I Test Beauty Products for a Living—All the Products You Should Definitely Get During Sephora’s Rare Sale

Jamie McCarthy//Getty ImagesThis is so freakin’ expensive, but gosh, is it the most worth-it of everything on this list. I don’t even care that it’s cute and says Dior and makes me feel fancy pulling it out of my bag. It gives my lips the plushest, juiciest look ever, whether I opt for a sheer shade, a shimmer one, or one of the more pigmented options. I own a zillion colors, and they’re my prized possessions. They also double as a lip balm for me since they’re so hydrating.I’ve tried every single Rhode product, but the blush is easily my favorite. It’s probably my favorite cream blush of all time. The shades Hailey Bieber’s created look great on such a wide range of skin tones (my faves are Sprinkle, Freckle, and Tan Line, but I genuinely own and love them all), and they blend out quickly with a finger or brush.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowSure, you could pick up a cheap hair clip at the drugstore. But nothing will be as durable as an Emi Jay. I’ve had a couple of mine for years at this point, having traveled across the world with them and they have never once broken. And they come in soooo many designs and colors, whether you’re a minimalist or maximalist.If you want to amp up your makeup, the biggest trick is getting new brushes. I have brushes from all different brands, but a lot of my favorites come from the Sephora Collection. These pro-level brushes are soft and durable, even through a lot of washings.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowI’ve tried a lot of Dyson Airwrap-like multi-stylers, and one of my favorites right now is T3’s Aire. It gives hair serious volume, both with the round brush attachment and the curling barrels. But the best part is that this tool is dual-voltage. Virtually every multi-styler will fry the second you take it out of America. But this one is fab for travel. It even comes in a convenient leather bag to store all of your attachments.READ OUR FULL REVIEWI’m on a hair health journey, and while most of that comes down to scalp treatments, what you put on your ends matters too. This nighttime treatment is so easy—just smooth it through your mid-lengths and ends before bed—and really nourishes my hair while I sleep. I’ve almost used up a whole bottle, which is saying something because I have super short hair. I wanna be buried with my hair drenched in this stuff.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowCelebrity makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes’s brand rarely goes on sale, so this is big. The best product from the brand, IMO, is the new mascara. Assistant beauty editor Jasmine Hyman and editorial assistant Mikhaila Archer both agree with me: It’s the best mascara we’ve tried this year. It fans out lashes, giving them volume and length, but it’s never, ever clumpy.READ OUR FULL REVIEWCan’t make it to a spa for a facial? Although a treatment by Sofie herself will always be the best feeling on earth, this mask duo is pretty close straight from your bathroom. Start with the enzyme mask, which heats up and exfoliates to reveal brighter skin, then rinse it off and top your face with the cooling mask, a soothing and hydrating formula to calm things down. Both feel so good and have made my skin have that just-got-a-facial glow.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowIf you like a little luxury, this hand cream looks gorgeous on a nightstand, dresser, or desk. But what’s inside is also pretty fantastic: a retinol-based, rich cream that helps smooth and firm skin on your hands. The top of the tub also doubles as a ring holder.Nothing feels better than getting a discount on designer items (hence why I look forward to a trip to the outlets in Italy in a few months). And this perfume, a flanker of the original YSL Libre, really looks the part. Dripped in gold, the bottle is stunning enough to warrant the splurge. But the juice inside makes it even better. It’s a sexy, deep vanilla, with hints of orange blossom and rum. It’s sold out a few times, so run, don’t walk. FWIW, Sephora does allow returns if you aren’t obsessed with the scent (although, I have a feeling any vanilla perfume lover will be).Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowI’ve tried in-office ultrasound facials before, and just one treatment costs more than $300 (and that’s before your VIB discount, btw). Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to heat up the inner layers of your skin, triggering collagen production to firm and tighten. I only just started using this device, so I don’t have any long-term data on how it works, but I know that immediately after I use it, my skin looks more taut and my jawline a little more defined.Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.