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Today’s post is all about some of my recent beauty tries from Sephora. I love that they carry so many brands. The last visit when I went I had several consultants helping me with different questions and they were helpful and very knowledgeable. When in doubt, ask!
Did you also know that you can request small samples of items if you want to try them out before making the purchase? Especially with skincare, this is a major game-changer because they can be pricey. And all of our skin reacts differently, so it’s great to try out a product before you invest in it! Same advice as above, when in doubt…ask if you can have a sample of a product to try at home!
This week, I am sharing three products that are new to me and one that is a long-standing staple for me. Let’s dive in!
Laneige Cica Sleeping Mask
I have sensitive skin so my skin gets red and irritated very easily. I really have to test out products to see if they work for me. I saw that this cream was hypoallergenic (less likely to cause an allergic reaction and always a great choice for sensitive skin). It’s also okay for any skin type (dry, oily, combination).
Before bed, I remove my makeup with this microfiber cloth (read all about it my review of it here), wash my face, apply my normal nighttime eye cream, serum, and moisturizer. Then the final step is to add the Laneige Cica Sleeping Mask on top. Take a minute massaging the cream into your face, you deserve it!
Wash your face as usual in the morning, that’s it!
The first time I used it, I woke up and my face felt softer. I decided to wait a week before I used it again because I thought it might have been a fluke. Nope, happens every time. My face feels noticeably different in the morning. Hydrated and soft, it’s fantastic and this is definitely a keeper in my weekly routine. I use the mask 1-2 times per week depending on how my skin feels. This product contains no parabens or phthalates and it is vegan.
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask
This beauty comes in three different types. They are listed on the site as different colors but their scent is deliciously strong in all of them, so it’s hard to call them out as colors versus scents. I smelled them all at the store, of course. The original which is a berry mix, the second is vanilla, and the third is apple/lime.
They all smelled delightful but I went with the original berry mix color for no other reason than I was having trouble making a decision and it was first on the shelf. There is no wrong decision here, whatever smells best to you because it will be on your lips right under your nose so you need to like the smell. But in my personal opinion, they all smell fantastic!
My lips get dry and chapped and traditional lip balm is fine during the day but I wanted something stronger to repair my lips overnight. I previously used Sara Happ’s Lip Slip which is also lovely but I wanted to try something new. I love her lip sugar scrubs by the way, so great!
Anyway, back to Laneige. After my night face routine, I add the lip slip on to my lips with the applicator every night. My lips feel softer and more hydrated in the morning when I get up thanks to the Vitamin C, antioxidants, and their trademarked technology called Moisture Wrap that seals in moisture to your lips throughout the night.
This is definitely another keeper for me. I like the included silicone applicator instead of dipping a finger into the pot each time.
Like the first product, this one is also free of parabens and phthalates. It also won a Best of Beauty Award in 2019 from Allure magazine.
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
I heard about the glory of this concealer from Cassie over on the Hi Sugarplum! Blog. Cassie’s makeup artist for her clothing collaborations with Gibson and photoshoots said it is the best concealer for women over 30 (so the concealer doesn’t emphasize lines under your eyes by caking in the creases, no one wants that!). You can read their full Q&A post here, it has lots of great info and I learn something new and helpful every time she posts one of these.
I also get a lot of great beauty information (including tutorials with this NARS concealer) from Kathleen Jennings. Her Instagram always has great videos, tutorials, and honest beauty advice. Definitely follow both Cassie and Kathleen and then come back here and let’s continue chatting about these products.
Okay, back to NARS concealer. Lately (and probably longer than lately, let’s be honest) my eyes have been a little puffier, a few more dark circles present, and I needed to break down and try a concealer. I did opt for a drug store find first before I could get up to my local Sephora and it worked okay, but I was really curious to try the NARS.
Picking out your color is the hardest part. My advice is to look on the Sephora site first because they have a ton of descriptions that they don’t have out in the store on what shades work for each skin color. If knowing whether you have pink, peach, golden, yellow undertones stresses you out not to worry. Just go to Sephora and a color specialist will help you pick the perfect shade for you.
I have light skin with pink undertones and there were two I was thinking about from the website. I tried them both on the back on my hand to see how they blended in at the store and I could have gone either way but went with the Vanilla over the Creme Brulee. I am very happy with my color choice and it blends well and stays all day. I’ll keep trying this one out although I might try a few more concealers over time to make sure this is THE ONE. I will report back on my findings.
A quick tip for any liquid that you apply (like concealer) is to then set it with a translucent powder after application. Just a tidbit I learned from Kathleen Jennings that I wanted to pass along to you!
Like the items above, this concealer is also free of parabens and many other items. It’s gluten-free and vegan. For a full listing of items this concealer does not contain, pop over to the Sephora site here.
BareMinerals Powder Foundation
This one is an oldie but a goodie. I have been using this powder foundation for 15 years. I have never liked the way a liquid foundation feels on my face, maybe it’s my combination skin. By the end of the day or talking on the phone at work, my foundation was on my phone or under my fingernails or feeling like it was melting off of me. Gross, I know, but it’s the truth! This powder foundation is light as air and never leaves me with that melted, greasy feeling.
The coverage is excellent whether it is for all over your face to even out skin tone or for one specific red or irritated spot. I also use it under my eyes (unless I am using concealer) and on my eyelids as a base.
It has SPF15 included in the powder too! It’s the number one loose powder in the United States and won Readers Choice Awards from Allure for 10 years. This is the stuff! I thought about switching or trying a liquid foundation again recently and had a nice chat with the consultant at Sephora and she agreed that for me, this powder is definitely it. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it!
I highly recommend it and if you haven’t tried it, then it’s absolutely worth testing it in the store. You’ll see the results and the weightlessness of it right away. I honestly don’t feel like I am wearing any makeup when I am wearing this powder.
Just like the three products I highlighted above, this powder is free from icky chemicals and a full list of ingredient callouts is available on Sephora’s website here.
Alright friends, that’s it for this round of Sephora finds! What is in your beauty bag? Have you tried any of the products above? Tell me your favorites in the comments below!
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