Best Skincare Holiday Kits at the Sephora VIB Sale 2018
The one good thing about the 2018 Sephora VIB stretching out soooo long is that bloggers have more time to procrastinate create content. In previous years, the sale was one and done in a week, this year it's taking almost a month! Like I said in my last post, I like this because it gives VIB and BI an opportunity to buy popular products that sometimes sell out during the Rouge sale.
The dates for the sale this year are:
10/26 - 10/29 and 11/2-11/5: VIB Rouge get 20% off with code ROUGEBONUS
11/9 - 11/12: VIB get 20% off with code VIBBONUS
11/16 - 11/19: Beauty Insiders get 15% off with code BIBONUS
You can use the respective codes an unlimited amount of times in-store and online, within the time frame.
My last blog post was all about my best of the best, overall skincare picks-- from oil cleansers to toners to sunscreens. Today is all about, what are in my opinion, the best holiday skincare gift sets sold at Sephora! Most of these kits feature products I talked about in my previous post.
If you're a long-time reader, you may know of my obsession with Dr. Jart+'s ceramidin cream. It's been my favorite moisturizer for the past 2 years! If my skin is dry, itchy, flaky, compromised-- I reach for this cream. It has a thicker texture, but it absorbs well and doesn't feel greasy on my skin.
In addition to the full-sized cream, you're also getting 2 ceramidin sheet masks, a mini ceramidin toner, and a mini ceramidin cream. The full-sized moisturizer that comes in this kit retails for $48.00 alone, so you're basically getting all the extras for free!
Good genes is yet another product that I've talked about time and time again. It's really expensive but it works for me. I believe the brand has said it contains 4% lactic acid, which isn't super high. But it has a very low pH which people attribute to its success. In addition, it has a ton of hydrating and soothing ingredients to help curb the irritation that often comes with potent acids.
I see literal overnight results with this serum. If I have any active breakouts or bumps, they're flatter by morning when I use this serum. And my overall skin tone is evener.
A full-sized bottle of good genes retails for $105.00 so for $5 you get 4 more Sunday Riley minis! The largest mini is a travel size of their ceramic slip cleanser which was recently reformulated to be even gentler. It also comes with a mini of their luna oil, CEO serum, and tidal moisturizer. I don't actually like these 3 products from them, but I would still buy the set for the cleanser and good genes!
Farmacy's green clean balm is one of my favorite balm cleansers! It melts down waterproof makeup without irritating my eyes. It easily rinses away without leaving behind any oiliness or film. It doesn't strip my skin. It comes with a spatula. It smells delicious. What's not to like? It is pricier than your basic oil cleansers, but if you want to treat yourself to a decadent first cleanser without going over the $50, $80, $100 mark-- I think this is a happy medium.
In addition to a full-sized green clean, this set also features minis of their honey drop moisturizer and honey potion mask. Both are lovely! The mask is perfect for the mornings when you want to quickly hydrate and prep your skin before makeup. And the moisturizer is perfect for transitional weather. If you have oilier skin, it could work as a winter moisturizer too.
This set features TWO full-sized Youth to the People products! While I haven't tried the Youth to the People oil yet, I have heard fabulous reviews on it. And the moisturizer is one of the few gels that work for my skin. It absorbs easily and is silicone-free so I don't have to worry about it pilling with my oils or sunscreen.
If you have dry skin, this moisturizer is not going to be sufficient in the winter. But you can always save it for spring/ summer!
$38.00 ($68.00 value)
I'm not sure how accurate the $68.00 value is for this kit, but even so I think this is a solid set. You get a full-sized moisturizing bomb-- one of the best winter moisturizers for dry skin, in my opinion. And you also get minis of their eye moisturizing bomb-- another favorite of mine. It's light, it's hydrating, it wears well under makeup. And last but not least you get a mini of their new sleeping mask! It's not my absolute favorite as I prefer richer sleeping masks (especially as winter arrives), but if you're looking for something lightweight to lock in all the moisture-- it's a good option.
Drunk Elephant's c-firma was the first product I tried from Drunk Elephant and it was the first vitamin c serum I ever properly tried! And it was a total game changer! It wasn't something that worked overnight, but after a few weeks of using it consistently, I saw results. My acne scars were fading more quickly than previously. Since then, I've aimed to always have a vitamin c serum on rotation. Some have been better than others, but the Drunk Elephant is still one of my favorites!
It does smell bad but after using it for some time, I stopped noticing the smell. Also, this is not a product you buy and then keep on your shelf for months! Vitamin c is a notoriously unstable ingredient, and while I did find this to last better than some other vitamin c serums, its still prone to oxidizing. So if you decide to purchase this set, make sure you're ready to start using vitamin c in the near future.
In addition to the full-sized serum, this set comes with 4 other minis-- including protini! DE is a pricey brand so when given the opportunity to try minis, I always say yes.
I do have to note, while I do think the packaging is adorable-- the message itself annoys me. It perpetuates a green-washing and fear-mongering mindset and I'm not about that life.
Sephora Favorites sets are overall some of the best gift sets Sephora has to offer. If I could, I would buy them all up and review them here. But because I don't have the time, money, or energy to do that-- I'll settle on talking about my favorite one this year: the scouted by Sephora set.
The brand and product curation is seriously on point. Even if I don't love all the products featured in this set, there's no denying they're all best-sellers that many skincare addicts would love to try. My favorites from the set are good genes, the Youth to the People cleanser, Saturday Skin gommage peel, and Farmacy hydrating mask. And while I don't love the Christophe Robin scalp scrub or Herbivore blue tansy oil, I gotta say this set is a way more affordable way to try them out.
Someone in the reviews said the value is actually $118 and not $145 as Sephora claims, but that's still that's a fantastic value!
This isn't just a Korean or American cult favorite product, it's an everyone cult favorite product!
I've had my current jar of Laneige's sleeping mask for over a year and I'm barely even 1/3 of the way through. A little goes a long way when it comes to this balm. It's not overly sticky or goopy. It prevents my lips from peeling overnight in the winter.
This year they finally released the LE scents in the US (previously they were Asia exclusive) and for the holidays, they came out with this set with MINI lip balms. Like I said, this balm lasts forever so I think the minis will be perfect for popping into your desk, your car, your bag. Or you can split them up and include them in gifts to friends and family! Because it's a lip balm, it works as a gift to literally anybody-- from your grandpa to your coworker to your little sister. And next think you know, you've converted another Laneige lip balm fan.
$59.00 ($75.00 value)
I wasn't sure if I was going to include this kit or not because I didn't love prism. I used it all last month and didn't see any exfoliating benefits. At best, it was a lightweight hydrating serum. That said, it is a new and popular product that many people want to try! This set provides a way to try it without committing to a full-sized bottle.
This set also comes with their rose hibiscus mist and pink cloud moisturizer. The mist is something I like... but would not pay retail for because there are mists I like more, that are cheaper. It's lightly hydrating and soothing, without having an offensively strong rose scent.
The moisturizer is definitely my favorite product of the set! This was my go-to moisturizer this past spring. It was perfect for when the weather was not too hot, not too cold, not too dry, not too humid.
The star of this kit is the full-sized C+ collagen brighten & firm vitamin c serum. It has a blend of multiple forms of vitamin c and was very effective at brightening scars for me! I wrote a whole blog post on the serum earlier this year.
You also get minis of their vitamin c moisturizer and eye cream! The serum is the same price as the set so the minis are essentially free.
First Aid Beauty has some of the best holiday kits-- value wise. I mean, this set comes with two full-sized products, that alone, cost more than the set. In addition, you get 3 travel sized minis! I've tried all the producs in this set and they get my stamp of approval. Two of the products, in particular, were featured in my best of the best skincare at Sephora post!
The ultra repair hydrating serums is one of my winter favorites. It has such an elegant ingredient list and totally delivers on all its hydrating claims. The one that comes in this set is 1/2 the size of their regular one.
And the other favorite are their facial radiance pads. These were the first chemical exfoliants I ever used regularly and I think they're the perfect entry way to chemical exfoliation. They're gentle but still effective. You get a full-sized jar in this set-- it comes with 60 pads and usually retails for $30.00! If you cut the pads in half, you get 120 days of use which should last you at least 4 months.
The dates for the sale this year are:
10/26 - 10/29 and 11/2-11/5: VIB Rouge get 20% off with code ROUGEBONUS
11/9 - 11/12: VIB get 20% off with code VIBBONUS
11/16 - 11/19: Beauty Insiders get 15% off with code BIBONUS
You can use the respective codes an unlimited amount of times in-store and online, within the time frame.
My last blog post was all about my best of the best, overall skincare picks-- from oil cleansers to toners to sunscreens. Today is all about, what are in my opinion, the best holiday skincare gift sets sold at Sephora! Most of these kits feature products I talked about in my previous post.
Dr. Jart+ Holiday Fantasy Cera Never Runs Dry
$48.00 ($78.00 value)If you're a long-time reader, you may know of my obsession with Dr. Jart+'s ceramidin cream. It's been my favorite moisturizer for the past 2 years! If my skin is dry, itchy, flaky, compromised-- I reach for this cream. It has a thicker texture, but it absorbs well and doesn't feel greasy on my skin.
In addition to the full-sized cream, you're also getting 2 ceramidin sheet masks, a mini ceramidin toner, and a mini ceramidin cream. The full-sized moisturizer that comes in this kit retails for $48.00 alone, so you're basically getting all the extras for free!
Sunday Riley Good Genes Holiday Kit
$110.00 ($165.00 value)Good genes is yet another product that I've talked about time and time again. It's really expensive but it works for me. I believe the brand has said it contains 4% lactic acid, which isn't super high. But it has a very low pH which people attribute to its success. In addition, it has a ton of hydrating and soothing ingredients to help curb the irritation that often comes with potent acids.
I see literal overnight results with this serum. If I have any active breakouts or bumps, they're flatter by morning when I use this serum. And my overall skin tone is evener.
A full-sized bottle of good genes retails for $105.00 so for $5 you get 4 more Sunday Riley minis! The largest mini is a travel size of their ceramic slip cleanser which was recently reformulated to be even gentler. It also comes with a mini of their luna oil, CEO serum, and tidal moisturizer. I don't actually like these 3 products from them, but I would still buy the set for the cleanser and good genes!
Farmacy Cream of the Crop
$42.00 ($58.00 value)Farmacy's green clean balm is one of my favorite balm cleansers! It melts down waterproof makeup without irritating my eyes. It easily rinses away without leaving behind any oiliness or film. It doesn't strip my skin. It comes with a spatula. It smells delicious. What's not to like? It is pricier than your basic oil cleansers, but if you want to treat yourself to a decadent first cleanser without going over the $50, $80, $100 mark-- I think this is a happy medium.
In addition to a full-sized green clean, this set also features minis of their honey drop moisturizer and honey potion mask. Both are lovely! The mask is perfect for the mornings when you want to quickly hydrate and prep your skin before makeup. And the moisturizer is perfect for transitional weather. If you have oilier skin, it could work as a winter moisturizer too.
Youth to the People Super Glow Hydration Duo
$65.00 ($92.00 value)This set features TWO full-sized Youth to the People products! While I haven't tried the Youth to the People oil yet, I have heard fabulous reviews on it. And the moisturizer is one of the few gels that work for my skin. It absorbs easily and is silicone-free so I don't have to worry about it pilling with my oils or sunscreen.
If you have dry skin, this moisturizer is not going to be sufficient in the winter. But you can always save it for spring/ summer!
Belif Merry Merry Moisturizers
$38.00 ($68.00 value)
I'm not sure how accurate the $68.00 value is for this kit, but even so I think this is a solid set. You get a full-sized moisturizing bomb-- one of the best winter moisturizers for dry skin, in my opinion. And you also get minis of their eye moisturizing bomb-- another favorite of mine. It's light, it's hydrating, it wears well under makeup. And last but not least you get a mini of their new sleeping mask! It's not my absolute favorite as I prefer richer sleeping masks (especially as winter arrives), but if you're looking for something lightweight to lock in all the moisture-- it's a good option.
Drunk Elephant Agent Ellie Day Kit
$88.00 ($138.00 value)Drunk Elephant's c-firma was the first product I tried from Drunk Elephant and it was the first vitamin c serum I ever properly tried! And it was a total game changer! It wasn't something that worked overnight, but after a few weeks of using it consistently, I saw results. My acne scars were fading more quickly than previously. Since then, I've aimed to always have a vitamin c serum on rotation. Some have been better than others, but the Drunk Elephant is still one of my favorites!
It does smell bad but after using it for some time, I stopped noticing the smell. Also, this is not a product you buy and then keep on your shelf for months! Vitamin c is a notoriously unstable ingredient, and while I did find this to last better than some other vitamin c serums, its still prone to oxidizing. So if you decide to purchase this set, make sure you're ready to start using vitamin c in the near future.
In addition to the full-sized serum, this set comes with 4 other minis-- including protini! DE is a pricey brand so when given the opportunity to try minis, I always say yes.
I do have to note, while I do think the packaging is adorable-- the message itself annoys me. It perpetuates a green-washing and fear-mongering mindset and I'm not about that life.
Sephora Favorites: Scouted by Sephora
$44.00 ($145.00 value)Sephora Favorites sets are overall some of the best gift sets Sephora has to offer. If I could, I would buy them all up and review them here. But because I don't have the time, money, or energy to do that-- I'll settle on talking about my favorite one this year: the scouted by Sephora set.
The brand and product curation is seriously on point. Even if I don't love all the products featured in this set, there's no denying they're all best-sellers that many skincare addicts would love to try. My favorites from the set are good genes, the Youth to the People cleanser, Saturday Skin gommage peel, and Farmacy hydrating mask. And while I don't love the Christophe Robin scalp scrub or Herbivore blue tansy oil, I gotta say this set is a way more affordable way to try them out.
Someone in the reviews said the value is actually $118 and not $145 as Sephora claims, but that's still that's a fantastic value!
Laneige Kiss and Make Up Set
$28.00This isn't just a Korean or American cult favorite product, it's an everyone cult favorite product!
I've had my current jar of Laneige's sleeping mask for over a year and I'm barely even 1/3 of the way through. A little goes a long way when it comes to this balm. It's not overly sticky or goopy. It prevents my lips from peeling overnight in the winter.
This year they finally released the LE scents in the US (previously they were Asia exclusive) and for the holidays, they came out with this set with MINI lip balms. Like I said, this balm lasts forever so I think the minis will be perfect for popping into your desk, your car, your bag. Or you can split them up and include them in gifts to friends and family! Because it's a lip balm, it works as a gift to literally anybody-- from your grandpa to your coworker to your little sister. And next think you know, you've converted another Laneige lip balm fan.
Herbivore Botanicals Rosewater Hydration Trio
$59.00 ($75.00 value)I wasn't sure if I was going to include this kit or not because I didn't love prism. I used it all last month and didn't see any exfoliating benefits. At best, it was a lightweight hydrating serum. That said, it is a new and popular product that many people want to try! This set provides a way to try it without committing to a full-sized bottle.
This set also comes with their rose hibiscus mist and pink cloud moisturizer. The mist is something I like... but would not pay retail for because there are mists I like more, that are cheaper. It's lightly hydrating and soothing, without having an offensively strong rose scent.
The moisturizer is definitely my favorite product of the set! This was my go-to moisturizer this past spring. It was perfect for when the weather was not too hot, not too cold, not too dry, not too humid.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare C Me Sparkle
$78.00 ($128.00 value)The star of this kit is the full-sized C+ collagen brighten & firm vitamin c serum. It has a blend of multiple forms of vitamin c and was very effective at brightening scars for me! I wrote a whole blog post on the serum earlier this year.
You also get minis of their vitamin c moisturizer and eye cream! The serum is the same price as the set so the minis are essentially free.
First Aid Beauty Skin Summit
$48.00 ($112.00 value)First Aid Beauty has some of the best holiday kits-- value wise. I mean, this set comes with two full-sized products, that alone, cost more than the set. In addition, you get 3 travel sized minis! I've tried all the producs in this set and they get my stamp of approval. Two of the products, in particular, were featured in my best of the best skincare at Sephora post!
The ultra repair hydrating serums is one of my winter favorites. It has such an elegant ingredient list and totally delivers on all its hydrating claims. The one that comes in this set is 1/2 the size of their regular one.
And the other favorite are their facial radiance pads. These were the first chemical exfoliants I ever used regularly and I think they're the perfect entry way to chemical exfoliation. They're gentle but still effective. You get a full-sized jar in this set-- it comes with 60 pads and usually retails for $30.00! If you cut the pads in half, you get 120 days of use which should last you at least 4 months.
That's a wrap!
And those are all the best skincare gift sets at Sephora this season, in my opinion. My cart has been edited so many times now, I have no idea what I'll be picking up at the sale at this point. How about you?
If you'd like to keep up with my posts, follow along on bloglovin' | instagram | pinterest | twitter