Wishlist Wednesday: The Black Friday Countdown

Part 1 of 4

One of my favorite days of the year is almost here…it’s BLACK FRIDAY! We still have a few weeks to go, but to prepare you all, I have chosen 4 brands to write about so you’ll find a blogpost up every Wednesday until Black Friday.

Today, I’m including a brand I’ve never written about before: Sephora. I usually stick to fashion brands, but I have spent all year revamping my makeup and skincare collection thanks to TikTok, and I’m ready to share some of my favorites just in time for their holiday savings event (Use Code: SAVINGS until 11/7) and Black Friday/Cyber Monday.

Skincare

As someone who has dealt with problematic skin since age 13, I have a tried a lot of products. For many years, I was only using what my dermatologist prescribed for me (I still highly recommend seeing a board-certified dermatologist for any skin concerns), but after seeing what Sephora had to offer via social media, I thought I would level-up my skincare game for a change.

Cleansers

I tried two new cleansers this year: the Fresh Soy pH-Balanced Hydrating Face Wash, and the Tatcha Rice Wash Skin-Softening Cleanser. Both cleansers are very highly rated and I honestly really liked both, however, I was not a fan of either of their scents. If you are sensitive to certain scents I would stop by a Sephora store and smell them before purchasing but if scents don’t bother you, I especially recommend the one from Fresh because I was able to use it as a makeup remover as well (removes eye makeup really well!). I will definitely continue to purchase these!

Chemical Exfoliants/Toners

I used to swear by physical exfoliants because I thought since I could feel the little beads scratching up my skin, it must be working. But…after learning about micro-tearing and hearing about all the different chemical exfoliants out there, I decided to give them a try. I tried the Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant from Paula’s Choice, The Ordinary’s Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toning Solution, and Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner. I ended up liking them all and I try to alternate between them in my skin cycling routine. Whenever I use them I wake up feeling like a whole new layer of skin has been revealed; any dullness or bumps basically disappear!

Moisturizers

I tried two different moisturizers this year that I really liked. The first one was the Watermelon Pink Juice Oil-Free Moisturizer from Glow Recipe (both the toner and moisturizer were in their Fruit Babies Bestsellers Kit which I highly recommend if you want to try their best products without committing to the full sizes and high prices). The kit tells you to use all the products together and every time I did (usually after an evening shower), I had glass skin in the morning!

The second moisturizer I loved was the Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream Plumping & Hydrating Moisturizer because it is actually the silkiest and smoothest cream that has ever touched my skin. It feels so luxurious on and will do so well in the colder, drier months. I will continue to buy these two moisturizers and I highly recommend them both!

Makeup

Obviously TikTok influenced me to buy both skincare AND makeup and honestly, it was totally overdue for me. I hadn’t updated my makeup routine since probably 2017 (yikes) so I was overjoyed when I found some new products to use. I threw out everything I had and invested in a new routine piece by piece. Here are some of my favorites from everything I’ve tried so far!

Primers

I have a primer that I have liked for years because it feels so lightweight and not sticky but I don’t think it’s very popular because I never hear anyone talk about it! It’s the Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Face Primer; I’ve always liked it and will likely keep purchasing!

I did try the Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Hydrating Makeup Primer this year and I do really like it, but only for heavier foundations. I didn’t feel right using this every day because it is a little stickier but that’s great for when you need a fuller coverage to last you from day to night.

Foundations and Skin Tints

For the longest time, the only foundation I trusted and repeatedly purchased was the Tarte Amazonian Clay foundation. It was full coverage and my perfect shade. I wore it every day until I started to feel confident enough in my own skin that I stopped wearing it as much. After a while though, I noticed I didn’t have any other foundation to use when I wanted to wear makeup, so I wanted to try something new.

This year, I bought both the Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Medium Coverage Liquid Foundation with Hyaluronic Acid (Shade: 3 Cool) and the Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 Foundation (Shade: Balos ST3). I fell in love with both products. I use the Ilia Skin Tint more often for a lighter coverage that evens out my skin tone and gives me a glowy finish—I love it. And I mostly use the Charlotte Tilbury for bigger events like Eid and weddings because it’s a bit heavier but looks better with each passing hour. I will definitely keep buying both!

Blushes

If you are on TikTok, you won’t be surprised by this. My favorite blushes are now the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blushes. I purchased the shades ‘Joy’ and ‘Encourage’ and I loved both. I think I loved ‘Encourage’ more for my skin tone because it is so universal. If you haven’t tried a Rare Beauty blush yet, what are you waiting for!? They’re glowy, creamy, and they last forever!

Lip Products

Balms, glosses, and lipsticks are what we need to survive, right? I bought every kind and I love them all. My favorite balm would be the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask Intense Hydration with Vitamin C (but are we even surprised??). It feels so nice when you first put it on, and the hydration lasts the entire day after. I definitely feel a difference when I don’t use it for a couple of days.

My favorite gloss is the Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Glossy Lip Balm in the shade ‘Nearly Mauve’. I’ve always been drawn to a slightly purple-ish hue in a gloss/lipstick and this one knocks it out of the park for me. I also love the shade ‘Nearly Neutral’ which would work for anyone!

Lastly, my favorite lipstick is of course the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in the shade ‘Pillow Talk Medium’. While I don’t wear it often, it is the perfect warm nude shade, no wonder it’s so popular! I don’t run out of these products often but when I do, believe me when I say I’ll be repurchasing!

I know I’m missing quite a few categories but don't worry, I’ll eventually write a huge blogpost about all the products TikTok made me buy including my reviews of them so don’t forget to check back for that! If you have any questions about the products or you’d like to share your own recommendations feel free to send me a DM on Instagram.

If you’ve made it down here, thanks so much for reading and I hope to see you next week! Happy shopping!