This might not come as a huge surprise given my chosen vocation, but for all intents and purposes, the Sephora Savings Event, the retailer’s most highly anticipated sale of the year, is my Roman Empire. I’ve been a Sephora Insider ever since my parents started giving me an allowance. I practically bled Urban Decay and Smashbox when I was in middle school, and my love for the retailer and all of its incredible beauty offerings has only intensified as I’ve gotten older—without as much glitter.
Sephora shopping pandemonium has officially commenced if you’re a Rouge member, and you have through November 11 to score your allotted savings, depending on your tier of access. November 1 through 11, Rouge members will receive 20% off, and starting November 5, both VIB and Insider tiers will gain access. VIB members receive 15% off, and Insiders receive 10% off. Oh, and let’s not forget that all tiers get a whopping 30% off anything from Sephora Collection during the Savings Event. To get your goods online, just use code SAVINGS at checkout, and you’ll be good to go. Not a Sephora Beauty Insider? It’s free to join!
Because I have control issues and can’t resist giving my two cents when it comes to beauty recommendations, I’m sharing 31 products I’d plop in your cart if I was next to your keyboard. On your mark, get set… keep scrolling.
Prada Beauty
Moisturizing Lip Balm in Astral Pink
If this glowy pink lip balm from Prada Beauty looks familiar, you’re not imagining things. It’s been viral ever since it made an iconic cameo in Sabrina Carpenter’s “Please Please Please” music video earlier this year. It’s a splurge, but it delivers long-lasting hydration to dry winter lips while also giving you a flattering dose of customized color thanks to the formula’s signature Micro-Blushing Technology, which adapts to your lips’ unique pH.
Shani Darden Skin Care
Triple Acid Signature Peel
As someone who has battled breakouts and uneven skin texture for my entire adult life, I’m constantly on the search for at-home products that deliver instant gratification on the smoothing front. Don’t bother with any other chemical exfoliator or peel—this triple-acid formula from celebrity facialist Shani Darden truly is the next best thing to getting an actual facial at her L.A. studio. (Trust me. I’ve been lucky enough to visit.) I do the two-part process twice a month, and my skin has never been softer, smoother, or brighter.
The Outset
Exfoliating Revitalizing & Energizing Caffeine Micro Polish
I’ve always been more of a chemical-exfoliator type of gal (I shudder at the thought of abrasive face scrubs), but when I was dealing with some stubborn KP-like texture on my cheeks, a facialist recommended I incorporate a gentle scrub into my routine twice a week. This combined with semi-regular chemical exfoliation would easily take care of the annoying bumps I couldn’t seem to get rid of. I took her advice and started using this polish from The Outset, and bingo! My skin was literally transformed in less than a month. Unlike most physical exfoliators that can be too harsh and actually make skin issues worse, this formula features the brand’s unique Hyaluroset Complex for lots of nourishing moisture, and the strategic addition of fine perlite gently sloughs away dead skin without banging up your skin barrier.
YSL Beauty
Couture Mini Clutch Eyeshadow Palette in Over Brun
Eye shadow palettes just don’t get chicer than this designer quad from YSL Beauty. Yes, I’m obsessed with the packaging, but I’m even more obsessed with the grouping of colors and finishes in this particular palette called Over Brun. I’m not even an eye shadow person, but I love using the dark brown shimmer (lower left) to create a subtle cat eye, and I like to dab the rosy gold shimmer (top left) in the inner corner’s of my eyes and—wait for it—the center of my lips and Cupid’s bow. Holiday makeup, done!
PHLUR
Best Sellers Mini Deluxe Perfume Trio
If you’re like me and don’t feel complete without a quick spray of perfume, do yourself a favor and pick up this trio of Phlur’s best-selling scents, which makes re-upping your fragrance on the go—or while traveling this holiday season—a total breeze. Father Figure is quite possibly my favorite fragrance of all time, Vanilla Skin happens to be my favorite vanilla on the market, and Missing Person is one of the most beloved skin scents money can buy.
PATRICK TA
Major Volume Plumping Lip Gloss in Full Syringe
It wouldn’t be a Sephora Savings Event haul without a lip plumper, and this one from Patrick Ta is a current fixation. I, like so many others, have been influenced by Alix Earle on more than one occasion, and this juicy gloss has proven to be an elite buy. Unlike so many plumping lip glosses I’ve tried, this one actually keeps lips smooth and moisturized while also giving you pillowy volume and *tasteful* inflation. This shade called Full Syringe is a sheer bright cherry that is gorgeous any time of the year, especially during the holiday season.
MERIT
Retrospect L’extrait de Parfum
Meet the brand-new perfume from Merit that is basically the only scent anyone can talk about right now. With vintage inspiration at its helm, this clean fragrance delivers a long-lasting warm and spicy aroma thanks to a melding of bergamot, pear, jasmine, rose, violet, vanilla, musk, and moss. I’ve heard many fellow beauty editors describe it as the perfect scent, and I have to say… I can’t argue. Not to mention, the bottle will look stunning on a giftee’s, vanity.
For a long time, I thought there was no such thing as a chic holiday candle, but then I smelled Nette’s limited-edition confection entitled Fete, and I stood incredibly corrected. It has a burn time of 55 hours, so the warm and comforting mix of frozen cranberries, gingerbread, and fir balsam will have plenty of time to impress the heck out of any incoming holiday-season guests. It’s literally fizzy champagne clinks and a black-tie dress code bottled. Oh, and since it’s limited edition, I’d grab two.
This was the year of blush, and while there was an influx of new and notable debuts, I’ll never swap out my beloved Dior Rosy Glow Blush. When it comes to the art of a swept-on natural-yet-beautiful flush, this celeb- and makeup artist–approved pan never disappoints.
Hourglass
Phantom Volumizing Glossy Lip Balm
Here’s the deal. Mascara (don’t worry—we’ll get there) and lip products are my two favorite categories of makeup, and some might say my collections of both are entirely unhinged. But honestly, if I could only wear one lip product for the rest of my life, it would be Hourglass’s Phantom Volumizing Glossy Lip Balm—it’s that impressive. I have almost every shade at this point, and the pigment, shine, hydration, and plumping are truly unmatched.
iNNBEAUTY PROJECT
Extreme Cream Firming & Lifting Refillable Moisturizer
I’m extremely picky about skincare in general, but my discernment truly reaches new heights when it comes to face creams. I’ve been besotted with this multitasking firming and lifting formula since its launch, and I love that it delivers instant gratification and long-term results. With regular use, your skin will look glowy and healthy, and it’s basically acted like a fountain of youth for my perpetually finicky combination skin. Oh, and if you break out easily, fear not—the formula is noncomedogenic and won’t cause or exacerbate any congestion. The fact that it’s $47 before any savings is actually stupefying.
Soft Services
Buffing Bar Microcrystal Exfoliant
While I might be high-maintenance where my makeup and skincare routines are concerned, I’m alarmingly low-maintenance when it comes to bodycare. Aside from bodywash, deodorant, and maybe an occasional application of self-tanner, I just don’t want to bother. Go ahead—judge me and my perpetually dry elbows! As you can likely guess, adding a gloopy and time-intensive body scrub is only in the cards for me a few times a year, but since I do self-tan fairly often and because I’m not a complete monster, regular exfoliation is a must. I’ve always found buffing bars to be extremely efficient, mess-free, and pleasant to use, and this one from Soft Services is a lesson in luxury. I’m obsessed with the playful hue and the way my skin feels as soft as a baby’s bum post-shower.
Dyson
Special Edition Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete Long in Strawberry Bronze
I don’t know anyone who hasn’t scrawled Dyson’s cult-loved Airwrap onto their holiday wish list at some point. At $599, it’s a hefty splurge, but if you’re a blowout person, it offers true bang-for-your-buck results, and Sephora’s Savings Event can help blunt the impact to your bank account. Can we also take a moment to appreciate this special-edition colorway?!
Boy Smells
Vanilla Era Candle
I bought this candle from Boy Smells after witnessing countless people freak out online over how good it smelled. After my first burn, I immediately regretted not buying it in bulk. Vanilla fans and foes alike will flip for the delicate balance of vanilla, white tulip, saffron, incense, black amber, and coffee.
DedCool
Dedtergent 01 Taunt
At 31, I’m at the age when finally discovering *the* perfect laundry detergent excites me to an absolutely embarrassing level. I’ve loved DedCool’s best-selling fragrance Taunt for years (think bergamot, vanilla, and amber—it’s sexy AF), but when the brand laced it into a 100% biodegradable, environmentally conscious detergent formula, well, it took my laundry infatuation to an entirely new level.
Sulwhasoo
Gentle Cleansing Foam
Cleansers are annoyingly hard for me to like. Many contain sneaking pore-clogging ingredients or too many active botanicals, and I’m also sensitive to texture, lather, and scent. Suffice to say, it’s rare that I try a cleanser I actually really love and am motivated to keep using. I recently tested this gentle foaming cleanser while on a press trip to Seoul with the K-beauty brand Sulwhasoo, and I couldn’t believe how impressed I was. It has the perfect lather-to-foam ratio, it smells like an expensive spa appointment, and it cleansed my skin while leaving it balanced, soft, and radiant sans stripping. I’m a big, big fan.
Refy has yet to launch a product I haven’t immediately fallen head over heels for, but the debut of Lip Blur might have set a new record. I dare you to pick just one shade—I’ve inexplicably amassed all of them since launch. You know how your lips look swollen and flushed with color after you make out with someone? This is that in a liner, so prepare for the romantic blurred, stained effect it gives your lips.
Glossier
Boy Brow Arch 2-in-1 Longwear Pomade Eyebrow Pencil
Honestly, I was so ready not to love this brow pencil when it launched a few months ago. As a new redhead, it’s been quite the situation of “choose your own adventure” in order to attain a natural-looking brow color, and I’ve been forced to become somewhat of an alchemist, mixing and matching various shades and formulas to get my brows to a shade I like and find complementary. I wanted to scream out of sheer delight when I reached for Glossier’s Auburn pencil and found that it not only delivered the smoothest deposit of pigment for filling and feathering but was also the exact shade of reddish-brown I’ve been trying to find in just one pencil. If you’re a brow pencil girlie, don’t sleep on this one.
Sourse
Dream Bites Vegan Magnesium Infused Chocolate Supplements for Beauty Sleep
Discovering these deliciously dreamy chocolate bites from Sourse has been a true lesson in self-control. They literally taste like jumbo M&Ms but are vegan and only have the very best ingredients. The strategic mix of L-theanine, magnesium, chamomile extract, and vitamin B6 has become one of my favorite post-dinner, pre-bedtime wellness rituals—satisfying my sweet tooth while encouraging a stellar night’s sleep.
Nutrafol
Women Clinically Proven Hair Growth Supplement for Thinning
Blame it on multiple bouts of COVID, too much stress, or just the unavoidable process of getting older, but I’ve experienced an uptick in hair shedding over the last year or two. I’ve tried lots of supplements, but Nutrafol is one of the only formulas to make a noticeable and hasty difference. I’m someone who’s sensitive to biotin, so I only take two capsules daily instead of four and have still had great results sans acne flare-ups.
HigherDOSE
Red Light Face Mask for Fine Lines & Glowing Skin
I’ve had a hard time finding any beauty editor who will disagree when I say HigherDose’s Red Light Face Mask is the best relatively affordable at-home mask if you’re interested in the anti-aging benefits of red light therapy. (It was even a WWW 100 Beauty Awards winner!) If you’ve been thinking about investing in a red light mask, now is the most strategic time to buy, and I recommend snagging this highly reviewed one while it’s available.
NuFACE
Trinity+ & Effective Lip and Eye Attachment
The same goes for the NuFace! It’s a big-ticket beauty favorite, but the lifting, firming, and toning benefits of this iconic microcurrent device are not just hype. You’d be hard-pressed to find a celebrity or beauty editor who doesn’t own one and wax poetic about it.
IGK
Disco Disco Clear Gloss Shine Hair Spray
Why is it so hard to find a shine spray or serum that actually gives you mirror-like shine without making your hair feel greasy, wet, or weighed down?! IGK’s new Disco Disco Clear Gloss Shine Hair Spray has had a choke hold on me ever since I got my greedy hands on it. Not only does it have none of the aforementioned ick factors, but it also truly makes your hair gleam with “’90s shampoo commercial” luster. IYKYK.
CANOPY
The Portable Humidifier for Skin Hydration
If you don’t have a humidifier by the time fall and winter—aka dry-skin season—roll around, you’re doing a huge disservice to your complexion. Most humidifiers are actually extremely unhygienic and welcome mold and other nasties into your air flow, so Canopy’s mist-free design has quickly become my personal fail-safe. I love this model because it’s portable, and like all of Canopy’s humidifiers, it has a built-in diffuser function so you can add a hint of aroma if you feel so inclined.
ILIA
Limitless Lash Lengthening Clean Mascara
Not to boast, but I’m kind of a savant when it comes to tricking people into thinking I have extensions or Disney princess natural lashes. I have a few mascaras that I consider ride-or-dies, but I’ve been on an Ilia kick the last few months and have never received so many compliments on my eyes and questions from strangers asking if my lashes are real. I love the two-in-one idea of this mascara, as it’s two sided. The side with the shorter bristles allows you to build volume and thickness around your lash line, and the other side with the longer bristles acts like a comb, helping you brush through and lengthen your lashes for maximum lift, separation, and curl. It’s like baby doll lashes in a tube, and the formula gets extra brownie points for the clean ingredient list and the fact that it doesn’t smudge or flake.
Grande Cosmetics
Grandelash MD Lash Enhancing Serum
Despite my love for mascara, I’ve never gone more mascara-free than in the last couple of years. I have fairly long natural lashes, but I’m excessive (they’re my favorite feature to play up, after all) and have dabbled in lash serums, including prescription options like Latisse. Now, I do love Latisse, and I’ve used it off and on over the years with great results, but I swear this formula from Grande Cosmetics is just as good if not better when it comes to super-sizing your natural lashes. If you’re after Bambi-like length, I highly recommend grabbing a tube while you can get it slightly cheaper!
Josie Maran
Vanilla Vibezzz Whipped Argan Oil Refillable Firming Body Butter Jar
I’m desperately hoping that Josie Maran turns the decadent scent of this whipped body butter into an actual fragrance. If my skin could only smell like Vanilla Vibezzz for the rest of my life, I’d be happy. As the cherry on top, one application keeps my skin glowy and velvety soft for days without constant reapplications. It also gives skin the prettiest sheen if you want to look healthier and sun-kissed during the doldrums of winter.
Armani Beauty
Fluid Sheer Glow Enhancer Highlighter
This liquid luminizer from Armani has been around forever and has been a staple in my arsenal since college. It’s only recently become more well-known thanks to, you guessed it, TikTok. That being said, the recognition is well worth the buzz—whether you mix it with your base products or use it like a highlighter, it imparts the prettiest dewy glow to the skin.
Saint Jane Beauty
Deep Sleep Bath Salts With Magnesium & Peptides
A warm bath and glass of wine just hit different during the holiday season, which despite all of the festive merriment, can come with a serious spike to one’s cortisol. To assist, I love pre-gaming for bed this time of year with a blend of bath salts, and this jar from Saint Jane Beauty is my current favorite. The starring trio of ingredients includes calming magnesium, skin-softening evening primrose, and barrier-protecting peptides. Trust me—it’s dreamy, and you’ll love it.
Lux Unfiltered
N°32 Hydrating Gradual Self Tanning Lotion in Santal
I had no business self-tanning as a middle schooler, yet there I was. Blame it on an era of after-school tanning beds being my friend group’s sport of choice and my parents’ refusal to let me take part. As someone who is now 31 and still likes to be glowy and sun-kissed all year round, I have been around the block a few times when it comes to testing pretty much every self-tanner ever made. I was introduced to Lux Unfiltered a few years ago and became so obsessed that I wrote an entire ode to the brand here. I’m usually more of a mousse girl, but this gradual tan lotion, which quite literally smells like an expensive santal fragrance, is the best I’ve ever tried and the gateway I recommend to anyone who’s newer to the self-tanning process.
L’Oréal Professionnel
Absolut Repair Molecular Leave-In Cream for Damaged Hair
Despite how well this leave-in cream works on its own, I highly, highly recommend grabbing the whole line that also includes a shampoo, rinse-off serum, and mask. After a few consecutive uses, I realized the lineup had seriously reduced my constant shedding and breakage, and my hair had never felt stronger, shinier, softer, and all-around healthier. I’m sorry to those other famous bond-repairing haircare brands, but the Absolut Repair Molecular collection from L’Oréal Professionnel is better and truly worth every penny if you’re dealing with damage.
