What’s New At Sephora – Hot or Not Beauty Haul?!

Last week, so many of you messaged us saying how much you loved our drugstore beauty faves post (click here to read!) and wanted to see more beauty & makeup on the blog. We decided to try out a few of Sephora’s newer items & add our full and honest review. So yes, this post is not sponsored! We went out and purchased these items so that we can decipher  what’s hot or not & what’s worth the price. 

Let me know in the comment section if you have been wanting to try any of these products out or if you’ve tried them yourself! We would also love to hear some of your “holy grail” products that you think are worth the $$.

Let’s get started! ;) I’m going to have Emma describe all of these products for you but our thoughts are the same.

1.  Healthy Glow Sunless Tan Broad Spectrum Sunscreen by Supergoop! – $38

Holla Holla – we loveeeee a good sunless tan but we aren’t always in love with the smell. (We don’t fake ‘n bake y’all! That is so 2004.. let’s be healthy for our skin.) But seriously, both my Mom and I are extremely pale so we are in constant need of sunscreen in our lives. The hard part? We don’t want to smell like a walking sunscreen spray… Thankfully so many new sunscreens have been popping up at great price points without the stinky smell. So not only does this sunscreen spray protect your skin from the sun, but it also tans your skin like a tanning lotion should.

First of all, I love the packaging and it’s cute enough to take in your beach bag. The yellow mixed with whites & blues make me happy. Supergoop! is a brand that has popped up in the last couple of years – they make a lot of skincare & sunscreen products. I haven’t gotten the chance to try many, but after this I definitely want to try more.

The reason I like this product is that it provides a streak-free tan which is so hard to obtain with the regular drugstore tanning lotion products. I find that I always end up leaving a streak on my hands or on the back of my leg where I can’t see it which is so annoying. Also the smell! This product however has never left a streak, and it built up quickly leaving a tan after only using it a couple times.

It also claims to moisturize but I wouldn’t buy it for that reason alone. I found that it was a thin product so it’s not thick enough to really moisturize dry skin. It may help a bit in this region, but not much. It definitely didn’t dry me out though, which I loved.

Overall, this was a hit – 5/5.  I was pleasantly surprised and can definitely recommend this product to anyone who is looking for a great quality tanning/sunscreen. I know some of you may not want to spend almost $40 on a product like this, however – I do believe that putting a little bit of $$ into your health & tan is beneficial. I find that this 2-in-1 product can really provide great coverage along with color.  Click here to shop this great find.

 

2. Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration from First Aid Beauty – $12-36

This product isn’t brand new or anything but they did recently add a value size to purchase (an 8oz tube for $36!) so I decided to re-purchase it and try it again. I tried this product years ago and loved it… good sign. I keep coming back again and again because it’s a great quality moisturizer at an amazing price point. This isn’t La Mer quality, but it’s a cult-fave with 4.8 stars with over 5K reviews.

The Ultra Repair is a lifesaver year round, especially if you’re an outdoorsy person, tend to have dry skin or you are older with more mature skin. It’s a fragrance free thick white moisturizer which makes it so nice and a little goes a long way. Each tube lasts quite a while. It’s nice to have a quality moisturizer that can be used for every part of your body (face and body) I recommend applying it after you shower.. it absorbs so much better

Overall, this was a hit – 5/5.  I’m not shocked by this discovery because I technically have used this product before, but I love the new value size that just hit the shelves.. so much product for so little $$. If you’re afraid to take the leap, definitely try the “mini” size. It’s really not that tiny + it is a great travel size/purse size for everyday use. Click here to shop the moisturizer.  I posted a boomerang of the products that I was going to review late last week on my IG stories + First Aid Beauty reached out to me & sent me a couple newer products of theirs to try out. (Just PR – still not sponsored). Since I didn’t get a long enough time to really test these out, I will try them + review them on my next beauty blog post. 

Soft Glam Palette 

 

3. Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette by Anastasia Beverly Hills – $42

I am constantly on the hunt for a quality eyeshadow palette. Over the years I have tried SO many palettes – from drugstore to luxe & there have been hits & misses in both categories regarding pigment, quality, packaging, color choices, price, and more. Let’s chat about ABH (Anastasia Beverly Hills first).

ABH was started in 1998 by Anastasia Soare – as a brow product brand. Both of our favorite go – to (holy grail) brow products are from ABH including the Brow Whiz & the Brow Definer.  Today they make products in all beauty categories including eyeshadow palettes, highlights, lip products, bronzers, and more.

I have tried many of the Anastasia eyeshadow palettes and know the quality to be high. The Modern Renaissance palette that was released last year was a huge hit and I was excited to try it for myself.

A little info on the Soft Glam Palette – when I swatched the different colors I was SO impressed. The quality of pigment for each shadow is amazing & and the color choices were great. There is a shade for everything in this palette – a base color, crease color, day colors & high glitter night colors as well. It has options in matte & metallic – so depending on what you like.. you can create so many different looks with just one palette purchase.

I also love the packaging – it has a suede brown finish on the outside of the palette and a matte black interior, & includes a double-sided eyeshadow brush.

The price is typical for a “luxury” product such as this – but I think you get more bang for your buck for the quality of the shadows + you get 14 different shadows.

Overall, this was a hit – 5/5. If anyone is looking for a new eyeshadow palette and you don’t mind fun pops of color without being too risky.. give Soft Glam a try. The quality is high, it’s from a reputable brand, it’s not TOO expensive, and the shades are so much fun to play with. I’m someone who is very picky when it comes to eyeshadows.. so trust me on this one! Click here to shop the palette. 

 

4. Lip Mask by Sephora Collection – $3

Okayyy so I have tried many lip treatments that I love. Right now I have been using Laneige’s Lip Sleeping Mask & it’s done wonders for my notoriously chapped lips. Butttt I also wanted to try a Sephora brand “lip mask” which I thought sounded like the perfect thing to do with my girlfriends. It literally looks like a face mask (sheet mask if you ever use those) but it’s for your lips!

It says that it’s supposed to hydrate the lips.. & instantly smooth + contour the lips you have. It’s supposed to target dryness. I found that it did in fact hydrate my lips, but that’s not the problem with this mask.

I hated the “sheet mask” feel for the lips.. it was so huge it stretched over the sides of my face and had a tough consistency. I didn’t love the mask part of it.

It also went all over the lips & it really didn’t taste very good. Almost a bitter taste which wasn’t my favorite. But for the price of $3?? It’s fun to do with friends or for a daughter’s spa day.

Overall, this was a miss – 2/5. I really didn’t love it, and I’d rather spend a little more on a quality lip balm or treatment such as this or this. I think the whole “sheet mask” trend is fun but I wasn’t loving this version. But if you’re just looking for something quick and inexpensive, this is totally fine. 

 

5. Beauty Blender – $20

We bought a cute “Beauty Queen” limited edition version last week & it’s already sold out.. wahhh! The packaging was adorable with no added cost too. Something exciting however is that they are currently selling a double set of beauty blenders in a fun case with a beauty blender cleanser.. all for just $40. Love! It’s a great value set. Click here to shop the value set.

This is a holy grail product for me personally. I find that I can add both my foundation & concealer on so much easier without any line when using this little sponge.. and I’ve found that no knockoff sponge can replicate the way my makeup looks when I use the original. Go figure.

You can also use it with loose powder to set your makeup. Just a thought. They have different versions of the beauty blender to help you apply different makeup – blush/bronzer, minis, etc.

Overall, this was a hit – 5/5. This product is always reliable and my face always looks amazing when I use the sponge. The only problem with it is that it is $20 for a sponge that I end up throwing out after a few months (bacteria, ewww!) even though I clean it daily. I just add it to the cost of living, because i’s something I can’t imagine living without. Click here to shop the beauty blender.

 

6. Sunbleached Filter Palette by Sephora Collection – $15 (On sale!)

Allrighty then.. let me dive into this quickly. I bought this palette because it was on sale & I wanted to try out a less expensive eyeshadow palette. I know that a lot of the Sephora house brand shadows can be hit or a miss, so I figured I should give it a go.

I loved the theme of this palette which was based on sunny filters on social media (and Instagram). It has cute eyeshadow names such as “latergram, selfie, and more” and the colors looked pretty online.

When I received this palette in the mail I was afraid I wasn’t going to like it even before I tried it. The palette is a weird shape – small & fat so it takes up a lot of room in a drawer. It’s also a little cheap looking and difficult to open.

When I finally tested out some of the shades I was shocked! The shades had little to no pigment when I finger swatched them. (for those of you who like to try colors out this way first, just know that you usually get way more pigment & color when you swatch with a finger vs the brush!). This meant that the palette was a dud to me. When I tried some of the colors on my eyes they never even showed up. It was truly a waste of money.

However.. if you’re new to makeup & want a fun palette to play with that is inexpensive, you can purchase this. I just think there are way higher quality drugstore eyeshadow palettes vs this one.

Overall this was a miss – 1/5. For reasons stated above, it’s a total miss for me. Once something goes on sale at Sephora.. it’s usually a bad sign ;) But I gave it the benefit of the doubt… I still wasn’t loving the color quality after trying it which is a shame because it really did have potential.

 

Other products we’re loving:

• Essential High Coverage Creme Foundation – Jouer. They send us PR packages from time to time and we are obsessed with their new shades of  foundation. The coverage is great + there is a color for everyone. (LOVE this product – Kristy)
• Herbivore’s Rose Hibiscus Coconut Water Hydrating Face Mist – I am in love with this face mist! This is perfect after a long day when your face needs a quick pick me up.. it smells so amazing. Click here to snag it.
• Jet Lag Mask – Summer Friday’s. This is a brand new face mask on the market created by beauty influencers. It’s a hydrating cream mask that is supposed to help with dryness & dullness as well as texture. I’ve been using it lately and love it!
• The Solution Treatment – Arcona. The International Orange Spa inspired us to purchase some of Arcona’s products and we’ve been loving them. This night time treatment helps repair and reverse sun damage as you sleep. Strong but sooo good.
• Coco Rose Coconut Oil Body Polish – Herbivore. I love to use exfoliants in the bath to remove dry skin, and I’ve been loving this specific treatment. It smells delicious and I feel so soft and smooth after using even just a little. I’m in love & I’ll definitely repurchase this.

 

We had a few more new products arrive in the mail just recently but didn’t have time to test them properly in time for this post… so keep an eye out for those reviews.

• Babe in Paradise Highlight Palette from Morphe. It’s only $29 and you receive 6 different highlighters + a fan brush to apply with.. plus the packaging is sooo cute. A beauty influencer, Bretman Rock collaborated with Morphe on this palette and he’s from Hawaii, so the palette’s design is inspired by that beautiful state. Click here to shop it for yourself.
• FAB Skin Lab Retinol Serum – First Aid Beauty. Excited to try this product out.. It’s supposed to help with wrinkles, uneven skin tone, and loss of firmness. Click here to shop.
• FAB Skin Lab Resurfacing Liquid 10% AHA – First Aid Beauty. This is an extremely strong exfoliator that is supposed to help with wrinkles & more. Click here to shop.

 

Whew! This post was long and detailed. What did you think?  Let us know what you think in the comments. Hope you have a wonderful day!

xo,
Emma (+ a little bit of Kristy)

 

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