The Sephora VIB Sale Haul

So Sephora seems to have sprung an extra VIB sale on us this year (I'm hearing the one usually in November is still happening!), and despite not having much time to save up, I still managed to come away with a nice little haul. I've come to the conclusion that I'm currently drowning in skincare to test, so I managed to not order anything but makeup and one hair repurchase. 

Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Coconut Oil Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo | I ran out of my first tub of this right before the sale, so I figured it was perfect timing. I love this stuff so much - I use it about once per week, always on a day when I've had kickboxing class and I've gotten my sweat on (anyone else get a super sweaty scalp? just me?). The particles aren't too rough, but you can still feel them scrubbing your scalp, so it's the perfect middle ground. It smells minty and invigorating, it's not too difficult to wash out, and it leaves my hair feeling super clean but not stripped or dry. I always follow up with Briogeo's Don't Despair, Repair hair mask (which we now buy in the giant size because Brett loves it, too!).

Milk Makeup Kush High Volume Mascara | I just talked about this in my recommendations for the sale, but I needed to get a backup because I'm just about out of mine. This is one of my two favorite mascaras - I use it every day on my top lashes and just love how fluffy and volumized it makes them look without being clumpy. It lasts well on me, too, without flaking or smudging, which is always so rare for me to find.

Pat McGrath Labs Lust: Lip Gloss in Divine Rose | I also mentioned these glosses in my recommendations. After wearing the shade Flesh Fantasy once, I immediately added Divine Rose to my cart for the sale. The formula is lovely - so creamy, not sticky, and beautifully glossy, and the shade Divine Rose is the ultimate my-lips-but-better for me. It seems to be slightly more sheer than Flesh Fantasy, which makes it all the more perfect for everyday for me. This has already earned its place in my everyday makeup bag.

First Aid Beauty Hello FAB Coconut Skin Smoothie Priming Moisturizer | I mentioned the Smashbox Primerizer in my recommendations post, and I really do love that, but I just wanted to try something new now that I'm almost out. I've heard nothing but rave reviews for First Aid Beauty's Priming Moisturizer, with lots of people saying they even preferred it over the Smashbox. It's a thicker consistency than the Primerizer, but it instantly plumps up the skin and makes it SO dewy and moisturized. It's definitely more moisturizing than the Primerizer. The jury is still out on which I like better, but I'm looking forward to testing this one more.

Laura Mercier Blush Colour Infusion in Rose | I was 100% influenced by Amelia's post for this one - I didn't even have it in my cart until about 10 minutes before I placed my order. I'm so happy with this impulse buy, though. For some reason I've really been getting into powder cheek products again, and this one is just beautiful. It's a soft, smooth formula that goes on quite sheer but is easy to build to your desired effect. The shade Rose is my perfect blush shade - it's actually more cool-toned when swatched than I was expecting, which was a pleasant surprise. I'm for sure going to be reaching for this one on an everyday basis for the foreseeable future.

NARS Highlighting Powder in Capri | I kept seeing these NARS highlighters popping up in people's recommendations, and once my sister confirmed that they're worth picking up I was sold. I was originally going to get Fort de France, which seems to be the standout favorite, but she convinced me to get Capri instead, which is a more pink champagne, while Fort de France is a more gold champagne. This is so beautiful - again I find it to go on quite sheer at first, but you can layer and blend until you have a mirrorlike sheen on your skin. It has quite a unique formula too - when you swatch it, it almost feels like a gel/powder hybrid. It looks like a cream on the skin but has the longevity of a powder. On the first day I wore this, I found myself just layering on more and more throughout the day not because it was fading, but because it was just so pretty. Despite being a powder, I didn't find it called attention to skin texture. 

Are you getting anything in the sale?

The VIB Sale is currently ongoing for Rouge members and starts for VIB/Beauty Insiders on Thursday, August 30th, ending for everyone September 3rd. 20% off for Rouge with the code YESROUGE, 15% off for VIBs with YESVIB, and 10% off for Beauty Insiders with YESINSIDER.

This post contains affiliate links.

What to Buy in the Sephora Sale | 10 Recommendations

I feel like I only just wrote a Sephora recommendations post, but there are so many more new favorites that I need to tell you about before the next sale! Sephora seems to have bumped up their VIB Sale - it's usually in November, but it starts August 24th for VIB Rouge and August 30th for VIB/Beauty Insiders. If you're like me and are panicking a bit because you thought you had more time to save up, here are a few current favorites that I think are worth picking up in the sale.

Fresh Vitamin Nectar Antioxidant Glow Water* | I've only had this for a week, but I'm already hooked. I love a good fancy face water, and this one amps up the glow, smells like oranges, hydrates the skin, and gives it a good refresher throughout the day. The mist is beautiful and fine, delivering a fine veil rather than a sticky stream. It's alcohol-free so it won't dry you out over time, and I've really noticed it giving me a brighter and peppier appearance than other face mists. There's also a mini that's perfect for throwing in your bag for on-the-go refreshers.

Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer | This isn't a new release, but something I've been using consistently since I first bought it and would repurchase again and again. It's a thin, serum-y consistency that instantly plumps up the skin and leaves a moisturized, glowy finish. It makes my makeup go on so much better on top - nothing ever looks dry or cakey when worn over this primer. This is the primer that turned me into a primer-believer, too, so that's saying something. It really does make my makeup last longer, because my issue with longevity was always my skin getting dehydrated and drinking up my foundation. Now this hydrates my skin enough so that doesn't happen.

Bite Beauty French Press Lip Gloss in Dirty Chai | I've seen people raving about these glosses lately, and for good reason. They're one of the most non-lipgloss-feeling lipglosses I've ever used, if that makes sense. They feel more like a balm on the lips than a gloss, but they still give a beautiful shine. All the colors look beautiful, but I'm head over heels for Dirty Chai, a warm rose that is quite similar to my natural lip color. It's more pigmented than I was expecting it to be, but it still lets a little of my natural lip color show through, so it looks very natural. I've been pairing it with the Bite Lip Pencil in 016 too, if you're looking for a perfect match.

Origins Mega Mushroom Relief & Resilience Soothing Face Mask | This quickly became one of my favorite masks after I bought it in the spring. It's a creamy mask (it feels like a thick moisturizer) that feels so comforting and soothing on the skin. It's not exactly cooling, but it takes away redness and irritation right away for me. This has been so great for summer mornings when I wake up feeling a little dehydrated and heat rash-y. I love popping it on on a weekend morning, going about my chores, and then rinsing my face with cool water to get rid of any remaining mask that hasn't sunk into my skin. It leaves my skin plump, clear, and hydrated.

Caudalie Instant Detox Mask* | This has to be my favorite clay mask I own. It uses a combination of papaya enzymes, pink clay, coffee, and grape marc to detoxify, brighten, and purify the skin so pores appear smaller and skin is smoother. This really does give instant results for me without drying out my skin like other clay masks I've tried. It actually really reminds me of the Aesop Parsley Seed Mask - it looks, smells, and feels so similar. It's a thinner consistency than other clay masks, forming a flexible film as it dries rather than a thick, caked-on layer, so it doesn't feel super tight as it dries, and it's easy to rinse off. If you're in need of a new clay mask that won't strip your skin, look here!

Milk Makeup Kush High Volume Mascara | I don't know how this didn't get included in my last recommendations post, because it's been tied for my #1 favorite mascara since it came out. I was skeptical because I usually don't like fiber mascaras (the fibers usually fall into and irritate my eyes), but the fibers in this stay put and give the lashes a super fluffy, full appearance. It really looks like I've gotten a nice set of fluffy lash extensions when I wear this mascara. I'm going to be repurchasing this in the sale. 

Amika Polished Perfection Straightening Brush* | I just got this for free through Octoly recently, but it's already become such a staple in my haircare routine that I wanted to recommend it to you, too. Since it's a pricier item, it's definitely a good idea to get it during the sale! My hair is quite frizzy and in between wavy and curly, but I'm too lazy to really do any styling. Most days I would just put it up in a messy bun and call it a day. But the Straightening Brush makes it so easy - it would normally take me at least 20 minutes to straighten my hair, but I can now get it done in 5. Instead of dividing my hair into four sections to work through, I only need to do two. It straightens my hair easily, and while it doesn't leave it as pin-straight as a flatiron would, I actually prefer the way the brush makes my hair look - like I didn't try too hard. 

Herbivore Botanicals Blue Tansy Resurfacing Clarity Mask* | This is another product I got free through Octoly and fell in love with. It's a thin, jellylike consistency that you can really feel working (read: it tingles a lot). It's a mask full of natural AHAs (fruit enzymes) and BHA (willowbark), as well as calming ingredients like blue tansy oil and aloe leaf, so it is a powerful chemical exfoliator that won't irritate your skin. Despite the tingling, I find my skin is much less red after I remove this mask than it is before I apply it. It leaves my skin super soft and smooth, and I find it doesn't feel as sensitized as it does after I use something like Babyfacial. 

Hourglass Scattered Light Glitter Eyeshadow | If you're like me and have been pouring one out for the Dior Fusion Mono Eyeshadows, hop on over to Hourglass and pick up one of their newest releases. These have the same not-quite-cream, yet not-quite-powder consistency and are filled with the most beautiful sparkles that don't feel chunky or gritty. I have the shade Aura right now, which is a beautiful pink shade, but I've got my eye on the champagne shade and will definitely get it in the sale if it doesn't sell out! These apply easily with a finger for a sheer wash of color, or they can be built up to be quite dramatic and metallic with a brush. They also stay very well on my creasy eyelids - I do need to prime them, but this lasts all day even when I just use concealer and powder to do that.

Pat McGrath Labs Lust Lip Gloss | I know I already put a lipgloss on this list, but I'm really having a gloss moment and this has to be one of the most beautiful gloss formulas I've ever tried. It's creamy, not too thick, not sticky at all, and it smells like frosting. They have just the perfect amount of pigmentation too - pigmented enough to show up over more pigmented lips, but not so much that it looks goopy or collects in lip lines or the corners of the mouth. I have the shade Flesh Fantasy which is the perfect everyday pinky-brown, and I already have two more sitting in my cart for the sale - a more rosy shade as well as the pink duochrome one.

What do you think you'll get in the Sephora Sale?

Info via Trendmood: The Sephora Sale starts on August 24th for VIB Rouge - 20% off with the code YESROUGE, and it starts on August 30th for VIB & Beauty Insiders - 15% off with YESVIB and 10% off with YESINSIDER.

Products marked with an asterisk (*) have been sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

The Sunburned Blush Look

While I certainly don't love getting a real sunburn, this summer I've been all about the sunburned cheek look. Wearing a blush to make you look like you maybe slightly overdid it in the sun is actually such a flattering look in my opinion - it gives the skin some life and color, and for me, it makes me look healthier. The key here is to look for blush shades that have a bit of a red tone to them and formulas that make themselves one with the skin. I like to apply these kinds of shades pretty much all over my cheeks, and even a little on the bridge of my nose, to really amp up that sunkissed/burned look.

T-B | Glossier Storm, Dawn, Onomie Tamar, Nudestix Naughty n' Spice, Milk Makeup Werk, bareMinerals Strike a Rose

Glossier Cloud Paints in Storm & Dawn | I'm sure it's no surprise there are Cloud Paints included here. Glossier's two newest shades of the fingerpaint/blush are perfect for this kind of look. They're much brighter/deeper than their first four shades, making them great for a more dramatic blushed look for summer.  Storm is a deep, warm rose that instantly makes you look like you've come in out of the sun or you've spent the whole morning doing some intense cardio. Dawn is a stunning bright orange coral that gives an even more sunkissed look - definitely the one to go for if you want to look more "bronzed" instead of burned. The Cloud Paints of course are a thin, gel-like liquid blush that instantly becomes seamless with the skin, making it look like it's your own natural flush. (As always, you can get 20% off your first Glossier order through my rep link!)

Onomie Boosting Lip + Cheek Stick in Tamar | I've fallen hard for these lip and cheek sticks again, and I've been using at least one of them in every makeup routine lately. The formula is so creamy and leaves a beautiful dewy look on the skin, but they don't move around or wear away quickly. They're quite a bit more pigmented than you'd expect for a "makeup/skincare" product, so you really only need to dab on a bit and blend. The shade Tamar is a lovely wine shade that adds the perfect flush to the skin - it's a little bit brown and a little bit red, so it's great for looking like you've been in the sun.

Milk Makeup Lip + Cheek in Werk | Another new shade - Milk's chubby sticks for lips and cheeks have always been a favorite formula of mine, but there was never a shade I constantly wanted to reach for until they brought out Werk, which is a dusty rose. On me, it has enough warmth and enough of a red tone to give that perfect mix of a little bit tanned and yet a little bit pink. In the sun I only turn pink, so this is an upgrade for me. The formula is creamy and easy to apply and blend, making it a go-to for summer when you just want to get out the door and get to the beach or something.

NUDESTIX Nudies All Over Face Color in Naughty N' Spice | This is another creamy formula that becomes one with the skin. I love the Nudies formula because it's quite thin, so it really does sink into the skin, feels weightless, and it moves with the skin without sliding around. Naughty N' Spice is a similar dusty rose shade to Milk's Werk, although it's a little more vibrant (less "dusty"). It adds a really nice natural flush to the skin and looks a little more red (on my skin) than Milk's Werk.

bareMinerals Gen Nude Blush in Strike a Rose | This is the only powder blush on this list, but this really speaks to how lovely and skinlike the formula is. When you swatch these blushes they almost feel like a cream to the touch, and I've found that no matter what brush I use, the perfect amount gets picked up every time for a soft wash of color on the cheeks. Strike a Rose is, you guessed it, a warm rose shade that perks up the complexion and looks like a shade a lot of people would naturally blush. This one is perfect for summer because it's the most long-lasting (because it's a powder), so it won't melt off your face on a hot day. 

What are your favorite blushes for a more "sunburned" look?