Top 9 Items to Buy at the Sephora Beauty Insider Sale

Sephora Beauty Insider Sale favorites featured by top US BIPOC beauty blogger, Alicia Tenise

Do you know what I’ve realized as I’ve gotten older? Beauty products really add up.  That’s why I always try to stock up on my favorites whenever the Sephora Beauty Insider Sale is happening. It’s also a great time to try out some new products!

The Sephora Holiday Sale is running from now until November 15th. First things first: you’ll need to register as a beauty insider to shop this sale (which is 100% free, and once you enroll, you’ll earn points for every Sephora purchase you make — I’ve been a member for about four years now!)

Beauty Insiders can get 10% off their entire purchase during the sale from 11/11-15. If you’re a VIB Level (aka — if you’ve spent $350 at Sephora in the past calendar year), you’ll get 15% off from 11/9-15. If you’re at the Rouge Level (spending $1000+/year), you’ll get a whopping 20% off your purchase from 11/5-11/15. Pretty cool, huh?

If you want to purchase new hair, makeup, or skincare items for the holiday season, this is the perfect time to stock up. Here are nine of my favorite beauty items that I would recommend buying during this sale, and one thing that’s on my wishlist!
 
Sephora Beauty Insider Sale favorites featured by top US BIPOC beauty blogger, Alicia Tenise

2021 Sephora Beauty Insider Sale 

Some of my Go-To Skincare Products:

 

Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos™ Glycolic Resurfacing Night Serum

I’ve heard incredible things about Drunk Elephant, and a couple of years ago, I finally got to try them out. I was sent a mailer of products to try from their PR team, and everything was incredible. Without a doubt, the best product I tried was their Glycolic Resurfacing Night Serum. It’s $90, but man: it is the best serum I have ever used. 
 
Most of the serums I’ve tried are strictly anti-aging, which is great — but I still get hormonal acne, and my pores are huge. After using this serum for a week, I noticed results: most of my breakouts were kept at bay, and my pores were way less noticeable. I ran out of this serum and used another one for a few weeks, but the results just didn’t compare. Best night serum I’ve ever used!

 

Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40

I mentioned this product in my big sunscreen roundup a few months ago, but this is easily one of the most exciting product launches of 2020. I’ve fallen in love with all of the Supergoop! products I’ve tried, and this sunscreen is no exception.

The best part about this sunscreen is that it has a mind-blowing technology that will minimize your pores and make your skin look visibly smoother, which is ideal for all of your upcoming Zoom and FaceTime calls. Plus, it will protect your skin against blue light, so it’s the perfect sunscreen to wear while you’re working from home and running errands out and about. I’ve worn this sunscreen every day for the past few months, and I’ll likely transition to their Glow Screen once it gets colder out, and my skin is a bit drier.

 

Dermalogica AGE Bright Clearing Serum

I’ve been using this product for almost a year now, but it really became the MVP of my beauty routine in 2020. I’ve always struggled a bit with mild adult acne. I have combination skin and an oily t-zone, so occasionally, I’d see blemishes on my forehead and chin. However, once I started wearing masks this year to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the breakouts on my chin were crazy.

I only used this product last year when I had a breakout, but this year, I started using this serum to prevent breakouts. I only use it on my t-zone, where I’m the most prone to breakouts, and I use it every morning. What’s also great about this line is that it prevents aging and makes this the ultimate product for adult acne. If you really want to combat acne, I’d highly recommend Dermalogica’s Clear + Brighten kit to test out a couple more products from the line!

 
Sephora Beauty Insider Sale favorites featured by top US BIPOC beauty blogger, Alicia Tenise

Some of my Go-To Hair Products:

 

Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo Dark Tones

I absolutely adore this dry shampoo, and I’ve been using it for years. This product works wonders on my textured hair or any human hair/extensions I might have installed. I love that it’s specially formulated for dark hair and that it doesn’t leave my hair looking grey like some other dry shampoos have done in the past. Plus, it adds a ton of much-needed volume in addition to cleaning my hair!

P.S. — if you have lighter hair, Moroccanoil also has a dry shampoo for you as well.

 

T3 Whirl Trio Interchangeable Styling Wand Set: Tapered, 1”, 1.5”

So, I lost my beloved curling wand a few weeks ago, and I decided to order a t3 curling wand to see if it lived up to the hype. I’ve seen these hair tools all over Instagram, and I always wondered if they were worth the price tag.

Short answer? YES. They’re worth every penny. So much so that I ordered the entire curling wand set with interchangeable barrels. What I love about this curling wand is that it heats up fast, and it also curls my hair quickly as well. The curls last for days as well! If you’re going to invest in any hair tool, this is a fantastic option.

 
 
 
Sephora Beauty Insider Sale favorites featured by top US BIPOC beauty blogger, Alicia Tenise

Some of my Go-To Makeup Products:

 

IT Cosmetics Brushes

To be candid, Ulta has a far superior selection of IT Cosmetics Brushes, but since they’re on sale at Sephora, I’d snag one or two of them if you can this week. 90% of the makeup brushes I own are from IT Cosmetics.

I got a few of their brushes in a goodie bag at a conference a few years ago, and I’ve been hooked since. They’re incredibly high-quality and help me apply my makeup flawlessly! This is one beauty investment that is 100% worth it.

 

tarte Maracuja Hydrating Tinted Moisturizer

I did a few campaigns with tarte earlier this year, and I was introduced to their Maracuja Hydrating Tinted Moisturizer. Normally, I like to wear foundations with a good bit of coverage, but in 2020 it just made sense to switch to a tinted moisturizer.

I love this tinted moisturizer because it is buildable, and it provides an impressive amount of coverage, all things considered. I also love throwing this on for Zoom meetings: it hides any blemishes I have, yet it isn’t a super heavy, cakey foundation. Since it’s lighter, it’s also an ideal option to wear with masks: when I wear this product, my pores tend to get clogged less, and I notice less makeup transfer onto my masks.

 

beautyblender® Besties Makeup Sponge and Cleanser Set

If you use beautyblenders anyway, now would be a great time to pick another one up while they’re on sale.

I love this set in particular because it includes both a beautyblender, a cleanser set, and an adorable travel/storage case for $20. The sponge on its own is $20, so you might as well scoop up this set and get the cleanser and case for the same price!

 

GrandeLASH™ – MD Lash Enhancing Serum

I keep coming back to this product year after year. My natural lashes are super, super curly, so they appear to be really short. I’ve done lash extensions off and on in the past, but the last set I had just wasn’t sticking at all, so I had to stop doing them permanently.

I’m trying hard to grow back my lashes, and I’ve used this lash serum in the past and have had great results. Just remember to use this product regularly to see results!

 

What products are you most excited about buying during the Sephora beauty insider sale?  Let me know in a comment below!

 

Photos by Tom McGovern

Leave a Comment