so a couple of my favorite bloggers, Sunny of Mostly Sunny and Helen of lola’s secret beauty blog has requested to see how insane i went (my words, not theirs) during Sephora’s friends & family sale.  at first i was reluctant because i spent an embarrassing amount but i figured this way if there’s anything you guys want streamlined into the reviews, you could leave me a comment down below.  i’ve broken the haul into categories, so it doesn’t seem too overwhelming.

first up, there are staples and skincare products that have been on my radar to check out.  the staples are Nars Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, Kat Von D Tattoo Liner, Beauty Blender Pure (other colors leak dye like crazy), and my HG face wash/makeup remover Eve Lom Cleanser.  there’s quite a few skin care products that i’ve been eyeing for a while now. i picked up Algenist Genius Ultimate Anti-Aging Melting and Ole Henriksen Pure Truth Melting Cleanser in the hopes that i can find a cheaper alternative to my HG Eve Lom Cleanser.  Manuka Doctor’s Apinourish Rejuvenating Face mask got tossed in because anything with the word manuka in it has my undivided attention.  i got a sample of Lash Food Phyto-Medic Eyelash Enhancer in a beauty box a while back and was very impressed by the rapid results.  the serum by itself is $78 so i figured i might as well try the rest of the line for just a little bit more.  it was a great bargain since everything is full sized.  Dr. Perricone has been on my radar for a while now, and when i ran out of eye cream, Cold Plasma Eye was one of the many samples i tried from Sephora.  while i’m still trying to decide if i can stand the slightly fishy smell, i can honestly say this is the most effective eye cream/serum i have ever experienced.  in one week, not only did i see my dark circles and fine lines improve, i also noticed that the discoloration from my veins peeking through the thin skin on my eyelids had also improved!  seeing such efficacy from Cold Plasma Eye, i decided to toss in Blue Plasma Orbital.  we all know the benefits of exfoliation for our face, but not too many products are made safe for the eye area.  since a lot more products are going onto my eyes now that i wear makeup, i figure a little exfoliation might be good for the area too.

some eye products that i’ve been wanting to try during the friends & family sale.  i’m a big fan of Urban Decay and haven’t gotten around to trying their new liquid liners or mascara yet, so this kit was perfect for me.  i’ve been hearing mixed reviews about this Too Faced fiber lash system, so i wanted to see what it’s like for myself and how it compares to Younique’s Moodstuck 3D Fiber Lashes that everyone’s been raving about.  Hourglass products are a bit of a splurge, so i try to only indulge my curiosity during sales.  i did make an exception for their Ambient Lighting Blush Palette because i was afraid it’d sell out, but it turned out to be a needless worry.  i guess too many people already have the singles to make buying the palette worthwhile.  most mascaras smudge on me, so i usually use a topcoat.  Anastasia’s Lash Genius is my usual staple, but i’m hoping bareMinerals Locked and Coated Waterproof Lash Topcoat will be just as effective but a more economical option.  i’ve gotten better at applying false lashes than i was a year ago, but i’m hoping Sephora Bulls Eye Lash Applicator will help speed up the process and help me angle around my lashes so that i can get closer to the lashline.  i’ve heard Sephora Collection Contour Eye Pencil compared very favorably to Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide-On eye pencil, so i wanted to give this cheaper option a spin.

i also wanted to take advantage of the sale to search for the perfect pink lipstick that goes with any kind of eye look but was also long wear and hydrating.  going clockwise you see: Buxom Full Bodied Lipstick in Mistress and Hooligan,  Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick in Eccentic, and Guerlain Rouge G de Guerlain Jewel Lipstick Compact in Georgia and Gemma.

this is probably the purchase i feel most guilty about despite the relatively low cost compared to some of the other items in my haul.  i’m really not sure how much use i will get out of these blushes, but i really fell in love with the packaging.  i thought about it long and hard and knew i’d regret it if i didn’t snatch this up.  i comforted myself with the fact it was a particularly good deal since Sephora was having 12% cashback on mr. rebates (affiliate link) at the time.

i fell in love with swatches of Marc Jacobs’ Gatsby and Goss in the Butter London Gilded Gears (love the rose gold steampunk packaging!) but realized after receiving that i already have similar colors (Essie’s Penny Talk).  Clockwork Heart is a very interesting color being a semi matte wine color with quite a bit of brown.  i’ve been wanting a more chemical free nail strengthening base coat to replace my current favorite, so i’m hoping the 5 free Tenoverten Foundation Base Coat will fit the bill.  last but not least, Sephora Formula X The Ombré Glitters in Mischevious is the most amazing combo of rose gold and sage green glitter.  since pink and green are two of my favorite colors, i’ve been lusting after this ever i saw a swatch of it online.  let’s take a closer look.

the pictures don’t do it full justice, but you can get a better sense in this photo.  try to imagine the sage green as sort of a semi-clear base color with a pinky rose gold (as opposed to the coppery kind) glitter all over.  it’s perfect.

Readers what do you think?  see anything you like?  anything you want to see reviewed first?