Sephora Member’s Sale Haul – May 2022

Introducing my recent Sephora haul from the Sephora Member’s Sale in May 2022! Featuring Fenty Skin, Laneige, Murad and Makeup By Mario. I had not tried Fenty Skin yet so I figured this sale opportunity was a great way to finally try it out, so I selected the travel size set. The Laneige duo set is a cute way to try their new Cica Sleeping Mask and I already enjoy the Cream Skin Toner & Moisturiser so it was a great bargain pick up. I also picked up another two lipsticks from Makeup By Mario, I got another ultra suede matte lipstick in shade ‘Alicia’ and picked up my first ultra suede cozy lip creme in ‘Nude Suede’. I used my reward points to get the Murad clarifying oil-free water gel.

Products, Textures & Formula’s
– Fenty Skin Start’r Set; Total Cleans’r 45ml, Fat Water Toner 50ml, Hydra Vizor Moisturizer 30ml & Butta Drop Whipped Oil Body Cream 8ml; the cleanser is a soft light beige-pink cream that has a recognisable cherry-coconut scent (reminds me of the scent of the Carmex lip treatments), it lathers fast on the skin and feels light, it is infused with Ginkgo Biloba extract, it is creamy and soft on the skin, it also claims to be a makeup, dirt, excess oil remover, it comes in a light pastel purple 45ml tube (also available in the full 145ml size). The toner is housed in a orange-translucent 50ml (also available in a full 150ml size) plastic bottle, the consistency is a non-sticky, clear, thickened gel-like, toner-serum hybrid, that absorbs kind of fast into the barrier of your skin, it has a recognisable scent of lemon-vanilla with a hint of Barbados cherry, it is infused with Australian lemon myrtle and niacinamide – known to pore-refine, it also contains witch hazel. The hydra vizor spf 30 moisturizer comes in a 30ml hardened frosted plastic bottle and is dispensed with a pump action lid & spout, it is a more light-medium pink cream moisturizer that absorbs well, the fragrance in this one is a very distinctive cherry scent with a twist of citrus & melon, its pleasant but a tad stronger in this moisturizer than the previous two products mentioned above here (they now have a fragrance-free version available). It is infused with kalahari melon – an antioxidant rich extract that hydrates the skin, niacinamide – a pore-refining vitamin B3 that reduces uneven skin-tone and diminishes dullness. The butta drop whipped oil body cream is infused with shea butter, mango butter and seven luxe oils; jojoba, sunflower, baobab, rice bran, coconut, and sorrel, it also contains Barbados Cherry extract which is full of vitamin C. It comes in a 200ml and 75ml plastic tub (or 8ml sample sachet) and won the Allure Best of Beauty award in 2021, it has a scent of tropical flowers but the aroma fades after a while, the consistency is very thick, soft, buttery and instantly smooths the skin.

– Laneige Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer 50ml & Cica Sleeping Mask 15ml; the cream skin toner and moisturizer comes in a frosted clear plastic 50ml bottle with a round spout on top, it is infused with white leaf tea water, meadowfoam seed oil and glycerin – which locks in moisture. It is formulated to soften and intensely moisturize, it acts as a 2-in-1 hybrid, softening the skin like a toner and hydrating like a moisturizer. It is for normal to dry skin. The cica sleeping mask is a soft creamy texture that is super light on your skin, it is infused with tea tree leaf oil, cypress leaf extract, cica forest yeast – designed to strengthen the skin barrier, panthenol and squalane – to hydrate and brighten. It works while you sleep, a little goes a long way, so only apply a little and smooth out across your face, rinsing off any residue the next morning, revealing brighter, fresh, softer skin. It comes housed in a medium forest green 15ml (or full size 60ml) plastic tub with screw off lid.

– Murad Clarifying Oil-Free Water Gel 5ml; the oil-free water gel moisturizer is formulated with Korean red pine leaf extract that helps support healthier-looking skin, ginger root extract which reduces skin roughness, smooths and reduces uneven skin tone, and hyaluronic acid which hydrates, comforts and nourishes the skin. It comes in a white plastic tube 5ml sample bottle (also available in a full 50ml size) with a pump action dispenser and clear plastic clip-in lid, it has a blue foreground behind the title font. It’s to be applied in the morning and night, it can be used on the face, neck and chest. The consistency is a light weighted watered gel that is non-greasy and has a very light blue hue. It instantly smooths and softens the skin. This water gel contains an innovative technology that disrupts bacteria’s communication and disallow it to form a group, preventing it from imbalancing the skin barrier.

– Makeup By Mario Ultra Suede Matte Lipstick in ‘Alicia’ 4g & Ultra Suede Cozy Lip Creme in ‘Nude Suede’ 3.2ml; the ultra suede matte lipstick in ‘Alicia’ is a warm classic red with a yellow undertone, its texture is a creamy smooth ultra suede matte that is infused with passionfruit seed oil, rosehip oil, carnauba wax, and kaolin. It comes available in 20 shades and is housed in a frosted smooth white plastic bullet with magnetic clip lid to seal shut when not in use, it has the title emblazoned in black font and comes in a product net weight of 4g, which is quite larger than most classic bullet lipsticks. The ultra suede cozy lip creme is formulated with passionfruit seed oil, kaolin and has a creamy soft mousse texture that glides easily onto lips. It comes packaged in a frosted black plastic tube with a applicator wand lid, fitted with a soft thick doe-foot for comfortable application, the lid twists and clicks shut tightly. The finish is a soft, matte creamy texture where one layer does the job.

Worldwide Prices & Availability
Fenty Skin Start’r Refresh Travel Size Skincare Set;
Australia: $60 AUD
Available: online and in-store at Sephora Australia.

USA: $43 USD
Available: online and in-store at Sephora USA and Fenty Skin,

UK: £32 – £45 GBP
Available: online at Fenty Skin and at Boots UK.

Makeup By Mario Ultra Suede Matte Lipstick 4g & Ultra Suede Cozy Lip Creme 3.2ml;
Australia: $37 – $42 AUD
Available: online and in-store at Sephora Australia and online at Makeup By Mario.
Hint – it’s $5 cheaper to buy at Sephora Australia.

USA: $24 USD
Available: online and in-store at Sephora USA and online at Makeup By Mario.

UK: £25 GBP
Available: online at Makeup By Mario.

Murad Clarifying Oil-Free Water Gel 5ml (50ml full size);
Australia: $75 AUD (for 50ml)
Available: online and in-store at Sephora Australia, also online at Murad Australia and Adore Beauty.

USA: $46 USD (for 50ml)
Available: online at Murad USA, also online and in-store at Sephora USA and Ulta.

UK: £39 GBP (for 48ml)
Available: online at Murad UK, Cult Beauty, John Lewis, Space NK, Feel Unique, Look Fantastic and Selfridges.

Laneige Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer 50ml & Cica Sleeping Mask 15ml;
Australia: $28 AUD
Available: in-store at Sephora Australia and online at Adore Beauty.

USA: $27 – $34 USD (sold separately)
Available: online and in-store at Sephora USA.

UK: £19 – £29 GBP
Available: online at Cult Beauty and Beauty Bay.

My Thoughts & Impressions
– Fenty Skin Start’r Refresh Travel Size Skincare Set; lets start with the Total Cleans’r; it is a silky smooth and creamy-gel texture, feels slightly viscous, it lathers nicely and is both water and oil based, it has a light pink/beige appearance and has a very mild fragrance that is really pleasant. I would say it smells like Barbados cherries and vanilla, it comes in a light pastel lavender purple tube of 45ml in net weight. It cleanses makeup off quite well and removes dirt, leaving a smoother and softer face. I personally need to double cleanse (using this & another separate cleanser) if I’m removing makeup and cleansing my face in my skincare routine, however if I’m wearing no makeup, I can get away with one application cleanse using this. Repurchase? It is a nice cleanser but I think I have others I like more that are already out there. Maybe if I was just travelling I would stay buying the travel size. Onto the Fat Water toner; it is a thicker texture between a serum and a toner, it is very silky smooth and tones the skin quite well. I love the scent personally, it is similar to the cleanser, it has a mild vanilla-cherry scent and I enjoy how it makes me skin look & feel after each use. It comes in a clear bottle with orange hue and a light pastel purple screw on lid, in a 50ml size. Repurchase? Yes, I would repurchase this one, and probably the full size too. Hydra Vizor; this is a creamy soft texture and has a light pink appearance. This one is scented and it smells slightly stronger than the other products in this set, it is just like Barbados cherries. It blends into the skin nicely, a little goes a long way too. It is SPF 15 and comes in a light lavender pastel purple pump action bottle with 30ml of product. It is truly an invisible moisturiser, it blends out clear and does not feel sticky or oily. I enjoy the way it makes my skin feel but I feel like I have other moisturisers I love maybe a little more. Repurchase? I probably wouldn’t, just because I already have other moisturisers that have a higher SPF rating that have no scent. Butta Drop Whipped Oil Body Cream; this is so lush and softening, I enjoy the suppleness and softness it provides my skin, it has a lovely tropical scent with hints of Barbados cherry and vanilla, as well as coconut, I found the scent mild and not too strong. The shea butter and jojoba oil in this is amazing, I found it blended into my skin nicely and always hydrated it. Repurchase? Yes, I would repurchase this body cream, it is truly beautiful! So my fave picks from this set are definitely the Fat Water toner serum and the Butta Drop Whipped Oil Body Cream.

– Makeup By Mario Ultra Suede Matte Lipstick in ‘Alicia’ & Ultra Suede Cozy Lip Creme in ‘Nude Suede; I adore the ultra suede matte formula lipstick, it glides onto the lips so smoothly and is highly pigmented. I enjoy how long they wear for too, I would love to get another colour in this range. It comes in a matte frosted white metal classic bullet tube that twists up and has a magnetic lid that clips shut, it also has a generous 4g net weight of product. Repurchase? yes, I definitely would! I’m ready to pick up some more colours too. Onto the ultra suede cozy lip creme; it’s very velvety smooth and matte, it lasts a long time on the lips and I enjoy the coverage it gives with just one coat. Repurchase? definitely! I would love to pick up some other colours in this formula as well.

– Murad Clarifying Oil-Free Water Gel; this has to be one of my favourites from this haul! It has a lovely silky smooth gel texture that easily absorbs into the skin and blends into it nicely, it instantly feels moisturising and softens my skin. I think it cleared my face up well and fast, I really enjoy using this. Repurchase? yes indeed! I definitely would and I would in fact buy the larger size, it’s that good. I think it would be great for all skin types as well.

– Laneige Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer & Cica Sleeping Mask; the cream skin toner & moisturiser is so good! I love the results Im getting from this toner, it softens my skin, makes it feel hydrated and it looks clearer. I enjoy using this and my skin seems to love it too. Repurchase? yes, I would indeed! Onto the Cica Sleeping Mask; this was a product I was so interested in trying as I had seen so many good reviews of it. I’ve only used this twice so far so I can’t really do a full review yet but the two times I did use it, I loved how supple and soft my face felt the next day. I feel like a little bit goes a long way so you don’t need to put too much of a coating of it over your skin, you want it to really sink in. Repurchase? I’m undecided, I like it but not sure if I would get so much use out of it to warrant a repurchase.

That concludes my full post review of all the products in my latest Sephora Members Sale haul. I hope you have enjoyed reading and learning more about the featured products that I picked up in my recent shopping haul, and I hope I’ve helped you select which ones you too, would be interested in trying out, and where you can find them. As always, I try to be as thorough as I can. A lot of consumers have mentioned the fragrances in the Fenty Skin range and I actually like a tad of fragrance in my products as long as they’re not causing sensitivity to my skin or become overbearing and I feel Fenty Skin’s are totally fine and mild (with exception to the Hydra Vizor). I’m forever a fan of Murad and Laneige, they never fail to impress me. And Makeup By Mario is a brand I have only recently discovered and I am absolutely loving! I will also mention that his range of shades and tones are very smart and inclusive, they’re also very natural and suit lots of skin tones. I love that about a brand. Stay tuned for my next post coming up about the gorgeous Galen authentic leather makeup bag from Turkey and a post on the new Laneige Blue Hyaluronic Water skincare range.

Disclaimer: all the products featured in this blog post were fully purchased by myself from the Sephora Member’s Sale and all thoughts and impressions mentioned are my honest opinions of the products at hand. This post is not sponsored and not paid for.

Fenty Beauty Collection by Rihanna – Products Intro, Swatches & Review

Fenty Beauty Collection by Rihanna – Products Intro, Swatches & Review

On Friday the 8th of September 2017, the WHOLE world got to finally see Rihanna’s much talked about makeup line, Fenty Beauty. Released exclusively at Sephora worldwide and at Harvey Nichols in the UK (and ALL at the same time! How’s that for fairness?!). Shelves inside every Sephora flagship store and Harvey Nichols shop were stocked up with the new coveted collection and everywhere you looked inside those stores, was shuffling beauty lovers browsing through all of the new products! One fact in particular about this new collection (which was on everybody’s minds), was the incredible 40 shade selection of the liquid foundation! Say what now? Yep! Riri has ultimately thought of EVERYBODY with this collection, having brought out the extensive 40 unique shades in the medium-to-full coverage offering. You know I HAD to pick up a couple of items to trial out, check out my first haul below..

Fenty Beauty: A flatlay of my first haul from the Fenty Beauty Collection.

Intro
Rihanna explained it quite simply at the launch… she wanted to create something for the palest person and the darkest person. Keeping in mind that not everybody has yellow or pink undertones, some people have red undertones, etc. Siri also explained that she hoped to be so inclusive that nobody had to say the usual dreaded words ‘Oh, thats a nice colour but it’ll only look nice on such and such, not really me.’ Basically Rihanna has thought of everything, and everyone. I really admire that an artist (mostly musical/singing/acting) can come out with a makeup brand all on her own, and do it SO WELL that it honestly puts some other competing high-end brands much lower in variety and convenience. Because in reality; WE’RE all different colours, tones, undertones, and every one of us would love to look OUR best self! So the variety Rihanna has accommodated for is truly outstanding and a real testament to herself, her dedication and her character. I am so impressed with this collection and how it has been launched, here’s why: everybody around the world got to purchase and try the products at the same time, meaning no country was ahead or behind. I like that a lot because why not? Why shouldn’t everybody get to witness the products and experience it at the same time? I feel that way it’s completely more fun, and also fair for everybody to not have to wait months for a release just because they’re in a certain other country. That is the first thing I really loved and was very impressed by. The second thing I really loved was that Rihanna actually physically went to the Fenty Beauty launch in New York as it happened, and celebrated with everybody. Riri also talked to the media and explained her goals and ideas for the collection, making it very clear that she had thought of everyone. Browse my unboxed haul below…

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In my order was: the Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer – a pore smoothing and diffusing primer that sets a base for longwear foundation application and also states to decrease shine, the Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation in shades ‘100’ & ‘120’ – a quick drying, matte liquid foundation that provides a medium-to-full coverage and longwear, the Match Stix Shimmer Skinstick in ‘Starstruck’ – a light, creamy shimmer formula in a magnetised stick for creating a perfectly lit highlight or blush the cheeks, the Full-Bodied Foundation Brush 110, the Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter in ‘Metal Moon’ (also available in ‘Trophy Wife’), and the Match Stix Matte Skinstick in ‘Porcelain. I’ll go through the swatches and product reviews shortly from the products I purchased and have tried. For now I’ll talk about my favourite product and why it is my fave, and I’m talking about the Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer! It is fantastic! Not only does it feel extremely light-weighted, but it also absorbs extremely well into the skin. Without an oily feeling too, it also smooths the surface on the skin and smells amazing! In fact, the scent smells like an old fave perfume of mine called ‘Amour’, by Kenzo. A really lovely vanilla-esque, musk scent that gives me reminiscent thoughts of the years I wore the fragrance. Now let’s talk about the products at hand.


Swatches

L - R: Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Primer, Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation in '100', Match Stix Matte Skinstick in 'Porcelain' & Match Stix Shimmer Skinstick in 'Starstruck'.

L – R: Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer, Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation in ‘100’, Match Stix Matte Skinstick in ‘Porcelain’ & Match Stix Shimmer Skinstick in ‘Starstruck’.

The Products & Formulas
Let’s start with my favourite product, the Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer, it is a true stand-out. This primer formula isn’t your average thick film texture, it is not anything silicone-like at all, it’s actually very thin, light-weighted and creamy instead. It absorbs into the skin like chocolate would melt on your fingers on a warm day. But thats not all, it provides an incredible lit-from-within glow from the skin! It blurs, mattifies and perfects the base of the skin. It does an amazing job of getting the skin ready for the foundation application, I was extremely impressed with the primer and better yet, it smells delicious! Onto the foundation; the Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation is a very comfortable liquid matte foundation that feels light on the skin, smoothing to touch and easily blends out. One thing to mention is that it dries quite quickly, so you have to be very fast at blending it out. It also does dry-down to a slightly darker colour after applying, not necessarily oxidising but definitely dries to a touch darker tone so I advise anyone to pick the shade the next tone down that would otherwise be too light for them, or select your matched shade but also the one lighter incase. The Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter is so finely milled, such a smooth textured creamy powder that melts into your skin and is so shiny! I have loved this! The Match Stix Matte Skinstick is a creamy textured formula, coming in a solid stick and interestingly enough it is very blend-able and covers pretty well.

Pricing
Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer – $32 USD | $46 AUD | £24 GBP
Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation – $34 USD | $50 AUD | £26 GBP
Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter – $34 USD | $50 AUD | £26 GBP
Match Stix Matte Skinstick – $25 USD | $37 AUD | £21 GBP
Match Stix Shimmer Skinstick – $25 USD | $37 AUD | £21 GBP
Full-Bodied Foundation Brush 110 – $34 USD | $47 AUD | £26 GBP

Where To Buy
Exclusively available at Sephora, and at Harvey Nichols in the UK. For Australia; the collection can be found at Sephora Australia and of course for my American readers, you can find the Fenty Beauty collection at Sephora US. For my British readers from the UK, the collection can be found directly at Harvey Nichols. The previous links will take you all straight to the collection.

Availability
Everything from the collection is permanent and is available at all Sephora stores worldwide and at Harvey Nichols stores in the UK. If by chance one item or certain items sell out, do not fear as the products will be consistently restocked. Nobody should ever have to miss out! If you follow those links provided above under ‘Where To Buy’, they will take you straight directly to the Fenty Beauty collection.

Other Products Available
So far I’ve only talked about the products that I had bought & trialled myself, but there is still a lot of other items available in the collection that I haven’t yet tested. Going onto other items worth a mention, there is the Cheek Hugging Highlight Brush 120 which is a specially designed brush to hug the curve of our cheeks, brow bones, cupid’s bow, the bridge of our noses and even our collarbones to create the most precise killa glow! Then there is the Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer which is a shea-butter infused formula to provide high explosive shine whilst giving the look of fuller, smoother lips. It comes in a universal rose-nude shade that Rihanna hand-picked, its meant to compliment everybody and has a delicious vanilla-peach scent. Next is the Precision Makeup Sponge 100 – a 3-sided latex-free sponge, the slanted edge to allow controlled stippling, the mini-moon edge for perfected coverage & flawless blending, and the rounded edge for all-over buffing. The Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter Duo that features two shimmers, one subtle (for everyday wear) and one supercharged (for a night-time high-shine glow), this can be used anywhere you desire to be LIT. The last products worth mentioning is the Invisimatte Blotting Paper – a portable blotting paper roll used for quick touch-ups and is refillable, the case it comes in also has a mirror. The very last products to mention is the Portable Contour & Concealer Brush, the Portable Highlighter Brush and the Portable Touch-Up Brush, all three portable brushes come in a very compact plastic, retractable and magnetised honeycomb-shaped handle. They’re the perfect size for on-the-go, in-your-handbag type scenarios. I feel like the magnetic ability will stop anyone from losing their brushes in the bottom of their handbag or makeup bag.

Fenty Beauty: Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Primer and Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation in '100'

Repurchase?
110% YES! It is seriously that great! The whole collection is amazing but my most favourite product is definitely the Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer! Hands down, its one of the best formulated primers that I’ve ever tried. I’m a huge fan of the Primer The Original by my beloved Australis Cosmetics but I can easily add the Fenty Beauty primer to my go-to list as well. Onto the other products, in terms of repurchasing, I would reorder the highlighters, the brush and the concealer. And whilst I like the foundation as it is light-weight, smoothing, and has a nice build able coverage, I think once it dries down the slightly darker oxidised tone is a bit of a let down. Overall, the foundation is good, but does oxidise a tad. This is just my own taste, I prefer Urban Decay’s All Nighter or MAC’s Studio Fix, or of course Estee Lauder’s Double Wear. But the rest of the products, I would definitely repurchase!

Have you tried any products from the Fenty Beauty line? What did you like?