Sephora Double Points Haul

Sephora had a promotion a couple weeks ago where Beauty Insiders could get double points, VIBs triple points and VIBRouge quadruple points for anything bought/ordered. I couldn't pass this up so I just bought a few things, including the Becca Beach Tint I've been eyeing forever!

People were saying the color wasn't listed anywhere. They must have changed the packaging.

The tube is VERY tiny, but trust me when I say you don't need a lot.

Seriously, this is enough for both cheeks! Super pigmented!

Becca Beach Tint is a lip and cheek product. I guess they call it a stain, and it is supposed to be waterproof, but I don't think it lasts as long as I'd hoped. I think Dragonfruit is their most popular color, so I figured I would go with that. It's a great shade. The texture of the product feels more like a primer than a cream blush, sort of silky. If you looked at all the pictures, you can see that you really only need to use the tiniest dot of product for a lot of color. I usually spread it out over my cheeks with a stipple brush just because I have a problem spreading cream blush out evenly with my fingers. I really like it on my lips too. It's a soft color and texture but doesn't really wear like a stain. I am glad I finally bought it and am excited to actually try it at the beach!


Then I bought a 'travel size' of Tarte's BB Tinted Primer. I looked at this while I was out buying my Benefit Big Easy BB Cream and decided if I was buying the one, I didn't need to also buy the other. I'm a little sad I waited because this stuff is awesome!

I really like the idea of a tinted primer, instead of just another BB cream, though they still had to put the "BB" in front of this. Sometimes I want to have a primer if I know the weather will be gross, but my skin is uneven, and my powder just doesn't always fix that. This feels like other primers, in that it's sort of silky, but has a nice light coverage to even out skin. I bought the color "Light" but I almost think I could've mixed the light and the medium for my summer skin. This primer works really well on my oily skin and seems to last all day.

Also, a 1oz tube of this stuff is $35, but this 0.5oz travel size was $10. You can do the math on that one...


I cashed in 100 points to get this sample-sized Sephora Rouge Infusion Lip Stain. It came in the color Red Essence, which I would not have picked for myself but I'm glad I got it.

The shape of the tube is very unique and easy to find in a bag. It comes with a doe-foot applicator and as you can see, it's very pigmented! I don't often wear a red lip, but it's nice to have such a deep stain when I want to! I wore this out one night to a comedy club and it lasted through a beer, some fries, laughing and chatting, and a margarita after. And I'm pretty sure there was still some color on my lips when I woke up the next morning. I had to go out and buy a more "everyday" color. Review on that here.


I was also able to get a promotional item, so I chose a sample of Sephora's Color Reveal Lip Balm.

This is just like those "mood" lipsticks from back in the day... yes I had them too. It contains a dye that reacts to moisture and turns pink. It's supposed to turn into a perfect shade for each person, and I don't know if that's true, but I loved the color it turned on me. Just a nice soft pink. The texture of the balm is really nice and moisturizing, and the smell is amazing! Some people may not like it but I love it. It's supposed to be a honey flavor but I get a bit of vanilla too. I will probably buy the full size when I'm all done with my sample :)


And of course I got 3 samples with my online order:

Peter Thomas Roth CC Cream

Amazing Cosmetics Concealer

They didn't have one of the samples I wanted so I got sent this one instead: Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black and Nirvana White fragrances.

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm

I had never heard of cleansing balms before my Birchbox this month. I received a sample of Cailyn Dizzolv'it Makeup Melt Cleansing Balm and I loved it! I've been using makeup wipes for years now and it wasn't until this past year that I realized how much makeup was left behind. I started using an astringent after the wipe and the cotton pads just kept coming away with more makeup. When I tried the Cailyn balm sample, there was nothing left on my face. I really want to buy a full size of it, but it's $36 for 100ml on the Birchbox website and I have to wait for shipping... blah blah blah... So I checked out my other options. I found this Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm on the Sephora website for $28.50 for 125ml so I figured I would give it a try, since I was going to Sephora that weekend anyway.

The product comes in a large squat container that is a lovely shade of purple with a silver cover. The original texture of it is very stiff, some people have said it looks like lard. I think it reminds me of a solid coconut oil, but at the point that you can still scoop it out with your fingers. The first time I used it, I used a spatula that I have. Some people prefer this because of possible contamination, etc... I am not one of those people. It's much quicker for me to just dig in with my fingers. I wash my hands before touching it anyway. There is no scent with this product whatsoever. That may make this a better product for some people than the Cailyn balm with a very distinct (though, amazing!) scent.

This balm should be applied with dry hands to a dry face. The thick product will melt into an oil to rub into your skin. Wait! An Oil?! On my Oily face?! ... Yes. Don't be afraid. The oil takes off all the makeup then rinses completely off your skin. If you want, you can follow it with a toner or other cleanser. What I do is take some out of the container, about the size of a quarter, then rub it between my hands to spread it out - not so much that it's a liquid, just to get onto my fingertips, then rub all over my face. This is a great time to give yourself a facial massage. It's safe to use around eyes and works wonderfully at getting all of your eyeliner and mascara off, though it does make a mess. Sometimes I will use a different cleanser to take off most of my eye makeup first (if I'm wearing a lot) then let the balm get the rest of it. Then rinse my face with warm water and pat dry. I usually follow it with a quick swipe of witch hazel on a cotton pad, just to make sure the oil is gone, then my night moisturizer. It's actually a lot faster than what I was doing.

I am officially a cleansing balm convert now. I used to not want to take the time to put my hair back, get my face wet, etc... but it just works so much better taking off all my makeup that I take the time now. This is a really gentle product that is available everywhere, since it's Clinique. This will be very easy to travel with too, since I can just put some in a smaller container to take with me.

Sephora Rouge Infusion Lip Stain

As I posted in another blog, I got the Sephora Rouge Infusion Lip Stain in Red Essence as a 100 point Beauty Insider perk. I really liked the texture and lasting power so I had to go buy a more everyday color. This review is for both.

The sample size is the smaller top tube, and the full size ($14) is the bottom one. They have a very unique test tube-like package with the color on the top of the cap.

My sample was in the color Red Essence. It is a very pigmented red, leaning blue. The top picture shows how the color is stuck on the top of the lid. In the picture below that, you can see that it does have a wand with a doe-foot applicator. The top swatch is immediately after I drew it on. You can see how glossy it is right away. The picture below that shows the stain left behind (on the right side) when I immediately wiped it away. The stain is a little bit more intense if you wait longer before wiping it off, and also if you layer the product.

I wore this out to watch my friend do her first stand-up routine. I had a drink and some fries at the comedy club, then went out for another drink and chatting after. I did notice the inside of my lips were starting to wear away, but not as noticeable as you'd think. I went home about 5 hours later and my lips were still very red. Very impressed.

With this color, I recommend you think of it as the stain that it is, not as a gloss. Put on a very thin layer and let dry, or pat it out with your finger to thin it out. Then apply another coat if you really want to. People have complained about it flaking off in chunks, and I think that's because they apply it too thick, like a gloss. I had no problems with flaking. Just the normal wearing away of eating.

The full size color I bought was Coral Extract (you can't really read the name). It looks to be almost the same color as my natural lips, which is why I bought it. After wearing it for a day, it did seem to turn a bit darker as I wore it, which was fine. It definitely leans more pink than orangey for a 'coral' color.

I didn't get as long of a wear time out of this color, but I've read that with this product the lighter colors don't last as long. That's ok. I can still probably get a good 3 hours out of this (with eating and drinking) before it starts to fade, but there will still be color there. This lighter shade is definitely easier to apply too. I don't feel like I have to be quite as careful as I do with the red.

These colors also have a slight scent to them that I can't quite place. I think it's more fruity than chemical, but it seems to go away as soon as it's fully dry. They are not sticky- as long as you remember my "it's a stain, not a gloss" statement. As a "gloss" it would take forever to dry.

There are 12 colors total, from a nude brownish pink, to the bright red, to an orange, to a deep plum. For $14, I think these are definitely worth a try if you like stains.

Sephora Trip in ND

I stopped by Sephora while I was home in North Dakota just to see what they had. I ended up finding a few things (as I always do). 

I heard about Anastasia Lash Genius Waterproof Topcoat from one of Birchbox's Limited Edition boxes and thought it was a great idea. It's a clear waterproof topcoat to put over your favorite mascara. I hate wearing waterproof mascara, and my eye doctor actually told me not to with my contacts, but every once and a while it would be nice to have. I used it at the lake before I rode on the jet ski (already had makeup on, then decided to go on it), also when I was flying back to LA (tears all around), and when I went to Disneyland for the day (82 degrees and sunny). It worked beautifully every time! I love that I can wear whatever mascara I want, then choose to make it waterproof if I need it. 

Then I remembered I had wanted to look for a new eyelash curler, since the one I was using was still from high school, and this would be perfect time to get one. I looked at a few different kinds but decided the Sephora brand would be just fine. I didn't need anything fancy. The thing I really liked about this is that it came with 2 extra rubber pads. It definitely curls better than my old one. 

The travel size section near the register always gets me. Though, this was probably one of the best things I've found in that section. I needed a new makeup remover for waterproof makeup, especially since I was buying the Anastasia Top Coat. I found this Make Up For Ever Sens'eyes Waterproof Makeup Remover. I'm not even sure what the full size looks like because I've never thought of looking for it, but I think I will have to buy it when this runs out. This stuff is great! It pumps out a creamy blue liquid that I smear over a cotton pad, then rub over my eyes. It's very gentle and doesn't sting. It even takes off my Benefit They're Real Liner!

Then I got a 100 point reward item. I love Benefit so when I saw they had this Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer, I had to get it. It didn't seem to work that great for my oily skin, but I've heard different reviews say there is a trick to applying this. I guess you have to do it in sections because it dries so quickly and it needs to still be a little tacky (not sure if that's the right word) for your foundation to stick and last. I haven't tried it again, but I will eventually.

It came with this nice cap over the top. So cute for the small size.

Comes with a decent amount of product.

Cover FX Mineral Pressed Powder

While at Sephora, I was looking for a new powder foundation for my oily skin and was directed toward Cover FX's Pressed Minteral Foundation. The colors are chosen by your undertone. N for Neutral, P for Pink, and G for Golden. I ended up getting N40. It seems really dark, but only because it is pressed really tight. The compact also has a sponge applicator that is stored in a separate bottom area. 

I love the coverage with this, and I really liked it overall at first. It seemed to keep my oil at bay a lot longer than Benefit's Hello Flawless pressed powder that I was using before. But the more I've been using it, the more oily it seems to get. I have also started to feel like it is still more yellow on me than I would like. It could just be some oxidation happening. I still wear it, but since it's getting really hot in LA, I've been opting more for less makeup. I'll see how it works again when it cools down a bit.