Sephora VIB Sale: My Recommendations

Who else gets thrown off by Sephora having an extra VIB sale in the summer now? I thought I was safe until November! I’m making an effort not to buy anything in the sale this time, but I still wanted to talk about some of my favorites that are worth checking out if you are looking to shop the sale.

Roen Beauty Eyeshadow Palettes - This is a new product to me, but after just a week of wear I’m sold. These are quads of cream/powder eyeshadow hybrids (I still can’t decide what I think the formula is) in either a warm or a cool tone. I have the cool-toned one, and I’ve worn it every day since I got it. It’s perfect for an undone, easy look - I find the shadows apply best with fingers and blend out easily. They’re quite sparkly, but to me they don’t look like “too much” for an everyday/office look. They’re creamy to the touch and have that effortless, glossy look on the eye that cream shadows give. They crease a little on me, even with a primer, but they smudge back into place easily. I personally prefer a more lived-in, effortless look, so the creasing doesn’t bother me at all. If you’re looking for a quick way to pull off a polished eye, check these out.

Milk Makeup Flex Foundation Stick - This is officially my new favorite foundation. I’ve been such a fan of the Flex Concealer for years, and I’m so excited that the Foundation Stick is really working for me as well. It has a natural satin finish on the skin, glides on super easily, and blends out flawlessly just with your hands. It seems to just smooth over my skin so effortlessly, leaving a perfected finish that still looks like skin. It lasts well throughout the day without becoming greasy, cakey, or patchy too.

Primera Alpine Berry Water Cream - Primera is a new brand to Sephora, and I was very interested in trying something from them when I first saw the line. I grabbed the Alpine Berry Water Cream and have been absolutely loving it. It has a “cloudlike” consistency, somewhere between a gel and a cream. It’s lightweight and yet extremely hydrating. It leaves the skin feeling so soft and smooth, and it gives a lovely glow. I’ve been using it morning and night, and it works well either way.

Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen - This is one of my go-to sunscreens. It’s a clear gel that has a bit of a silicone slip to it, but once it’s rubbed into the skin you don’t feel that at all. It makes the skin smooth and works excellently as a makeup primer. I love that it not only contains SPF 40, but it also protects against blue light exposure. If this one isn’t right for your skin type, I highly recommend any SPF by Supergoop!

Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara - This is truly the best mascara I’ve ever tried, and I have no desire to ever use another one. I’ve been through two tubes already and can’t get enough - it fans out and thickens the lashes, lengthens them, holds a curl, and stays put all day without smudging. It meets every requirement I have for a mascara, so I can’t imagine myself reaching for anything else.

Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Sleeping Mask - This might be my favorite mask by Fresh now. It comes in a tub with two halves: you first apply the gel mask, which sinks into the skin quickly and gives a burst of hydration. Then you seal it in with the cream side of the mask, which has a similar consistency to their Rose Face Cream (another favorite). It doesn’t feel heavy on the skin, but it does keep me moisturized all night. I always wake up to such plump, dewy, soft skin the morning after applying this.

Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Calming Mist - This is another new favorite! I love the Dr. Jart+ Cicapair line, so I was super excited to try the new mist. It really is the most soothing face mist I’ve tried. It feels cooling and refreshing, the mist isn’t too aggressive, and it leaves my skin feeling hydrated and not sticky. It helps to bring down redness, too.

Laneige Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer - This is probably one of the most unique products in my collection. It’s water-thin out of the bottle, but as you pat it into your skin it really feels like you’ve added a moisturizer. I always reach for this when my skin is feeling tight or dry, but it’s a pleasure to use any time. I load up a few layers of this and my skin stays hydrated all day. I use moisturizer on top, but if your skin is more oily than mine, you could probably get away with using this as your moisturizer.

Amika Supernova Moisture & Shine Cream - I’m kind of lazy about styling my hair. More often than not, I just let it air dry and then pin it back instead of dealing with it. But this hair cream helps to tame frizz and puffiness of my freshly-washed hair, so I actually like how it looks when it’s air-dried. I always work a nickel-sized amount of this through my hair after the shower, and it makes all the difference without weighing my hair down.

Moon Juice Beauty Shroom Exfoliating Acid Potion - I have no idea why I decided I needed to try this, but I’m glad I did. It’s an exfoliating toner containing glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acids to slough away dead skin and clear out the pores, and it also contains niacinamide and reishi mushroom extract to hydrate and soothe the skin. I go back and forth on exfoliating toners - usually after a while, they just dry my skin out and I have to take a break. But I’ve been able to consistently use this one for months with no issues. It’s helped make my skin smoother and clearer, and although I still get my usual hormonal breakouts, this seems to make them clear up faster.

Kosas Weightless Lip Color Lipstick in Rosewater - If I had to get rid of all but one of my lipsticks, I think I would keep this one. The formula is one of the most comfortable I’ve tried: not too slippy and shiny, yet not too matte. It’s super creamy but lasts a long time without sliding or fading. All the shades I’ve tried are beautiful, but Rosewater is my favorite. It’s the most perfect pink neutral/nude with a slight cool tone. It looks quite similar to my natural lip color, but you can still tell there’s something there.

Laura Mercier Caviar Chrome Veil Liquid Eyeshadows - I almost forgot to mention these, but I wear one of these just about every day. They give the eyes a glossy wet look, but the formula itself is weightless and sets down so you don’t feel it at all. It stays all day without creasing on me, which is almost unheard of. I usually wear the shade Gilded Fresco, which is a shimmery pink-beige that goes with any look. I’ll even use it as an eyeshadow primer, and it keeps other products on top from creasing, too.

What are some of your favorites from Sephora?

Rouge: 20% off August 19-27 with code SUMMERSAVE

VIB: 15% off August 20-27 also with code SUMMERSAVE

I will update with Beauty Insider info once I find it!

Some products mentioned have been gifted, but all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

What to Buy in the Sephora Sale | 10 Recommendations

I feel like I only just wrote a Sephora recommendations post, but there are so many more new favorites that I need to tell you about before the next sale! Sephora seems to have bumped up their VIB Sale - it's usually in November, but it starts August 24th for VIB Rouge and August 30th for VIB/Beauty Insiders. If you're like me and are panicking a bit because you thought you had more time to save up, here are a few current favorites that I think are worth picking up in the sale.

Fresh Vitamin Nectar Antioxidant Glow Water* | I've only had this for a week, but I'm already hooked. I love a good fancy face water, and this one amps up the glow, smells like oranges, hydrates the skin, and gives it a good refresher throughout the day. The mist is beautiful and fine, delivering a fine veil rather than a sticky stream. It's alcohol-free so it won't dry you out over time, and I've really noticed it giving me a brighter and peppier appearance than other face mists. There's also a mini that's perfect for throwing in your bag for on-the-go refreshers.

Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer | This isn't a new release, but something I've been using consistently since I first bought it and would repurchase again and again. It's a thin, serum-y consistency that instantly plumps up the skin and leaves a moisturized, glowy finish. It makes my makeup go on so much better on top - nothing ever looks dry or cakey when worn over this primer. This is the primer that turned me into a primer-believer, too, so that's saying something. It really does make my makeup last longer, because my issue with longevity was always my skin getting dehydrated and drinking up my foundation. Now this hydrates my skin enough so that doesn't happen.

Bite Beauty French Press Lip Gloss in Dirty Chai | I've seen people raving about these glosses lately, and for good reason. They're one of the most non-lipgloss-feeling lipglosses I've ever used, if that makes sense. They feel more like a balm on the lips than a gloss, but they still give a beautiful shine. All the colors look beautiful, but I'm head over heels for Dirty Chai, a warm rose that is quite similar to my natural lip color. It's more pigmented than I was expecting it to be, but it still lets a little of my natural lip color show through, so it looks very natural. I've been pairing it with the Bite Lip Pencil in 016 too, if you're looking for a perfect match.

Origins Mega Mushroom Relief & Resilience Soothing Face Mask | This quickly became one of my favorite masks after I bought it in the spring. It's a creamy mask (it feels like a thick moisturizer) that feels so comforting and soothing on the skin. It's not exactly cooling, but it takes away redness and irritation right away for me. This has been so great for summer mornings when I wake up feeling a little dehydrated and heat rash-y. I love popping it on on a weekend morning, going about my chores, and then rinsing my face with cool water to get rid of any remaining mask that hasn't sunk into my skin. It leaves my skin plump, clear, and hydrated.

Caudalie Instant Detox Mask* | This has to be my favorite clay mask I own. It uses a combination of papaya enzymes, pink clay, coffee, and grape marc to detoxify, brighten, and purify the skin so pores appear smaller and skin is smoother. This really does give instant results for me without drying out my skin like other clay masks I've tried. It actually really reminds me of the Aesop Parsley Seed Mask - it looks, smells, and feels so similar. It's a thinner consistency than other clay masks, forming a flexible film as it dries rather than a thick, caked-on layer, so it doesn't feel super tight as it dries, and it's easy to rinse off. If you're in need of a new clay mask that won't strip your skin, look here!

Milk Makeup Kush High Volume Mascara | I don't know how this didn't get included in my last recommendations post, because it's been tied for my #1 favorite mascara since it came out. I was skeptical because I usually don't like fiber mascaras (the fibers usually fall into and irritate my eyes), but the fibers in this stay put and give the lashes a super fluffy, full appearance. It really looks like I've gotten a nice set of fluffy lash extensions when I wear this mascara. I'm going to be repurchasing this in the sale. 

Amika Polished Perfection Straightening Brush* | I just got this for free through Octoly recently, but it's already become such a staple in my haircare routine that I wanted to recommend it to you, too. Since it's a pricier item, it's definitely a good idea to get it during the sale! My hair is quite frizzy and in between wavy and curly, but I'm too lazy to really do any styling. Most days I would just put it up in a messy bun and call it a day. But the Straightening Brush makes it so easy - it would normally take me at least 20 minutes to straighten my hair, but I can now get it done in 5. Instead of dividing my hair into four sections to work through, I only need to do two. It straightens my hair easily, and while it doesn't leave it as pin-straight as a flatiron would, I actually prefer the way the brush makes my hair look - like I didn't try too hard. 

Herbivore Botanicals Blue Tansy Resurfacing Clarity Mask* | This is another product I got free through Octoly and fell in love with. It's a thin, jellylike consistency that you can really feel working (read: it tingles a lot). It's a mask full of natural AHAs (fruit enzymes) and BHA (willowbark), as well as calming ingredients like blue tansy oil and aloe leaf, so it is a powerful chemical exfoliator that won't irritate your skin. Despite the tingling, I find my skin is much less red after I remove this mask than it is before I apply it. It leaves my skin super soft and smooth, and I find it doesn't feel as sensitized as it does after I use something like Babyfacial. 

Hourglass Scattered Light Glitter Eyeshadow | If you're like me and have been pouring one out for the Dior Fusion Mono Eyeshadows, hop on over to Hourglass and pick up one of their newest releases. These have the same not-quite-cream, yet not-quite-powder consistency and are filled with the most beautiful sparkles that don't feel chunky or gritty. I have the shade Aura right now, which is a beautiful pink shade, but I've got my eye on the champagne shade and will definitely get it in the sale if it doesn't sell out! These apply easily with a finger for a sheer wash of color, or they can be built up to be quite dramatic and metallic with a brush. They also stay very well on my creasy eyelids - I do need to prime them, but this lasts all day even when I just use concealer and powder to do that.

Pat McGrath Labs Lust Lip Gloss | I know I already put a lipgloss on this list, but I'm really having a gloss moment and this has to be one of the most beautiful gloss formulas I've ever tried. It's creamy, not too thick, not sticky at all, and it smells like frosting. They have just the perfect amount of pigmentation too - pigmented enough to show up over more pigmented lips, but not so much that it looks goopy or collects in lip lines or the corners of the mouth. I have the shade Flesh Fantasy which is the perfect everyday pinky-brown, and I already have two more sitting in my cart for the sale - a more rosy shade as well as the pink duochrome one.

What do you think you'll get in the Sephora Sale?

Info via Trendmood: The Sephora Sale starts on August 24th for VIB Rouge - 20% off with the code YESROUGE, and it starts on August 30th for VIB & Beauty Insiders - 15% off with YESVIB and 10% off with YESINSIDER.

Products marked with an asterisk (*) have been sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

Loving Lately | 10 Recommendations for the Sephora VIB Sale

It's been awhile since I've written about some products I've been loving, and so what better time than when the Sephora VIB sale about to start. This time, I've selected five skincare and five makeup products that I'm loving that can all be found in Sephora, in case you're looking for something new to try out while there is 10-15% off. As usual, I've been all about glowing skin and a more minimal makeup look, so these products are all perfect for achieving that.

The Skincare

Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Facial Toner* - I've loved this for about a year now, but in the past few months it's really grown on me. I use multiple layers morning and night, and my skin has been feeling so much softer and more hydrated. If you love rose, you'll love this. It smells beautiful, just like everything from Fresh, and I just love how there's rose petals floating in the toner. There's an unused bottle pictured, but just know I've already gone through two of these.

Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask - This seems to be the product of the moment. Everyone is raving about it, and for good reason. Summer Fridays is a new brand started by lifestyle bloggers Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Gores, and the Jet Lag Mask is their very first product. It's kind of an all-in-one treatment, really. It hydrates, soothes, gently exfoliates, and depuffs - it's basically a facial in a tube. I've seen endless ways to use this, but my favorite is applying a thick layer and letting it soak in for 30 minutes to an hour, and then gently rinsing off anything left over. It instantly makes my skin smoother and softer, and it does an amazing job of depuffing my undereye area as well. I will definitely continually repurchase this as I run out. Unfortunately this sold out at Sephora as I was writing this post, but I still think it's so great it's worth paying full price for. It's currently in stock on the Summer Fridays website. Also, the Origins Mega-Mushroom Mask has been giving me similar results and is still in stock at Sephora.

Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream - I've only been using this for about a week now, so while I can't comment on longterm benefits, I'm already so incredibly impressed. This has to have one of the nicest consistencies of an eye cream I've ever used - it almost feels balmy, but it doesn't feel heavy on the skin at all. I love the airless pump packaging, and the pump is super easy to control, too, so you don't waste product. I've noticed this instantly seems to brighten up my dark circles a bit and really smooths out my undereye area. I've been using it every morning, and my concealer has been looking so much nicer - it doesn't cake up or look dry throughout the day. This may have beat Babyfacial as my favorite Drunk Elephant product!

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum* - I recently got to try a few things from Caudalie, and one of the standouts was this beautiful serum. It's a milky serum that works to hydrate, renew radiance, and brighten dark spots with the help of viniferine, an ingredient from grape sap that's proven to be more effective than Vitamin C. Dark spots are always an issue for me - I break out often, but the most annoying part of the breakout is waiting for the leftover mark to fade away. I've been using this every morning and have noticed my acne marks fading more quickly, and I just feel like I look more "glowy" in general. This is a "morning of the wedding" product for me, for sure.

Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Camo Drops* - In case you didn't see my rave review of these on Tuesday, I highly recommend the newest product to hit Dr. Jart+'s Cicapair Line. I love the orignal Color Correcting Treatment, but I really love that the Camo Drops give me the same redness correction while feeling ultra soothing on my skin, giving a little bit of glow, and then also feeling completely weightless. If the thickness of the original held you back from making the purchase, I'd definitely try these instead.

The Makeup

Lancome Skin Feels Good Hydrating Skin Tint - I seriously can't shut up about this skin tint lately. The only thing keeping me from throwing out all of my foundations in favor of only wearing this all the time is that there isn't a perfect shade match for me available. There aren't many shades in the range, but it does cover a wider spectrum than what I've usually seen. Hopefully they expand the range, because this truly is the most beautiful base product I've ever tried. It somehow manages to look and feel like nothing while giving the skin a radiant (but not greasy) glow, blurring the pores, and evening out skin tone. It also lasts the entire day on me without fading or wiping away. It feels like a burst of water when applied to the skin and instantly makes me look more awake and healthy. Normally if a shade doesn't work for me I'll just return the product, but this performs so well and looks SO pretty on my skin that I've been experimenting mixing it with other products - the effort is worth it!

NUDESTIX Magnetic Eye Color - I want to be an eyeshadow person, I really do. But I can never drag myself out of bed early enough to have enough time to do a full look. So, I rely on cream eyeshadows and easy-to-use eyeshadow sticks, and my favorite by far are the NUDESTIX Magnetic Eye Colors. These come in so many pretty shades (both matte and shimmery), and once they've set they will not move at all. I normally have an issue with things creasing on me, but not with these. They glide on so easily, are nice and pigmented from the get-go, and are easy to blend out with just a finger. My favorite shade at the moment is Nudity, a glistening peachy champagne shade that really brightens my eyes.

Lilah b. Bronzed Beauty Bronzer Duo - Carrying around an eyeshadow palette and brushes seems like too much for me, but I'll happily pack a powder bronzer and brush for the day. My favorite bronzer at the moment (and also probably ever) is this beautiful duo by Lilah b. Not only is it the perfect shade for me, but the formula itself is just pigmented enough to easily bronze the skin without going overboard, and the packaging is stunning. You've probably heard people say how luxuriously heavy Lilah b.'s packaging is, but it's even more amazing in person. 

BECCA Hydra-Mist Set & Refresh Powder - This sounded too intriguing to pass up, so I picked it up a few weeks ago even though I'm not usually a powder person. It actually feels wet/cooling when first applied to the skin, which I'll admit is the weirdest sensation ever. But what that does is make it able to set your makeup like a powder while diffusing everything to look like you've just used a face mist. It's a truly mind-boggling product in the best way. I can't comment on its oil-controlling abilities since my skin is on the dry side, but it certainly does extend the wear of my makeup and glides flawlessly over my skin. It doesn't make my skin look or feel dry and rather blurs everything out, like a filter in real life. I know powders don't seem like a very exciting purchase, but trust me on this one - you need it.

Dior Addict Lip Glow - I'm sure you predicted this one. If I had to only wear one lip product for the rest of my life, I would choose Dior Lip Glow in a heartbeat. I love that it's moisturizing enough for even my dry lips, and every shade I've tried (Pink, Raspberry, and Berry) has left such a pretty tint on my lips. If you're really looking to treat yourself and are more of a lip balm/stain kind of person rather than a lipstick person, then you can't go wrong with one of these. The Raspberry shade is pictured, although I think the Berry one is my current favorite to wear.

What are your favorite products from Sephora?

The Sephora Sale runs from 4/20-4/23 with 15% off for VIB and VIB Rouge and 10% off for Beauty Insiders.

Products marked with an asterisk (*) have been sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.