It's time, set your alarm clocks, get your emergency credit card out, dig the stash of cash you hid under your mattress all year for this event: the annual Sephora 20% off fall sale is here! I have all the details, some tips and recommendations for the best products to buy, keep reading to see my selection.





When is the Sephora fall sale?

The dates are different for each level of Sephora's rewards program:

- Rouge customers: November 3 to 6 AND November 10 to 15, in store with the card received in the mail (ask a store associate if you didn't receive it) and online with code 20FORROUGE.
- VIB customers: November 10 to 15, in store with card and online with code 20FORVIB
- BI customers (just need to sign up for the loyalty program): get 15% off (not 20) November 10 to 15 with card or code INSIDER15.


A few tips

- If there is an item you want that is new or trending (something you see all over Instagram), buy it early as these types of hyped products can sell out quickly. New eyeshadow palettes, good holiday sets, Sephora Favorites sets typically fly off the shelves the first day.

- The sale is a good time to restock on your staples, especially if you want to take your time to shop and are not excited about having to fight other shoppers to grab the trendy products early Friday morning (for Rouges). I usually repurchase my favorite mascara, my current HG moisturizer, my fave hair styling product, etc... If you tend to like high-end brands like me, the sale makes it a little easier on the budget to keep up with your routine!

- On the other hand, the sale is also a good time to try out a new brand without paying full price for their products. So if you've been intrigued by a brand, but were reluctant to buy something expensive without knowing if you'd be satisfied with their quality, you can take advantage of the sale to be more adventurous.

- Don't jump on the large holiday sets because they're supposedly a good value. Sure, they contain a lot of product for a much cheaper price than the total of the individual items. But if they're full of stuff you're not going to use, then the math is pretty meaningless. Holiday sets are often lower quality than the permanent products, at least with some brands like Tarte, Smashbox, Too Faced... The "vaults" may also seem like great deals, but how many of the items they contain do you already own? And how many of the shades wouldn't even work on your skin tone?

- If you were excited to shop Colourpop, which launched at Sephora with a few items earlier this week, sorry to have to tell you that the brand is excluded from the sale according to official statements on sephora.com community boards.

- Don't forget to use a rebate website if you're shopping online to save a few more dollars in the form of cashback. I always shop through Ebates, they pay out by Paypal and they're really good at tracking all your orders through their portal - if you use this link to sign up and shop, you'll get a $10 bonus cashback!


French stuff

Time for recommendations! I tried to include a few newer items, but only things I've used and enjoyed myself. I've reviewed a lot of them in the past, links included in the descriptions. You can check out last year's selection too, those products are still worth buying as well!



- Atelier Cologne Advent Calendar: I adore Atelier Cologne's fresh scents, and this advent calendar is the first thing I'll grab! I'm slowly finishing the travel spray set by the brand I bought a while back, and the idea of trying even more of their fragrances has me really excited. (My review of another set)

- Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil: I have 2 shades of this nourishing oil and I absolutely love them. I wore the Tangerine shade a lot this summer, but I intend to keep wearing them throughout the cooler season to keep my lips moisturized. If your lips hate you for wearing liquid matte lipstick so much, you might want to give this lip oil a try! (My review)

- Klorane Makeup Remover Water: this micellar water is the most gentle I've ever tried, so it would be a perfect choice for dry or sensitive skin. It's not the most efficient to remove longwear makeup, but it's fantastic for a quick morning cleanse. (My review)

- Klorane Dry Shampoo with Nettle: if you have oily hair, this is the one Klorane dry shampoo you need. It looks a lot more matte than the original formula, and it controls oil really well. (My review of all 3 Klorane dry shampoos).

- Lancôme Matte Shaker: this cute and fun liquid lipstick isn't truly matte, but it's very comfortable and has great coverage. I absolutely love it and I'm considering getting more shades during the sale. (My review).

- Lancôme Monsieur Big Mascara: this new mascara hasn't exactly replaced Grandiôse as my favorite, but at $25 it's much cheaper and it's fantastic! Lots of long-lasting curl, length and volume. (My review).

- Guerlain Intense Liquid Matte Lipstick: this is a great liquid lipstick formula with all the luxury you'd expect from Guerlain. I love the beige color and might pick up a red! (My review).

- Guerlain Météorites Pearls of Powder: this has been a staple in my makeup routine for many years. I'd strongly advise you to pick up a shade from the permanent range, not the holiday edition (that I reviewed here).

- Yves Saint Laurent Tatouage Couture: this is such a fantastic formula for a liquid matte lipstick! Super hydrating, vibrant colors, and it leaves a stain that lasts forever. I'm picking a nude shade since I already own a red. (My review).

- Dior Rosy Glow Blush: this is as close as it gets to a "universally flattering" shade. Don't let the pale pink color in the pan fool you, this blush adapts to your complexion and turns into another shade on your cheeks. (My review).

- Dior Addict Lacquer Stick: a recent release by Dior, this lippie is fully opaque and super glossy. It comes in a ton of beautiful colors too. (My review).

- Rouge Dior Mini Lipstick Set: here's a set that's worth buying! The classic Rouge Dior formula is amazing: pigmented, comfortable, longwearing. This set contains one neutral and a bunch of glam and vampy shades. It's a good way to try the formula in different colors.


Pas French stuff

Not all good beauty brands are French, so here are a few products that I have been loving lately and would definitely recommend:


- Fenty Beauty Cosmic Gloss Lip Glitter: the best item in Fenty's holiday collection, this gloss is pure sparkly goodness. I recommend any shade except the peach one, which is underwhelming. (My review)

- Becca Après Ski Glow Face Palette: if you don't already own a ton of Becca products yet, this is a great palette. It contains 3 highligters, 2 blushes and a bronzer. All are excellent quality and look beautiful on the skin. (Review coming soon)

- Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick: beautiful shades, a very comfortable formula with opaque coverage, and everything Bite Beauty makes is food grade. It's really one of the best lipsticks you can buy at Sephora. (Review of an LE shade from last year)

- Bite Beauty Matte Creme Lip Crayon: if you like matte lipstick but your lips can't take the dryness, this is the formula for you. Super soft, comfortable to wear, beautiful matte finish, all in a convenient crayon.

- Benefit Get The Party Started: Benefit holiday cheek sets are usually bulky, but this sleek palette contains the Galifornia blush, Hoola bronzer and Watts Up highlighter, everything you need for a fair price.

- Urban Decay Perversion mascara: if you like a deep black mascara and a wet formula, this one delivers. It provides good volume and holds the curl pretty well.

- Kiehl's Avocado Eye Cream: I discovered this eye cream last year when my undereye area was so dry that I couldn't wear concealer anymore. It just looked awfully dry and creased. This cream saved me, it's so nourishing yet doesn't cause makeup to slide around. Just be sure to tap it in instead of swiping with your finger so it doesn't get sticky. Highly recommended for people with dry skin under the eyes.

- Nars Bord De Plage: I love, love this palette, it was one of my fave items this summer. The bronzers look wonderfully natural, the highlighters create a beautiful glow, and the packaging is to die for. (My review).

- Becca Light Chaser Highlighters: if you like duochrome effect and wouldn't mind a highlighter with an unusual color shift, this is the product for you. I have Opal Flashes Jade which is a stunning beige with a strong green shift. It's not an everyday highlighter for sure, but it's very unique and beautiful.

- Tarte Rainforest of the Sea foundation: this foundation really looks like skin, yet it provides medium to high coverage. It's been my go-to foundation for the past year.

- Urban Decay Vice Lipstick: huge range of shades from classic to trendy, affordable price tag, and nice formula.

- Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream: launched earlier this year, this moisturizer has quickly become a favorite of mine. It's very moisturizing yet completely weightless. Highly recommended for dehydrated skins.





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