If You’re Gonna Buy Anything in the Sephora Sale, Make It One of These 18 Picks

This just in: Rachel Zegler wore this matte Dior lipstick in “999” for her Cosmo cover (and looked stunning, obvs). Dare I say, it’s the perfect classic red for all of your holiday gatherings this year. But I’m also a big fan of this lipstick formula in general—I wear “Grace” as my go-to pinky nude a few days a week. The matte version glides across my lips, blurring all of my lip lines and giving me a smooth, opaque look. Meanwhile, because the satin version is a bit sheerer, it’s so easy to apply and give my lips a slight glossy sheen.

When I used this eyelash serum religiously for six months, my eyelashes looked so long, fluffy, and thick. I basically stopped wearing mascara—that’s how good they looked. A slew of strengthening amino acids and hydrating niacinamide help make my lashes stronger so they’re less likely to fall out. Don’t just take me word for it: Readers ranked it as the best eyelash serum too.

I’ve tried a bajillion LED face masks in 2024, but this Dr. Dennis Gross one still clocks in as my absolute favorite, time and time again. It only takes three minutes (!!!) to help decrease inflammation, kill acne-causing bacteria, and/or encourage collagen production, depending on which setting you use.

Even better than getting it on sale? Getting this set on sale, which also comes with the DermInfusions Fill + Repair Serum, five Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peels, and four Vitamin C Lactic Biocellulose Brightening Treatment Masks—making this deal actually wild and totally something you should not pass up on.

PSA: If you’re VIB Rouge, you’ll get a whole $100 of this award-winning straightener. The Dyson Airstrait uses two plates to flatten your hair, but instead of making them hot, it shoots warm hair from the bottom to essentially dry and style your hair at the same time. It truly cuts my styling time in half (legit, I can do my fine bob in about five minutes).

“This flat iron is genuinely so easy to use and makes me look straight out of a salon,” says associate shopping editor Daisy Maldonado. “I love that the device has two settings so I can use it on either wet or dry hair,” she adds. “It makes styling immediately out of the shower so much easier and allows me to give dull dry hair a bit of a second life. Seriously, it is that good and gets the job done in minutes. Sleek and volumized hair has never been so simple to achieve—and I personally have never, ever been happier.”

Wanna finally try Sabrina Carpenter’s go-to lip balm without spending a small fortune? Buy it during the VIB sale (and fast because this will 100 percent sell out—’Brina’s impact!). It’s fully the most stunning lip balm you could pull out of your bag. The blue version imparts a sheer pink tint on your lips that adjusts to your pH, while the mint green is fully clear. I also love the natural shades for a minimalist lip look.

If you haven’t seen these all over your TikTok, let us fill you in: These Patrick Ta eyeshadow duos are filled with an outrageously shiny formula that basically makes your eyelids look wet and glossy. It’s not chunky glitters though; instead, each is a finely milled shimmer that reflects light perfectly.

But this does come at a somewhat high cost. But...“I’m here to tell you that these TikTok-famous eyeshadows are indeed worth the hype,” says assistant shopping editor Jasmine Hyman. “If you are looking to splurge on a pigmented, long-lasting eyeshadow (and don’t wanna buy a palette with superfluous colors), these duos are perf for any full glam moment.”

I got the pleasure of testing this months ahead of the launch in a facial (humblebrag), and at least once a week until it was in my hands, I wished I had it. You don’t know how much you need a battery-powered ice roller until you have one, y’all. With the click of a button, this device either cools down (to help depuff) or heats up (to help relax). I’ve brought it on three separate trips in the last two months, used it to help snatch my face after a late night during NYFW, and even massaged out a knot in my neck the size of a small country. I’m fully convinced this will be the hottest beauty gift this season.

Everyone who walks past my desk and smells this on me immediately goes “oooh.” The bergamot, jasmine, and musk scent is so sophisticated and cool—just like Merit’s makeup line. Beauty editor-at-large Julee Wilson is a big fan too: “I would describe this clean-formulated scent as follows: It smells like you live a stress-free life filled with days of giggling with girlfriends over midday cocktails.”

Three editors tested K18 AirWash back when it first launched and were obsessed with it. It’s basically dry shampoo from the future. It’s actually a liquid, not an aerosol, and uses porous, translucent microbeads to soak up sweat and oils. Because of this, it doesn’t leave behind that dreaded white cast, and it even claims to work up to 72 hours.

So when deputy beauty director Lauren Balsamo came back from maternity leave and hadn’t tested it yet, I told her she needed it ASAP. I feel wholly vindicated because she fell in love too. “This is incredible,” she says. “Hands down, the best dry shampoo I’ve used in years. It makes my hair look and feel super clean, has zero white residue, and even lasts for a few days. You need it right now.” I’m not saying I told you so...

The Dyson Airwrap is the OG, k? Yes, it’s expensive, which is why getting it at up to 20 percent off is key. “If you’re gonna splurge on one thing during the Sephora sale, do yourself a favor and make it the Dyson Airwrap,” says Jasmine Hyman. Two curling wand sizes, two paddle brushes, a round brush (that’s the GOAT for styling bangs, btw), and a smoothing dryer attachment make doing your own blowout beyond easy. “I’ve had mine for nearly two years, and it never fails to give me the freshest, salon-level blowout,” says Hyman. “It takes me from damp hair to voluminous curls in less than 20 minutes—no joke.”

Whenever people ask me if the NuFace is worth it, I give a resounding yes, calling back to my wild before and afters from when I first started using the device in 2020 (!). As far as microcurrent devices go, the NuFace is consistently ranked as my #1, because it’s extremely simple to use, even if you have no idea what you’re doing. Microcurrent is the GOAT for tightening and “toning” your facial muscles, because it helps stimulate blood flow and muscle contractions.

The NuFace Trinity is the hero of the line, but if you’re a beginner (or wanna give it as a gift), try this NuFace Mini kit, which features everything you’ll need to start your microcurrent practice.

Um, just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you can skip sunscreen. Buuutttt you can opt for something that offers up sun protection and coverage at the same time. “I’ve been using this every morning for a month,” says Balsamo. “It’s the ultimate one-and-done product—it combines my moisturizer, SPF, and skin tint so I can get out the door quickly in the morning,” she adds.

More than half (!!!) of the readers we surveyed for our Readers’ Choice Awards picked this body cream as their go-to. Not only is it rich, hydrating, and “feels like butter” (according to one reader), but it smells like a vacation with salted caramel, vanilla, and pistachio notes. Which, ya know, is pretty perfect for the dead of winter. Good idea? Stocking up while it’s on sale.

According to every makeup artist we’ve ever interviewed, the key to glowy skin is what you use before the foundation, concealer, etc. Smooth this serum all over your face before makeup, and you’ll glow—trust. "“If your favorite primer and serum had a baby, this would be it,” says Wilson, who swears by this. “It’s the perfect skin-perfecting base because it is super hydrating and gives my skin a truly stunning glow,” she says.

My vibe this winter is cloudlike, velvety matte skin but without all the patchy, dry, flakiness, ofc. I’ve been setting my entire face with this Makeup By Mario powder for the last month, and it makes my skin look smooth as hell, even when I’ve got uneven skin texture and breakouts. I dust it all over my face with a fluffy brush to set (and it def elongates the wear of my makeup), then pat it under my eyes and in my T-zone with a puff to help soak up oils and add a blurring effect.

I’ve been wearing this perfume nonstop since it launched, which is wild considering I could wear a different perfume every day with how many I own. But this soft, woody scent just smells so cozy and warm for the fall and winter. FWIW, basically everyone in our office loved it too when I forced my coworkers to sniff and review both Glossier You Doux and Réve.