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The Sephora sale happens twice a year. I have been shopping the Sephora sale for years and still I always ask –” What to buy during the Sephora sale?” Even though I can find better prices on different brands throughout the year, I still end up buying a lot during the Sephora sales.
I have always preferred the Sephora shopping experience. It is much more organized than Ulta. I do not get an overwhelming sense of anxiety when I step into a Sephora like I do Ulta. Ulta is like Homegoods for me — it is just too much. Too many choices. I still spend a lot of money at Ulta, I just prefer Sephora. While Missy and I do not exclusively shop at Sephora, we do have some favorites that we love that are either exclusive to Sephora or only available a few places.
One of my favorite sales to cover is the Sephora sale. We have several posts that cover our past Sephora sale picks, but I am always trying out new things and finding new favorites.
What is the Sephora sale discount?
This year the Sephora starts according to your Sephora loyalty level. It starts on Friday, November 5th for Rouge loyalty members and ends Monday, November 15th. The sale dates and discount percentage vary according to loyalty level. Use code YAYHOLIDAY to get the discount.
Rouge:20% off everything + 30% off Sephora collection – starts November 5th
VIB: 15% off everything + 30% off Sephora collection – starts November 9th
Insider: 10% off everything + 30% off Sephora collection- starts November 11th
What should I buy during the Sephora Sale?
I am so glad you did not ask! We have broken our sale picks into different sections. This year we are doing a few new things so that we can provider better resources as a whole.
Click on any link to jump to that section and then click “back” to get back to this section. Or you can keep scrolling through.
All links are commissionable links, which means we will make a commission off of your purchase anytime you go to Sephora and purchase using our links. Thank you for using our links!
Skincare Favorites
Sarah’s Skincare Picks
My skin is a combination of combo skin (dry and oily in my t-zone) and dry during the winter. I have to watch how much acid I use on my skin, otherwise my skin breaks out. I have never struggled with acne, just a few hormonal pimples and sometimes cysts here and there. Besides my eyelid eczema, I do not have a lot of skin issues.
I have been trying to pare down my skincare routine from my April post because I do not have the energy for a 10-step routine anymore. Instead, I focus on moisture, vitamin c, SPF, and retinal. I do not buy a lot of skincare from Sephora because I use a lot of brands that are available on other websites. However, there are some holy grail skincare items that I love at Sephora that are rarely on sale. Below are my must haves:
Necessaire The Body Serum, $45: This is a top three must purchase product for me. I will never run out. I use it on my face after Vitamin C but before moisturizer and it is so plumping and moisturizing. And only $9/oz.! I will also use it on my body when it is feeling super dry.
Paula’s Choice C15 Vitamin C Super Booster, $49: I use some type of antioxidant serum everyday – they help protect your skin from pollutants and other free radicals. They also have great brightening benefits. This one is affordable and easy to use — and does not smell bad!
belif Aqua Bomb, $38: One of my first every day moisturizers. It is moisturizing without being heavy or greasy. Perfect for hot, humid climates.
skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Face Cream, $50: I still love Skinceuticals Triple Lipid Restore, but this does a pretty good job and I love that it has a pump top. I think this is a great substitute for more than half the price. I use when my skin is drier than usual.
Other favorites of mine that I like, but sometimes you can find on another site for a better deal:
Clarins Double Serum, $90: I am not sure if you need this serum. but I do like it. I have only seen it discounted more than 15% once and that was when I bought it. I like that it smells good, is moisturizing and is both an oil and a serum. It has made my PM skincare routine more efficient. I apply after moisturizer if it is a light moisturizer or before moisturizer if it is a heavy one. I am not sure what you are actually supposed to do.
Youth to the People Superberry oil, $44: I love this oil. If I am not suing the Clarins, I use this oil to lock everything in. Usually face oils can run a lot more expensive, but I like this one for the price. It also smells good and does not smell like a fatty oil.
Green Machine Glo Mask, $28: InnBeauty is a new-to-me brand, but I hear so many good things about it. I tried this mask out since I need an exfoliating mask that will not burn my skin off. I really like this one! It is more gentle and comfortable to wear. Plus it does not have any crystals in it, so it is easy to wash off.
Missy’s Skincare Picks
Missy has combination, acne-prone skin that dries out in the winter time. She takes Spironolactone and uses Tazorac cream for her acne, so it is mostly controlled. Below are her favorite skincare items that she can get from Sephora:
Tata Harper Mask, $65 – This is my HG mask. I have combination skin and I am acne-prone (I take Spironolactone for my acne so it is mostly at bay) but this zaps any pimples that spring up and also helps unclog some of the pores onand around my nose. It leaves my skin taut, without feeling dry.. I think this was the first product I shared on MSMMBI and I still rebuy it.
Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Moisturizing Cream, $60– I wish I could find a good dupe for this but no luck. This is a great moisturizer for retinol or tretinoin. I mix this with tret and apply all over my face.
Sephora Micellar Water, $12 – I was surprised how much I loved this stuff. Great price, 30% off right now and it takes off eye makeup so well. I also have recently been trying out makeup looks with lashes for fun and this removes all remnants of glue!
Tatcha Oil Cleanser., $48- My ultimate favorite cleanser. It smells great, has amazing slip, and grabs all dirt and makeup. It leaves your skin feeling clean, but soft.
Clarins V-Facial Intensive De-Puffing Mask, $63– I always retain water in my face and this helps reduce the appearance of my face puffiness. I always have a jar on hand. This only goes on sale during Clarins sales, Macy’s sales, and the Sephora sale. I have never seen for more than 15% off, unless you are buying more than one item or have Sephora Rouge.
The list has not changed much since then, but I do have a few products that I reach for more consistently than others. Of course K18 is not on this list, and it is my holy grail for hair repair.
Sarah’s Haircare Favorites
Living Proof Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo, $30 – The new and improved version is even better than the original. For those of you that did not like the scent or the original, it is still there, but not as strong. This works so well. Without drying out your hair. And it makes it shiny? Witchcraft.
Amika Soulfood Conditioning Mask, $28 – This has made every haircare list. I love this conditioning mask. It does not weight my fine hair down. It smells amazing. And it makes your hair feel like silk while you are washing it out. It is perfect.
Ouai Detox Shampoo, $30 – This is the clarifying shampoo I use with K18 or when I am wanting to wash out all of the product. Clarifying shampoos are so important because they help remove the built-up residue of hair products! I try to use at once a week and always follow-up with a deep conditioning mask or K18.
IGK Good Behavior Spirulina Protein Smoothing Blowout Balm, $33 – I did not like this at first, but it has really grown on me. It really helps eliminate most of the frizz in my hair, without weighing it down. I really love that it is also a heat protectant. I can just use this and blow out my hair with no other product and it looks great!
Amika Plus Size Mousse, $28 – I have fine hair, so sometimes I need a little more body. That is where this mousse comes in! It really helps with frizz and shininess too!
Missy’s Haircare Favorites
Dyson Airwrap – This is a favorite both Missy and I. It has become even more popular since we bought ours (we both bought ours on sale) and it is so hard to find a good sale now. However, it is a game changer for being able to wear my hair down many days in a row. Just spritz water in front pieces and bangs and then able to get a fresh blowout look. Definitely helps with frizz and body.
Hold Me Hair Clips – a small thing that I use all of the time. I clip my hair up when I am doing makeup and when I am blow drying sections of my hair or curling sections. They don’t crease my hair and their bright color makes them very easy to find.
Amika Texture Spray – I used to use another brand but I love the smell of Amika products so much and this one is a huge help when I want a textured wave look, vs. smooth body. This is my day 3/4 hair Godsend
Olaplex Bonding Oil – I love this stuff. I actually recently forgot it on a work trip and stopped by Sephora to grab some more. This oil somehow makes my hair look smooth and health (especially on drier styled ends) but doesn’t weigh it down or make it look oily, if that makes sense. A little goes a long way – one of these will last you well over a year.
Amika Flash Hair Gloss– Love this since Sarah bought me the haircare value kit. It makes your hair so shiny but even more…the scent is soooo good. And clean smell lasts for days. It makes my pillow smell good.
Living Proof No Frizz – This is a great spray for smoothing hair or fly-aways but also adds back some shine after dry shampoo or on dry, styled ends. It is not messy because it is a spray. I keep the mini one in my purse/travel bag.
