Holiday 2022 Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in Your Basket?

[TeamBIC]

2022 Holiday Shopping Advice

Happy holidays, Beauty Insider Community! We like to think of this thread as your ultimate resource for getting – and giving! – unbiased shopping advice for all your gifting needs and winter basket-building inspiration. Whether you’re ready to start making a dent in that gift list, or mainly looking to scoop up a few beauty steals for yourself, you’ve come to the right place to ask for all the recs, show off your shopping haul, get help making those hard purchase decisions… and don’t forget to share all your glorious unboxings, swatches, and more! 🎁❄

Reply below and let us know: What products are you eyeing to buy this holiday season? Be sure to tag any products you mention using the “#” sign!

[thecatsmeow]

@TeamBIC I got the Sol de Janeiro Radiant Rhythm Bom Dia Set  and couldn't be happier with it. It smells so good! I also got the Laura Mercier Mini Pure Canvas Primer - Hydrating 0.8 oz/ 25 mL . I was highly disappointed with that. At the end of the day, my foundation looked cakey and every line and pore on my face was showing. My partner always gives me two bottles of fragrance for Christmas, and he lets me pick them out and he reimburses me. This year I chose Jo Malone London English Pear & Freesia Cologne  and Valentino Donna Born in Roma Coral Fantasy Eau de Parfum . I also got the Herbivore Radical RetinAlts Wrinkle Smoothing Set. I haven't tried that yet. I also splurged on the GUERLAIN Abeille Royale Best Sellers Skincare Set because I had a set from them before and I loved the way it made my skin look. The Double R serum is amazing! (I need to close my bag to any more spending for a while. 🙄

[Saradestin]

Those two perfumes you chose are amazing @thecatsmeow 

[CynthieLu]

Lovely purchases @thecatsmeow I'm so sorry the primer was a bust, I hope you returned it. But Guerlain won't let you down 🤩 that set looks amazing!

[thecatsmeow]

I had the Guerlain set before that came with a full size R&R serum, and that is amazing! I wish this had a bigger watery oil, but hey, it's still a great deal! And last time the set lasted me 6 months.

[thecatsmeow]

I didn't return it. I returned something recently, and I've heard if you return too many things, you get on a kind of "watch list" with Sephora, and I don't want to be on that. By the way, can anyone here confirm if that is true or not?

[CynthieLu]

I'm not familiar with it @thecatsmeow but I think if truly you are unhappy with a product, return it.  But if someone were to abuse that I think any company would be on a watch out for excessive behaviour. So unless your doing it extremly often I don't think you'd have to worry?

[Cissy63]

@thecatsmeow  Wow you have such great skin care products coming to you.   As well as wonderful fragrance products 😀

[Finendandelion]

I love this thread! I am personally considering SEPHORA COLLECTION Mini Color Hit Nail Polish Set but just deciding if I want to give it as one gift or break them up into stocking stuffers!

[Saradestin]

Such a cute gift to yourself or anyone else @Finendandelion 

[Finendandelion]

@Saradestin you got it- the hard part will be not keeping any for myself!! 🤣 Hmmmm....

[CynthieLu]

I agree,  good idea either way you do it 😛 lovely gift @Finendandelion 

[Cissy63]

@Finendandelion  What a fun gift either way you choose 🎄

[MandiRenee]

No kidding I have ordered 3 times in the last 3 weeks from Sephora. Can someone say.... addicted!! Yikes on bikes. LoL

My favorite item from each order, I'd say would be, Sephora's Favorites, Best Of Vanilla fragrance sample set, Melt Cosmetics Liquid Set Lipstick in shade Velvet Room, and Natasha Denona, Baby Gold Palette. I also love the Cay Skin Deepwater Body Crème I purchased. I order a lot, I must admit.... I have a problem. LOL

Sephora Favorites Vanilla Travel Perfume Sampler Set 

Melt Cosmetics Liquid Lipstick 

Natasha Denona Mini Baby Gold Ornament Eyeshadow Palette 

CAY SKIN Deepwater Hydrating & Soothing Body Crème with Sea Moss & Niacinamide 6.8 oz / 200 mL 

[Saradestin]

Awesome picks @MandiRenee !

[Finendandelion]

Those are all awesome buys!

[CynthieLu]

That is all so great, Enjoy everything! @MandiRenee 😍

[curlychiquita]

Great choices, @MandiRenee! 

[Cissy63]

Good buys @MandiRenee 🌺

[faeriegirl]

Great picks @MandiRenee! 

[WinglessOne]

I've placed 3 additional orders since my first post in this thread (because apparently I lack self control) but wanted to mention today's order because someone—pretty sure it was @CookieGirl1 but I could be wrong—wanted my feedback on SEPHORA COLLECTION Retractable Rouge Gel Lip Liner . I bought shade Rosewood last month to test against my gold standard gel lip liner formula, PAT McGRATH LABS Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil . Yesterday I tried the Sephora gel liner with one of my chronic bleeders, Urban Decay Vice bullet lipstick shade Firebird. The liner kept Firebird in place throughout my 4-hour test, which involved several cups of coffee and water. And there was still liner on the perimeter of my lips when I went to wash my face last night. 

I still prefer Pat's gel lip liner which is more pigmented (though to be fair, Rosewood isn't the boldest shade in the first place), but Sephora's is a worthy contender for a much lower price. So if anyone's thinking of one last holiday event purchase, hasn't tried Sephora's gel lip liners, and wants 30% off of 'em, I say go for it! 

Today's order: 

6 shades of Sephora Collection Retractable Rouge Gel Lip Liner (Mesquite, Nectarine, Aubergine Dream, Pardon My French, Knock On Wood, and Hot Sauce) - you know I love a product if I buy multiple shades. 😂 I'm super bummed the Oil Slick and Loudmouth shades aren no longer available; they'd have been perfect for my lipstick hoard. 

NARS Rising Star Cheek Palette - finally caved on this one. I can probably dupe each shade, but I'm very curious about NARS's gel-to-powder formula (according to how folks are describing this palette) vs. their usual powder formula (aka my favorite powder blush formula by anyone). 

Gucci Velvet Matte Lipstick 702 Anne Lilac - another product I tried to resist but no longer could. I have other shades of this formula (Valentine Verdante is a fabulous deep teal, by the way) so I already know what to expect. 

[Saradestin]

How to control yourself when considering those amazing goodies @WinglessOne ? 😁