Mastering the Sephora Sale: My Top Picks and Shopping Strategy

The world may have stopped for most of the last two years, but my beauty product stash has held on through it all. So aside from a few travel-sized essentials (hairspray, toothpaste, etc.), I haven’t needed to visit my beloved Sephora for several months. But the time has finally come for a restock and I can’t wait. Here’s what I’m shopping for during the Sephora Sale.

A few Sephora Sale basics.

Skip to the good stuff if you’re already in the know!
  1. There are different access dates to the sale depending on your status:
    • Friday, April 1 : 30% Off all Sephora Collection items (unless otherwise noted) for everyone. No code required.
    • Friday, April 1 : 20% off purchases for Rouge level Beauty Insiders. Code: SAVESPRING
    • Tuesday, April 5 : 15% off purchases for VIB level Beauty Insiders. Code: SAVESPRING
    • Thursday, April 7 : 10% off purchases for VIB level Beauty Insiders. Code: SAVESPRING
  2. To take advantage, you need to be a Beauty Insider before the Sale begins.
    Not a member? Ask your beauty junkie friend to add to her cart and help a sister out! —She gets the points in her profile, and you get a discount. Hand-off the goodies over brunch and everyone wins! 🥂

    Oh and in case being a member sounds intimidating? It’s just a rewards program! 1 point/dollar you spend. And you get a discount on some services on your birthday and a birthday gift. Plus you can use your points to get trial sizes of products or samples of popular brands you might not be ready to spend money on yet!

  3. The Sephora sale starts at different stages and ends on Monday, April 11th. That means if you’ve got your eyes on something and aren’t in the front of the access line, you might want to add to your cart early so you don’t waste time searching while others in your tier are buying! I’m a VIB-level member. That means the die-hard shoppers have a 4-day head start on me and will likely buyout some of the most-coveted products!

Oh and in case being a member sounds intimidating? It’s just a rewards program!

My priorities

When it comes to my skin, I primarily have hormonal breakouts. I honestly have no idea if I’m combination or dry or whatever. I think it just depends? Or maybe I’m just option ‘Z’—none of the above? Regardless, my breakouts are mild, and often leave me with hyperpigmentation. My ultimate skin goal is to go without heavy coverage, but I’m too much of a perfectionist to go bare, so I’m perpetually correcting the hyperpigmentation, and then probably causing it again with a full-face of pore-clogging make-up. It’s a vicious cycle, I know.

For make-up, my priority is endurance. I have long days and need products that will hold up against 12-hours of being out and about or on-the-go. Unfortunately, I have yet to find a foundation that does not transfer on to my clothes and it is the bane of my existence. If I do, it’s too drying, and if it covers nicely, it melts off my face. If you have a recco for a foundation you love, PLEASE let me know!

For make-up, my priority is endurance. I have long days and need products that will hold up against 12-hours of being out and about or on-the-go.

Now on to the Sephora Sale fun stuff!

Bisous-bisous (kisses)

I am still of course a ride-or-die Sephora Cream Lip Stain fan. I have yet to find a formula that has the endurance and intense pigment I love so much. And while I confess it isn’t exactly a hydrating formula, I wouldn’t say it’s drying either. It just will not complement your lips if they’re chapped, so do a little prep (lip scrub, moisturize, seal) and you’ll be in great shape!

At last count I have *cringes* 14 tubes. Which is… a lot. I think it’s a testament to my love for the product. At only $10 a tube during the sale, it’s kind of an insane value though. I’m just now (after at least 3 years of regular use—if not close to 4—stocking up on my most worn shades, and exploring a few that seem similar but not too far from my go-to, ya know—in case I want to get just the tiniest bit spicy and mix it up!

My go-to shade is 42 Rose Wood – matte rose wood. I also wear 23 Copper Blush – matte blush pink quite a bit. These are great shades for during the day if I want a more natural look. Something I’d wear to work that’s subtle but still chic.

Another color I own and love? A classic red. It always makes me feel bold and truly goes with everything. I wear the 01 Always Red – classic matte red. I think people are intimidated by red lipstick but I think a good rule of thumb when you’re wearing it is to keep it simple. A red lip and a little mascara can have a big impact with minimum effort.

Discount Code: Savespring

discounts may vary by item

Let’s face it

I’ve been pretty stocked with skincare products over the last year or so, and I’m finally getting to a few empties. My focus has—and probably always will be—hyperpigmentation. Every time I break out, I get a nice little dark spot as a present from my skin so I never forget where my previous pimple was. Sexy, I know.

I’ve been using the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel pads and when used consistently I think they’re an excellent product. I had some serious winter breakouts from January and I faded my new dark spots quite a bit. These are a great product to try, but I’d recommend using them regularly for at least two weeks to see some results. I used my peel pads at night because it was easy to remember.

For full disclosure, I also followed with the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Vitamin C+ Collagen Deep Cream, but honestly for $72, I can’t say the cream is worth the investment unless you’re in the market for something new that you haven’t tried before. But at that price, I’d say hold off and invest in something clinical at your local medspa like a Skinceuticals or NEOCUTIS bio gel. I have the bio gel and it takes a little getting used to a gel but I do love how it doesn’t clog my pores or have an intense perfume scent. I took a break from it but I’ll definitely be going back after this jar is empty.

One of my all-time favorite products is still the Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One AHA Lactic Acid Treatment. And this will be going into my cart. It’s spendy at $122 ($104 if you’re a VIB), but since I’ve been scraping every last drop from my bottle for a few months, I think it will be worth the investment. The formula always gives my face a refreshed feeling. Like it gently dissolves the dead layers from my skin’s surface and leaves only the smoothest and glowiest of complexions.

Reminder: With any peels or skincare products that are exfoliating, you will not want to be in the sun or go without sunscreen. If you know you’re about to be a sunbathing-goddess this summer, you might want to buy now and stash it for using after the summer. Although you should be using sunscreen anyway!

For the eyes

I love the Lancôme Monsieur Big Volumizing Mascara. It has the best ratio of curl-to-volume without being flaky and clumpy which are always my problems. I wear contacts so flakes are the mortal enemies of contact lenses and this formula is great. Recently, I purchased the Lancôme Lash Idôle Lash-Lifting & Volumizing Mascara and it’s just okay.I don’t love it, I also don’t hate it. I just think for $27 I really should love it, and I can’t say that I do. It clumps more than I like and that just is not the vibe.

It’s in the bag

For me, this Sephora sale is about stocking up on my tried and true favorites. A few full-sized items that are bigger tickets but I know they work for me. Plus they’ll last a while.

It’s hard to decide what to try when there are so many brands out there, so I recommend going slow. It’s tempting to go off the deep end with the Sephora Sale, but trying just one or two products is a great way to get to know your skin and finding a few of your own faves for the next event.

Happy shopping!

P.S. This post contains affiliate links, and I get commission for purchases or clicks made through some of the links in this post.