I’m taking a quick break from the Setting Spray Showdown because the Sephora fall sale kicks off tomorrow! I always use this sale to restock my staples and finally grab a few expensive items I’ve had my eye on. For this sale, I decided to do one pick per category. These are all products I’ve used extensively, tested against tons of others, and would personally repurchase in a heartbeat. I also used almost all these products in a single face, and it turned out amazing, especially for my olive undertones. In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own.
Glowy primer: Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops – This is the primer that makes my skin look so much better, no matter how little sleep I got. It’s skincare and glowy primer in one, without leaving a greasy finish. It gives that fresh, bouncy finish like you just drank a gallon of water. Even though it provides a glow, it still sets down and provides a great base for makeup to sit on top of and also looks great on no-makeup days because of the finish. I’m really happy I finally grabbed this in the spring Sephora sale.
Grippy primer: Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer – I only use this on my T-zone, but it completely transforms how long my makeup lasts and makes it worth the extra step for me. It really makes everything stick to it without actually feeling sticky. Every time I skip it, I notice that products fade so much faster. This is especially true on my nose, where I almost never skip this now since it makes such a huge difference.
Skin tint/foundation: Ciele Tint & Protect Medium Coverage Serum Foundation in Shade 3 – I’m testing 15 foundations right now, and I decided after much deliberation that If I could only keep one complexion product, this would be it. It provides light to medium buildable coverage and is super easy to apply and blend. It looks great applied with fingers, brush, or sponge and gives my skin a natural glow without being wet or too dewy. I love that it also has SPF 50 (though of course I use another SPF underneath!). Plus, this shade works for me even without green corrector so I can skip a step.
Concealer: Sarah Creal Face Flex Concealer & Complexion Enhancer with Caffeine in 2 – I didn’t want to love this concealer as much as I do because it’s so expensive, but it really is amazing. Despite the high price, it looks stunning on the skin. It provides excellent coverage without creasing or looking cakey, especially under the eyes. It’s lightweight, doesn’t settle into fine lines, and isn’t too drying. The finish is dewy and hydrating but not overly glowy. While it sets beautifully on its own, it also works well with powder if needed. I’ve used it as a concealer and blended all over as a foundation, and it works great either way.
Powder: Laura Mercier Translucent Pressed Setting Powder Ultra-Blur – If I could choose only one powder to keep, it’d be this one. It is hands down the best pressed powder I’ve ever tried, and since I got it, I’ve barely touched any of my other pressed powders. I love that no matter what I do, it never feels like I put too much of this on. It’s truly translucent so it doesn’t add any coverage or change the color of what I have on my face. It’s definitely only doing a tiny bit of setting and mattifying (so I wouldn’t recommend this for combo/oily skin) but I love how it’s able to do what I want a powder to do without adding any heaviness or getting cakey. It does have a tendency to hard pan, but you can easily fix that with a piece of tape.
Cream bronzer: Rare Beauty Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick in Bright Side – The texture of this bronzer is so smooth and glides on effortlessly. It blends out in seconds with either a brush or sponge (and even fingers). The shade Bright Side adds the perfect amount of warmth without pulling orange, and it gives my skin that healthy, sunkissed look without emphasizing texture or dryness. It’s lightweight enough for every day, but still pigmented enough to build up for more definition. Even on days I’m rushing, it never streaks or looks muddy, and I know my makeup will still look even hours later.
Cream blush: Haus Labs Color Fuse Longwear Hydrating Glassy Lip + Cheek Blush Balm Stick in Glassy Cayenne – This formula has quickly become one of my favorites because it strikes that perfect balance between a cream and a balm blush. It melts right into the skin, blends beautifully over foundation or bare skin, and leaves behind that a glow-from-within finish. The shade Glassy Cayenne is especially flattering — a warm terracotta that adds life to my face without overwhelming my olive undertones. It feels nourishing but not sticky, and it dries down just enough to stay put all day. It’s the blush I reach for when I want something that looks effortless but polished, and it layers gorgeously with powders or other creams.
Highlighter: Ciele Glow & Protect in Piper – This is one of the most natural highlighters I’ve ever used. It really just looks like my skin is just naturally that glowy. It gives a healthy sheen without any glitter, and the creamy texture makes it easy to tap on with fingers, sponge, or brush. I love that the formula blends into the rest of my makeup instead of sitting on top of it. The shade Piper works great on my olive skin too. This also has SPF 50, like most of Ciele’s products, which is a great bonus.
Powder Bronzer: Armani Luminous Silk Glow Bronzer in Shade 90 – The first time I tried this, I knew I had to have it. It has a weirdly perfect yellow/green undertone that works so well with my olive skin, making it look like a natural, sun-kissed glow. The tiny amount of shimmer is just enough to make my skin look healthy and like I actually go outside (which I don’t). The pan is huge, so you can use literally any brush with it, and that just makes applying it even more fun. It blends seamlessly and layers beautifully with my other products. It’s pretty expensive, so it’s a great choice to get during the sale.
Powder Blush: YSL Make Me Blush 24H Building Powder Blush in Hot Mauve – This is one of the best powder blushes I’ve tried all year. The formula super smooth, blends beautifully, and gives just the right amount of pigmentation. It’s very blurring and smoothing on the skin, never patchy, and wears really well throughout the day. This shade turns a true neutral pink on me. It doesn’t go peachy at all, which is surprisingly hard to find with my understones. It’s described as a warm rosey taupe, and I just love this shade so much on my skin tone. I also love the packaging (it’s very cute while still luxe-feeling), but that’s just a bonus given how expensive this blush is. I might get more shades during the sale, but I’m honestly so happy with this one that I might just stick with one.
Liquid eyeshadow: Makeup by Mario Master Mattes® Long-Wearing Cream Eyeshadow in Mauve – This shadow has quickly become a one-and-done favorite. The mauve shade is the perfect neutral to warm brown on my skin tone and looks so polished with very little effort. I do want to call out it’s not mauve on me at all, but I’m okay with that. It applies super easily, blends out quickly, and once it sets, it stays put all day without creasing. I love using it alone, but it also works really well as a base under other powder shadows. It’s exactly what I want in a liquid matte shadow. I also love how easy it is to get just a little bit off the doefoot because the formula is a little thick, which means you don’t end up with way too much that blends out all over your face. I honestly might grab some more shades during the sale.
Powder Eyeshadow: YSL Couture Mini Clutch Palettes in 730, 710, and 200 – These are some of my absolute favorite palettes, and while I think they’re worth the full price, they’re an especially good deal during the sale. 730 is my go-to pink-toned palette because every shade is flattering on my olive undertones, and the formula is just incredible. Each shade picks up easily, blends seamlessly, and wears beautifully all day without creasing. I love that even with only four shades, there’s enough variety to get multiple complete looks from soft and subtle to something more dramatic. The shimmers are particularly special in all the palettes and give that perfect shiny, dimensional finish that works on its own or layered over anything else. It’s the kind of palette that makes me excited to do my makeup because I know every look will turn out well. The packaging is also stunning and clearly luxury. I also love the 200 palette (you can see my full review here: YSL Couture Mini Clutch in 200) and the 710 palette (you can see my full review here: YSL Couture Mini Clutch in 710). I’m tempted to grab another one during the sale, but I really had to see if any of the other top the three I already have.
Brow Gel: Rare Beauty Brow Harmony Flexible Lifting and Laminating Eyebrow Gel – I’ve tried so many brow gels, and nothing has ever really held my brows in place all day until this one. I’m honestly always shocked that my eyebrows stay put with this until I wash them off, with zero crunchiness, flaking, or stiffness. The hold is strong but flexible, and it actually looks natural. I wish it came in tinted shades, but even with the clear shade, it’s worth adding into my routine for the shaping and hold.
Brow Pencil: Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil in Shade 5 – Because of a sparse area I have in one of my brows, I never skip this step, so I had to include both this and a brow gel on this list. I love this pencil because it goes on so quickly and naturally, and the size makes it perfect to fill areas in fast but not overdo it. And unlike other pencils, it stays all day, so I don’t end up with a hole in my brow by the end of the day.
Mascara: Hourglass Unlocked Instant Extensions Defining and Lengthening Tubing Mascara – This mascara adds length and definition and stays perfectly in place until you wash it off with warm water. The brush grabs every lash without clumping, and the formula feels super lightweight. I love that my lashes don’t fall as quickly and keep a curl much longer than with heavier mascara formulas. I’m doing a mascara test, and this is one of my favorites so far because it holds a curl the entire day without flaking or smudging and is just super reliable. I I might pick up the new brown shade during the sale.
Lip liner: Glossier Lip Line Enhancing Hydrating Longwear Lip Liner Pencil in Buff – When I was going through all my lip liners and picking out my favorites, I realized that this one is the one I end up wearing the most. The formula is super comfortable, lightweight and non-drying. It’s not the longest wearing because of that but as someone with pretty dry lips, that’s a trade off I’m willing to make. The formula is creamy and hydrating, making it easy to apply without tugging. Buff is a slightly warm leaning brown that doesn’t go orange, and I’m so excited to wear this even more the rest of the fall.
Lipstick: Signature Lip Lightweight Lipstick in Slip – This formula is still one of my favorites. It’s semi-sheer but buildable without settling into any lip lines. It’s a satin matte finish that doesn’t slide around and wander onto my face and is so easy to reapply throughout the day. Despite the satin matte finish, it’s still very comfortable and nourishing. Slip is a warm leaning brown that I can’t quite describe but it’s the perfect lipstick for a fair/light olive skintone. Slip is my favorite everyday lipstick. I honestly wear it more often than any other lip product I have, and I have a way more lip products than I’m wiling to admit.
Lip Balm: Eadem Le Chouchou Lip Softening Balm in Pain au Chocolat (*PR) – This is easily one of the most special lip products I own. The shade Pain au Chocolat is a sheer, shimmery brown that adds warmth and dimension alone or over another lip product. It keeps my lips soft and hydrated for hours. I also feel like my lips feel better after I use this. The texture is buttery and smooth, and it smells faintly of a chocolate croissant so it’s not overpowering. I also love the clear shimmery gold version (Croissant au Beurre), but this shade is something I can’t stop reaching for. Of all my lips balms (and I have dozens and dozens), this is the one I would pick up during the sale.
Lip Gloss: Gisou Honey Infused Hydrating Lip Oil in Glazed Plum – This is as good as everyone says they are. These are very moisturizing, nourishing, and conditioning in a way I didn’t expect. It’s also longer lasting than I thought it was going to be. This shade is very sheer but you do get a wash of color. The glitter is subtle with just enough to add a pretty reflective shine to your lips. I think it makes my lips look amazing if I’m being honest, and it’s not gritty at all. It also smells really nice (if you like honey). I’m honestly thinking of getting more shades even though I definitely don’t need more lip products.
Setting spray: One/Size Powder Melt Glass Setting Spray – This setting spray takes away any powderiness, melts the layers of makeup together, and leaves a soft, radiant finish that lasts all day. I love that it adds a glow without making me oily, and the mister is great. It’s especially good for dry skin because it gives that healthy, hydrated look without feeling sticky or tight. I’ve tested so many setting sprays for my showdown series coming soon (I made a whole tournament bracket!), and this one is going to be in the running for the top spot for sure. It’s just reliable and makes every look better all day.
Honorable mention to Sephora Collection Colorful Blush in Self Made – This is a beautiful matte powder blush formula in such a good shade for me. I’m shocked it’s as inexpensive as it is (especially if you grab it when Sephora Collection is 30% off). This is the blush I’ve been going to when I just need something to throw on without thinking or having to worry about how it’ll look. This is on par with the Pat McGrath blush formula for me, which is really high praise given how much I love that blush. Self-Made is described as a muted light pink, and it’s a perfect pinky beigey goes with everything kind of shade. I also love this for travel because it’s so thin and easy to sneak into my makeup bag. This is going to be even more on sale since it’s Sephora Collection so I wanted to add it in!
What other products would you like me to review? Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.
Makeup and Skincare Reviews 