The COVID-19 pandemic has turned our lives upside down; it has canceled our plans and left us to work at home, binge Netflix series and have a wine night … every night. But, on the bright side, this is the perfect time to give your skin some extra love, and lucky for us, the quarantine’s timeline has aligned with the Sephora Spring Savings Event.
With this sale, members at Sephora get discounts on everything. Yes, everything. Sephora Insiders receive 10% off, VIB get 15% off and Rouge members get an astonishing 20% off everything! Depending on your membership level, the sale will end between the 27th of April and May 1st, check out Sephora’s website for more info.
After researching the top-rated, Allure Beauty-Awarded and best-selling products, I’ve compiled a list of some must-haves from Sephora’s sales event, plus some of my personal favorites.
- Farmacy Cleansing Balm
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Double cleaning has been a skincare technique that has been flying around social media like crazy lately. This is a cleansing method that was first seen in Korean beauty and has changed the idea of how well we should be cleaning our face. The motive behind this practice? It’s beneficial by giving your skin the opportunity to be truly clean — no makeup, no residue and fully prepped for the rest of your routine.
A traditional face wash alone, even combined with makeup wipes, can still leave behind foundation particles. The first cleanser in the double cleaning process is traditionally a balm or oil used essentially to melt the makeup and remove it. The second cleanser is to ensure all of the remaining particles are gone and to cleanse the skin of other daily grime.
My favorite first step cleanser is the Farmacy Cleansing Balm from Sephora. This product is not only an Allure Beauty Award winner, but also certified Clean at Sephora, meaning it’s made without harmful chemicals.
Want to know more about double cleaning? Check out this Youtube video of Sephora’s Beauty Director explaining it!
- Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Frambroos Glycolic Resurfacing Night Serum
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The name is a mouthful, but so is the list of benefits. This serum from Drunk Elephant is a gentle chemical exfoliant that can help improve uneven skin tone and texture and reduce the appearance of acne scars and hyperpigmentation. A chemical exfoliant can be better than a physical one such as a harsh scrub because it’s more gentle on the skin. Thiscan prevent fine lines and wrinkles.
Personally, I struggled with acne for a long time before I went on antibiotics and got it cleared up, but I still had an abundance of scars and dark spots left behind. After trying a handful of products to get rid of them, I came across this serum, and my skin was changed.
The serum also preps your skin for better absorption of your following products,working as a facial essence as well. Drunk Elephant products are fairly pricey, but in my experience, it’s completely worth it. Not only are their products clean and effective, they also last longer than many others due to their air-tight packaging.
- Gua Sha Facial Lifting Tool
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Yes, I know it sounds a little dramatic to start taking anti-aging precautions when we’re in our twenties, but it’s never too early to pamper your skin. Using tools such as this Gua Sha Facial Lifting piece not only help to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, but also leave your skin looking more radiant after every use.
Even if you’re not worried about aging, this tool is so nice for those self-care or self-pamper days. Especially in quarantine, it doesn’t hurt to give your face a little massage every once in a while. If you want to learn how to use this tool, checkout this Youtube tutorial!
- Youth to the People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask
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We all know the sun is the number one enemy for our skin, as it can make our face dry and even cause dark spots if we don’t use enough SPF. But, if you’re like me, you’d rather not give up going to the beach and lounging in the sun, especially at this time of year. So, my hack? Well, besides the obvious routine of using SPF before, during and after I go to the beach, I use a moisturizing mask once I get home.
If you swim in the ocean, the saltwater can suck even more moisture out of your skin. This Superberry Hydrate Mask by Youth to the People is the perfect post-sun exposure mask. Formulated with Maqui, Vitamin C and Squalene, this mask boosts your skin’s hydration and brightens your complexion as well.
- Milk Makeup KUSH Growhouse Lash + Brow Serum
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Especially for those of you that used to have lash extensions (before the salons had to close due to COVID-19), listen up! This lash serum is life changing. I used to have lash extensions in high school, and after getting them removed my lashes were sparse, thin and falling out. I started using lash serum, and now my lashes look better than they did with extensions!
This serum from Milk Makeup is made from Hemp-derived Cannabis seed extract, plant peptides and quinoa which all help to support your lashes’ appearance, condition the lashes and tend to your hair follicles.
With products you use near your eyes, you want to be sure they’re free of harmful ingredients; and this product is certified Clean at Sephora!
- Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask
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When you spend most of the day at home, you’re likely using the heater or air conditioning quite often — which can dry out your skin. One thing many of us forget about is how it can dry out our lips too! If you use this Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask at night, it will replenish your lips’ moisture, which will help slow the aging process on your lips.
Especially after sun exposure as well, our lips can get so dehydrated they start to peel or crack, and can even get sunburnt. Putting this mask on after returning from a hike or a beach day is the perfect dry lip rescue remedy.
- Herbivore Coco Rose Coconut Oil Body Polish
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We focus so much on making sure our face is well cleansed, exfoliated and moisturized, but sometimes we neglect our body’s skin as a whole. This Herbivore Cocorose Coconut Oil Body Polish is the perfect step to add into your routine to be sure you treat your body and face with love.
Simply apply the polish in the shower, let it sit for a few minutes and rinse it off. Your skin will be smoother and more radiant, without being torn to shreds like it would be with a harsh scrub. After reading the reviews, some Sephora members said it even helped to clear some body acne they were finding on their back and shoulders!
Quarantine has its downside of feeling cooped up and missing loved ones, but it can’t hurt to try to make the best of it. Taking this time to care for yourself by eating healthy, exercising often and getting true rest will help you to jump back into your daily routine even better once the stay at home orders are lifted! Hopefully this list helps you to find a few things on sale that you can use to pamper yourself while at home! Stay healthy ladies.
Xoxo
Her Campus Cal Poly