Sephora Outrageous Volume Dramatic Volume Mascara

$15.00 for 0.5 fl. oz/15ml in 02 Ultra Black

Aside from feeling wet for a few minutes, this is one of the best mascaras I've used in while. You definitely get the awesome amount of volume promised, but I like that this feels comfortable and lightweight, even when worn as the second layer over an already dried mascara. It's extremely hard to get off though, so don't be waking up somewhere you have to look polished with it still on: RACOON!

I have to use both a removing oil and liquid eye makeup remover together before washing my face, then go over the lashes again with the liquid remover to get every smidgen off. What can I say? They promised Ultra Black, so you get ultra black. Note: it doesn't come off anywhere you don't want it to until after at least 12 hours or serious sweating or oil (the formula is not waterproof).

Little notes: I only need one layer of this, I don't need to curl my lashes, and I think it looks natural enough to be a day or night look (i.e. sans liner looks fine too).

What else? Available at Sephora and Sephora.com

Sephora Nano Lip and Eye Liners

$5.00 USD each

Lip liners are that delicate cosmetic that must lay somewhere in the middle of creamy color and dry for duration of wear; luckily, Sephora has found a particularly good median of a formula for just such a product. I've not been much of a lip liner girl (more for the eye liner seeing as I prefer such a nude lip), but one trip to my storefront mecca a while back made me step outside my comfort zone and take notice of these very affordable options. I'm starting to believe in conversion.

Both Sephora Nano Lip Liners I currently own a creamy enough to wear alone with a bit of balm under or over it, but not quite dry enough to last over 4-5 hours. I know most will take long-lasting results over fading-but-hydrating color; I just don't seem to be one of those people, so Nano Liners are a great option (and again, affordable).

Sephora Nano Eyeliner in Gri Gri, Nano Lip Liner in Cherry Chestnut and Cute Caramel in daylight

Sephora Nano Eyeliner in Gri Gri, Nano Lip Liner in Cherry Chestnut and Cute Caramel with flash

A Savings Smash Hit: Sephora Glossy Gloss in Candy Necklace

$10.00 for 0.5fl.oz/15ml

When I walked into Sephora during a recent mall trip with a friend, I thought she was going to be bored by a makeup store, so I quickly ran around a bit and tried on this Laura Mercier plumping gloss (the one in Pink Pearl) that looked and felt amazing immediately. Well, my friend wasn't bored at all, and I helped her find a fresh pink color that was low-hassle and low-maintenance since she rarely wears lip color at all. Throughout the hunt, I was starting to feel really intent on buying that Laura Mercier gloss I was wearing because every time I passed by a mirror I blinked at myself a bit and thought, "this looks good."

Sephora Glossy Gloss in Candy Necklace

After finally walking back over to pick up a box of the product, I saw the $30 price tag and just sighed loudly. I've been unable to get myself to drop $30 on a tube of Burberry Lip Cover that I've wanted to try since the brand announced their beauty line almost a year ago...so I couldn't get the plumping gloss...there was just no way. Within five minutes I had run straight over to the Sephora brand cosmetics and was wildly swatching to find the sheer, pale iridescent glow that I longed for, and VOILA! Candy Necklace!