Sephora Haul 2023: Your essential beauty shopping list
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Oh girl: Are you ready for the ultimate Sephora Haul of 2023? As the pre holiday season Sephora Savings Event arrives, I can admit, I love a Sephora sale. It's a great time to replace my stand-by favorite products (swoon Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream!), snag one of the Sephora Collection products from my wish list (spoiler: It's the 12 Hour Contour Pencil Eyeliner), and of course, save a little. I've been an avid skincare enthusiast for a long time, and love trial and erroring new products, so dive in with me...
What is the Sephora Savings Event?
Aside from my favorite time of year, it's an exclusive sales event to reward members of the Sephora Beauty Insider program based on their membership tier.
Rouge members (who have spent $1,000 or more per year), receive early access to sales and the highest discount of 20% off.
VIB members (those who have spent $350 or more per year) receive a 15% discount.
Then Insider members - the tier of the Sephora Beauty Insider Program that is free to join! - receive a 10% discount.
It's also typically a great time of the year to be on the lookout for a free shipping promo code for your online order. (And if my girl math is mathing and you get free shipping, that means you're allowed to add more to cart right? I mean we all know a little bit in savings goes a long way, ha!)
Also don't be mistaken - you might hear "Sephora Holiday Savings Event," and think this special promo period only comes around once a year, it actually happens three times a year - Spring, Summer, and right before the holidays.
What are my first impressions of this year's Sephora Savings Event?
Soooo many more things are on the shelves vs. last year! I feel like a lot of my favorite brands have released new products (like the Caudalie Premier Cru anti-aging cream or the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil). And don't quote me but it also seems like there are more gift sets available this year, like the fabulous 3-piece set from Sol de Janeiro that I'm definitely stocking up on for my daughter and sister-in-law.
Smock this:
Searching for Thanksgiving smocked outfits? Here are our CityMoms favorites.
What are the top 13 products to add to your Sephora Haul of 2023?
Here's a list of my go-to items that should be yours during the Sephora sale:
Makeup must-haves
1. GrandeLASH - MD Lash Enhancing Serum by Grande Cosmetics
I've been using this renowned lash-enhancing serum for years. It's proven to promote longer, thicker, and healthier-looking lashes within 4-6 weeks, and is fabulous if you're recovering from lash extension damage. Stock up on the other products in their line - all of them are worth it.
2. Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Sticks
Look, everyone is obsessed with Rare Beauty's Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil but I'm telling you, this is the real gem. They are multi-purpose, creamy bronzer sticks that effortlessly blend (no really) into the skin for a natural and sun-kissed glow.
3. Too Faced Born This Way Natural Finish Longwear Liquid Foundation
I've tried a million different foundations, and this is the only one that's giving full coverage without caking around my fine lines. It's also oil-free and described by Too Faced as "masterfully diffuses the line between makeup and skin for undetectable coverage." I totally agree.
4. Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine Lipstick Balm
Could you buy a considerably less expensive lipstick? Yes. But why would you want to. This option by the Yves Saint Laurent feels luxe and looks it. I have it in 4 different shades and am in love with their long-lasting wear. Lip liners need not apply here.
5. PATRICK TA Major Headlines Double-Take Crème & Powder Blush Duo
Love this one - it combines a creamy blush and a complementary powder blush for a customizable and vibrant flush of color. Plus I feel like the pinks look universally good on all my gals that have borrowed it, and can skew bright or soft pink.
Skincare routine recos
6. Sunday Riley's B3 Nice 10% Niacinamide Serum
This powerful serum is infused with a 10% concentration of niacinamide. This helps control oil production and reduce pore size, but I've noticed how it enhances my skin texture, making my complexion look smoother and visibly clearer (two great things my tired mom face loves for sure).
7. Olehenricksen's Banana Bright+ Vitamin C Brightening Eye Crème
There's a reason this makes top beauty products list each year. It contains vitamin C to help brighten and firm the delicate skin around eyes but I love it's subtle yellow tint to help color correct and instantly reduce the appearance of dark circles (bless!).
8. Dr. Jart+ Cicapair ™ Tiger Grass Camo Drops Color Corrector
As someone who's battled rosacea my whole life, I'm obsessed. This lightweight serum helps color correct and neutralize redness, but also provides hydration. I love layering this on top of moisturizer - before makeup goes on - for the perfect even skintone.
9. Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream
Until finding this, I'd never repurchased the same face cream over and over. It's a rich, moisturizing cream that contains antioxidant-packed Japanese purple rice to replenish and plump the skin, resulting in a dewy and healthy glow.
10. Glow Recipe's Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops
I know this is the second niacinamide serum listed here, but they both do slightly different things, and I love layering them for the ultimate dewy finish. Glow Recipe's lightweight serum formula provides great skin hydration and helps reduce the look of hyperpigmentation, especially the few spots around the side of my face from sun exposure.
Hair tools hall-of-famers
11. Crown Affair The Hair Towel
Admittedly I just bought this and have yet to try it myself but as one of Sephora's most popular products of 2023, I'm feeling comfy with my decision. It reduces friction, minimizes damage, and promotes healthier hair by drying it gently and efficiently, plus it just says spahhhhh.
12. Topicals High Roller Ingrown Hair Tonic with AHA and BHA
I didn't know where to categorize this. But it has to do with hair, k? It's a a powerful yet gentle tonic that exfoliates and treats ingrown hairs with the help of alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) and beta hydroxy acids (BHA), and it makes a serious improvement at your bikini line.
13. Dyson Exclusive Airwrap™ Multi Styler in Ceramic Pop
Fine, I don't own this yet but I'm manifesting for it, especially with this Sephora sale. I keep hearing phrases like "revolutionary hairstyling tool" and "uses air and heat technology to effortlessly create a variety of styles, from voluminous curls to sleek straight hair," and "protects hair from extreme heat damage" and I'm ready to dump my old dryer.
What are other good Sephora Savings Event tips?
If you've been too afraid to invest in a full-size beauty product, start with travel size start! Most stores have a great selection near the register, or peek the website.
Buy something and just aren't loving it? You can get a full refund as long as you're within a designated return window. My local store allows returns up to 90 days, but ymmv.
Ask friends about their favorite beauty products and give them a try! It's so easy for us to get stuck in a rut, and if I hadn't asked my BFF, I'd never have found my favorite foundation.
Order online thru Rakuten, and you’ll receive up to 2% of your purchase cashback! Sign up with Rakuten for free here.
Last, need help deciding between products? Ask the brand reps or store associates! They are such a wealth of knowledge and I've found if they don't know answers, they'll find someone on staff who does.
