The biannual Sephora Beauty Sale has started and it is definitely a shopping event I am looking forward to every single time. Depending on the tier of your Sephora membership you can save up to 20% on almost all products. You can join Sephora here for free. Use the code YAYHOLIDAY to get the discount during the sale.
Rouge: 5 – 15 November 2021 — 20% off
VIB: 9 – 15 November 2021 — 15% off
Insider: 11 – 15 November 2021 — 10% off
Also, for all tiers all Sephora Collection products are 30% off from 5 to 15 November.
I have kept my VIB status for several years now and mostly spend my money during the two sales. I have two shopping lists: one with products I have used and approved before; and one with products new and exciting to me. Now I can’t wait until Monday morning when the sale opens for VIBs.
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My Holy Grails
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I love the Origins masks and have re-ordered them several times. They all work well with my skin and definitely make a difference. By the way, because they are small, they also make excellent stocking stuffers.
My skin is terribly pale in winters. But the Isle of Paradise drops make a huge difference and make me look just that little bit healthier. While I loved the green drops, I now prefer the Hyglo Hyaluronic Self-Tan Face Serum. Thanks to its hyaluronic acid it automatically adds more moisture to my skin.
Yay, pregnancy. No more retinol. When I had to find a substitute, I ended up with the Biossance Squalane + Phyto-Retinol Serum, i.e. it contains bakuchiol, a plant-derived retinol alternative. It is not cheap, but definitely does its job. I use it three nights per week.
For someone like me who always suffered from oily skin, I still can’t get over the fact that NYC winters are so dry that my skin turns dry, too. Actually, the pregnancy added to this. My absolute holy skincare grail and best savior in the dry winter universe is the Dr. Jart+ Cicapair™ Tiger Grass Cream. So far it is the only cream that balances my skin here during the cold season. If I could afford only one product, it would be this cream!
For eye creams I really like the Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Crème for nights and the Supergoop! Bright-Eyed 100% Mineral Eye Cream SPF 40 for days. In my opinion they both make a big difference and smooth out all those fine lines around my eyes. I particularly love the Supergoop! eye cream for days because I otherwise wouldn’t wear sunscreen around my eyes. Also for sunscreen I highly recommend the Supergoop! Glowscreen Sunscreen SPF 40. It is such a great product! As long as my skin is alright in general, I don’t even need to wear makeup thanks to the glowy particles.
The one makeup product I always reorder are the Sephora Retractable Waterproof Eyeliners. I get them in the colors Matte Charcoal and Matte Deep Plum. They are so easy to use (esp. at 6.30 a.m. when I can hardly keep my eyes open or my hand steady) and last the whole day. Best every day eyeliners that I have ever had!
New on My Wish List
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Korres is one of my favorite beauty brands and I am eager to try their Santorini Grape Velvet Skin Drink, which is an oil with resveratrol.
I have read so many amazing things about Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream that it could become another holy grail. As it is super expensive, the Sephora sale comes in useful.
I tried the Olaplex shampoo and conditioner in early spring and loved them. While I now mostly use a shampoo bar that also works greatly, I wouldn’t mind using this Olaplex Healthy Hair Essentials set for a while – esp. since I read that hair usually suffers after giving birth.
I have always liked the Sephora Favorites boxes and the Black-Owned Beauty Set looks fantastic as well. I love to try new products and this one comes with a great variety of skincare, haircare and makeup products.
Talking about makeup: Now that I stay at home, I don’t use as much makeup as I used to. But I still love it of course. Now that we live in the big apartment with a decent sized bathroom, I even have a much better overview of my makeup collection. I wouldn’t mind adding a few neutral products like the Bite Power Move Hydrating Soft Matte Lipstick in Sugar Buns and the Laura Mercier Mini Shimmer & Glow Caviar Stick Eye Shadow Set. Both seem super easy to use and I think there will come a time when I do the full makeup again every single day.
These Natasha Denona eyeshadow palettes are a little more extravagant. I love the brand’s quality and really like these colors for the coming season. I just haven’t decided yet if the Mini Metropolis Palette is enough for me or if I should go all out and buy the larger Zendo Eyeshadow Palette. Decisions decisions …
Lastly, I have always heard great reviews about the Slip Silk Pillowcase. The silk seems to treat hair really well and prevent it from breaking.
Now I still have to make a few more decisions and hope that all the products are still available by the time I want to shop on Monday.