It’s that time of year again! Sephora is running their semi-annual sale where you can get 10-20% off your purchase, depending on your Sephora Rewards status.
The sale dates and discounts are:
- Rouge, 4/1/2022-4/11/2022, 20% off
- VIB, 4/5/2022-4/11/2022, 15% off
- Inside, 4/7/2022-4/11/2022, 10% off
Before I get into this year’s post, I’m going to include the disclaimer I included in last year’s sale post:
- Please do not feel pressured to buy something just because there is a sale. There will always be more sales in the future, and even though I seemingly live and breathe beauty products, they are ultimately unnecessary items in the tier of the financial responsibilities. If this isn’t a good time for you to spend money, skip this post.
- On the note of more sales, there are many brands that offer better discounts on their own websites, particularly if you are an Insider or VIB status, which only gives you a 10% or 15% discount, respectively. Brands like Armani Beauty, Bobbi Brown, Farmacy, Urban Decay, YSL, and even Fenty have their own sales throughout the year that are anywhere from 20-30% off. And luxury brands like Gucci are sometimes on sale at Saks for 15% off.
As always, this post includes products I’ve tried and new products since the previous sale. I have many, many more recommendations from previous years! You can view these previous posts:
- Fall 2021 recommendations: skincare, bodycare, haircare and makeup
- Spring 2021 recommendations
- Fall 2020 recommendations
And now onto my recommendations for this year:
*products with an asterick were sent in PR
MAKEUP
Base
Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Hydrating Makeup Primer* ($44) – This is a newer find for me, and I really love as a hydrating primer that still feels lightweight and grips onto my makeup. It feels like a light lotion and it leaves a glowy finish, but doesn’t have any shimmer.
Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation ($65) – This is a long time favorite but for some reason it has never made it onto a Sephora recommendations post! This is my go to for a more natural and glowy foundation for special events or everyday. It leaves a glowy finish without being dewy or shiny, and wears beautifully throughout the day. If you want a skinlike foundation that makes your skin look like the best version of itself, this cult classic still holds up to newer formulas. My best shade match right now is 3.5, though I also like shade 6 for when I have a tan or as a mixer as it’s a true olive shade.
You can check out a project I recently did with Armani Beauty in this reel, where I apply both products:
Shiseido Synchro Skin Self Refreshing Tint* ($43) – I haven’t featured this anywhere yet, but I’ve been using it for a couple of months. If you want a low maintenance skin tint that is glowy and long lasting, this is one to try. This is a beautiful ‘slap it on and go’ product as it has light coverage. I wear shade 235 Light Hiba in this formula.
Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Serum Foundation* ($34) – and refill for $24 – This foundation is absolutely wonderful if you have oily skin, and want a full coverage but glowy foundation. This has a thicker formula that I think would work best for combo-oily skin, and it has a soft glowy finish that has luminosity without being dewy. It wears well throughout the day without getting more shiny or oily. I have both shade 6N and 7N in this and they both work well on me. You can see a reel where I apply the foundation here:
Make Up For Ever HD Skin Undetectable Longwear Foundation ($43) – The original MUFE HD foundation didn’t work for me, but this one certainly does. I’ve only used it for a few days so far, but I am so impressed by the finish and wear. It glides on beautifully with fingers or a brush, has medium coverage with a natural finish that isn’t too glowy or matte. It also lasts exceptionally well without breaking down or getting too oily – which is where the original HD foundation failed for me. I have a sample of this in the shade 2Y36, which is probably more like my summer shade.
Nars Light Reflecting Advanced Skincare Foundation ($49) – I only had a sample of this that was slightly too light for my skintone, but was really happy with the formula and wear. If you want a glowy finish that is more dewy than the Danessa Myricks or MUFE foundation, this is one to try, especially if you have more combo skin. I compared this to the Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin foundation, which was way too dewy for my combo skin, and this one held up so much better. It has a similar luminous finish, but doesn’t break down on my skin or make it more oily throughout the day.
Cheeks
Fenty Beauty Liquid Kilawatt Fluid Freestyle Highlighter* ($28) – These highlighters kind of flew under the radar but I absolutely love them. They have a super lightweight liquid consistency and can be applied sheerly or more opaque. I also like to mix a few shades together to change up the kind of glow I get. I used them mixed together in this reel here:
And here are 4 of the shades swatched here:
Eyes
Tom Ford Eye Color Creme Quad ($89) – I just love the formula of this quad – it’s a dry cream/powder texture that has a silky finish while blending like a dream. I also find lasting power to be similar to that of a powder eyeshadow – that is, it doesn’t crease on my any quicker like I thought a cream formula would crease. I have the shade Smoky Quartz, which is an all matte quad of warm camel browns, and I have my eye on Rose Topaz. I have Smoky Quartz swatched here:
Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Mascara ($20) – I am SO impressed with this mascara! It does a great job of both lengthening and volumizing, and it even holds my curl for a decent amount of time for a mascara that isn’t waterproof. The overall effect is fluffy and voluminous, which I find really flattering for my eyes. I’m also impressed that it doesn’t smudge on me at all. I applied it in this reel:
Shiseido Imperial Lash Lengthening Mascara Ink* ($25) – This is another surprise hit mascara for me that I’ve been using recently. It really does feel like a lengthening mascara ink, but it offers a decent amount of volume, as well. It holds my curl decently for being a non-waterproof mascara. I like to sweep my lashes outward with this mascara for a more elongated eye.
Shiseido Controlled Chaos Volumizing Mascara Ink* ($25) – This is another volumizing mascara option that is more dramatic than the Rare Beauty mascara. This is great for a dramatic look that is super black. This doesn’t hold my curl quite as well as the other 2 mascaras but I like this layered on top of a waterproof mascara.
Lips
Fenty Beauty Icon Lipstick Refill ($20) and Case ($12) – total $32 – I absolutely adore the packaging of this. I love the refillable case, especially in the matte black finish. The formula of the lipstick is also really lovely – it’s a full coverage cream lipstick that is super pigmented and long-wearing. It’s not a lightweight lipstick, but this is great for when you want a bold look that will last.
Laura Mercier Lip Glace ($28) – Laura Mercier always had an underrated lipgloss formula, in my opinion, and this new formulation is just as good as the original formula. It’s comfortable and a little thicker, but in no way heavy. They have just the right of pigment and shimmer to give some coverage without being high maintenance – I’m a fan.
Merit Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil ($24) – I’m not going to lie, I was pretty skeptical about this lip oil when it first came out. When I heard that it was a thin formula, I had it in my head that it would slip away easily and feel more like rubbing grease on my lips than an oil. I’m happy to report that is not the case, and the thinness actually works to its advantage. It feels lightweight, but the oil doesn’t slip and slide around. The color has pretty decent pigmentation, and leaves a very light hint of a stain after the oil absorbs. Needless to say, I’m a fan and am definitely interested in more shades.
I apply it here:
Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Glossy Lip Balm ($18) – I got this over a year ago and kind of put it to the side, thinking that it wasn’t anything special. However, I’ve found myself reaching for this a lot recently as my lips have been dry and I haven’t wanted a full pigment lipstick. This offers just a hint of color, enough to feel like a MLBB, without being an obvious color, plus it is ultra hydrating and comfortable. It’s exactly what it says it is – a glossy lip balm, and works beautifully as that.
Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm* ($23) – Another lip balm? Yep, and this one comes in clear or in a light beige tint. This one really stands out among the many lip balms I own. It is thick enough to last on my lips awhile, even overnight, without feeling very heavy. The tint also offers just enough color for when I want to even out my lip color a little bit. I also really love the soft tip applicator, which makes it easy to apply on the go.
Tower 28 Shine On Jelly Gloss ($15) – I finally tried these glosses years after they were first released and they really are as good as the hype. True to their name, they have a thin jelly gloss texture that feels exceptionally lightweight and comfortable. I have both the clear gloss and Pistachio, a neutral pink shade. This year, there is also a duo with Pistachio and the Magic Hour cream blush, and I think it’s hard to go wrong with those 2 shades.
Tom Ford Lip Color Lipstick ($58) – Definitely a luxe lipstick choice, but if you want an exquisite formula and some statement packaging, you can’t go wrong with Tom Ford. I have the shades Casablanca, a great everyday mauve, and Scarlet Rouge, a neutral red that works for any occasion.
Tom Ford Gloss Luxe Lip Gloss* ($58) – Before you think I’m crazy for recommending a lip gloss that’s almost $60, hear me out on how beautiful this formula is. It is jelly-like, super lush and cushiony, while lasting a decent few hours and moisturizing my lips. I have the shade Exquise, which gives me a plummy jammy look that works surprisingly well for the spring time. I definitely also want the shade Inhibition, a neutral tan shade, but it’s out of stock right now.
I swatch some of the Tom Ford products here:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CbXteZOAP9E/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
I have all the lip products swatched here:
Brows
Refy Brow Sculpt Shape and Hold Gel ($24) – This is definitely a brow staple for me these days. While this is known for creating an ultra laminated look, I like to use this just to keep my brow hairs groomed. It actually stays in place all day and helps with making my brows look just a little neater. A little goes a long way before it starts looking chunky with white streaks, so be judicious with this one.
Body
Fenty Skin Hydra Reset Intensive Recovery Glycerin Hand Mask* ($22) – I featured this in my fall sale post, but I’m adding it again here because I’ve gotten so much use out of it. I use this only as an overnight hand mask, and it really did help prevent my hands from getting dry and cracked this winter.
Josie Maran Intensive Daily Repair Body Butter* ($46) – This was a winter staple that I couldn’t wait to use every day. It has a thick texture that glides on and sinks into my skin. It does stay on my skin for awhile, but not in a heavy or sticky way. It felt like more of a cozy moisturizing layer that I could feel on my skin hours later. This was formulated to help soothe eczema, which is not something I have, but it did keep my lizard-dry skin moisturized through the dry NYC winter.
Skincare
I skipped skincare for the most part because I’ve tried a lot of products in the past few months not from Sephora – though my previous posts have plenty of recommendations. For this round, I just have the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Ultra Fine Mist* ($28), which is such a fine hydrating mist. I’ve been using it everyday after my shower lately and love that it has some weight to it, leaving me feeling hydrated and looking glowy, without having a heavy texture at all.
Hair
Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair Super Moisture Shampoo* and conditioner ($38 each) – This duo is absolutely lovely, especially if you have straight course hair with an oily scalp like me. I don’t have color treated hair and I don’t heat style it, so I didn’t think this duo would be for me, but I (and my boyfriend) are really enjoying both. Both products are moisturizing but aren’t too heavy for my scalp. For being “super moisture” products, they aren’t thick, but a little goes a long way with these products. My boyfriend actually uses the majority of these bottles, and he’s quite picky with his haircare, and I really enjoy them too.
Living Proof Perfect hair Day (PhD) Advanced Dry Shampoo ($30) – I realize I also talked about this in the fall sale post, but I still really love this. I stand that this is the best dry shampoo I’ve ever used. It actually makes my hair feel clean without adding grit or any white cast. I’ve used this on 4th and 5th day hair and felt revived – a true testament to how good this is.
Fragrance
Spring fragrances aren’t usually my go-to, and I stand by recommendations in my previous posts. But I did find one that I liked this year:
Ellis Brooklyn Sun Fruit EDP* ($105 for 1.7oz/50 ml or $20 for .3oz/10ml) – If you love a fruity, creamy fragrance, this is it. With notes of fig, jasmine, and vanilla, this makes me feel like I’m drinking a cocktail on the beach. It’s enough to transport me to warmer days when I spritz this in 35 degree NYC weather…Lasting power with fruity fragrances is never spectacular on me, so YMMV with the lasting power.
My list:
Danessa Myricks Infinite Chrome Waterproof Micropencil Liner ($22) – I love the idea of a multichrome eyeliner and these shades look so unique! I have my eye on the shade Bronzite.
Merit Signature Lip Lightweight Lipstick ($26) – All of these shades appeal to me, though I’m most interested in Baby, Cabo, and Slip.
Patrick Ta Major Dimension Eyeshadow Palette ($68)- I *really* don’t need another eyeshadow palette but this one keeps calling my name. The jury’s still out on whether or now I’ll buy it this time but it is a strong contender for me.
Rose Inc Satin lip Color Hydrating Lipstick Set ($42) – This is a brand new formula from Rose Inc, and these lip colors really catch my eye! I’m not 100% sure I’ll be getting it but I am very curious about the formula.
What’s on your list this year, if you’re planning on shopping the sale?
Beauty Unhyped 
I really enjoyed this recommendation list! I’m thinking of getting the sun fruit fragrance. Thanks for always keeping it real by mentioning the availability of other sales and being conscious of not buying just because it’s a sale. We save only if we had intentions of buying and plans on waiting for a sale. Love your posts ♥️
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