My First Ever Sephora Haul!

As I’m sure any beauty lover will understand, today is a momentous day for me. Today is the day that I’m posting my FIRST EVER Sephora haul! And believe me, it’s a good’n.

If you read my previous post ( click here if you haven’t!), you’ll know that I’ve recently spent some time in Vancouver, Canada visiting one of my best friends while she’s at university. As well as falling completely head-over-heels with the city itself, I also used the opportunity to visit the beauty mecca that is Sephora for the very first time. And bloody hell…it really is as good as they say. Even if you set aside the sheer seductiveness of row upon row of high-end goodies, you’re still left with an atmosphere of like-minded excitement. It’s quite the experience!

So, I was thinking – what better way to celebrate losing my Sephora virginity than with a big fat haul? Grab a cuppa, this is going to be a long one.

 

Urban Decay – Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Foundation – shade ‘1.0’ : $47 CAD

First on my agenda was finding a new foundation. I wasn’t exactly sure which direction to take when making my choice, but after a bit of a play around with samples I went for this one. Although I knew it had a water-based formula when I bought it, I was initially a little bit concerned about how runny it was. As soon as I put it on the back of my hand it slid straight off, making me worry that it might be too thin or too oily for me. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The foundation actually gives really good coverage without being too heavy on the skin, and it’s buildable too – always a bonus! While it definitely isn’t as oily as I thought it might be, I would recommend using a powder to set it.

Verdict: I need to try it a few more times before I can judge, but I’m definitely feeling positive!

 

Kat Von D – Tattoo Liner – shade ‘Trooper’: $25 CAD

I did my research before choosing this one. As someone who has naturally hooded eyes, I’ve always found picking good eyeliners really tricky, as even the waterproof formulas tend to smudge on my upper eyelid. After reading a good 5 million blog posts from girls with similar issues, I eventually decided to go with Kat Von D’s signature Tattoo Liner. Now, I always knew it was going to be good but – I have to say – I’m ridiculously impressed. Not only is it as black as my soul, it’s super easy to apply and looks flawless after just one stroke. I can see this product quickly becoming a staple feature in my makeup bag!

Verdict: I’m in love.

 

Anastasia Beverly Hills – Concealer – shade ‘0.5’: $26 CAD

As a super-pale, Wednesday Addams-esque girl, I’ve always struggled to find concealers that match my skin tone – but this one is my absolute dream shade. The concealer itself is really thick and creamy, which usually isn’t to my taste, but setting it with powder isn’t exactly a chore. A little bit of this goes a long way and it covers dark spots and blemishes really well, which is definitely a plus in my book. I need to play around with it a little bit more, but so far so good.

Verdict: Love the shade but not so sure about the formula…

Sephora – Cream Lip Stain – shade ‘Burnt Sienna’: $18 CAD

I haven’t had much of an opportunity to play with this lippie yet, but I definitely like it so far. Obviously Sephora’s collection is brand new to me, so I have to be honest and tell you that it was the colour that drew me to this little beauty. It’s simply gorgeous: a dark, vampy – but not too “out there” – shade of red. From the couple of times that I’ve worn it, I’ve noticed that it’s really comfortable and long-wearing, and (if topped up with a lip balm) can last me through an entire work day. Always a bonus.

Verdict: So far, so good!

Tarte – Tarteist Pro Glow to Go palette: $30 CAD

Do you know that well-known tale about getting suckered in by all the amazing miniatures at the till? Well…yeah…that happened. It’s honestly such a hazard! You make your way to the till, happy with the amount that you’re about to spend and then BOOM. 30 more products magically find their way into your basket all by themselves. Sigh.
Any way – this palette caught my eye straight away. Contouring and highlighting is all the rage right now, and a mini kit that encompasses all of it is nothing but a gift. The contour shade is perhaps the teeeeeeeeniest bit too warm for my skin tone, but a bit of warmth isn’t exactly a bad thing now that we’re heading closer to summer. Another bonus: it smells like chocolate.

Verdict: Not an everyday option for me, but great for travelling.

 

Becca – Opal Glow on the Go: $24 CAD

This was an amazing buy for me. I actually spent a long time in the store debating whether or not to buy the full size version of the powder highlight and, just when I had decided that I couldn’t justify spending that amount of money on yet another highlighter, I stumbled across this little beauty at the till. The Glow on the Go set has both the powder AND liquid form of Becca’s famous Opal shade for less than half the price. Did somebody say bargain? It’s ridiculously beautiful, I can’t stop staring at it and I’m excited to do a more in-depth review of it really soon. Watch this space!

Verdict: I’ve been blinded by it’s beauty!

 

Sephora – Radiant Luminizing Drops – shade ‘Morning Light’: $19 CAD

I didn’t intend to purchase this product, but I just couldn’t leave it behind in the end. I was shopping with a few friends, one of whom is (believe it or not) just as pale as I am. She tried this on her cheekbones and it looked absolutely stunning…so obviously I jumped straight on the bandwagon and popped it into my basket! I found out later that it’s actually a really diverse little thing that can be used in a number of different ways: a subtle swipe across the cheekbones; accentuation of a powder highlight; or even under foundation for an all-over glow. Plus, the dropper makes it really easy to control and reduces messiness.

Verdict: This one could be a winner…

Tarte – Wide Awake Set: $16 CAD

Like the lip stain, I don’t have much of an opinion on this one yet – I still need to give it more of a try. It comes with a mini Tarte mascara, eye cream and gel patches all for $16 CAD (around £9.50), which is amazing value for this brand. It’s not the most exciting thing in the haul, but I’m definitely looking forward to trying all three products out. I’ll let you know what I think!

Verdict: Not too sure yet!

 

Sephora – Sephora Favourites: Give Me Some Nude Lips: $33 CAD

And last, but by no means least – the best of the bunch! The Sephora fairies weren’t lying when they branded this little kit their “Favourites”, because it’s honestly such a gem. It comes with 6 products:

• Too Faced Melted Matte Lipstick in ‘Queen B’
• Urban Decay Comfort Matte Lipstick in ‘1993’
• Bite Beauty Lipstick in ‘Honeycomb’
• Marc Jacobs Lip Crème in ‘Slow Burn’
• Buxom Lip Cream in ‘White Russian’
• Estee Lauder Contour Lip Liner in ‘In the Buff’

Not only is it amazing value, it’s also an amazing way to gain exposure to some high-end brands before splashing the cash on the full-size. Those of you who are regulars to An Average Wednesday have probably gathered by now that I’m a budget-conscious kind of gal who is reluctant to pay big bucks unless I know a product is good – this is a perfect way to find out what I like. Right now, my favourite is the miniature Marc Jacobs lipstick in ‘Slow Burn’, but they are all pretty fabulous. I’m sure you’ll see these lovelies popping up in a favourites post in the near future!

Verdict: My favourite of the bunch.

So, there you have it: 9 very compelling arguments defending my current status as a pauper. As expected, I’ve well and truly caught the Sephora bug and yes, I’m planning my next trip already…

Love, H x