First Sephora Purchase

 

Hey everyone! So a little while ago, my friends and I went on a road trip and stopped in Kelowna, BC to shop around a bit. I was really excited to see a Sephora store there, because I had never been inside one and I love their website so much. I ended up spending like $311 on 5 things! I'm really happy with everything I bought though, and I've decided to do a little mini haul review. :) *Remember that I list prices in Canadian currency, and links may switch you to CA website*

 

Urban Decay Naked Palette - $60 
I do not regret this purchase! I don't really use the right side of the palette much because it's a bit too dramatic/dark for me. My routine lately has been Virgin as a highlight, Naked as a base, Sidecar on the outer corner blended in, and Smog in my creases and under my waterline as a liner substitute. I love the quality of the shadows and they look awesome, plus it came with a handy eyeshadow primer "Potion", which is nice and works just fine. I prefer to use my own brush rather than the one that comes with it, but it's not a bad brush. :)

Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet + Matifying Foundation - $42
I would definitely repurchase this. It has nice coverage, looks smooth, and is the perfect shade for my skin. I love the matifying effect - great for oily summer skin! 

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer - $14
I remember that this was at least $20+ in-store, and I thought that was getting a bit steep for such a small size but then again, I'm used to shopping for make up at Wal-Mart and Shoppers Drugmart... anyway, it's a pretty nice primer. It feels exactly the same as BareMineral's Prime Time which I love, and I don't think it has been breaking me out. It's oil-free which is great.

"CLARISONIC Mia" Skin Cleansing System - $139
  Lately I feel as though my skin is brighter, and despite having small acne pretty much all over my face, I'm actually looking kind of clear. I can feel the bumps when I wash my face and do my makeup, but they really aren't all that noticeable, except for a couple larger/redder spots here and there. My makeup has been going on smoother, but that could also have something to do with the products I'm using. I haven't noticed a huge difference like a lot of people who've reviewed the product, but I'm going to keep using it for at least a full month before I make up my mind - probably longer, like at least half a year to a year. My skin is always changing and I'm hoping the Clarisonic will help even things out over time. I'm slightly disappointed that for such an expensive product, it only came with one brush head. And though it is called the "sensitive brush head" it feels kind of rough on my skin still, but not enough that I'd stop using it. I love the magnetic wall charger, but I actually wouldn't mind a little stand! Overall I'm happy with it, though. :) I'd recommend it.. but I'd wait and see if the price goes down or if you can get a good set deal because I'm not sure if it's worth $140! I have not used the cleanser that came with it yet due to having painful acne breakouts that I wanted to try to control. I also forgot to include it in the picture. :(

Murad Clarifying Cleanser - $26
So far I'm not sure if this has been working for me. I want it to work SO badly though, because the ingredients and the reviews make it sound so promising! First of all, at the top of the bottle it reads "Cleanse / Tone" which I love, because I'm not really a fan of toners (hate leaving stuff on my face without washing afterwards, even moisturizer makes me nervous). Also, it has Salicylic acid in it, which "penetrates pores to dry and help clear up acne pimples". This cleanser has been pretty drying for me, but at the same time I've had seriously oily skin at times too.. my skin is so confusing :( Anyway, I've decided to only wash with the Clarisonic at night time, just in case the twice-a-day deep cleaning has somehow been causing breakouts.

And lastly, a recent picture of my face using all of the makeup featured here plus sunshimmer 3 in 1 bronzer from Rimmel and cheekers CoverGirl blush in golden pink.

I just want to add though - is it normal to only receive one little sample during checkout at in-store Sephora? I was given a Sephora primer... which I unfortunately lost. In my cart online right now, I have $300 worth of product and 3 free samples, the choice between five 100 point samples or a 500 point Make Up For Ever The Greatest Hits set AND a free deluxe sample primer by using the code "prime", with 5 to choose from. The total number of items in my cart including samples is 14 and it currently costs less than my in-store purchase. Whaaat? I guess I did purchase kind of expensive products.. but still, haha. Question: What is the best product you've bought at Sephora and would recommend? Alright guys, hope you enjoyed and have a great Sunday! - Ash :)