Over the last couple of months, I’ve acquired plenty of new beauty items – some to replace old/empty products and some completely new to me. Majority of these things were from the recent Sephora VIB 15% off sale and Ulta’s 20% off Platinum member sale, so just be aware I did get myself deals on most of these items (like the high price foundations). Let’s take a peek at what goodies I picked up in this collective spring makeup haul…
I’ve been on a bit of a sheet mask kick lately – trying to find ones that truly make a difference in my skin and not just during the 15-20 minutes that it’s sitting on my face. My tried-and-true failsafe that I completely forgot to mention in my Sephora VIB Sale Recommendations (post) is the Dr. Jart Water Replenishment Cotton Sheet Mask. This is the best $7.50 you will spend on your skin – bonus if you’re traveling – it’s a life saver for dehydrated skin. I will not fly on a plane without bringing one of these to wear the night after my flight. It balances my sensitive skin and hydrates in a non-greasy way that lasts through the next couple of days. I like to save the leftover serum in the packet to use under my evening moisturizer the following night to really get the most bang for my buck.
I picked up two more of the Dr. Jart Water Replenishment Masks for two upcoming trips in May.
I also wanted to try the Tony Moly Avocado mask after reading about it in my friend’s blog, As Gold As It Gets. Another very affordable one with good reviews, you can pick this up at Ulta for $3.75.
Lastly for sheet masks, the MOTHER of them all. I was sent an SK II box from Influenster for reviewing purposes (coming soon), and it included one of the $17 SK II Facial Treatment Masks. I’m really holding out for this one because I’ve heard incredible things and want to use it on a day I know I’m doing something really special. Then again, I’m also worried I may have a skin reaction, so part of me is saving it for a weekend I am staying in, lol. Have any of you tried these – thoughts?
If you read my recent post on self tanning, you know I’m a huge fan of the St. Tropez brand and mentioned that they reformulated their products to have new self-tanner scent-free technology. I redeemed 100 Sephora points for this travel size St. Tropez mousse. I used it last Wednesday night and I am extremely impressed! It has a strong fresh scent upon initial application (that I worried would fade and then smell horribly of self tan), but it fades nicely and stays smelling very clean. My husband was shocked, since he’s used to me and our sheets smelling terrible the nights I self tan. Even the next day, I woke up to a great bronze hue and still NO SELF TAN SMELL WHATSOEVER. Just the clean scent. This isn’t like anything else I’ve tried before… it truly has no self tan smell not even a little bit. I can’t wait to finish my older formula lotion and pick up a full size of this new, improved version!
I have frequently recommended the drybar Triple Sec 3-in-1 spray, but finished up my bottle. Being beauty obsessed, I had to try something new just to see what else could be even better. I took a chance on the Amika UnDone Texture Spray from Sephora. It smells really nice, but I haven’t tried it yet… TBD.
In preparation for the Sephora sale, I had stocked up on samples of several foundations to test that way I would know which to purchase in full sizes (“Foundation Final Four” post). If you read that post, you’ll see I just couldn’t decide between the Guerlain Lingerie de Peau foundation and Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation – so I got both because I’m insane. I feel less guilty because I happened to finish two bottles of foundations prior to purchasing these (Urban Decay Naked Skin, shade 6, Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder, shade 7).
Lately, I’ve been feeling like my brows look better when I use a brow powder instead of a brow pencil. I just finished up the NYX brow powder and although I used to think it was a nearly identical dupe for the Anastasia Beverly Hills brow powder duo, it’s just a little too dark (even in the blonde/taupe shade I was using). My very first ABH brow product was the brow powder duo (circa 2011) and I really enjoyed it, so I picked up another in this cute little “Bold Brow” kit for $36 ($72 value) which included all full sizes of her brow powder duo, clear brow gel (a holy grail for me) and dual-sided brow brush. I’m LOVING the softer, more natural results and I even feel like this powder is more precise than pencil.
My absolute FAVORITE go-to lippie that I always keep in my purse is a mini I picked up during Christmas last year by Bite Beauty in Gavi – a medium dusty peach. I rarely finish the lip products I keep in my purse, but shockingly, I finished this one! Sadly, this was limited edition for the holidays and they don’t make a full size version. I was really stressed about this (#lifeproblems), but thankfully, found a 99% dupe in Bite’s Leche matte lip crayon. Amaretto was also very close, but a little lighter, pinker.
ColourPop recently launched their Ultra Satin Lips, which have been marketed as a satin formula, for those who want the look of matte/liquid lipstick but hate the dry feeling. I picked up shade Echo Park – a warm peachy nude (surprise surprise, right?). I wore this lip color in my recent beachy waves tutorial here. These are ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! I’m a massive fan and want a few more shades – I’m thinking this formula would be incredible in a cool blue-based red, reddish-orange, hot pink or purple/lilac/lavender. It’s my answer to the matte lip trend without feeling drying whatsoever. If nothing else from this haul, this is something to check out and at $6, why the heck not!?
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Lorac also recently launched a new blush formula called, Color Source. All matte shades in a buildable, anti-oxidant rich formula, the shade Cinematic (plum/brown matte) was calling my name real loud. Refinery29 reported that pro makeup artist, Carola Gonzalez, loves using this shade on her Latina clients for a natural look that pairs beautifully with bronzer/highlighter. It’s stunning and so pigmented you need the littlest amount; I’m pretty sure I’ll have this blush for the next 30 years.
As for some other face products, I was starting to notice that my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder in Medium Plus was seeming to pull a little too pink on my skin. I was on the hunt for a replacement face powder with medium/full coverage in a pressed form. I was in between Makeup For Ever Duo Matte powder in 202, the Urban Decay Naked Skin Powder Foundation (that I like a lot) and *shockingly,* this super underrated Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Foundation Powder in Medium. I selected the Sephora brand on price alone. Let me tell you how dupeable this powder is to MAC MSF…. it’s EXACT. Amazingly enough, the Medium shade is precisely the same shade as my Medium Plus from MAC, but Sephora is a lot more yellow in undertone… YAY!
This big fat Morphe fan brush was purchased after I had an in-depth convo with a pro makeup artist for Tarte (who also worked for Bobbi Brown and IT Cosmetics…). We were discussing the best blushes to apply/blend contour and bronzer and he was obsessed with this $48 IT Cosmetics brush. HELL NO my ass is buying a $48 brush, so I happened to find this MB33 Jumbo Fan Brush for $10.99 that looks and works exactly the same.
Last but not least, I had to grab another one of my Maybelline Dark Circle Eraser concealers. These are amazing concealers from the drugstore and I use shades Light and/or Medium (Light works better to brighten and conceal under eye circles, but Medium is better for concealing blemishes/discoloration). A must have from the drugstore.
Alrighty. That was quite a bit of stuff to replenish my collection until either my birthday (in July) or maybe I can stretch it out all the way through Christmas -__- (any betting folks around these parts?)
What are some new things you may have picked up recently and/or what really caught your eye from my damage? Comment below and let me know.
Happy hauling,
-Steffanie
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