Spring 2024 Sephora Sale Recommendations

makeup, Skincare, Uncategorized 14 Minutes

It’s time for another Sephora sale and I’m back with another round of recommendations based on products I’ve tried and loved in the past 6 months since the last sale. 

Beauty launches are practically flying out at this point so this is a convenient time to try out some products you’ve had your eye on, but these days the Sephora sale is hardly the best sale to shop, especially if you’re not VIB Rouge and only get 10-15% off. Other retailers now run their own site-wide sales – Ulta has a 20% off sale going on right now (check your emails for a code!), brand websites will often run their own sales that are way better than Sephora discounts and some brands go up to 25-30% off. And even if you don’t catch these semi-annual sales, many creators often have discount codes so you always get some discount (click here for my list of discount codes and links!). 

So all of this is to say don’t fret over this sale if it’s not a good time to be spending money right now. It’s easy to give in to the pressure of the constant barrage of Sephora sale posts and promotions but at the end of the day it’s just *another* sale. 

If you love Sephora as a retailer and/or are a Rouge member to get the 20% discount, or if you’re looking for a list of the products I’ve loved in the past few months to refer to when a brand does their own sale, I’ve got you. 

This year’s sale dates for each tier are:

ROUGE April 5-April 15: 20% off
VIB April 9-April 15: 15% off
INSIDER April 9 – April 15 10%

As always, most of my recommendations are makeup related, but the skincare section is even more sparse than usual because most of my favorite skincare recently are from brands not available at Sephora. 

If you’re ever curious, this list is always updated with my favorite skincare products, and I also have lists for my holy grail products, bodycare, and haircare favorites. I also have a list of Sephora recommendations saved all in one place, and it’s full of everything I’ve recommended in previous posts. 

As usual, this post includes affiliate links, which allows me to earn a small commission from your purchase if you use my links. Thank you in advance for your support.

MY TOP PICKS

If you had to get just a few of the recent releases for this sale, this is the short list of my top recommendations:

MAKEUP

BASE 

  • Glossier Stretch Foundation – I got this during the last sale and am so impressed with it. It has medium coverage, looks very skin like with a natural satin finish, and lasts well on my combination skin. Shade Medium 1 is a perfect match for the summer. I also have shade Light 2, which is a little light for me, but it’s perfect blended with Medium 1 for my winter shade.
  • Prada Beauty Reveal Skin Optimizing Soft Matte Foundation – one of the standout foundations that I’ve tried lately. It has a natural matte finish, blends absolutely seamlessly into my skin, and wears beautifully throughout the day. The effect of this is a very soft focus filter look that is just stunning. MN45 is my perfect match.
  • Shiseido RevitalEssence Foundation – this is the most skincare-like foundation I’ve ever used. It feels just like applying a serum on my skin, and has a medium coverage finish that has a really radiant healthy glow. This is one of those foundations that might be too glowy for me in the summer, but for the winter, it would make even drier skin types look like they have fresh moisturized skin. I demo it in this reel, and 330 Bamboo is the best match for me.
  • Bobbi Brown Stick Corrector – the creamy corrector in the pot has been my holy grail corrector for years, but ever since trying the stick version, I now prefer the stick formula. I always love a stick concealer because I find them more convenient to use, and the stick formula is a little lighter and thinner, which I find blends into my skin a little easier and doesn’t settle into lines as easily. I wear the shade Light Peach.
  • Caliray Hideaway Undereye Corrector Concealer – This new undereye corrector from Caliray has a high coverage formula in a relatively thin liquid formula, but what I like about this formula is that the thinnes doesn’t mean that the formula spreads everywhere. It more or less sticks to where you blend it, which is important for color correcting because you really want that corrector to correct targeted areas. It’s also a very hydrating formula that doesn’t sink into fine lines. Since it’s a corrector, I still apply concealer on top. I have the shade Warm Sunglow, which is slightly deep for me right now but will work in the summer.
  • Fenty Hydrating Long Wear We’re Even Concealer – this is one of the best liquid concealers I’ve tried in years. It’s basically weightless, but has a surprising amount of coverage, so a little dab is usually enough for my undereye area. The texture is kind of like a gel cream It’s hydrating and is seamless with my skin without settling into my fine lines, and it lasts all day without fading or getting dry. It’s a remarkable concealer. I wear shade 200C as a double duty corrector and concealer, or 190W for a skintone match. I apply the concealer in this reel.
  • YSL All Hours Creaseless Concealer -this is another concealer I’ve been really impressed with. It’s a traditional creamy liquid concealer but it sets down so well into a natural finish that also doesn’t settle into my lines. I wear shade LN4, which I apply in this reel.
  • YSL All Hours Foundation.– although this was already recommended in a previous post, I’m recommending it again because my original shade was slightly too light and required me to mix it with other foundations. I have the right shade now, LW9, and it’s an incredible medium-full coverage foundation with a luminous matte finish. It has a very lightweight feel for how much coverage it has, and it’s what I reach for when I need my foundation to last all day. It wears so well for long days and still keeps my skin looking fresh without getting oily. 

CHEEKS

  • Basma Beauty Blush – I already love the Basma stick foundation, and this cream blush is just as life changing as the foundation. The texture starts of as a siliconey cream blush, but as you start to blend it in, it immediately starts to take on a more dry-touch cream that ends with a super skinlike finish. This is one of the most natural looking cream blushes that I’ve used, and it lasts impressively through the whole day with very little fading. Unlike what it may seem from the swatches online, the formula starts super sheer and can be built up for a more intense finish. I apply the shade Mauve in this reel.
  • Ciele Blush and Protect SPF 50 Blush – these liquid blushes are a fantastic everyday blush that are easy to apply for a super natural looking tint. The wear time is not quite as long as the Basma blushes, and I get about 6 hours out of these, but I love the subtle look that they give. It gives off duty effortless model vibes, and I often wear these when I’m wearing more minimal makeup. I have the shades Behati, a muted neutral pink, and June, the perfect deep bronzish burgundy that is perfect as a blonzer.
  • Kulfi Mehndi Longwear Radiant Cream Blush – I just recently tried this, and find this to be a really easy liquid blush to work with. It has a thicker consistency so it’s almost a cream finish, which makes it blend out really well into a soft matte finish. A little bit goes a long way, so I just dab a tiny dot of product to get a sheer wash of color. I have the shades Lucky Lotus, a purple berry shade that is so beautiful on olive skintones, and Sandalwood Swirls, a terracotta mauvey type of shade.

EYES

  • Dior Diorshow 5 Colours Eyeshadow Palette – I love the formula of Dior eyeshadows. They’re really silky and pigmented, and don’t have any fallout at all. I also love how the palettes are composed, since they each have a center satin shade, a frosty shade, 2 glitter toppers (ideal for my looks, which always involve a little wash of glitter), and a deeper matte shade that I use to blend out my eyeliner. Soft Cashmere is my most used palette these days, and Poncho is a lovely slightly warmer colorway.
  • YSL Couture Mini Clutch Palette – These stunning little palettes are more than just eye candy. The formula is super soft and silky with a very buildable type of pigment that’s very typical of luxury eyeshadows. The silkiness makes these so easy to blend and the color combinations are approachable but stunning. Each palette has a glitter topper, which is ideal for me because I always top my looks with a little glitter, but these toppers shine in a really elegant subdued way. I have Kasbah Spices (and applied in this reel)  and Gueliz Dream and I plan on getting the cool toned version, Stora Dolls. 
  • YSL Lash Clash Waterproof – I’m a huge fan of the original Lash Clash as it’s one of the best luxury mascaras I’ve ever used, but I always needed to layer it over a waterproof mascara so my curl remains intact. This new waterproof formula solves that problem so I can get super volumized, non clumpy lashes with an all day curl. Note that this is one of those formulas that gets better after a few weeks of being open. It was a little too wet when I first opened it and didn’t hold my curl for the whole day, but after about 2-3 weeks it became the perfect mascara formula. Consider this #AsianLashApproved
L-R: Gueliz Dreams, Kasbah Spices
L-R: Poncho, Soft Cashmere

LIPS

  • Merit Signature Lips Matte Lipstick – a balm-like lightweight and comfortable matte lipstick with the trademark Merit feature of blending so well into the lips so it looks almost like a lip tint, even when applied more opaquely. I already reviewed this in my previous post.
  • Prada Beauty Soft Matte Lipstick – this is a more sheer, soft and blurred matte finish that is really pretty and comfortable to wear. I also reviewed this in a previous post – Tonka is a gorgeous muted plummy purple that I apply in this reel.
  • Sephora Collection Matte Velvet Lipstick – this lipstick formula is new to me and I am SO impressed. It is a super comfortable and non-drying matte lipstick, and the shade 24 Can’t Be Tamed is such a beautiful raisin-brown shade. Bonus that Sephora Collection products are 30% off for all tiers during the sale.

  • YSL Loveshine Lip Oil Stick – this new formula replaces their Shine lipstick formula, and it’s a lovely improvement on what was already a great formula. These are lightweight and thin formula that really does feel like lip oil in a stick form. This new reformulation glides even smoother on the lips than the old formula, and I think the formula also blends into the lips a little better as well, instead of looking like color sitting on the lips. I apply a few shades in this reel. Shade 202 is the perfect my lips but better shade for me. 
  • Haus Labs PhD Hybrid Lip Glaze Plumping Gloss – this lip oil-gloss hybrid has a really comfortable non-sticky formula that provides a really pretty gloss to the lips. I find that this feels more like a gloss than an oil, but has really great hydrating properties. The shades are what really makes this gloss stand out – they have muted tones and pink, brown, and purple leaning tones that are really flattering for olive skintones. I have the shade Fig (applied here), which is a really flattering chestnut brown shade.
  • Tom Ford Gloss  Luxe Lip Gloss – these are a longtime favorite but I’ve been wearing them so much that they deserve another mention. These are hands down my favorite glosses. They are comfortable, non sticky, cushiony, and give a really pretty jelly effect. I have the shades Exquise, a plum, and Phantome, a warm brown that are great to alternate between winter and summer.
  • Tower 28 LipSoftie Hydrating Tinted Lip Balm – I initially thought this was just another lip treatment, but this one is actually very effective at healing my lips when they’re dry and cracked, and I think it even works quicker than some other lip treatments. It’s a thinner formula so it’s very comfortable to wear, but not so thin that it feels greasy. There’s a clear version but the tinted versions are so fun and are each scented differently. My favorites are Ube Vanilla and Watermelon Kiwi. 

SKINCARE

  • Fenty Treatz Hydrating + Strengthening Lip Oil – I love this lip oil specifically in the Kalahari Melon version because it smells absolutely delicious, but the lip oil itself is a really lovely formula. It’s lightweight and not gloopy in the slightest, but also stays on my lips for awhile.
  • Iris and Romeo Weekend Glow SPF 50 – I also recently talked about this in a Substack post, but this is a glowy mineral sunscreen that I’m surprised I love, since glowy SPFs are usually too much for me, and mineral sunscreens tend to feel heavy and leave a white cast. However, on my light-medium skintone this one doesn’t have any cast, and the gel-cream texture feels really light to apply. It also works as a great base for my makeup, and although it has a glowy finish, it doesn’t feel greasy or look too shiny. When I wear this, I usually skip moisturizer. 
  • Matter of Fact Brightening and Firming Serum with 20% Vitamin C – I talked about this in a recent Substack post about how it’s one of the best Vitamin C serums I’ve used in a long time. For me, it’s just as effective as the Skinceuticals C+E Ferulic Serum but at half the price. What really converted me to this serum is that I noticed some stubborn acne scars and dark marks start to finally disappear after a few weeks of using this serum. This is a very potent serum so if you have sensitive skin, this may be too strong for you, but it’s been fantastic for me. 

BODYCARE

  • Josie Mean Body Butter – Josie Maran recently reformulated and repackaged their products so that they’re all refillable, and their iconic body butters have received a delicious update. The scents are now Always Nude (unscented), Bohemian Fig, Sweet Citrus, Topless Tangerine, the iconic Vanilla Apricot, Vanilla Bean, Vanilla Vibezzz (which is delicious and smells like a vanilla sundae), and the formula feels slightly more moisturizing as before but with the same creamy texture that I love about their original formula. Each scent also comes in 2 oz or 13.5 oz refills, or Butter Babies trio of minis allows you to try all 3 scents. The body scrubs are also refillable and come in many similar scents.
  • Necessaire Body Cream – It’s not a secret that Necessaire makes some of my favorite body products, and their Body Lotion is an absolute essential for me, but their Body Cream has been a fantastic alternative for the winter months when my skin is extra dry. This body cream is decadent and super rich, but isn’t abnormally thick, so it applies and absorbs pretty quickly. I love that a little bit goes a long way with this cream so the tub has lasted me all winter and I’m just getting near the end of it now – a quarter size amount is usually enough for my whole body.
  • Salt and Stone Body Wash – I’ve used several bottles of the Bergamot and Hinoki scent of this body wash over the past couple years and it’s currently my favorite body wash. Aside from the heavenly scent that’s sweet and floral and also earthy all at once, it’s a body wash that lathers nicely, and isn’t stripping or drying. I might even like it more than the Necessaire body wash. 

FRAGRANCE

  • Phlur Amber Haze Hair and Body Fragrance Mist– if you are still traumatized by the body spray craze of the 2000s, I’m with you, AND this Phlur mist will single-handedly heal that trauma. Amber Haze is the grown up version of body mists, with notes of saffron, jasmine, and amber. It’s comforting and sexy all at once, and also lasts way longer on my skin that the old school body mists. There are 2 other scents, Mango Mood and Vanila Skin, but Amber Haze is my favorite.
  • Phlur Father Figure – I bought Father Figure during the fall sale and it’s become one of my most used fragrances. If you’re iffy on fig perfumes, this is the one to try. It’s fresh, soft, and creamy all at once, and figgy without being too overpowering. I also love it layered over the Caudalie Fig Body Elixir Oil.
  • Phlur Mood Ring – another Phlur fragrance that I wasn’t expecting to love, but this is such a fun fragrance. It’s a fruity fragrance, which usually don’t work well on my skin, but this one has a musky undertone to the gummy bear top note that makes the fragrance last for hours on my skin. I wrote in an earlier Substack post that this is the 30 year old version of a 13 Going on 30 fragrance.

ON MY LIST:

I have a pretty restrained list this year that is shockingly lacking in the makeup category, but here’s what I’m planning on picking up this year:

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