Sephora Makeup & Perfume Haul
I’ve been very, very bad.
But in fairness to me, this haul was a long time coming. I checked my blog archive, and I haven’t done a Sephora haul since the end of April!
I bought five things: a few of which are oldies but goodies, and few that are just… goodies.
- LAVANILA Pure Vanilla Fragrance (1 oz)
- NARS Sheer Glow Liquid Foundation
- Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream
- Urban Decay De-Slick Mattifying Powder
- Sephora Double-Ended Smokey Eye Brush
Let’s start with the item I was most excited about, the perfume.
Anyone who’s been around here for a while knows I love sweet, food-scented things, particularly vanilla-based perfumes. My all time favorite scent is Comptoir’s Sud Pacifique Vanilla Extreme, which I get tons of compliments on. (Men in particular seem to really love this scent too, I’ve noticed.)
I’d heard a lot of good things about LAVANILA perfumes, and decided to give their “Pure Vanilla” a try. In addition to Pure Vanilla, they also carry Vanilla Coconut, Vanilla Blackberry, Vanilla Grapefruit, Vanilla Passion Fruit, and Vanilla Lavender.
This is Sephora’s description of the scent: “The Perfect Vanilla. Pure Vanilla blends the tender sensuality of fresh Madagascar vanilla with the warm touch of soft patchouli and pure tonka bean. Infused with more vanilla bean than vanilla cookie, this superbly clean scent is a must-have for any vanilla addict.”
Sounds very up my alley, no? It smells delicious, though more subtle and less confectionary than my Comptoir scent. Since I get headaches easily from perfumes, I’m hoping this one will spare me since it’s said to be made from more natural ingredients, like essential oils.
Next up is a repurchase of my favorite liquid foundation: NARS Sheer Glow. This might be my third or fourth bottle of it – though it is pricey, it lasts a while. I use it almost every day, and my old bottle lasted me from the end of January until now. So seven months? Not bad.
I love full coverage foundations because I like flawless looking skin (and unfortunately mine isn’t naturally). NARS Sheer Glow gives me the coverage I want without flattening my skin and making it look like a mask. It isn’t overly matte or dewey, but has a really nice, natural-looking finish that I love. My only wish is that it came with a pump, so I could get every last bit out of the bottle!
My shade is “Fiji”, which has yellow undertones, even though my skin has more neutral undertones. But I like how it warms up my complexion without being too obvious. It’s slightly too light for me in the summertime (nothing a little bronzer can’t fix), but is perfect in the cooler months when I’m less tanned.
(Check out my favorite makeup products & current facial makeup routine here!)
The third item I bought from Sephora was the Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream. Let me start by saying the price is appalling. And for a long time I swore I would never pay such a steep price for an itty bitty tub of eye cream.
However. Last year around the holidays, I received a deluxe sample size of the product free with a purchase I’d made, and started using it. I’ve tried quite a few eye creams before and have seen no results from them, resigning myself to the belief that they’re all just gimmicks.
This one is different. It feels amazing, and sets beautifully without feeling thick or greasy. I have quite sensitive skin, and it doesn’t sting or burn me at all. Plus you only need the tiniest amount each day, so it really does last.
I apply it after I’ve taken off all my makeup before I go to bed. When I wake up in the morning, the skin around my eyes just feels perfect: smooth, hydrated, and happy. I even think it helped reduce the darkness under my eyes a little bit. Well moisturized skin makes for a great canvas for makeup, and I noticed my concealer applying more smoothly and needing less of it, too. I quickly got hooked, and when I finally ran out of the sample size in August I found I really missed it.
So here we are. Though it is expensive, I do think it will last me a long time if I use it sparingly. Bobbi Brown: you did good.
This next item is one I’ve never bought or used before: Urban Decay’s De-Slick Mattifying Powder. I know how to apply my makeup so that it lasts hours and hours without needing to be touched up (save for reapplying lipstick), but my one Achilles’ heel is my nose.
My nose gets shiny. Even after I set my foundation with powder AND use a setting spray. Not right away, but a few hours into my day I’ll notice my nose getting reflective. And it’s just not a cute look.
I did my research and found this product: it’s a colorless, transparent pressed powder with rave reviews, so I’m hoping it’ll help me.
It comes in beautiful purple packaging with a little applicator stuck to the inside mirror, which you can peel off, use, and re-stick. I haven’t used it yet, but I plan to swipe this powder down my nose at the end of my makeup routine and see if that can carry me through my day. If not, I’ll keep it in my purse for on-the-go touch ups.
Last but not least was a repurchase of one of my favorite makeup brushes. This, plus a larger eyeshadow blending brush, are the only brushes I need for any eye makeup look. The angled liner side lets me apply dark brown shadow along my lash line, and the rounded dome side lets me smoke it out to make it look more natural.
(Check out my everyday eye makeup tutorial here.)
I already own two of these, but it was on sale for only $11, so I couldn’t resist getting another. $11 for two amazing brushes? Unheard of. The Sephora website now says this item is “permanently out of stock”, so I’m really glad I bought a back up, (though that’s completely unhelpful for you guys).
Your local Sephora store might have a few left to snatch up before they discontinue them. Such a shame, it’s a fantastic product! (You can nab them from Amazon here, too.)
Too tired to write a conclusion for this post, so
xx
