I tried to pick a “ride or die” item from each category & I found myself not being able to pick, BUT here are things I’d be REAL sad if Sephora stopped carrying them [or are discontinued by the brand. RIP]
Now, I’ll give a little info & why my love for it is so strong. SO Strong. I don’t have pictures of EVERY item, cause how do you really show foundation & Moisturizer?
The love is strong [which you can tell by the love it’s received] I like this so much because of the tones. I am VERY pale [fair AF if you will] with neutral undertones & it complements my skin so nicely. You can create bold looks, or everyday looks with this one. Out of all the Naked palettes – this would be my pick, forever & always. You can buy it here.
Naked 3 – by Urban Decay – $54.00 US – 12 pans with .05 oz of product in each pan.
Once upon a time I discovered the best red that ever lived, and its called “Beso” By the brand Stila. I started to find other beautiful colors, like Baci [swatch pictured] It’s my perfect pink/nude with just something different. I always get complements & people as what I’m wearing. After several years of loving & buying Stila liquid lipsticks that last ALL DAY [just like the name suggests] You can eat, drink, and really rely on it for a long time. Comes in a ton of colors & a few finishes [matte, satin, glitter] Buy it here.
Baci – by Stila – $22.00 US – 0.10 oz of product
I never really heard anyone talk about this hidden gem before & I’ve been discovering how wonderful the brand Becca is & a lot of the things I’ve tried work really great for me. This is an under eye brighten cream. My eyes have the worst dark circles of anyone I know [and I try to get lots of beauty sleep] so I’ll dab the tiniest amount of this on before concealer and it does wonders. I can’t say enough things about this gem. The pot is huge too so it’ll last you a million years. Comes in Light to Medium [my shade] & Medium to Deep. Buy it here.
Under Eye Brightening Corrector – $32.00 US – by BECCA – 0.16 oz of product
Speaking of the under eyes… this is a fairly recent addition to my collection [around Christmas] & I’ll never look back. This concealer doesn’t crease or slip slide all around your face, is matte but not drying. WIN. WIN. WIN. Nars is a brand that is super inclusive to everyone and they have a lot of shades to pick from. I’m the lightest in “Chantilly.” For $30.00 you can snag yourself a pot & Buy it here.
Chantilly – Soft Matte Complete Concealer – by NARS – 0.21 oz of product
Eyebrows are important & Anastasia Beverly Hills kills it in all areas. ABH has created many different brow pencils, pots, powders, tools, shapers, highlight sticks… anything your eyebrows would need [which sounds like a lot] but your makeup can go from I just woke up to I’m ALIVE by just filling in your brows. This Dipbrow is a cream/gel formula and you apply it with a small angled brush [and comb your brows hairs with a spoolie]. I have Ashy brown baylage/ombre pink to purple hair & “soft brown” works great. See for yourself here.
Soft Brown – DIPBROW Pomade – by ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS – $18.00 US – 0.14 oz
The base of makeup is also super important. SKINCARE. SKINCARE. SKINCARE. If you don’t take care of your skin, nothing you put on top is going to be as beautiful as it can be. About a year ago my cousin who’s 40 suggested I try Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base. The price tag scared me so I didn’t buy it for a long time until Sephora gave me 20% off [they have % off sales in spring and fall] and I snatched it up. I LOVE IT. It smells lightly of citrus. It’s not too watery, and it really feels like my skin is drinking it up. Snag yours [if you’re willing to let your credit card fly out of your wallet] here.
Vitamin Enriched Face Base Moisturizer – by BOBBI BROWN – $60.00 US – 1.7 oz
I’m skipping primer because I can’t decide.. sometimes I like something that fills pores, and sometimes I like something that gives a glow. On days where I’m just a regular gal I use Your Skin But Better CC + Cream by It Cosmetics. Don’t let the CC cream name scare you, Its basically foundation & a dry skin girls BFF. It doesn’t suck the life out of your skin, has SPF 50 and really covers & evens the skin out for a flawless base. The only downside to this baby is that the brand doesn’t have a very inclusive shade range. They do however have mini travel versions – excellent if you don’t want to commit to the full size. Try it here.
Fair – Your Skin But Better CC + Cream – By IT Cosmetics – $38.00 US – 1.08 oz
I can’t say enough good things about laura mercier. She has SO MANY good face products. Foundations, powders, primers – really winning all across the base board of makeup. I wore this foundation on my wedding day [and any other day I might be photographed] because its a PHOTO FINISH FOUNDATION. Excellent. It really makes your skin look flawless in photos [& real life] Get selfie ready, this is about to be your new BFF. This photo finish comes in oil free & a regular oil formula, so it depends on your skin type. I find even with dry skin I prefer the oil free formula. This comes with a hefty price tag, so I usually buy a Sephora gift card with my credit card points, and PRESTO. Free foundation. Get this wedding ready foundation here.
Cream Ivory – Silk Creme Oil Free Photo Edition Foundation – by Laura Mercier –
$48.00 US – 1.0 oz
This blush is the only one I could ever want & need. The powder is so smooth & has a beautiful finish, not matte, not shimmery, just a natural glow. Yes, Really. In my years seriously wearing makeup I’ve gone through three of these. [It’s just that good] it comes in 6ish colors, but I’ll forever & always buy “Mood Exposure.” PLUS Hourglass is working on becoming a 100% Vegan & Cruelty free brand. [which is exciting] They also are selling them in Mini’s now. SO CUTE. Buy here.
Mood Exposure – Ambient Lighting Blush – by HOURGLASS – $38.00 US – 0.15 oz
Another Hourglass favorite, this finishing powder will make you look like the ethereal goddess you are. I exchange this for setting powder [cause its super white, but they have other colors] after I put on my foundation. It’s just got that beautiful glow from within look. There’s really nothing like it. The powder is just buttery & luxe & it’ll last you a million years [even with everyday use] Too matte and flat? Throw a few sweeps of this across your face and it’ll change the whole vibe. Get yours here.
Ethereal Light – Ambient Lighting Powder – by HOURGLASS – $46.00 US – .35 oz
Become a bronze goddess today! I don’t think bronzer is ever that special, but this one by BECCA is just really wonderful. It’s not matte or glittery or shiny, just a glow. It’s a very similar feel to the two previous Hourglass products & it comes in a few different shades so you can get your perfect sun kissed look. I need all the help I can get because I look like I’ve lived in a basement for the past 5 years. [Wanted: SUNSHINE.] Becca has really impressed me with their products. Everything I’ve tried – I love & it’s found a place in my collection & heart. The brand has great primers & was originally known for their Highlights [& I love them all.] There are too many great shades. [all skin tones] Find your perfect sun-kissed color here.
Bali Sands – Sunlit Bronzer – by BECCA – $38.00 US – 0.25 oz of product
Last, but not least… my Urban Decay eyeliner. I don’t always use eyeliner, sometimes its too harsh, I never use black, always grey, brown, taupe, & even a dark purple. My skin tone makes it look too harsh, but this grey [almost] black is the perfect one. Creamy, long lasting, smudge proof [Right after you apply you have some wiggle room if you want to smudge it for a smoky effect.] – this lil guy will stay all day. The come in any color you could ever want from neutral to bright brights. Unfortunately.. the shade I pictured is discontinued, but it’s sister “Smoke” is very similar. Find your favorite shade here.
Crave – 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil – by URBAN DECAY – .04 oz of product
This post took me forever & CONGRATS if you made it down here. I hope you learned something. Maybe not. Idk how to be informative without making a video, WHICH WILL NEVER HAPPEN. When I was a child I was the photo queen. I loved having my picture taken. Now I hate it more than ever. [probably because I’m super fat now] But, I hope this inspires you to find some gems & add quality things that will last a long time in your collection.
Not mentioned: Primers, Mascara, Lipgloss, Lipstick, Highlighter, Setting Spray & like a million other things you can put on your face. Hope you liked it. If you buy any of my Sephora Staples let me know! Like it? Love it? Hate it? I need to know. Kisses.
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