Black Friday at Sephora

 

Get Black Friday ready with Sephora!

This year marks the first EVER Sephora UK Black Friday and boy are they starting with a bang!

Their preview event began on November 7^th offering up to 25% off until the 13^th, increasing to 33% until the 20^th before pulling out all the stops to celebrate Black Friday week with an incredible up to 50% off hundreds of brands!

 

 

Personally I’m thrilled that Black Friday has become a ‘thing’ here in the UK as it is perfectly timed to help you grab a Christmas bargain.

It’s been a difficult year for everyone financially so every little helps when it comes to budgeting for Christmas gifts and Sephora’s Black Friday deals will go a long way to ensuring you can still dazzle and delight your nearest and dearest this year.

For me, I spend a lot of time researching what products and gifts I plan to purchase from Sephora for Christmas and I keep a note of their URL’s and prices so that when Black Friday hits, I’m ready to shop!

 

 

It can be difficult not to get side tracked in the sales and I find that being organised with a pre-selected list of goodies can really help.

That said, with the sheer amount of bargains available and with all the money you’ll be saving through your clever, well timed purchases, it would seem rude not to treat yourself to little something to congratulate yourself on being so savvy!

I decided to challenge myself by heading to Sephora armed with £100 to see how many gifts I could check off my Christmas list for my loved ones this Black Friday month, and I think that the results might surprise you.

 

 

Firstly I bagged the oh-so-chic YSL Beauty Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils Complete Eye Gift Set (£29).

The perfect gift for all YSL lovers, this elegant black and gold gift box contains their iconic Beauty Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils, a miniature Dessin du Regard Eye Pencil and a mini Top Secrets Expert Makeup Remover 8ml.

 

 

This luxurious, best-selling fibre brush mascara delivers nine times more volume than bare lashes for the ultimate false-lash effect.

Enriched with pro-vitamin, walnut leaf extract from YSL’s Ourika garden in Morocco and Argan oil, the deeply conditioning formula delivers an intense black finish and leaves lashes looking thicker and longer without smudging, clumping or flaking.

 Now I simply couldn’t resist the fabulous Huda Beauty Empowered Lip Trio (£26).

Ideal for any makeup lover, this gorgeous little gift is presented within an eye catching, reusable gold tin that resembles a pair of lips.

 

 

Inside this limited edition set you’ll find a trio of lip products to help you achieve the most perfect pout.

Inside you’ll find a Lip Contour 2.0 Automatic Lip Pencil in a soft pinky brown hue. This rich, velvety matte pencil has been infused with a nourishing blend of soybean and licorice to offer a creamy, comfortable wear.

There’s also a Power Bullet Matte Lipstick in Interview, a universally wearable warm, peachy nude.

 

 

Boasting a brilliant colour payoff, this silky smooth lipstick offers a plush-matte finish for a chicer than chic finish.

Finally we have the Silk Balm Illuminating Lip Balm in Bold Gold.

This sheer, gold balm is infused with gold pearls for a hydrating, illuminating, pearlescent shine.

One of my favourite brands, ICONIC London have a brilliant gift set on Sephora called Good Time Glow (£26).

Containing the brands best selling prep-set-glow spray and a complexion stick which is exclusive to this set, its never been easier to create a radiant looking complexion.

This handy little strobing blusher stick in shade Rosy Warmth allows you to add a natural looking warmth to your complexion by bringing a wash of healthy colour to your cheeks along with creating the illusion of lifted cheekbones.

 

 

Featuring a marbled effect with a tiny hint of pearl, this multi-purpose stick can be used on your lips, cheeks and eyes and creates a dreamy, multi-dimensional finish for skin that glows.

Prep-Set-Glow is ICONIC London’s best selling hydrating mist.

This refreshing spritz contains extracts of cucumber and chamomile along with antioxidants, Green Tea and Vitamin E to help condition your skin while caffeine helps combat the appearance of dark circles around your eyes.

Containing light reflecting particles it helps to prep the skin prior to makeup application, sets a finished look or refreshes a bare face throughout the day, creating a healthy, natural looking glow.

 Another must-have for makeup lovers is the Benefit Pucker Up & Peace Out Moisturising Lip Balm Trio Set (£19.50).

Like fragrances, makeup can be very personal and unless you know the specific product or brand that a loved one favours, it can be hard to know what to buy for them.

I find you can never go wrong with something from Benefit, or some kind of lip balm set, and this bad boy is both.

 

 

The Pucker Up & Peace Out! Set contains 3 mini California Kissin’ lip balms.

Featuring a nourishing formula enriched with hyaluronic acid and wild mango butter, these rich, creamy balms offer long lasting moisturisation paired with a subtle hint of flattering colour to breathe life back into your lips.

You’ll find the following mini shades in appropriately festive shades; California Kissin’ in Spiced Red 11 "Boho Chill", California Kissin’ in Ruby 22 "Outta Sight" and California Kissin’ in Berry 333 "Good Vibes".

Christmas is a time to indulge and pamper and even if your budget won’t stretch to a spa day or beauty treatment, you can still gift a little luxury with L'Occitane’s Delicious Almond Stocking Filler (£12).

Brilliant priced, this cute little set contains a trio from my favourite L’Occitane range, Almond.

Inside, you’ll find an Almond Shower Oil, Almond Milk Concentrate and Almond Delicious Hands.

 

 

I adore the almond shower oil! Thick, rich and basically like liquid gold, this transformative oil emulsifies on contact with water, becoming a super soft, gentle cleansing milk to comfort and nourish your skin.

The Almond Milk Concentrate transforms your bath into a milky paradise, with the most addictive aroma of sweet, soft almond while the non-greasy hand cream softens and nourishes dry hands leaving behind the mouth-watering scent of fresh almonds in an invisible veil of scent.

Two more brilliantly priced stocking filler gifts come in the form of ‘baubles’ from cosmetic powerhouse Clarins.

Clarins Prime And Pout Bauble (£10) contains two essential make-up must haves for any beauty fan.

Up first is a mini Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch Primer. This award winning primer bridges the gap between make-up and skin care, featuring an ultra-light, ultra-smooth texture that glides on skin, leaving a imperceptible veil on its surface, filling in and smoothing away the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and pores.

Complimenting this primer is a Natural Lip Perfector 01 in Rose Shimmer.

 

 

This hydrating balm-serum smoothes, softens and visibly plumps lips with Shea Butter, enriched in Vitamin F.

Featuring a sweet vanilla scent, this silky balm pampers and nourishes our lips while imparting a subtle hint of colour to bring your lips to life.

Meanwhile, Clarins Lips And Lashes Bauble (£10) contains another two hero products.

This set contains a mini Lip Comfort Oil 01 in Honey  and a Supra Lift & Curl Mascara.

The luxurious new lip oil has been reformulated with a trio of plant oils including Organic Sweetbriar Rose oil to help revive, comfort, and protect lips while visibly plumping with all day hydration and nourishment.

Formulated with 93% of ingredients of natural origin, this intensive lip treatment glides over lips with a light, non-sticky feel that delivers a cushioned, softening effect.

The curved sponge applicator hugs lip and contours for precise, glide-on application that leaves lips feeling cocooned with ultra-glossy shine.

 

 

The Supra Lift & Curl Mascara enhances your lashes by curling, lifting and definfing in the blink of an eye without causing damage.

The formula is rich in deep black and water-resistant mineral pigments which don’t move from the lashes while the bitter orange blossom wax coasts, protects and curls lashes for easy application in a single sweep.

Now, would this even be a Christmas gifting/Black Friday post without the inclusion of scented candles.

Yankee Candle AW22 3 Filled Votive Gift Set (£9.99) is a great, reasonably priced gift from a universally loved brand.

Presented in a gorgeous rectangular box with a red ribbon bow on top, the gift box features intricate illustrations of festive botanicals, baubles, icicles and layered snowflakes create a magical feel for the perfect gift.

Comprising of three festively scented votive candles, you’ll find the following scents; 

 

 

Snow Globe Wonderland: Top notes of Icy Mint, Star Anise, Sage, Holly berry, mid notes of  Nutmeg, Eucalyptus, Lavender and base notes of Cedarwood, Praline & Snow Moss.

 Snowflake Kisses: Top notes of Peach Nectar, Strawberry, Raspberry, mid notes of Violet, Orris, Rose and base notes of Powdery Accord, Sandalwood & White Musk.

Peppermint Pinwheels: Top notes of Sparkling Peppermint, Melted Butter, Sea Salt, mid notes of Kettle Corn, Crushed Candy Cane, Winter Mint and base notes Whipped Vanilla, Dark Chocolate & Frosted Spearmint.

All of these fantastic gifts came to the grand total of £139.54, just ever so slightly over budget but with my unique discount code of ‘SARAHSPH’ it brought it down to £116.88, which I think is an amazing price for so many gifts.

It averages out at just £14.61 per item which I think it brilliantly affordable and has allowed me to source 8 amazing gifts for 8 of my closest friends.

 

 

Plus, with Black Friday fast approaching, who knows what bigger savings will be in store in the next week or so!

Don’t miss out on your chance to bag yourself a Black Friday bargain from Sephora now!

And remember, a little pre-planning goes a long way!

Iconic London Radiance Booster

 Give your skin a healthy glow this autumn with Iconic London’s Radiance Booster.

This multi-functional, lightweight, skin tint can be used for an all-over illumination, worn alone to compliment your natural beauty, under your foundation or even mixed with your foundation for a lit-from-within glow.

 

Formulated with a cocktail of innovative ingredients, this beautiful, silky fluid is available in 10 sheer, versatile shades to flatter all skin tones.

Featuring a gel-crème formula, it contains a Oleo-Gel complex which works to smooth and even out your complexion and Luminizer Peptides to help maintain flawless transparency. 

 

Silky and lightweight, it creates a natural-looking, long lasting glow to lift a dull, tired complexion, blur imperfections and create the illusion of healthy, vibrant looking skin.

The booster is presented in a tall, elegant gold tube with a pump for hygienic distribution and application.

 

 

I opted to test out the shade ‘champagne’ as for 10 months of the year I am pretty darn pale so anything too warm would probably be too much for me.

‘Champagne’ as you may expect is a soft, neutral shade with slightly yellow undertones.

The fluid itself is rich yet light, creamy yet silky in texture.

It glides across your skin, creating a second-skin effect thanks to its feather light nature and ability to effortlessly blend into your complexion.

 

Absorbed almost instantly, it instantly leaves your skin feel softer and comforted without flooding your complexion.

I have oily/combination skin and I had no trouble at all with it disrupting the balance of my skin or making it look or feel heavy or greasy.

Applied to bare skin, it offers an instant ‘lift’, breathing life into your complexion and creating a natural, dewy appearance.

Once foundation has been applied, its glowing properties continue to radiate through, preventing your skin from looking too flat.

For a more intense, glass-like sheen, you can layer the fluid over the top of your base, concentrating on the areas of your face that would naturally catch the light, such as cheekbones and brow bones.

If you really aren’t a fan of sparkly highlighters or illuminators then you’re going to love this one because you’ll find absolutely zero sparkle here.

 

Instead, expect a soft, pearly glow as opposed to full on glitter and shimmer.

Created to compliment and boost the look of your skin rather than hide it, it is the perfect addition to absolutely everyone’s makeup bag.

Iconic London’s Radiance Boosters are available now and cost £30.

Iconic London Ultimate Skin Serum & 360 Degree Roller

 Ladies and gents, meet the brand new, first ever skincare launch from Iconic London.

Say hello to their gorgeous new 360˚ Roller and Ultimate Skin Serum.

We know how well Iconic do glowy cosmetics, but how do they fare with their newest addition to their ever expanding line of hero products?

Unlike specific, targeted serums, the new Ultimate Skin Serum has been developed to be suitable for absolutely everyone, irrespective of if you have oily, dry or combination skin.

Captured within the sleek, cylindrical gold vessel you’ll find a serum which has been formulated with specialist peptides that help to boost your skins natural radiance.

 

A potent blend of plant botanicals including vegan squalene and Vitamin E seek to deeply nourish your skin by locking in moisture, protecting the delicate skin barrier, aiding natural defences and leaving your skin feeling soft, hydrated and fresh.

The serum itself is milky white in colour, possesses a really delicate scent and is wonderfully silky and lightweight.

 

It has more of a watery gel like texture than an oily textured serum, meaning the cooling fluid glides across your skin before quickly absorbing without a trace.

Skin is left instantly feeling fresher, softer and hydrated.

 

This is not it though as Iconic have also launched a nifty little beauty tool in the form of their  360˚ facial roller which is designed to go hand in hand with their serum.

This elegant gold tool perfectly matches the appearance of the serum and has been made out of cooling Zamac.

 

Remember how I said that the serum offers a beautiful cooling effect, well thanks to this little beauty you can take cooling to a whole new level.

Designed to be use as an at-home facial massager, this nifty little gem helps to loosen muscle tension, sculpt cheekbones, depuff bothersome areas such as under the eyes and visibly lift and firm your skin.

 

You can use the roller in a couple of different ways, either prior to skincare application to prep your skin, or during application to help evenly distribute the product.

For use prior to skincare, on clean dry skin, gently roll the 360˚ roller along and under your jawline, across your temples and cheekbones and under your eyes using outward strokes then follow with 1-2 pumps of the serum.

By prepping your skin in this way it will leave your skin ready to more efficiently drink in the serum for ultimate absorption.

 

If you prefer to use the roller with your serum, simply apply a couple of drops of the serum to your skin and use the roller over your neck, chin, cheekbones and forehead.

This is one of my first experiences with a skincare roller and I’m really impressed.

I adore the cooling sensation on my skin which helps me to feel more awake and I have noticed a real difference to my under eye area where it has succeeded in aiding drainage and reducing the appearance of puffiness in the morning.

 

The process only takes a few minutes yet somehow I find that it really helps set me up for the day and likewise of an evening, I find it ever so therapeutic and relaxing, particularly if I’ve had a stressful day and feel tense.

Both the serum and roller are reasonably priced and given the quality of both the formula and tool, I feel that they are great value for money.

Plus, coated in vibrant gold with black detailing, they look ever-so luxe!

Iconic London’s new Ultimate Skin Serum (£38) and  360˚ Roller (£35) are both available now.

Iconic London Sheer Blush

 Perk up a tired, dull complexion and create a radiant, healthy glow with a pop of colour thanks to Iconic London’s Sheer Blush collection.

This liquid blush creates a beautiful soft-focus colour for both your cheeks and lips, creating an instant, natural looking glow.

 

 

100% Vegan and Cruelty Free, they are available in a selection of six wearable shades to compliment and enhance your complexion.

Formulated with a plant extract known for its anti-pollution benefits, the water-rich Sheer Blush melts into your skin, giving cheeks and lips a veil of soft-focus colour.

Contained within a chic, sleek rose gold coloured tube, the gel to watercolour formula allows you to effortlessly blend and build the colour resulting in your own customised hue depending on your desired look.

 

 

The collection of shades ranges from soft, sultry and natural to vibrant and bold and can be combined to create you very own bespoke shade.

First up there’s Rose Riot, a pretty, pale pastel pink followed by Cheeky Coral, a soft, creamy coral pink.

Power Pink offers a punch of vivid mid pink colour while Fresh Faced creates a warm, fawn pink.

 

 

Finally, Fearless Flush is a beautiful, autumnal warm berry pink and Berry Boom offers a deep, cocoa berry hue.

I tested out three of the shades, Power Pink, Cheeky Coral and Fresh Faced and was really impressed by the results.

 

 

 The blush itself is wonderfully lightweight yet contains true pigment power.

It is silky soft in texture and melts into your skin, imparting a delicate hint of colour.

You can then apply a little more to build your look until you’ve reached your desired shade and it also works a treat on lips.

 

 

Its nourishing qualities ensure that your cheeks and lips are left feeling comfortable and hydrated, resulting in a natural, soft look.

You’ll find no cakeiness or creasing and just the right amount of matte to ensure you look as natural as possible.

I’m a big fan of multi-use products and enjoy matching my cheeks to my lips as I feel it helps to bring a look together and this blush certainly allows this.

 

 

Priced at £18 each you’ll want to collect them all!

Iconic London’s Sheer Blush collection is available now.