very drawn to the lip pencil in the shade Miel, described as a camel shade. It seems to be exactly the sort of warm, caramel brown pencil that I love for my brown-toned, pigmented lips. Of course, with a luxury brand comes a luxury price point: $33.
Gucci Poudre De Beauté Mat Naturel Beauty Setting Powder — Continuing the Gucci lust, I’m also seriously eyeing the Gucci powder in shade 01 or 03. It’s a tinted pressed powder described to give a natural matte finish.
I admit that this is a purchase purely driven by material attraction. Look how beautiful! The compact! I want to hold it! *swoon* Be forewarned, all Gucci products are heavily fragranced with their signature floral smell. I have and really enjoy the Gucci bronzer (shade 03), which you can see me using here. I can attest to the silky quality of Gucci powder formulas. Do I need a new tinted setting powder? No. Will I be able to resist this powder? We’ll see.
Lastly, I’m picking up a few things to test out for my wedding day. After having postponed our wedding last October due to COVID, S and I have decided to move forward with a super intimate ceremony this spring in Palm Spings, with a party to follow next year. More to come on that (we’re finalizing some details - eek!) but I will be doing my own makeup for our little ceremony this year.
I want to feel glamorous but still fresh. I might order couple of lipsticks because I am currently on the hunt for my perfect wedding day makeup. I’ve got my eye on Dior Nude Look or Gucci Blaze of Noon (no surprise there) to try. I also might pick up a full size of Aerin’s Mediterranean Honeysuckle, the perfume I was wearing the day we got engaged, to wear on our wedding day (it also comes in a mini!).