There’s nothing I love more than telling people how to spend their money on beauty products. (I say this with a cheeky grin, but really… I’m serious.) I know firsthand how frustrating it is when something you invest in doesn’t live up to the hype or yield the results you were hoping for. Buying products will always be tricky simply because everyone has varying preferences when it comes to their beauty aesthetic, not to mention physical differences like hair type, skin type, allergies, etc. That said, there are certain products I love and consistently recommend with such a high success rate, so I feel completely confident telling anyone and everyone that they need them. Plus, the Sephora’s Savings Event is on, and said products can be scored at a significantly cheaper price point.
Now through April 15, Sephora Rouge members can get 20% off, VIB members get 15% off, and Insiders get 10% off with the code YAYSAVE at checkout. Knowing that the Savings Event was just around the corner, one of my friends handed me her phone so I could go through her basket and “add and axe” as I saw fit. Ultimately, it turned into a pretty cute story idea, and I’m sharing all of her beauty-product asks and my answers below. Keep scrolling!
Editor’s note: Sale prices represent 20%-off Rouge member tier.
Fragrance
PHLUR
Father Figure Eau de Parfum
What she wanted: “not to smell like anyone else”
Why I recommend it: As someone who tests and smells perfumes as part of my livelihood, I can instantly recognize a hit when I experience one. While deeply adored among the editor set, Father Figure—a creamy yet juicy concoction that’s completely intoxicating—is still not mainstream enough to be instantly recognizable. When you wear it, I promise you’ll be the best-smelling person in the room. It’s also one of the few perfumes that can easily transition from day to night and feels appropriate regardless of the time of year.
What she wanted: “a dreamy home scent that smells like a cloud”
Why I recommend it: I always tread carefully with candles and home scents, as they can immediately overtake my space and feel too intense. Pearl Dust, however, is light as a feather and is a pretty mix of orris, white musk, amber, and cashmeran. Imagine a collision between freshly laundered sheets and sun-soaked summer skin.
Henry Rose
Blonde Barry Body Spray
What she wanted: “something that actually lasts on the skin and doesn’t smell like a dessert”
Why I recommend it: For some reason, sweet gourmand fragrances always seem to dominate the body-spray space. I adore this scent, in particular, from Henry Rose, as it’s vibrant and fruity thanks to blackcurrant, blackberry, blood orange, and tangerine, but the addition of musk and mineral woods give it a grounding, earthy backbone.
Skincare
Dieux
Air Angel Collagen & Peptide Hydrating Gel Cream
What she wanted: “a moisturizer so light I’ll forget I’m wearing it”
Why I recommend it: A crowd and beauty-editor favorite, Dieux’s Air Angel Gel Cream is hard to beat if you’re after a light-as-air finish that still drapes your skin with velvety hydration and ultra-youthful dewiness.
Dr. Idriss
Major Fade Hyper Serum Dark Spot Treatment
What she wanted: “to look like I actually sleep”
Why I recommend it: Shereene Idriss, MD, is one of the most sought-after dermatologists on the planet, and investing in her line of products is the next best thing to scoring an actual appointment with her. If used consistently (Idriss recommends twice a day, every day), this illuminating serum will brighten dark circles, fade stubborn dark spots, and transform dull, uneven complexions.
Kosas
Dreambeam Silicone-Free Mineral Sunscreen SPF 40 With Ceramides and Peptides
What she wanted: “whatever sunscreen will make my skin look 10 years younger—instantly and long-term”
Why I recommend it: What can’t this new sunscreen do? Not only is it my favorite mineral sunscreen on the market, but it’s also packed with skin-improving ingredients like ceramides, allantoin, and hyaluronic acid to practically Benjamin Button your skin right before your eyes. It protects with 21.7% non-nano zinc and is über comfy on the skin. Plus, the soft-glow radiance it delivers makes for the perfect base if you’re applying makeup afterward.
Hair
Oribe
Mini Dry Texturizing Spray
What she wanted: “to look like I have three times the amount of hair I actually do”
Why I recommend it: There are so many texturizing sprays and volumizing hair elixirs on the market these days, but I have yet to try a product that can even come close to this GOAT from Oribe. It’s a legend for a reason, and it also happens to smell amazing.
K18 Biomimetic Hairscience
Airwash Dry Shampoo
What she wanted: “squeaky-clean hair without the white, powdery build-up of most dry shampoos”
Why I recommend it: IMO, this is one of the most ground-breaking products to hit the hair circuit in a long, long time. It’s a non-aerosol dry shampoo that uses a patented odorBIND biotechnology to give you that fresh-out-of-the-shower clean feeling sans product reside, heavy fragrances, or unflattering powdering casts. Oh, and the results last up to three days.
Act+Acre
2% Stem Cell H-2 Grow Complex Scalp Serum for Thicker-Looking Hair
What she wanted: “the best scalp treatment money can buy”
Why I recommend it: I basically trust Helen Reavey—trichologist, founder, and hairstylist to stars like Harry Styles—with my life. At the very least, I trust her with my hair’s life. There are so many scalp products that feel meh, making it hard to tell if they’re actually doing anything. However, there was no question of improvement when I switched to this expert formula powered by apple stem cells. In a nutshell, it’s specifically designed to trigger thicker- and fuller-looking hair while nurturing the scalp to stave off thinning.
Shani Darden by Déesse Pro
LED Light Mask
What she wanted: “in-office-level LED light therapy that I can do at home”
Why I recommend it: This LED Light Mask from Déesse Pro is the device of choice among facialists and has become especially famous for being the concluding step in one of Shani Darden’s celeb-caliber facials. It’s expensive, but you just can’t beat this device’s dual-diode LEDs, which deliver the highest dose of red, blue, and near-infrared light therapy in clinically shown wavelength combinations to surge collagen production, diminish breakouts, target pigmentation, and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Plus, it even comes with a custom-designed neck attachment.
NuFACE
Nuface Trinity+ & Effective Lip and Eye Attachment
What she wanted: “a facelift I can’t afford”
Why I recommend it: If you’re in the market for a taut, significantly more sculpted-looking face, I can’t recommend NuFace’s microcurrent device enough. The key is consistency, but if you’re diligent, you will be extremely impressed with the results. Now is the perfect time to splurge since you can get it for a cheaper price.
Mane
Power Bottom Base + Jumbo Hair Waver, Wand & Curling Iron
What she wanted: “a multitasking hair tool that won’t cost me half of $1000”
Why I recommend it: The brainchild of celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin, Mane is the new hair-tool line that people can’t stop buzzing about. This mix-and-match tool feels like a no brainer, especially considering the price. You buy the base for $50, and each attachment you choose will come in at an extra $50.
Makeup
Olaplex
Lashbond Building Serum
What she wanted: “mascara without the mascara”
Why I recommend it: I realize putting a lash serum in the makeup section might seem counterintuitive, but this formula from Olaplex worked so well for me. It quite literally had me forgoing mascara altogether. In fact, my lashes became so long and fluttery so fast without irritation, and I actually had to pump the brakes on my daily application.
What she wanted: “perfect lips”
Why I recommend it: It doesn’t get more luxurious than Le Mer’s cult-loved OG Lip Volumizer, and now that the brand has added four delicately shimmered and tinted shades into the mix, your lips just can’t get better. This is a splurge of a makeup product, but $20 off (if you’re Rouge level) feels like a great incentive.
Glow Recipe
Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops Sun Glow Serum
What she wanted: “to look like I regularly vacation on the Amalfi Coast”
Why I recommend it: “I’ve gone through more bottles of the original non-bronzed version of this serum than I can count. It’s refreshing and supremely hydrating and just makes your skin look and feel five years fresher. This lightly tinted glow version is the OG on steroids. You’re getting all of the same complexion benefits thanks to niacinamide, centella asiatica, hyaluronic acid, and watermelon, plus a dose of skin-evening tint that looks natural, not like it came out of a bottle.
Body
Smile Makers
The Firefighter Intense Clitoral Vibrator
What she wanted: (Okay, she didn’t actually ask for this, but I still added it to her basket, and I know she’ll thank me later.)
Why I recommend it: I absolutely love Smile Makers’ rechargeable, waterproof vibrators—they’re the only ones I recommend to my friends. This flame-shaped iteration is designed for intense clitoral stimulation, and I really don’t think I need to say more than that.
Josie Maran
Butter Babies 3-Piece Body Cream Minis Kit
What she wanted: “the best body moisturizer money can buy”
Why I recommend it: One of Josie Maran’s beloved body butters is sold every 14 seconds, and the line just underwent the coolest rebrand imaginable, taking old favorites and reimagining them in sustainable, recyclable, and refillable packaging. The formula melts into the skin like butter and gifts skin with the prettiest natural gleam. Plus, the scents are gasp-out-loud good. I’m personally freaking out over this adorable three-piece set of summer-perfect minis.
HigherDose
Infrared Sauna Blanket for Full-Body Detox
What she wanted: “something on your wish list”
Why I recommend it: Everyone raves about this sauna blanket from HigherDose. If you’re like me and don’t have easy access to an actual sauna, this is a brilliant compromise that still yields everything I love about a traditional sauna—emotional release, better sleep, and vibrant and glowy skin.
