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Top Makeup Picks for the 2025 Sephora Savings Event

The Sephora Savings Event for Holiday has kicked off, starting with early access for Rouge members! Apply code EVERYTHING to enjoy discounts while shopping online. Here's a breakdown of discounts by tier:

• Sephora Collection: 30% off from 10/31 – 11/10
• Rouge members: 20% off from 10/31 – 11/10
• VIB members: 15% off from 11/4 – 11/10
• Insiders: 10% off from 11/4 – 11/10

In this guide, I’ve compiled my essential makeup favorites, meticulously organized into categories. While I aimed for a Top 3 in each section, some categories boast more than three entries due to the sheer quality.

Best Primers

These primes bring multifunctionality into your makeup routine, serving hydration while preparing the skin for foundation:

• Charlotte Tilbury Invisible UV Flawless Primer SPF 50 – This is an absolute favorite for its standout SPF protection combined with primer benefits.
• Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter – Renowned for giving a luminous glow, it's ideal worn under foundation or on its own. My go-to shades are 3, 4, and occasionally 4.5; check here for swatches.
• YSE Beauty Skin Glow SPF 30 Primer – A peachy rose-tinted primer that adds a subtle glow while providing SPF protection.
• Saie Glowy Super Gel – Perfect for those who find the Charlotte Tilbury too sparkly, this hydrating option adds a gentle glow without the glitter.
• Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base – A staple that combines moisturizer and primer benefits exquisitely.

Best Foundation Formulas

I’ve categorized foundations based on coverage and finish:

Best Skin Tints/Sheer Coverage

• Rare Beauty Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 – A lightweight tinted moisturizer providing natural coverage; I recommend shade 24N.
• Fenty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint – A go-to for its satin finish and blendability.
• Summer Fridays Sheer Skin Tint – An ultra-sheer formula offering a dewy, hydrating finish.
• It Cosmetics CC+ Nude Glow SPF40 – A favorite CC cream that offers impeccable coverage; my shade is Medium Tan.

Best Medium Coverage

• Armani Luminous Silk Foundation – This is my holy grail! It perfectly balances medium coverage with a natural glow; shade 6.5 is my ultimate match.
• Natasha Denona Hy-Glam Foundation – The new hydrating formula of the year; currently using shade N8.
• Makeup By Mario SurrealSkin Natural Finish Foundation – A thicker, yet blendable formula yielding a satin finish; I prefer mixing shades 12O and 14N.

Best Stick Foundations

• Dior Forever Skin Perfect Foundation Stick – My favorite stick foundation, glides effortlessly on the skin; check out swatch comparisons here.
• Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick – A reliable classic; shade V is what I’m wearing now.
• Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Foundation Stick – Initially skeptical, I now adore it for a natural finish, ideal for targeted application. My go-to is shade 7.5.

Best Concealers

• Natasha Denona Hy-Glam Brightening Concealer – Offers remarkable wear as both a brightener and for spot concealing; shades N8 and N9 are in rotation for me.
• YSL Touche Eclat Awakening Concealer Pen – A standout brightening concealer perfect for the under-eye area; I use shade 3.
• NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer – A lifetime favorite for both covering under-eye circles and redness; Ginger is my preferred shade.
• NARS Soft Matte Concealer – Ideal for spot concealing; recently re-discovered for its effectiveness.

Best Setting Powders

I prefer pressed powders for convenience but find that loose powders generally provide longer-lasting results:

Loose Powder Favorites

• Laura Mercier Ultra-Blur Talc Free Translucent Loose Setting Powder – Universally praised, this setting powder brings compliments for its blurring effect, used with the Makeup by Mario Powder Puff.
• YSL All Hours Hyper Blur Loose Setting Powder – Provides blurring and setting capabilities without darkening, shade 02 Fair Medium works for me.

Pressed Setting Powders

• Dior Forever Nude Matte or Luminescent Pressed – My go-to pressed powders, featuring shades 02 Light and Radiant Filter, but avoid them if you're sensitive to fragrance.
• Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Blurring Powder – My evergreen choice; I typically use the Medium shade.
• Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Blurring Under Eye Powder – Perfect for setting under-eye concealers, offering a lightweight, blurred effect without looking heavy.

Setting Sprays

I don't frequently use setting sprays, but these options are stellar picks:

• Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Hydrating Waterproof Setting Spray – Lightweight with a fine mist, a reliable staple.
• Makeup by Mario SurrealSkin Soft Setting Spray – Another fantastic option for an all-day wear.
• NARS Light Reflecting Hydrating Makeup Setting Mist – A hydrating touch that enhances your makeup throughout the day.

Best Bronzers

My bronzing choices remain relatively consistent, as I adore their tones and formulations:

• Armani Luminous Silk Creamy Bronzing Powder – This has remained a top choice for its quality; see reviews and swatches here.
• Patrick Ta Major Sculpt Crème Contour + Powder Duo – Currently loving the She’s Sculpted version.
• Gucci Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer – I prefer shade 3 for a sun-soaked finish, check it out here.
• Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi – Fantastic for natural bronze tint application; I find it blends effortlessly.

Contour Picks

While I often use bronzer for contouring, here are three specific products that stand out:

• Rare Beauty Warm Wishes Effortless Cream Bronzer Stick – Blends seamlessly without disappearing; I adore the shades Happy Sol or Always Sunny.
• Westman Atelier Face Trace Cream Contour Stick – My go-to shade for contour is Truffle.
• LYS No Limits Cream Bronzer + Contour Stick – An exceptional under-the-radar formula; I enjoy the shade Harmony.

Best Blushes

Recommendations are divided between powder and cream/liquid formats, with a slight preference for powders due to their longevity:

Favorite Powder Formulas

• YSL Make Me Blush – My go-to blush formula this year, especially in shade 44 Nude Lavalliere. [Review here]
• Dior Rosy Glow Powder Blush – Newly launched and absolutely stunning; find reviews and swatches here.
• Patrick Ta Major Headlines Double Take Crème Powder Blush Duo – Recently revisited; Not Too Much is my favorite neutral shade, along with She Goes to the Gym for mauve tones.
• Don't miss the new Holiday Patrick’s Glow and Gloss Duos; the Ice Me Down Set should be on your radar for its stunning looks. I suggest using the Buy Online, Pick Up In Store option for hard-to-find items.
• Valentino Eye2Cheek Eyeshadow + Blush – I adore shades 03 and 04 for their luminous finish.

Favorite Cream or Liquid Formats

• Armani Luminous Silk Cheek Tint – This formula continues to impress with its flawless finish and staying power. [Review here]
• Hourglass Unreal Liquid Blush – Adored for its excellent color range; I find these blushes exceptionally comfortable for my dry skin this year. [Review here]
• Rhode Pocket Blush – These have become favorites; Freckle is a neutral winner for daily wear. [Swatches + review here]

Highlighter Favorites

• Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Highlighter Wand – Unmatched for liquid highlighters; especially with the recent markdown at Sephora. [Swatches here]
• Dior Forever Glow Maximizer – Ideal in shades Nude and Pink. [Swatch here]
• Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palettes – While many previous favorites have been discontinued, I'm loving the selections in these palettes this year. [Swatches of the 2025 palettes here]

Eyeshadow Favorites

• Natasha Denona continues to lead with the best eyeshadow palettes. My forever favorites are I Need a Warm Eyeshadow Palette [Review here] and I Need a Nude Eyeshadow Palette [Review here].
• Makeup by Mario Master Mattes Original – My all-time go-to palette for warm neutrals.
• Patrick Ta Major Dimension Essential Artistry Edit Eyeshadow Palettes – New favorites with impressively smooth mattes, especially in the Medium and Deep shades.

Best Cream Eyeshadow

• Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize – A beautiful formula, particularly in the Rose Gold shade.
• Armani Eye Tints – These work as a quick application, with shades 44S Blush and 22M Cashew being standout picks.
• Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Cream Eyeshadow – A lifeline for creamy shadow application, always reliable! [Check out my swatches + review of the new formula here].
• Makeup By Mario Master Mattes Long-Wearing Cream Shadow – Surprising my expectations! This formula is exceptional for matte look lovers.
• Merit Solo Shadow Cream Eyeshadow – On my radar for shimmer shades, I love the matte Vachetta color. Just ensure you seal the lids tightly to prevent drying out.

Essential Brow Products

Here are my favored brow products:

• Glossier Boy Brow Arch 2-in-1 Longwear Pomade Brow Pencil
• Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz or Brow Definer
• Benefit Precisely, My Brow

I recently added the ABH MicroStroke Detailing Brow Pen to my regimen, and I’m in love! Still mastering its application, but the shades and formula are spot on.

Beloved Mascaras

I need to shake up my mascara collection; while I have a few faithful choices, I’m open to trying new formulas. Here are my current favorites:

• Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara or the XL Lengthening version
• YSL Lash Clash
• Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara – Just purchased the Diorshow Volume Mascara and Primer Set including a primer and different formula to try.

Favorites in Lipsticks

My lipstick portfolio is extensive, but here are my top five favorites:

• Dior Rouge Dior On Stage in 120 Iconic Rose – A perfect neutral pink. Check my review here and see it in action here.
• NARS Afterglow Sensual Shine Hydrating Lipstick – Glides on smoothly, with excellent hydration. Additional shades would be a welcome launch! Swatches here and again here.
• Prada Monochrome Soft Matte Lipstick – The best matte formula I’ve encountered, with standout shades being B101 Tiepolo and P158 Meranti.
• Fenty Gloss Bomb Stix – These offer a creamy finish that ranks them high on my list. Swatches for cream finish here and high shimmer options here.

Best Liquid Lipsticks

Although liquid lipsticks aren’t typically my favorite due to the matte finish, I do appreciate the beauty of these:

• Dior Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Lipstick – A solid choice for its color range.
• Dior Rouge Dior Sequin Liquid Lip Duo – While not all shades are at Sephora, you can view them in action here.
• Refy Lip Stick – This formula has a healthier finish, offering a creamy feel instead of traditional matte. Additional swatches are available here.

Favorites in Tinted Lip Balms/Oils

These tinted lip enhancers are impeccable for everyday wear:

• YSL Candy Glaze Lip Gloss Stick (review here and holiday shades here)
• Guerlain Kiss Kiss Bee Glow Lip Oil – Recognized as the best lip oil on the market; check out the review here.
• Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump – A versatile formula that I adore. The reviews can be viewed here of the Shimmer Shades and additional Juicy Plump swatches here.
• NARS Afterglow Tinted Lip Balms – These are my top pick for ease on-the-go.
• Hourglass Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm – Another beloved product for its varied colors and formula, with swatches featured here and also here.

Top Lip Liners

• Tom Ford Runway Lip Liner Pencil – The smoothest long-wear pencil on the market. Check swatches here.
• Fenty Trace’d Out Longwear Lip Liner – Another impressive formula worth trying. Check swatches here.
• Dior Rouge Contour – A recently re-discovered gem with fantastic shades; I recommend colors 100 and 329.

Best Lip Gloss Formulations

Here are my top gloss offerings:

• Dior Addict Lip Maximizer – Best overall for its formula and color selection. Swatches are available here.
• Fenty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer – A true favorite; I’ve experimented with nearly every shade! Fu$$y and Sweet Mouth are my top picks.
• Pat McGrath LUST Gloss – Smooth and silk-like without stickiness.
• Lawless Forget the Filler Lip Gloss – While shade selection varies, cream options like Cherry Vanilla and Velvet are stunning.
• Huda Faux Filler Shiny Lip Gloss – Another excellent gloss formulation, swatches can be found here.

Favorite Makeup Tools

Don’t overlook these fantastic tools available at Sephora:

• Hourglass Travel Brush Set – A worthwhile splurge that has served me well for years, featuring full-size options.
• Ilia Brushes – Some of the greatest, underrated brushes I’ve tried; hoping for a complete line someday!
• Glossier Lip Pencil Sharpener – While not glamorous, the best sharpener with an ideal travel setup.
• Makeup By Mario Powder Puff – A superb quality puff offering a soft feel and great usability.
• Sephora Collection Brush Cleaner – Exceptionally effective for removing stubborn cream products; pair it with Dawn Powerwash for the best results.
• Sephora Collection Cotton – A must-have staple that has become a staple in my collection.

That wraps up my extensive makeup favorites roundup! Keep an eye out for upcoming features on other categories. Don’t forget to apply code EVERYTHING to grab your savings during this event:

• Sephora Collection: 30% off from 10/31 – 11/10
• Rouge members: 20% off from 10/31 – 11/10
• VIB members: 15% off from 11/4 – 11/10
• Insiders: 10% off from 11/4 – 11/10