If you had told high school me that I would get to test beauty products as part of my job I likely wouldn’t have believed you. After I got my drivers license I used to drive to my nearest Walgreens and spend hours comparing mascara and shampoos looking at prices, claims, packaging – you name it. I have loved researching beauty products for as long as I can remember. And it is part of why I went on to create wit & whimsy in college. I have always loved sharing when I find something good.
Beauty remains an area I love to try and test and recommend. I have loved seeing the products that are most popular with you guys and hearing when you love something as much as I do. I also love to pour over my analytics throughout the year to see what gets the most clicks and most purchases.
As the year closes out I also take stock in what I purchased and really loved. The beauty products that fall into the Plan to Repurchase and Will Stay in Rotation categories. Today I’m sharing the products at Sephora that I have bought and loved the most this year.
My Favorite Sephora Purchases of the Year
Makeup
I bought more makeup than skincare products this year. I was attempting to limit the amount of products I exposed my skin to as I traveled a lot and therefore dealt with more skin issues. Plus makeup is just more fun – let’s be real. Here are the makeup products available at Sephora that I loved the most in 2022.
Westman Atelier Vital Skin Drops
You guys know by now what a fan I am of the Westman Atelier line so not a huge surprise that as I tested the Vital Skin Drops I fell in love. It provides the slightest bit of glowy coverage and can be layered easily with a more matte foundation if you want even more coverage. But alone it still makes your skin look like it’s having a great day. I like that the formula is focused on hydration because as I get older and my skin shows more signs of age, it is drier and seeks hydrating formulas more and more.
Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder
This year my pores showed up more on my face and I was seeking a way to blur them before I added base makeup that tended to sink into them if not first reminded via a primer. This balm is very cool. It blurs pores with a balm-like texture that also works to balance your skin’s oils throughout the day. It’ll give you a little bit of coverage, too if you want to just wear it alone but I like it layered under my favorite BB Cream or foundation. I got Shade 1.
Makeup by Mario MositureGlow Lip Plumping Serums
The Makeup by Mario MositureGlow Lip Plumping Serums are one of the best beauty products I’ve tried this year. I now own three shades of the high shine! Absolutely add one (or more!) to your cart in your next order.
I also really like Makeup by Mario’s blush and lip liners. Beautiful colors and payoff.
Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump
Similar to the above, the Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump is so good. You actually feel your lips plumping and these are in fact just so juicy. I love how they make lips look and have already collected two colors. TIkTok did not disappoint me with this one.
Nudestix Nudies Matte Blush
Nudestix Nudies Matte Blush in Bare Back has been a favorite of mine of late. I love the shade and the fact that it comes with a brush built in making it great for travel especially. This was a new-to me brand that I have really enjoyed exploring this year.
Nudestix Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencil
I shed invisible tears when I learned that Bite Beauty was being largely discontinued and with it my beloved matte lip crayons that so many of you guys came to love as well. I have set out to find something similar and while I haven’t found a total dupe, I have found something pretty close with this matte lip crayon by Nudestix. Creamy and easy to glide on this fits the bill for now. I also tested the Haus Labs one but I preferred this Nudestix one. I got the shade Belle.
Years ago I used to love the NARS Velvet Lip Pencils so I need to revisit those as well. (Can anyone weigh in who is familiar with the Bite Crayons and used the NARS pencils recently!?)
Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize Cream Shadows
The Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize cream shadow is so gorgeous. Every time I wear the shade Champagne I get compliments on my eye makeup. I loved it so much I bought the shade Oyster Pearl to have as well.
Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Eyeshadow Palette in Exaggereyes
This palette makes doing a glam eye so, so easy. I have to say, Charlotte Tilbury is a conventional makeup brand I really can’t quit. I feel like she makes glam makeup easy and not intimidating and when I really want to feel my best self, I reach for her products.
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Lipstick and Lip Cheat Lip Liner
There’s a reason the phrase Pillow Talk is so synonymous with the Charlotte Tilbury brand – it is really is the perfect pinky nude. And the combo of the lipstick and liner really gives a pretty, glam yet still girl next door look to lips.
Sephora has a great mini set of both right now if you want to try them out before committing to full size.
Saie Setting Powder + Brush
I’ve been using Saie’s new setting powder/brush duo every day since it arrived. Beautiful, glowy and blurring power for oily T-zone girls like myself.
Saie Lip Blur Lip Color in Classic
The Saie Lip Blur Lip Color in Classic is a really smooth, high payoff red lipstick that I know I’ll be wearing on repeat come holiday. The perfect going out shade.
Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain Liquid Lipstick in Always Red
Another red lip I love is the Sephora Collection because the formula is so dreamy. It is creamy yet weightless and super transfer-proof which I can’t say for a lot of lipsticks I’ve tried. It lasts all day and at just $15 the price can’t be beat.
Kulfi Liner
The Kulfi Liner is my new go-to lazy liner. Applies super smoothly and bonus points for it being waterproof if you ever suffer from watering eyes on cold days as I do.
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush
I loooove the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush. It blends out so beautifully and you only need the tiniest dot as they are really highly pigmented. I have the shades Hope and Bliss.
Lawless Forget the Filler Gloss
If you like the plumped up lip look, I recommend the Lawless Forget the Filler lip gloss. I have shade George which is a great nude pink.
Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat High Cover Radiant Under-Eye Concealer
I rediscovered the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat High Cover Radiant Under-Eye Concealer in my makeup stash recently and my god- why wasn’t I using this every day? It does wonders to make eyes look less tired, more awake and really does help blur dark circles and fine lines so beautifully. One of my very favorite beauty discoveries of the year. I use Shade 1.
Merit Beauty Bronze Balm Sheer Sculpting Bronzer
Merit really knocks it out of the park with their formulas and this bronzing stick they released earlier this year really does make adding some definition to your face super easy.
The brand’s blush in Beverly Hills was also a favorite this year. I had used it last year but this shade was new to me and is a can’t stop, won’t stop kinda blush for me.
Tower28 Sunny Days SPF
The Tower28 Sunny Days SPF is so good. One of my favorite product discoveries this year for sure. It evens out skin tone but can also layer with bb cream or foundation. I wear shade Fairfax.
Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Concealer
When it comes to favorite foundations, the Armani Luminous Silk Foundation always takes the gold. It has a cult following for good reason and so I shouldn’t be surprised when I fell in love with the brand’s concealer at the start of this year.
NARS Air Matte Cream Blush
This NARS blush is the prettiest sheer wash of color. I loved it so much I bought it for my sister in law because I think it is impactful yet so easy to throw on. Perfect for five minute faces.
Fragrance & Hair
Read on for my favorite Sephora Fragrance & Hair finds this year.
I got really back into perfume this year and I’m sharing my favorite fragrance finds below if you’re curious to try a new one!
Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne
I wanted a new fragrance to carry me through the Winter and think I found it in this subtle yet impactful perfume by the famed London brand. It is meant to evoke the feeling of being at a windswept shore. Waves breaking white, the air fresh with sea salt and spray. It’s mineraly and woody yet light and joyful feeling. My ideal kind of Winter fragrance. So many fragrances billed as being Winter are too smoky or too heavy or too fragrant for me. This Jo Malone one is just the ticket for me given I like lighter notes.
One better? This is actually a unisex fragrance so you can share it with someone else in your household if you’re both fans of it!
Phlur Missing Person
The Phlur Missing Person perfume has been a favorite this year. It’s mysterious and sexy yet light and floral all at the same time. I keep the mini in my makeup bag for travel.
Maison Margiela REPLICA Lazy Sundays Perfume
Curious to know what the #1 bought item at Sephora by w&w readers this year was? Well here you have it!
The perfume I bought in Paris earlier this year can be yours now for a discount during Sephora’s Fragrance for All Event! It is so light and so fresh.
INKEY Glycolic Acid Scalp Scrub
If you suffer from product build up or your hair feeling greasy – try the INKEY Glycolic Acid Scalp Scrub. You leave it on for 10 minutes on wet hair after massaging it in and hair feels crazy clean and soft after rinsing and shampooing as normal.
Dyson Airwrap
I got the new Dyson earlier this year on sale and while I am still practicing – I have to say I understand the hype now. The curls it gives me are so bouncy!! It truly makes me look like I’ve had my hair professionally done when I do it right and I love how effortless it makes my hair look. This is a great gift to consider giving yourself as the year closes out.
Tools
Sephora Collection Makeup Tape
All year long I have been working on my cat eye. I really do like the definition it gives to an eye shape but man is it hard to master! To help move along my progress I decided to buy this makeup tape that helps me be more precise. Highly recommend this little roll of tape if you, too have been trying to master the technique of a precision liner look.
Sephora Collection Essential Eye Brush Set
I decided to upgrade my eye shadow brushes as I continue to experiment with getting better at doing eye looks. This set is ust $29 and comes with several shadow brushes for all looks – including what I have found to be a rather essential one – the crease brush! Bonus points for the fact that it includes a brow brush, too.
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Tell me – what is your favorite Sephora purchase of the year?!
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This post is in collaboration with Sephora. Thank you so much for supporting the brands that I love to work with!
Thank you so much for sharing; I love your beauty and skincare recs so much. As a makeup newbie, I can’t help but get a little lost when figuring out what goes with what vs. what is more of an either-or combo. I know it comes down to personal preference and what works for you, individually, but is there anyone or anything that helped you get more confident in makeup application? Would love any advice!
I hear you! It’s been a lot of trial and error for me! And I also watch a lot of TikTok videos with tutorials to better understand techniques. I’ve learned a lot from the videos!