Hello everyone! It was such a great honour to be asked to guest post on Bramptonist on something I am very passionate about. If you are a fellow makeup addict, you probably already have a list of “Holy Grail” or “HG” products at Sephora. If you are newer to makeup, it might be a little overwhelming when you step into the new Sephora location at Bramalea City Centre.
Have no fear – I’ve qualified for VIB Rouge status (meaning I’ve spent way too much money) the last 2 years and have tried many different products and have curated my list of Sephora Must-Haves. So whether you’re a fellow VIB Rouge member looking for some new products or a totally newbie and wondering what the goods are – here are my Top 10:
1. Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation | $43
When the weather starts getting warmer, I steer away from liquid foundations to avoid being a melted mess. This foundation is a loose powder that offers medium to high coverage without adding any bulk. Formulated with Amazonian clay, it contains natural light reflecting particles to leave your skin looking flawless for 12 hours(!) and bonus: it’s also waterproof.
2. Too Faced Born This Way Concealer | Coming soon
Set to release later on this month, the Too Faced Born This Way Concealer is made with coconut water so not only does it smell delicious, it provides great coverage in a very light formula. It’s great for using underneath your eyes as well as any other areas on your face that need a little touch up.
3. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original | $26
I’ve been using this eyeshadow primer for almost 4 years and no matter what other brands I try, nothing else compares to the UD Primer Potion. It enhances the pigmentation of your eyeshadow while ensuring it stays on all day and doesn’t crease or fade. If you’re into eyeshadows, chances are you already use a primer and if you’re interested in starting to use eyeshadows – get a good shadow primer!
4. Urban Decay Naked Palette | $66
There is not a single beauty blogger or vlogger who does not have at least one variation of this eyeshadow palette. Urban Decay makes some of the best eyeshadows out there in terms of colour payoff and texture. Sure, you could get drugstore nude palettes – but I’ve called this basically my old best friend in the sense that no matter how many others I’ll try and even use regularly for a while, Naked is always the one that is tried, tested, and true. The colours are so easy to work with especially if you’re newer to shadows.
Helpful hints: Naked 1 (pictured) contains more bronze/warm neutrals. Naked 2 contains cooler/taupe neutrals, whereas Naked 3 is all rosy neutrals. Naked Smoky contains a mix of warm and cool tones, however as the name suggests, contain colours to create sultry, smoky eyes. If you’re into more matte finishes or less overwhelming variations, you can also check out their smaller Naked Basics palettes.
5. Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper | $23
I use this liquid eyeliner literally every day. Even on my minimal makeup days, liner is a must. The Tattoo Liner features a brush tip as opposed to the popular felt tip which allows for more precise lines and that perfect flick for wings. It’s waterproof (not sweatproof though) and something I probably couldn’t live without. Seriously, if KVD ever leaves Sephora, I will probably stockpile as many of these as possible.
6. Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder | $48
I wasn’t really even interested in these powders until I was at Sephora Eaton Centre and I noticed the male employee who was helping my friend had flawless skin and contouring. He looked ETHEREAL. When I asked him what highlight he was wearing, he immediately grabbed the Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder in Brilliant and handed it to me. It was a no brainer and I’ve been loving it ever since. When swatched right out of the pan, it looks very shimmery, however when applied to your face, it just melts in beautifully and you are left with a very soft, lit-from-within glow.
7. Tarte Amazonian Clay Matte Waterproof Bronzer in Park Ave Princess | $36
I generally prefer a more matte finish for my bronzer since I like amping up the glow with a highlight. The Tarte bronzer (which is also available in a more luminous finish) is a very natural looking bronzer that doesn’t run too orange and provides a very healthy glow. This is also a product that I’ve repurchased over the years and have recommended to all of my friends.
8. Clinique Cheek Pop | $28
These blushes are highly pigmented (so remember to start with a light hand and build up the colour) and are just adorable. Embossed with the signature Clinique gerbera daisy, these blushes come in a variety of shades (pictured in the warm brick-red Fig Pop and bright pink Berry Pop) and add just a really fun “pop” of colour to your cheeks.
9. Too Faced Melted Matte Liquified Longwear Matte Lipstick | $25
I’ve mentioned this on my blog, but the matte lip look isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Highly pigmented liquid lipsticks have been popping up from drugstore and luxury brands alike, however the trouble with a lot of them is that they can be overly drying. The Too Faced formulation still finishes to a very dry matte, but doesn’t actually dry out your lips to where they look dehydrated. I love the shade “Lady Balls” which is a bold, true red with a cheeky name.
10. Formula X Nail Polish | $16
I generally only stick to the solid/crème finish shades from the range, but really – the quality of these nail polishes are quite impressive. When paired with Seche Vite, Formula X polishes tend to last on me for 5-7 days with very minor tipwear. This is probably the best brand of mid-range priced polishes I’ve ever used. The shade A+ is shown in the photo above.
I hope this list helps narrow down your options but really – part of the fun of shopping at Sephora is being able to try different products to see what you like. Thank you so much for stopping by – and happy shopping!
