Sephora Made Me Do It

So, I’m not really a bragging kinda gal – but sometimes there’s nothing that excites me more than a good ol’ fashioned haul.

You know what I’m talking about right? You haven’t bought beauty products in months; you’ve saved up a little bit of dollar for a winter splurge and Oh! Look, you’re broke again. But you've got a drawer filled with delightful goodies your skin is going to be thanking you for, for months to come.

At the end of November I was lucky enough to visit and explore San Francisco for a couple of days. Now whilst the sights of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz were definitely the highlights of my trip (not to mention the clam chowder I got to sample, drool!) No trip to the US is really complete without a trip to Sephora is it?

So when we arrived, jetlagged, ravenous and slightly dishevelled, there was only one thing for it – a Sephora shopping trip followed by a carb-fest over at The Cheesecake Factory, now – ain’t that just the American Dream?

Now, in recent years I’ve become decreasingly less materialistic – I’m not super fussed about trends, buying the latest must-have or expensive handbags; but when it comes to skincare, treatments and things that really feed your skin and leave it looking all dewy and glowy – well, I’m a bit of a sucker!

So the first thing I slung into my basket when I arrived was the Origins GinZing Refreshing Scrub, I had heard rave reviews and as an already self-confessed fan of their GinZing moisturiser, I was super keen to try this out.

VERDICT: I’m honestly not exaggerating when I say this stuff not only gives you a refreshing wake up in the morning, but it almost gives you an entirely new face it seems. It lightly exfoliates and brings out a glowing, healthy complexion in exchange for that tired one you just shoved into the sink. I’ve only been using it every other day for about 2 weeks – but so far I’ve been seeing results, and I like ‘em!

The next product I got my hands on was the BareMinerals Brightening Primer. This was an impulse buy, as my goal in the winter is normally to keep a clear and healthy look to my skin, due to the cold air sucking out all the goodness and glow out of it – I do all I can to avoid a grey face. I liked the BareMinerals original primer, but this time, I wanted something that packed a little more punch.

VERDICT: This stuff is like liquid heaven in a pump-bottle. Its consistency is smooth with a hint of warm-colouring thrown in there as opposed to any other primer which is usually clear. This stuff feels nourishing just like a moisturiser and not only that – it keeps your make-up in place all day!

It works best with the BareMinerals mineral foundation, but I’ve also used it with my Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation and Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser, and it’s just like an added base of warmth to your face – perfect if you’re feeling under the weather and your skin needs that little boost of health.

Next I swiped the Fresh Soy Cleanser, this is something I “umm-ed” and “ah-ed” about for months but I totally caved as I’d been so keen to try out something from “Fresh”.

VERDICT: I wasn’t at all surprised at how much I loved this product. Totally obvious I know, but using it really did make my face feel fresh! It has a smell of cucumber that’s really refreshing in the morning and just a really gentle wake-up call for your skin. I’ve been using this in the mornings and evenings on the days I have a “no-make-up-day” just so I’m not putting anything too abrasive on my skin but still to give it a nice cleanse that just revitalises my complexion for the day.  

I couldn't quite make it to the check-out without loitering around the Korres section and being coaxed into buying one of their moisturisers (hey, their luxury packaging is just too enticing!) I had never tried anything from Korres before, but had heard great things about their Wild Rose 24-hour Moisturising and Brightening Cream  and couldn't resist throwing it into my basket while my purse began quivering with fear from inside my bag. 

VERDICT: Despite enjoying a good floral scent now and again, I was pleased to discover I wasn't overpowered by a rose smell when I applied this product. It's the perfect balance of a feminine and fresh scent which just a dash of flower power that made me feel like some kind of Mother Nature Goddess. 

This is a great option especially for the Winter months when your skin inevitably gets dryer from the various cold elements. But with one application, my face felt moisturized and a good percentage of dewied (did I just make that up?) that I was able to wear powder foundation all day without feeling like my skin needed a good drink. 

I do agree with the brands claims to make your skin look brighter, mine certainly felt more revitalised after application and just gave me a good glow to keep me going all day! 

The last two products I just couldn’t resist picking up were repurchases. The Anastasia Brow Wiz – this stuff really is the cat’s meow, honestly I have been totally spoilt for life using this product but I would never look back. It’s a super natural eyebrow pencil tool with a brush on the opposing end to brush out any obvious pencil marks – which are very few and far between really as the wiz creates the most natural-looking strokes.  It also lasts for about 2-3 months which just exceeds the average brow pencil by a million in my book.

I’m gonna stop fan-girling over this thing now, but all I can say is – just try it, you will not regret it.

The second repurchase was the Boscia Clear ComplexionTonic, I’m not gonna waffle on about this guy as I have spoken about it before. But just know that it is a super refreshing toner spray which just really gives your skin the extra moisture boost it needs in the mornings and evenings after you’ve cleansed. A great all-rounder which suits most skin types but is especially good for those with oily/combination skin as it really sinks in without leaving any residue.

Well, that’s everything! I know to some it may seem like quite the splurge, but you do need to treat your skin to some nice new products now and again. I mean, you could spend 200 big-ones on a pair of shoes you only wear once or twice a month, whereas skincare you wear every single day – and it’s the best way to keeping your skin young and looking fresh.

I hope these reviews have been helpful! These are by far some of my most favourite products at the moment so I hope I’ve given some inspiration to your next beauty splurge!

Au revoir!  xx