I'm a Beauty Director and Rely On These 36 Sephora Gems Each Time I Do My Makeup
In case you somehow haven't heard, Sephora's bi-annual Savings Event is officially on, making it the absolute best time to do some beauty shopping and saving. The event runs through November 6, and even though Rouge members have had access since October 27, starting today, both VIB and Insider members can join in on the fun too. (As a reminder, Rouge members receive 20% off, VIB members receive 15% off, and Insiders receive 10% off.) It's also worth noting that you can shop the deals in-store or online, but if you're like me and doing the latter, the magic code you'll use at checkout is TIMETOSAVE.
I've been obsessed with Sephora ever since I started dancing in elementary school and my mom would take me on very exciting, pre-recital expeditions to the retailer to stock up on whatever type of makeup or hair products were needed for my different costumes. (I still have vivid memories of glittery, bright purple lids courtesy of Urban Decay.) These days, as a product-obsessed beauty director, my appreciation for Sephora has only intensified, and it's where I buy the majority of the skincare and makeup products I rely on daily. So, in the spirit of shopping and saving, I'm sharing said skincare and makeup routine below. Keep scrolling! You're sure to find a handful of new, editor-vetted products just below.
Skin Prep
Cleansers:
Serum:
Eye cream:
My under-eyes get super dry and are prone to creasing under my concealer, and I swear this is one of the only eye creams that truly makes a difference—nothing else compares to the hit of moisture it delivers. It doesn't feel sticky or tacky (the worst), it provides the longest-lasting surge of moisture I've ever experienced with an eye cream, it doesn't cause my eyes to water or irritate, and it helps plump up any fine lines or wrinkles.
Lip scrub:
Lip treatment:
Makeup
Face primer:
I've turned so many people who claimed they weren't foundation people onto this primer. It's silicone-free and will make any complexion products you apply afterward look *so* much better. I find that it works really beautifully under the Kosas complexion products I love so much, which you'll read more about below.
Foundation:
I love this foundation so much that I dedicated an entire article to it. I love that when I wear it people don't compliment me on my makeup, they compliment me on my skin. It's buildable, boosted with skin-loving ingredients, and just looks so unbelievably pretty. It's a true, your-skin-but-better product.
Concealer:
This. Concealer. Is. The. Shit. I love it, Hailey Bieber loves it, and do you even need to know anything more than that?! JK. Just like its foundation counterpart, this concealer is so rich in high-quality skincare ingredients that it's almost like a concealer and eye cream in one. It's lightweight, and it also happens to be the only concealer I've ever tried that doesn't crease—whether it's under my eyes or around my smile lines, it stays fresh-looking for on and on. I will never get over how fantastic it is.
Bronzer and Contour:
This is the only cream bronzer I've ever loved. In fact, I've only been using it for a few months but have already hit the bottom of the pan. There are only three shade options, but all three feature über-flattering warm undertones that provide just enough sun-kissed depth to warm up your complexion while adding a subtle dose of defining/contour magic if you're into that kind of thing. It has a velvety, easy-to-blend finish that helps absorb excess oil while still providing your skin with hydration. I can't do my makeup without it now!
Blush:
Usually, my Hourglass blush is enough for me, but on days when I really want my cheekbones to pop, I'll dust this stunning blush-highlighter hybrid onto my apples and over the tops of my cheekbones. I also like to swing it across my nose and in the creases of my eyes, which kind of pulls the whole vibe together.
Highlighter:
I think this is the highlighter that I will use until my dying day simply due to the way it melts into the skin and delivers the most believable, incandescent glow. Your skin will still look like your skin, and no one would guess your radiance came from a stick.
Most of the time I just stick with my Merit highlighter, but if I am going out or have a special occasion and want an extra dose of glow, I'll use this silky highlighter as a topper, of sorts, and will just dust a tiny bit over my Merit along my cheekbones, Cupid's bow, the tip and bridge of my nose, and my brow bones. I appreciate that this highlighter still looks fairly natural and isn't sparkly or tacky looking in the finish.
Eyeliner:
I generally prefer liquid liners since I love just a hint of a cat-eye, and I find liquid formulas give me precision and control. That said, I need something to use in between the lashes and along my upper waterline to make my lashes look thicker and more dense at the roots. This one is waterproof, so I find it *actually* stays put, and it's also one of the few liners that doesn't immediately make my eyes water.
Mascara:
I was really into brown mascara this past summer for a more minimal lash look (and have continued said habit into the fall) and found myself gravitating to this super lengthening and volumizing icon from Too Faced. I find just one quick wiggle of a coat delivers the perfect amount of product for me.
This mascara won't hold curl quite as well as some of the others in my rotation, but the length and subtle volume you get is so, so pretty. I like to "set it," if you will, with a drier curling mascara (i.e. the Dior, below) to help lock in the lift.
Brows:
Lip Liner:
Lip color:
I love a lip tint, and this OG one from Benefit deserves Hall of Fame status. It looks intense right out of the gate, but if you dab it on your lips (I like to do this after I've lined them) and then wait a minute to let it sink in and marinate, you'll be left with the prettiest wash of color. It gives you that quintessential "I've been sucking on a cherry popsicle" look that I happen to love.
I steer clear of most matte lipsticks because of how drying they are, but this one from Saie is the exception. The finish is matte but not flat (sorry for the rhyme!), and the colors are really chic. Nouveau, a cool, '90s-vibe brown tone, is my go-to.
Freckles:
Setting spray:
Brushes Tools
For foundation + concealer:
For contour + bronzer:
For blush + highlighter:
Lip + nose contour:
I love contouring my lips for an instant, smoke-and-mirrors plumping effect. I use this precise shadow brush to add some bronzer (for this, I use my Too Faced) just above my bottom and top lips, but only in the center parts where they're naturally fullest. I'll also use this smaller brush when I'm contouring the sides and the tip of my nose.
Lash curler:
Lip brush:
I love it when lip liners are dual-ended with a brush on one side and a liner on the other. But since Charlotte Tilbury's liners don't have that feature, I rely on a lip brush like this one to soften my work. (I find it ends up looking more blended and natural-looking, which is more my vibe when it comes to liner.)
Erin has been writing a mix of beauty and wellness content forBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing for over five years. Prior to that, she spent two and half years writing for Byrdie. She now calls Santa Monica home but grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and studied writing, rhetoric, and communication at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, and spent a summer in L.A. interning with the Byrdie andBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing family. After graduating from UW, she spent one year in San Francisco, where she worked as a writer for Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen before moving down to L.A. to begin her career as a beauty editor.
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