Gone Sale-ing Debrief: Reviewing Everything I Bought During the Sephora Sale
From the highs, lows and whoas to my unfiltered reviews of my Sephora haul.
Welcome to the Sephora sale debrief, a post dedicated to my honest (and potentially controversial) thoughts on everything I purchased during the sale. As a consumer of beauty content and products, I’ve always found retrospective content far more insightful and interesting than the pre-sale madness. And while this post may not be as relevant as it would have been if I posted it two weeks ago as planned (whoops), it’s still news you can use. Plus, who doesn’t love a haul? In this post, I’ll share all the details on the products I ultimately purchased (yikes), the ones I immediately returned (double yikes) and my candid reviews on the many, many things that I picked up at Sephora between April 5th and April 15th (major yikes). Those who follow along on Instagram (go ahead, click the follow button) have already seen a sneak peek at some of the delightful surprises I bought on a whim and the ones that left me utterly confused. Whether this helps inform your future purchasing decisions or makes you laugh, we have a lot to discuss. Let’s dive in.
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The Debrief of the Debrief
Before we begin, let me address the elephant in the room: everything I said was a lie. Not really (but a little?). While I fully believed it at the time, the idea that Sephora’s inventory was of limited interest to me — as I mentioned in my pre-Sephora sale post — was utterly incorrect. The reality is that I, like many beauty consumers with the promise of a tax refund on the horizon, let my boundless curiosity and excitement about the ever-evolving world of beauty take over. I have absolutely no regrets.
While I continue to have a double dose of skepticism about the Sephora sale, I also believe in seizing on every opportunity to have a great time. Instead of avoiding Sephora, I embraced it and wandered joyfully throughout not one, not two but three different Sephora locations. Even after barely surviving a group of teenage boys on an international field trip (literally) who sprayed entire bottles of cologne on themselves and the entire store, I continued to brave the masses (herstory in the making). And it was fun. I made friends with a few tweens, I helped several customers find products best suited for their self-described skin types and I forced
to get her makeup done during an unexpected Gucci Beauty in-store event! It goes without saying, the latter was easily my favorite thing about the sale. Sure, my calculations may have dramatically changed from my pre-sale post but I knew they would — curiosity always wins out in the end.In an effort to maintain some sense of order, I’ve organized this post into four categories: [1] the absolute delights; [2] the new goods and necessary restocks; [3] the ones I could live without (read: I’m not sure if I live laugh love) and; [4] the ugly.
Before you scroll any further: If you haven’t heard, I’m in the honeymoon phase of My Fragrance Era. My purchases during the Sephora sale were largely dedicated to discovering the contrasting personas and cherished memories — both thrilling and comforting — that scents so delicately convey. Though, I’m the first to admit that I know absolutely nothing about perfumes or how to describe a fragrance. When asked, I usually say that my favorite perfumes smell lively, undeniably familiar and like sunshine in a bottle. However, “apparently” that’s not all that “helpful.” And as I’ve learned, each perfume interacts with your unique body chemistry differently — making it hard to really know a scent until you’ve let it linger on your skin. Frankly, it’s all a bit over my head. In general, the fragrances I’m most drawn to are relegated to categories like fresh, citrus and/or floral. But as ever, I’m not that easy to please and sunshine isn’t easy to bottle.
With the products in each section listed in no particular order…
The Absolute Delights
To know me is to know I play favorites and this is the story of my favorite thing I purchased during the Sephora sale. As I said, I went to several Sephora locations countless times throughout the sale. And on one particular occasion, I quickly wandered into a surprisingly small Sephora on my way home from an evening meeting. With under an hour until the store closed for the night, I started to walk out when I smelled a hint of something fleeting, intimate and almost like a distant memory. Instantly, I was enthralled but I couldn’t put my finger on what it smelled like or which perfume had even been sprayed. Thankfully, a few days later I discovered the fragrance was the new Jo Malone London Frangipani Flower Cologne. And after buying the travel size, I couldn’t resist purchasing the large 3.3 oz bottle before the sale ended. The fragrance is comforting yet energizing, delicate and filled to the brim with beams of light. There’s something about it that’s oddly native on my skin, as if it’s lingered on me before, and it layers exceptionally well with all my other favorite perfumes — giving each an unexpected edge. It wasn’t until a week or so ago that I learned frangipani flowers are the delightful flowers that decorate every inch of Bali — where I lived for a year, though that feels like several lifetimes ago. In Bali, they’re known as jepun (if memory serves). And in so many ways, this cologne invites back memories from the exhilarating misadventures and serendipitous bliss that ensued when I moved across the world on a whim. At the same time, it encourages my mind to wander to all of the unwritten chapters that lay ahead…
— Notes: Jasmine Petals; Frangipani Flower; SandalwoodAnd while the product above is my favorite thing I bought at the Sephora sale, I would be lying through my teeth if I said this wasn’t vying for its spot. I love this scent. I just absolutely love it. While I had never heard of the brand when I opened my Sephora app (an instinctive habit) half asleep one morning, I was suddenly wide awake when I saw that a new fragrance had just launched: Pear Jam Eau de Parfum. And it takes a cocktail of medication to actually wake me up each morning, so trust me when I say that something in me just knew. And I was right. Pear Jam is unabashedly itself. It’s overwhelming but transforms into a second skin, boundlessly joyful and smells like sweetness and happiness in a pink bottle. Nette says it feels like “cake in the afternoon” but I would argue it’s more like confetti cake on the most perfect afternoon, one that lives rent free in your mind (you know the one). It’s like somehow, Nette managed to bottle up the sensation I felt when I got engaged, like when the sun sticks around until 8pm, catching up with your oldest friends, seeing my parents after months of being apart. I’m not sure it actually smells like koji pear (though admittedly I couldn’t tell you the last time I looked twice at a pear) but I am positive that it’s one of the best perfumes I’ve ever smelled. Plus, Pear Jam’s endlessly intoxicating aroma is made somehow even more delightful when layered with the scent above.
— Notes: Koji Pear; Rose Essence; Patchouli CoeurRegardless of whether or not you’ve smelled it, you already know this fragrance all too well. And the moment you do smell it, you’ll be instantly transported to an incredibly specific time in your life — and you may be tempted to write it off depending on the moment it captures. But there’s something about it that beckons you back and at some point, this perfume will remind you that even the most breathtaking explosions began as a bud eagerly waiting to bloom. At the same time, Nest’s Wild Poppy Eau de Parfum is an undeniable crowdpleaser (unless you have allergies) and its unique aura of familiarity is partly what makes it so infatuating. It’s the kind of scent your best friend wore and when you’d borrow their sweater, you could trace the faint smell of sweetness back to their signature perfume. It’s like the month of May, a bouquet of flowers or a sunny day, you’ll always wish it could last just a little bit longer even though you know it’s time to go home. Though make no mistake, this perfume is tenacious and subtle waves of poppies will surprise you throughout the day. This isn’t an everyday perfume for me but it’s an easy one to throw on when the time is right (and it is more often than not) or when you’re in the mood to be underestimated, only prove them all wrong. Dealers choice.
— Notes: Rose de Grasse; Himalayan Jasmine; PearDespite purchasing several blushes throughout the sale, it’s important to reiterate that I am not a blush person. As someone who struggled with facial flushing and other redness for most of my life, the very notion of applying blush to my cheeks makes my heart race. And, for reasons I truly can’t explain, so many popular blushes appear neon once applied to my skin (I’m not kidding). Needless to say, when I find one I love — it’s a really big deal. And as soon as I saw the NARS display at Sephora, I was immediately captivated by what is apparently a new matte shade in their Talc-Free Powder Blush. And while I’m not sure if my previously stated views on blush as a whole really work for me or against me here, trust me when I say that the shade Behave (900) is special and it’s a really big deal. This particular shade is a delightfully desaturated pinky peachy beige and while similar to others on the very short list of blushes I regularly reach for — it’s also decidedly different and breathtaking. Without a hint of shimmer, the matte formula builds slowly and plays well with everything else on my face, making it incredibly user friendly and easy to apply without much thought. If pinky peach is your style, I’m not kidding when I say you need this — P.S. it’s on sale!
Based on the perfumes I purchased, what would you recommend I grab next? For reference that’s not very helpful, my forever favorites are this and this.
The New Goods and Necessary Restocks
Again, I’m really not a blush person but after seeing a friend wearing this one, I figured what the hell — get the blush. And the perks of this blush are seemingly boundless: the shade is a stunning pinky mauve, the balmy cream formula make it easy for my to sheer out (read: the only way I wear blush), the packaging is clicks open and shut, even I’m able to apply it with a brush or my finger and it’s truly just enough without verging on too much. Or at leave the shade Mauve is, I can’t speak for the other shades. I did consider grabbing another shade (Peach) before the sale came to an end but decided against it, I have enough of something I rarely use. Anyways, as far as cream blushes go — and as stated I’m really not an expert here — I think this is one of the easiest formulas I’ve ever worked with, and to be fair I have tried my a lot. But as someone with a severe online shopping addiction, I will say the shades online appear comically different than they do in person. It’s as if whoever was in charge of the photos turned the contrast or saturation all the way up. In reality, Mauve (and I expect the same of the other shades) is wonderfully desaturated.
Continuing my trend of lying to you, despite insisting several times throughout this post that I. am. not. a. blush. person, I ended up buying one of the most notoriously pigmented blush formulas. I’ve never actually been even remotely or meaningfully interested in Rare Beauty’s Soft Pinch Liquid Blushes but when I saw the world’s cutest mini in the check out area, I had to. I purchased the shade Hope, which is easily my favorite shade in the line, and it really is stunning. It’s an almost vivid coral but when I use basically no product, I like it! I don’t reach for it regularly but it’s definitely a nice to have. Sure, the product will become a family heirloom because it will take generations to finish the mini 0.25 oz size. But that’s not a bad problem to have. However, whoever was responsible for describing the shade on Sephora’s website as a “nude mauve” needs to have their eyes checked.
Look, you had to be there to fully understand. Essentially, I (respectfully) forced Steph to get her makeup done on one of the last days of the Sephora sale. I had to. There was an unexpected Gucci Beauty in-store event and obviously I thought it was a great idea to make Steph get a full face of makeup professionally done on a random afternoon. And while Steph was literally getting ready for a red carpet event, I took a short break from photographing every single second to have a delightful human find my perfect shade in Gucci Beauty’s Rouge À Lèvres Satin Lipstick and Crayon Contour des Lèvres Lip Liner. The liner is largely forgettable on me in the shade Nude (01) as it looks more like a brown orange on my lips — which works for some but not for me. However, the lipstick in the shade Elena Sand (121) is very beautiful when blotted and more comfortable than I expected (I’m more of a balmy lipstick person). Is it my favorite lipstick ever? No. But it was all about the experience. However, the swatches online are awful at best so you really have to go in person to see the shades before you buy.
[Repurchase]: There’s a short list of coveted products that I immediately purchase whenever I spot them on sale, and of course this serum is one of them. It’s become an essential part of my skincare routines over the last year and I truly use it every single day.
[Repurchase]: Also on the short list are my favorite shampoo and conditioner duos from one one of my favorite hair care brands. While I already have plenty of other products to work through, I like to switch it up when I can and it’s always a delight when these work their way into my rotation.
[Repurchase]: And while it couldn’t get less exciting, I also purchased a backup of one of my makeup must haves. I’ve learned that no matter what, my eyeshadow will wears longer and looks better with a primer and though there are several “dupes,” I like this one enough to repurchase it rather than dabble in whatever else is out there.
The Ones I Could Live Without
Before you take to the comments section, hear me out. It all started when the product initially graced the Sephora app under the ever-alluring veil of a “limited edition” release. Of course, it sold out in what felt like minutes and immediately garnered gushing reviews across the internet. While limited edition products give me the ick, this particular product became part of the brand’s permanent collection and so when the sale rolled around, I kind of just had to know if it really was the best brow gel ever. And if you have somewhat unruly brows, you will love it. I get why it’s so popular and it didn’t cause my brows to break out, which is a huge win in my book. Unfortunately, my brows are a product of the nineties and the applicator deposited way too much product for this to work for me. Even when I used a separate brush to try and remove some of the gel before it set, I can’t be bothered to put in that much effort to make a brow gel work. Ultimately, my quest for something better led me to a similar brow gel with a very different (and better for me) comb applicator that gives me a lot more control over how much product I use and where its placed. While I’ll still use the one I bought during the sale, I could easily live without it — I don’t personally feel the need to have multiple brow gels.
I’ll never fully understand what compelled me to put this in my cart while aimlessly walking the aisles of Sephora for thirty minutes. But I did despite already having more makeup brushes than any sane person should own and exclusively using the same four whenever I do my makeup. Not only that but I only apply complexion products with a sponge and this is a complexion brush — trust me, I’m just as confused as you are by my actions here. Still, it’s perfectly nice. I just keep forgetting I have it even though I literally purchased it like two weeks ago.
I’m the first to admit that I know next to nothing about styling hair; however, it is not at all an exaggeration to say this product made my hair look horrid. I know it’s a widely popular product and several of my friends swear by it so I initially assumed it was just user error. However, my friend Kackie helpfully addressed my experience her recent YouTube video and explained far better than I ever could that my hair just isn’t made for this. So I’m sticking with my personal favorite. But still, I can’t help but laugh when I read the product claims on Sephora’s website. The notion that this provides “volume and long-lasting styling results” and “without stickiness” couldn’t be further from my experience. Anyways, all is not lost because Kackie still needs it to do my wedding hair because yes, she is a goddess and she’s doing my hair and makeup for my wedding (cue happy tears).
Generally speaking, I’ve refused to engage or entertain the whole ‘Pillow Talk’ of it all until recently. And while I surprisingly really like some Pillow Talk products, this one really does look remarkably awful on me. I’m not just saying that to sound original. When I swatched it on my hand in-store and again while writing this post, the liner is a beautiful shade of maroon that leans almost chocolatey. However, on my eyes it transforms from maroon to a shade akin to vermilion. And as someone with clinically diagnosed insomnia that’s rather debilitating, the last thing I want to do is draw attention to the redness in my eyes. While maroon is one thing, this is something very different on me — but I’ll make it work (??).
My lips are like the Bermuda Triangle and there’s no telling how any pigmented lip product will appear on me. In recent history, my lips have turned nuanced, muted tones into neon shades and/or into a completely different color all together, as well as morphing classic pinks into concealer (and not in the “trendy” way). In other words, my lips defy color theory and modern science. But given that Charlotte Tilbury’s Lip Cheat Lip Liner in the shade Pillow Talk is my perfect shade (I know, very original), I figured I couldn’t go wrong with the newest shade, Pillow Talk Fair. However, there was plenty of room for error. While Pillow Talk Fair looks nearly identical to the original Pillow Talk shade when swatched on my hand, with a keen eye and different lighting the former has slightly more blue to it. Naturally, my lips took that as an opportunity to turn a perfectly pink shade into one that appeared more purple (literally). I can make it work with the right lip gloss, it’s not the end of the world but of course I accidentally ordered two and quickly returned the unopened one.
Did any of the products you purchased during the sale (or recently) surprise you for better or worse? Let me know in the comments — I’m literally dying to hear all the details.
The Ugly
I have a bone to pick here but it’s because I bought this for you, I bought this for me, I bought this for us and for science. For background, I’ve been on a desperate search for an alternative to my favorite milky essence for reasons I’ve already lamented too many times. So when the initial images for this product made their way into my orbit several months ago, I was immediately gripped (and I mean the packaging is heavenly). But even I felt a bit of sticker shock after seeing the price, which is a stunning $58 for 3.4 oz — and for perspective, my favorite essence is $30 for 4.7 oz. So when the sale came around, I made sure that my community was still interested in the product and my thoughts. And while I clearly had my doubts about this product from the very beginning — I really didn’t expect to be so let down by it. Honestly, I could write a dissertation on this product and while shared my thoughts and feels on my Instagram Stories a few weeks back, my feelings have only grown stronger with time. While the ridiculous price is enough for me to tell you: do not buy this product — it’s more than that because of course. When I got my order in the mail, I was struck by the heavy and luxurious packaging but also by how watery the essence is and frankly, it felt like there was nothing to it. And after looking into the ingredients and going down a few rabbit holes, there wasn’t much I could find that warranted the flowing reviews or even began to justify how remarkably overpriced the product is. But I wasn’t the only one who took to social media and while I’m not on TikTok, I was for this because people really are funny. Of course I can’t find it now but Ilia put out a video on TikTok during the sale (in response to backlash over the cost, among other things) and basically said they use better, cleaner ingredients than other brands. What a joke. Any brand using the fear campaign that clean beauty was built and continues to rely on is not a brand I’m interested in talking about (starting now). Needless to say, the product was swiftly returned. And yes, I could go on but I’m trying to be nice.
The one thing I was absolutely correct about going into the sale was that Sephora just doesn’t carry a lot of skincare I’m interested in — and the ones they do sell, I’d rather buy elsewhere. Regardless, I promise, this is the last Sephora sale post from me for a while (hopefully)!
But for now, tell me what you picked up! Any instant classics or must haves you can’t stop telling everyone above? Did we grab any of the same things? Tell me more, tell me more!
Until next time, follow along on Instagram and browse all of my favorite things. myMusings is a labor of love but it is labor. Don’t forget to click the 🤍 button before you go! Thank you for being here. Talk soon.
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The Sephora sale is an EXPERIENCE, over excited euro teenagers and forced Gucci makeovers and all