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From concealer to creams, these are the UK’s favourite finds from the French beauty retailer
Sephora’s arrival in the UK is no longer new news. With a swanky store opening serenaded by the Sugababes, countless ads and a whole lot of media attention, any beauty buff is sure to be up to date.
But alongside the shiny new stalls, website and host of new-to-Britain brands, Sephora’s own-label picks are not to be missed.
Reaching out to Sephora for answers on what is actually selling, the retailer shared with us its own-brand bestsellers, so, of course, we tried them out to see what all the fuss was about.
If you’re new to the retailer and don’t quite know where to start, let this be an introductory guide to what’s on offer. Even better, each item comes with the bonus of having an own-brand price tag, meaning everything falls within an £18 budget.
Covering everything from lipstick and concealer to face masks and foundation, we’ve rounded up the products Sephora fans are buying, to test them out for ourselves, so we can give you our verdict.
Sephora sent us a big box of products that would be any beauty lover’s dream. Diving in head-first, we got to work lacquering on the lipstick, scrubbing our scalp and slathering on the serum to see exactly why these products are selling so well.
Finding the right foundation is notoriously tricky, with coverage, colour and creaminess just a handful of the features to consider, but we were blown away by this Sephora find. With a medium, buildable coverage, you can make it look nice and natural with a slight sheen or load it up for full-face glam, depending on the look you’re going for.
Applying with a brush, it effortlessly blended into the skin, and 48 shades spanning three different colour undertones means there’s something to suit almost everyone. Anti-pollution algae extracts and hyaluronic acid have been added to nourish the skin from within, creating a brighter, more hydrated complexion that’s said to improve the look of your skin over time too.
Affordable skincare is a highlight when it comes to Sephora’s bestsellers. This ultra-lightweight moisturiser instantly absorbs into the skin, leaving no residue, greasy or sticky feeling. Unscented, with hyaluronic acid and vitamin E as two key ingredients, it’s rather gentle and can be used both morning and night as well as a make-up primer, as it’s so thin. Although we would say if you have particularly dry skin it probably isn’t heavy enough.
Sheet masks are one of the simplest (and cheapest) ways to bring a spa-like element into your home. Coming in at less than £5, it’s no wonder this Sephora find is one of the brand’s bestsellers. Putting prebiotics to the fore, this product soothes and moisturises dry, sore and even sensitive skin, through a blend of organic cereal, almond milk and nut extracts. We loved how it felt like an instant hit of hydration, easing any dry and tight feeling, with a gentle milky scent.
Coming in at less than £15, this lipstick is quite the bargain buy. Super vibrant in colour, it effortlessly glides onto lips and creates a high-shine, glossy finish. The pigment is impressive and pretty strong, meaning just one or two swipes will give you that standout shade. We loved how hydrating it was, meaning no sinking into fine lines and wrinkles, but you do have to reapply every few hours (or after eating and drinking), which, when it feels so lovely to put on, was no hardship at all.
Combining vitamins C and E alongside marine algae peptides, this serum is sure to give you back your glow. Incredibly lightweight, although slightly sticky, it instantly absorbed into our skin and can be layered under any sunscreen, moisturiser or make-up. While it isn’t the strongest of formulas, it does give skin that fresh-faced glow and would be a great option for those new to using both ingredients.
Scalp care is becoming incredibly important, as we’re starting to learn it’s the basis of hair health, and a scrub is a great place to start. Made up of mainly salt, this Sephora scrub can be used on both the body and the head (but not the face) to buff away dead skin while in the shower. Apple cider vinegar has also been added to help hair truly shine, and the slightly fruity scent made our bathroom feel blissful. It’s suggested you only use it once a week, so the tub lasts an incredibly long time while adding a simple yet spa-like element to your shower.
Similar to the Sephora Collection best skin ever foundation (£17.99, Sephora.co.uk), the concealer completes the skin-covering duo. With a small soft doe-foot applicator, it’s easy to apply and swipes seamlessly onto the face. The coverage is a little bit light but buildable, and two to three layers left our under-eye bags looking lighter and brighter. It does crease, but only ever so slightly and, like the foundation, anti-pollution algae extracts and hyaluronic acid have been added to hydrate and improve the appearance of the skin from the inside.
Lip masks may seem like an extravagant extra, and they are. One for the bougie beauty buffs, they can’t exactly be classified as essential, but they sure are fun to use. After slapping on this one, we can safely say our pout has never felt more pampered or plumped. Sitting right over the mouth, the sweet cherry scent smells divine as the bio-cellulose gets to work to hydrate. After just five minutes, fine lines and wrinkles appeared to be reduced, and we were left with softer lips, but the effects did wear off around a day later.
Claiming to reduce dark circles by half in just one month, this eye cream has a lot to live up to. While we can’t say our under-eye bags have been visibly zapped away, the hydrating formula does seem to have made them just a little bit brighter and tighter. Hyaluronic acid and caffeine are the two core ingredients, working to lock in hydration, making the area less puffy, and the firming feeling does hit you instantly in a subtle, non-skin-tightening way. For first thing in the morning, it made us feel more awake, but at night we opted for something a little more soothing.
Liquid lipstick holds the gold standard when it comes to long-lasting make-up, and this Sephora find is no exception. In a hugely impressive 45 different colours, there’s something to suit everyone, from deep purples to vibrant reds. The doe-foot applicator is rather small, making it a little bit easier to apply precisely (although this does take a little longer), and the pigment is incredibly punchy. It’s matte in finish but doesn’t feel drying, and lasted on our lips for around eight hours before we had to reapply (you’ll need to leave it to set for around five minutes before eating, drinking or smudging).
We have to say, we’re impressed. Looking at both make-up and skincare, it’s little surprise Sephora’s own label is selling so well.
The Sephora Collection rogue is not my name lipstick stuck out as a real must-have for a low-cost, long-lasting lipstick. While the Sephora Collection ultra glow and strengthening serum certainly provides a much-needed morning pick-me-up, and the Sephora Collection best skin ever foundation has found its way into our make-up bags for when we want a more flawless-looking face.
While the own label isn’t quite as low-cost as some of our other favourite beauty retailers (Boots and Superdrug, here’s looking at you), compared with some big-name brands, there’s still a pretty big price difference. So, if you’re looking to cut costs, taking a look at Sephora’s own offering is sure to help.
Want more inspiration? Here’s what to buy from Sephora, according to a beauty editor