Do you remember your first experience with Sephora? Mine was when I believe I was in 9th or 10th grade, when the first one opened in the Maine Mall (the mall where I'm from). I had heard about Sephora from magazines and online, so I was so excited to finally have one in my local mall! I remember that my first purchase there was a quad of turquoise eyeshadows. Hey- I've always like my bold and bright colors, even in makeup! A couple years later, Ulta also opened in Maine, and then my loyalty in makeup shopping kind of shifted. I know, I know... this is a Sephora focused blog post, but I'll admit it, I'm more of an Ulta girl! (Hence why I'm still just a Beauty Insider, and don't have VIB status!) But with that said, Sephora does sell a few things I love that Ulta doesn't, and I do still enjoy Sephora as well.
I wanted to share some of my high-end beauty favorites in today's blog post in case you're looking for some new products to pick up during this edition of the VIB Sale! Happy shopping beauties!
Photo by Amanda Rose Photography
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*IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Makeup 3-in-1 Makeup Cleansing Balm: I use a few different products to remove my makeup, but this is one of my holy grails since I first discovered it a couple years ago! It breaks down everything from facial makeup to the toughest waterproof eye makeup, and it will all rub off after applying into a tissue. I will say that this isn't the best to use on your eyes for days in a row if they're sensitive- I usually prefer to use a different makeup remover directly on my eyes specifically. But it works amazingly well to get off all types of makeup! It's pricy- so the VIB Sale is a great time to purchase!
*IT Cosmetics Je Ne Sais Quoi Hydrating Color Awakening Lip Treatment: I've tried this product in both shades, and I love it! These are the ideal lipsticks for everyday wear or the workplace. I have the shade Rose in my workbag right now! I love them so much that I actually got more and gave them to some friends for Christmas last year since this is such a versatile lip product.
*IT Cosmetics Superhero Mascara: Okay- one last amazing IT Cosmetics product! Overall I'm usually a fan of drugstore mascaras, but this one is a prime exception. It has incredible volume and length. I wear 2-3 mascaras daily, and this is usually my third mascara when I wear it, the icing on the cake for gorgeous lashes! The VIB Sale would be a great time to try it and bring it into your beauty routine.
*Makeup Forever Ultra HD Foundation: This is my #1 Sephora specific holy grail item, as Ulta doesn't sell this! It is an expensive foundation, but so worth it. I am blessed to have very good skin (and I never suffered much from facial acne in high school), but despite that, I have always liked full coverage foundations for dressy looks and my photoshoots for the blog. This is my favorite foundation to wear for blog shoots. It blends effortlessly but definitely gives you a "made up with coverage" feel if that makes sense, but without feeling heavy! I can't recommend this enough, especially to other bloggers. It photographers very well too.
*Too Faced Chocolate Gold Eyeshadow Palette: This was a belated Christmas gift to myself this year, and I love this palette! The packaging is adorable (I'm a sucker for that). I really like how it has a balance of gorgeous neutral shades as well as fun colors- best of both worlds! I still need to play with this palette more and see what other looks I can create.
*Becca X Chrissy Teigen Glow Face Palette: One of my favorite beauty purchases of 2017! I adore each one of the four items in this face palette, and I've long ago hit pan on the bronzer in here. This was my very first Becca purchase and now I'm loyal to their highlighters and bronzers. If you haven't played with Becca makeup before, this palette is a great intro to the line! And it's perfect for travel. Plus cute packaging too!
*Sephora Collection Face Mask: Sephora's own house brand has some great gems within the line. One day last summer I'd had a really long week and needed a little pick-me-up. I decided to try one of the face masks from the Sephora Collection, and it was just what I needed! So moisturizing and refreshing. I believe I tried the scent "Lotus." These are under $10 so you could stock up and save them for Christmas stocking stuffers or birthday gifts!
There's just a few of my stand-out favorites for y'all! Happy makeup shopping this weekend, let me know if you pick up anything from the VIB Sale!
My mom arrives in Charlottesville for a long weekend visit tonight! I will be taking Monday off from the blog to spend more time with her, but stay tuned for a new post on Tuesday! And of course you can keep up with me on Instagram @miss_alk this weekend- we have a fun weekend of adventures ahead.
God Bless,
xoxo Annaliese
