Anti-Haul #5: the One Where I Talk Myself Out of Buying Everything at the Sephora VIB Sale
Since the Sephora VIB sale was announced, I shifted around my content calendar to accommodate it. I was initially going to publish an Anti-Haul post tomorrow, but instead, I decided to share one today that's a little bit different.
If you've read any of my previous anti-haul posts, you know I usually feature products that I would never ever consider buying. Not at the time of publishing nor in the future. What's the point of an anti-haul if you end up hauling?!
But in today's post, I'm talking about products that I am very, very tempted to purchase... but I shouldn't and hopefully won't. Or at least I won't be purchasing them at the VIB sale π
If you're not familiar with Sephora's VIB sale it's their once a year 20% off sale extravaganza. As a beauty lover and beauty blogger, it's like the garden of Eden. It's easy enough as is to get swept up in the buy, buy, buy mentality, but when an exceptionally good sale like Sephora's rolls around, it gets especially tricky to control myself.
To help curb the urge to splurge, I started hacking away at my wishlist and whipped up this anti-haul post. It's to remind myself that I don't need to buy everything that catches my attention simply because it's 20% off.
Hopefully, it helps you save some money too π
I bought a bold red multi-stick in the spring and it's barely been touched. While I like the formula on my lips and cheeks, it doesn't wear the best on my eyes. The shade of multi-stick featured in this set is something I'm sure I already own in blush and lipstick form. Same goes with the lip liner.
But I. Don't. Need. It!!!
I have plenty of lip balms and scrubs and lip masks. If I bought this, it would be hoarded away for months until I finished up enough lip products that I could justify opening a new one. So nope, I'm not gonna buy it.
So why is it in my anti-haul post? Because it contains sodium laureth sulfate as the second ingredient which almost always turns strips my hair and into a gross greasy mess. So ultimately I'm gonna have to pass on it despite how cool it looks π
Do I really need 12 more minis? While I actually be able to finish them up or will I try 1or 2 and then pack away the rest? Will I actually be able to tell if I enjoy the products from the amount given? Some of the minis have less than 5 mL!
Ultimately I decided this set isn't the best fit for me. I have too many beauty products to try and too many minis hoarded away to add 12 more. I think if you're not on the verge of being buried in a pile of skincare and are interested in trying out the brand, this set would be a good fit for you.
Thankfully I've since seen the light and have realized that paying that much for an essence is simply bonkers! Plus thanks to Anglea over at @julybeautybabe I know that black tea ferment is an up and coming ingredient so there will be an increasing number of affordable options out there on the market π
The only problem? I don't wear eyeshadow. Like ever. These would probably dry out long before I got good use out of them.
Also on closer inspection, the 6 shades in this set don't provide that much variety. If you're someone skilled with eyeshadow and are able to create nuanced, detailed looks you would probably notice the subtle differences between the 6 shades. But I'm a wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am eyeshadow type of gal so the 6 shades in this set are more like 2 shades-- a glittery gold and a shimmery red. There is a 3 piece set that is tempting me though...
Unfortunately, I still find it hard to justify the price of $42. On one hand, a little really does go a long way with these highlighters. You don't need a lot to get a blinding highlight. On the other hand, each of these minuscule bottles has a little less than 5 mL of highlighter. I got one as a GWP from Sephora and I don't think I need any more. It's just too expensive for what it is. Plus Becca's liquid highlighters are more affordable and easier to use.
The bronzer I'm ambivalent to. I've hit pan on the original ambient lighting edit palette that I own so I know I would get use out of the two featured in this palette. Last and actually least liked by yours truly, the strobe lighting powder. I find these too glittery and I'm not a big fan.
So even though I would use 5 out of 6 of the pans... the quantity is so damn small! And the price so damn high! You get a whopping 0.24 oz for $80!! In comparison, their full-sized ambient lighting powders have 0.35 oz and cost $46. I can't handle the math.
Because I'm only interested in trying 2 out of 3 of the products, my personal value of the set comes down from $117 (the value claimed on Sephora's site) to $95 which is only $5 more than the cost of the set.
And the more I thought about it, I started to question if I really needed the CEO serum. I already know and love the Drunk Elephant C-firma serum. It's pH balanced, contains 15% L-ascorbic acid, and delivers on results (I've talked about it in my September empties post, what to buy at Dermstore post, and in a first impressions post.) I think the main reason I want to try the CEO is more so because I'm allured by all things Sunday Riley and not because I think it will be a game-changing vitamin c serum for me.
Drunk Elephant actually has a gift set that's cheaper than this one and features a full sized C-firma PLUS 3 more minis. Needless to say, it's a much better value in my eyes.
At this point, I've tried most of their lineup except for the eye cream, marula oil, and cleanser. They recently released a value set that includes a mini of their oil alongside two of their moisturizers. As someone with dehydrated skin, I go through moisturizers quite quickly in the winter. My face craves any hydrating skincare.
But like I've said most of their products and I'm not crazy about their B-hydra or Lala retro cream (the 2 other products in the set.) They're not terrible, but they're definitely not worth the price to me. I can make them work but why should I spend $80 on products I have to struggle to use?
Like the Sunday Riley, this was another set I wanted simply because all thing Drunk Elephant allure me.
No lie, I wanted this at first because it's so damn stunning. I absolutely love the packaging and branding. It also features Centella asiatica which my skin enjoys (perhaps I'll do a WTF post on it in the future?) as well as niacinamide!
While the niacinamide is high up on the ingredient list, the components of the centella asiatica complex aren't. Additionally, it also features dimethicone pretty high up on the ingredient list which could potentially be an acne trigger for me. I wouldn't mind risking it and trying this serum if it had a more affordable price tag, but at $46 for 1 oz. I'm going to have to pass.
Tata Harper products have very luxurious ingredients lists and while my skin and eyes and heart and face all love it, my brain and wallet do not. So when they come out with a value set, my interest is naturally peaked.
This set features a full-sized jar of their resurfacing mask plus minis of their reparative moisturizer and regenerating cleanser. Price wise it's $2 more than buying the mask alone.
Obviously, I think this is a solid value and it features products I would use, but alas it is still being featured in this anti-haul post. Why? Because it's very similar to a mask I currently have in use in my stash!
I got a sample of the resurfacing mask in a Follain kit I bought over the summer and after testing it out a few times, I realized how similar it was to the Kypris Glow Philtre mask. And it doesn't make sense for me two own two very similar, pricey, green beauty masks with relatively short shelf lives at the same time.
If you've been wanting to try out this mask, they currently have a mini as a 100 point perk.
The only reason I even considered purchasing this set for even a fraction of the second is because of Katie Jane Hughes. She's been featuring their skincare products lately in her Instagram lives and stories and oh does it tempt me so!
Thankfully my brief lapse of insanity was just that, brief. While this set is technically a "steal" for La Mer products, there's still nothing in them that has convinced me that they're worth the price tag for me Β―\_(γ)_/Β―
I'm actually going to be reviewing one of the skincare sets (hopefully) next week!
All that said, I'm trying to stay away from them this year. Most of the sets feature multiple products that I have already tried. The whole point of the sets for me is to try something new. Of everything on this anti-haul, this is the one that will be hardest to resist. I just want all the minis even though I know I won't use them all #beautyhoarderconfessions π
P.s. what do you think of my new anti-haul graphic? I'm not one to watermark my photos but my previous one was stolen without credit so many times, it frustrated me beyond belief. And while the old one took a minute to make, this one was a solid 20 minutes of work so no way am I letting people steal it uncredited.
I actually like the look of a big, bold watermark better than a minuscule one π€
If you've read any of my previous anti-haul posts, you know I usually feature products that I would never ever consider buying. Not at the time of publishing nor in the future. What's the point of an anti-haul if you end up hauling?!
But in today's post, I'm talking about products that I am very, very tempted to purchase... but I shouldn't and hopefully won't. Or at least I won't be purchasing them at the VIB sale π
If you're not familiar with Sephora's VIB sale it's their once a year 20% off sale extravaganza. As a beauty lover and beauty blogger, it's like the garden of Eden. It's easy enough as is to get swept up in the buy, buy, buy mentality, but when an exceptionally good sale like Sephora's rolls around, it gets especially tricky to control myself.
To help curb the urge to splurge, I started hacking away at my wishlist and whipped up this anti-haul post. It's to remind myself that I don't need to buy everything that catches my attention simply because it's 20% off.
Hopefully, it helps you save some money too π
Bite Beauty Champagne Discovery Lip Set
During Sephora's holiday preview, I was convinced I would end up purchasing this set. It contains 3 full sized Bite products! While all three colors are pretty and would probably get used, they're not 3 colors I would have gone out of my way to purchase otherwise because I already have a dozen similar colors in my stash. I want them purely because they're in the set and purely because they're a great deal.I bought a bold red multi-stick in the spring and it's barely been touched. While I like the formula on my lips and cheeks, it doesn't wear the best on my eyes. The shade of multi-stick featured in this set is something I'm sure I already own in blush and lipstick form. Same goes with the lip liner.
Bite Beauty Agave Kisses Set
Unlike the other Bite gift set, I would actually buy all 3 of these products were they not in the set. I already own the lip sleeping mask and love it for plumping up my lips overnight!But I. Don't. Need. It!!!
I have plenty of lip balms and scrubs and lip masks. If I bought this, it would be hoarded away for months until I finished up enough lip products that I could justify opening a new one. So nope, I'm not gonna buy it.
Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt
I feel like I've wanted this scalp scrub for 23947 years at this point. I've had so many people tell me that they love this and the brand recently released a travel sized version to try out! Plus there's something about this brand that sucks me in. It's so luxury πSo why is it in my anti-haul post? Because it contains sodium laureth sulfate as the second ingredient which almost always turns strips my hair and into a gross greasy mess. So ultimately I'm gonna have to pass on it despite how cool it looks π
AmorePacific My 12 Days of Botanical Beauty
This is another set that I was 100% I would purchase. AmorePacific products are pricey AF and I normally couldn't afford to try 12 of their products at one time. Especially their vintage single extract essence which retails for a whopping $145. But the more I look at it, the more overwhelmed I get.Do I really need 12 more minis? While I actually be able to finish them up or will I try 1or 2 and then pack away the rest? Will I actually be able to tell if I enjoy the products from the amount given? Some of the minis have less than 5 mL!
Ultimately I decided this set isn't the best fit for me. I have too many beauty products to try and too many minis hoarded away to add 12 more. I think if you're not on the verge of being buried in a pile of skincare and are interested in trying out the brand, this set would be a good fit for you.
AmorePacific Vintage Single Extract Essence
Remember that stupidly expensive vintage single extract essence I mentioned 10 seconds ago? Yeah, I was trying to convince myself that with 20% I could go for the splurge. It's been on my lust list ever since I first saw it in one of Gothamista's videos.Thankfully I've since seen the light and have realized that paying that much for an essence is simply bonkers! Plus thanks to Anglea over at @julybeautybabe I know that black tea ferment is an up and coming ingredient so there will be an increasing number of affordable options out there on the market π
Stila Eye For Elegance Liquid Eye Shadow Set
When I first swatched the Stila glitters in stores I was not impressed. They were chunky and smudged easily. But since then they've become so popular and I was convinced I needed to try them on my eyes for myself! This holiday set seemed like the best thing ever because I could try a bunch of shades at a reasonable price.The only problem? I don't wear eyeshadow. Like ever. These would probably dry out long before I got good use out of them.
Also on closer inspection, the 6 shades in this set don't provide that much variety. If you're someone skilled with eyeshadow and are able to create nuanced, detailed looks you would probably notice the subtle differences between the 6 shades. But I'm a wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am eyeshadow type of gal so the 6 shades in this set are more like 2 shades-- a glittery gold and a shimmery red. There is a 3 piece set that is tempting me though...
Coverfx Custom Enhancer Drops Set
There's no doubt about it that the Coverfx custom enhancer drops are absolutely stunning. When they first released last year I wished they came out with a travel set to try them out without spending $100+ on multiple shades. And this year they granted that wish!Unfortunately, I still find it hard to justify the price of $42. On one hand, a little really does go a long way with these highlighters. You don't need a lot to get a blinding highlight. On the other hand, each of these minuscule bottles has a little less than 5 mL of highlighter. I got one as a GWP from Sephora and I don't think I need any more. It's just too expensive for what it is. Plus Becca's liquid highlighters are more affordable and easier to use.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette - Volume 3
Every year that Hourglass has released their gorgeous edition of a holiday palette, I've been tempted. Every year I've resisted. But this year it's been extra hard to resist. Their blushes have been on my wishlist for what seems like forever and the limited edition shades in the palette are ones I know I would wear the hell out of.The bronzer I'm ambivalent to. I've hit pan on the original ambient lighting edit palette that I own so I know I would get use out of the two featured in this palette. Last and actually least liked by yours truly, the strobe lighting powder. I find these too glittery and I'm not a big fan.
So even though I would use 5 out of 6 of the pans... the quantity is so damn small! And the price so damn high! You get a whopping 0.24 oz for $80!! In comparison, their full-sized ambient lighting powders have 0.35 oz and cost $46. I can't handle the math.
Sunday Riley Bright Young Thing Visible Skin Brightening Kit
As soon as this set popped up on the Sephora site, I added it to my cart. Good genes is my all time favorite chemical exfoliant/ serum and I've been eyeing the CEO serum hard ever since it dropped. As for the tidal moisturizer, if you read my September project pan empties post you'll know I'm not a fan, mostly because it smells like rotting cucumbers.Because I'm only interested in trying 2 out of 3 of the products, my personal value of the set comes down from $117 (the value claimed on Sephora's site) to $95 which is only $5 more than the cost of the set.
And the more I thought about it, I started to question if I really needed the CEO serum. I already know and love the Drunk Elephant C-firma serum. It's pH balanced, contains 15% L-ascorbic acid, and delivers on results (I've talked about it in my September empties post, what to buy at Dermstore post, and in a first impressions post.) I think the main reason I want to try the CEO is more so because I'm allured by all things Sunday Riley and not because I think it will be a game-changing vitamin c serum for me.
Drunk Elephant actually has a gift set that's cheaper than this one and features a full sized C-firma PLUS 3 more minis. Needless to say, it's a much better value in my eyes.
Drunk Elephant Volume 3: Let's Dew It
While we're on the topic of Drunk Elephant, I gotta anti-haul one of their value sets too.At this point, I've tried most of their lineup except for the eye cream, marula oil, and cleanser. They recently released a value set that includes a mini of their oil alongside two of their moisturizers. As someone with dehydrated skin, I go through moisturizers quite quickly in the winter. My face craves any hydrating skincare.
But like I've said most of their products and I'm not crazy about their B-hydra or Lala retro cream (the 2 other products in the set.) They're not terrible, but they're definitely not worth the price to me. I can make them work but why should I spend $80 on products I have to struggle to use?
Like the Sunday Riley, this was another set I wanted simply because all thing Drunk Elephant allure me.
Dr. Jart Cicapairβ’ Tiger Grass Re.Pair Serum
I feel fully confident in stating that I'm a hardcore Dr. Jart ceramidin fan-girl. It's the product I recommend the most! Since it's one of my all-time favorite skincare products, naturally I'm inclined to be a fan of the brand overall. And whenever they have a new release, it catches my eye.No lie, I wanted this at first because it's so damn stunning. I absolutely love the packaging and branding. It also features Centella asiatica which my skin enjoys (perhaps I'll do a WTF post on it in the future?) as well as niacinamide!
While the niacinamide is high up on the ingredient list, the components of the centella asiatica complex aren't. Additionally, it also features dimethicone pretty high up on the ingredient list which could potentially be an acne trigger for me. I wouldn't mind risking it and trying this serum if it had a more affordable price tag, but at $46 for 1 oz. I'm going to have to pass.
Tata Harper Glow For It Kit
Yet another value set I was all but ready to buy during the holiday preview.Tata Harper products have very luxurious ingredients lists and while my skin and eyes and heart and face all love it, my brain and wallet do not. So when they come out with a value set, my interest is naturally peaked.
This set features a full-sized jar of their resurfacing mask plus minis of their reparative moisturizer and regenerating cleanser. Price wise it's $2 more than buying the mask alone.
Obviously, I think this is a solid value and it features products I would use, but alas it is still being featured in this anti-haul post. Why? Because it's very similar to a mask I currently have in use in my stash!
I got a sample of the resurfacing mask in a Follain kit I bought over the summer and after testing it out a few times, I realized how similar it was to the Kypris Glow Philtre mask. And it doesn't make sense for me two own two very similar, pricey, green beauty masks with relatively short shelf lives at the same time.
If you've been wanting to try out this mask, they currently have a mini as a 100 point perk.
La Mer The Introductory Collection
I know, I know, I know, you can't believe I would have La Mer on my wish list. After all, I take a moment to poke fun at them in every single anti-haul post π I guess I just can't make a post without featuring them.The only reason I even considered purchasing this set for even a fraction of the second is because of Katie Jane Hughes. She's been featuring their skincare products lately in her Instagram lives and stories and oh does it tempt me so!
Thankfully my brief lapse of insanity was just that, brief. While this set is technically a "steal" for La Mer products, there's still nothing in them that has convinced me that they're worth the price tag for me Β―\_(γ)_/Β―
Any Sephora Favorites Value Sets
If you read my VIB sale haul posts from last year, you may remember that I am an avid fan of the Sephora Favorites sets. I think I bought 3 or 4 different sets during last year's sale. They're a great price, feature a variety of brands and their best-selling products.I'm actually going to be reviewing one of the skincare sets (hopefully) next week!
All that said, I'm trying to stay away from them this year. Most of the sets feature multiple products that I have already tried. The whole point of the sets for me is to try something new. Of everything on this anti-haul, this is the one that will be hardest to resist. I just want all the minis even though I know I won't use them all #beautyhoarderconfessions π
$$$$$$
Phew, that's a wrap, folks. It took a lot of self-control to write this post π I find I'm particularly susceptible to peer pressure and public accountability so hopefully publishing this stops me from blowing all my money at the Sephora sale. What have you talked yourself out of buying during the sale?P.s. what do you think of my new anti-haul graphic? I'm not one to watermark my photos but my previous one was stolen without credit so many times, it frustrated me beyond belief. And while the old one took a minute to make, this one was a solid 20 minutes of work so no way am I letting people steal it uncredited.
I actually like the look of a big, bold watermark better than a minuscule one π€
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