To be honest, my beauty and skincare routines have taken a major backseat to more pressing matters, like feeding micro and moving in Manhattan and getting mini out the door dressed, brushed, and fed within an hour of her waking in the morning. Sometimes I arrive at mini’s school pick-up line at 3 p.m. and catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and think — “Oh Jennie. Shoulda reapplied the blush before dashing out the door just now…”
Sephora’s 20% off promotion (if you are VIB Rouge level) reminded me to take a beat, refresh my beauty cabinet, and carve out a little extra time in the mornings to take care of myself. I am specifically picking up these items with the current discount:
OUAI WAVE SPRAY (THE EASIEST WAY TO MAKE MESSY HAIR LOOK INTENTIONAL + I LOVE THE SCENT)
COCO MADEMOISELLE PERFUME (I RECENTLY RAN OUT OF PERFUME AND I’M RETURNING TO THIS CLASSIC, WHICH I WORE THROUGHOUT MY 20S + WHICH INSTANTLY MAKES ME FEEL PUT-TOGETHER)
NARS THE MULTIPLE (FOR ON-THE-GO TOUCH-UPS)
LAURA MERCIER ILLUMINATING MOISTURIZER (I HAVE BEEN WEARING CHANTECAILLE’S TINTED MOISTURIZER BUT I LIKE THIS STUFF RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT ADDS THE SLIGHTEST BIT OF SHEEN/HIGHLIGHTING, WHICH MY TIRED FACE NEEDS)
LAURA MERCIER EYE BASICS (FOR WHEN I’M TOO LAZY TO APPLY EYE SHADOW — I JUST SWIPE THIS ON AND GO; INSTANTLY BRIGHTENS/EVENS OUT TONE OF EYELID)
IT COSMETICS SUPERHERO MASCARA (THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST)
ARMANI MASCARA (A FRIEND RAVED ABOUT THIS RECENTLY — GOING TO GIVE IT A SHOT IN ADDITION TO MY TRIED & TRUE STUFF ABOVE)
I am also considering stocking up on my favorite go-to products that I never go without:
TATA HARPER EXFOLIATING CLEANSER
OUAI SMOOTH SHAMPOO + CONDITIONER
A few other beauty products I had to share as a part of this post (not all are from Sephora, though):
+Laura Mercier is retiring a bunch of products and they’re marked way down right now. I love (!) her caviar sticks for eye shadow, and many of the colors are currently heavily discounted. They’re super easy to apply and I’m all about anything that doesn’t require a brush. Ha! Also eyeing this illuminating concealer.
+Vintner’s Daughter’s Serum. I can’t say enough good things about this serum. It is pricey but it lasts a very, very long time. If this product is out of your price range, I also love Ole Henriksen’s Truth Serum.
+Tata Harper’s Volumizing Lip + Cheek Tint. I’m pretty sure this is the only blush I’ll ever wear for the rest of my life. I absolutely love the flushed effect it achieves — and it is perfectly pigmented. Sometimes I find liquid/cream blushes are too intensely colored and therefore difficult to apply (i.e., I look like a clown after I’ve swiped some on). This blends like a dream and is easy to build. I freaking love it and have gifted it to my mother and a girlfriend already! (That’s how you truly know I love something!) Sephora does carry this product but it keeps selling out. It’s that good. (Also — you can use this balm on your lips! Love a multitasking tool like this.)
+These DryBar hair clips continue to be used daily. They last forever. I think I’ve had the same pack of four for like eight years? I’m not sure, but I’ve had them forever and ever amen. I use them to clip back my hair when washing my face. I will say they aren’t ideal to use on just-blow-dried-hair as you’ll get a little crimp in your hair; for that purpose, I ordered a set of these to pull back the hair around my face when applying makeup.
+Still loving this shower caddy (so well-designed — does not rust, does not slip/slide around, and has little hooks for a loofah, a tray for a razor, etc, etc.) Just perfectly designed and slick-looking.
+I steered my Dad in the direction of one of these monogrammed Weezie robes for my mom, and she has been raving about it. I think I need one, too.
+I am kind of swooning over the velvet hairbow at the top of this post. You can get the look with this, this, or this (bargain!).
P.S. Many of the products above are already in my roundup of my all-time favorite beauty products, in case you want a full list of my favorite products. (And here is a list of my favorite beauty products under $50.)
P.P.S. Some musings on self-care after I fell and split my head open last winter (almost a year ago!). God willing, you will not endure a similar incident, but if you or someone you know does: I have to swear by this silicon gel and La Roche Posay fluid sunscreen, which I applied religiously every single day and I have to say that the scarring is minimal. My fall actually came up this past weekend with a friend we’d not seen since the accident, and he said he wouldn’t have noticed it if I hadn’t pointed it out! I will claim that as a victory because I of course do.
P.P.P.S. What are your favorite go-to fall recipes?