Holiday 2023 Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in Your Basket?

[TeamBIC]

Holiday 2023 Shopping Advice Thread

If shopping beauty is your passion, it’s your time to shine: the holiday season is here! And in our opinion, it’s never too early to start building that basket! Think of this thread as your ultimate resource for getting – and giving! – unbiased shopping advice for all your gifting needs this season. Or maybe you’re not quite ready to start making a dent in that gift list, and instead want to scoop up a few beauty steals for yourself! Either way, you’ve come to the right place to swap beauty recs, show off your shopping haul, and 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 are you adding to your basket this holiday season? Be sure to tag any products you mention using the “#” sign!

[gonerogue]

@theasaineliana  Those Kaja items are all great. I have a few blushes and eyeshadow toppers that have been staples for me. Hoping you can squeeze in everything if you’re able to!

[Janaeattarah]

if it make you feel better, mine is triple the price of yours and i’m being very delusional 

[WinglessOne]

List subject to change, of course. I’m excluding things I might buy as gifts for others, in case any of them are stalking me here; don’t wanna ruin any surprises! 

BIC’s having product tagging issues right now, so I’ll have to list some of these as links to product pages instead of tags. 

✔️ Restocks: 

• Ami Colé Ultra-Flex Clear Eyebrow Shaping Gel Clear 
• Hyper Skin Brightening Dark Spot Vitamin C Serum 
• Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster 
• The Inkey List SuperSolutions 10% Urea Moisturizer Textured Skin Solution 
• SEPHORA COLLECTION Dry Shampoo Brush Cleaner 
• Crown Affair The Silk Scrunchie No. 001 Set Olive 

👩‍👧‍👦 Expanding the family: 

• Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Best-Selling Blurring Buddies Set 
• Danessa Myricks Beauty Lightwork V: I Am Palette For Eyes And Face*  ordered today because Rouge Reward + FOMO 😄 
• Gucci Long Lasting Satin Lipstick 202 Moira Sienna and maybe another shade or 2 because I can’t help myself 
• Natasha Denona Xenon midi palette, if it launches (and hits Sephora) during this sale; all the “leaked” images made me decide I need this palette 🖤 

*This might end up being a Rouge Reward purchase since I managed to snag yet another one last week. Plus, I don’t know if this palette will sell out between its launch day and the start of Sephora’s sale, so it may be better to grab it sooner. EDIT: yep, I went ahead and use my latest $100 reward on it today. Hooray! 

🔬 Test subjects: 

• Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Satin Shine Lipstick Stoned Rose** 
• #ciele blush & PROTECT SPF 50+ liquid blush Giselle (totally @Sunnysmom’s fault) 
• Skinfix Acne+ 2% BHA and Azelaic Acid Acne Spot Treatment 
• Paula’s Choice Hyaluronic Acid + Peptide Lip Treatment Booster 

**I’ve tried Charlotte’s matte bullets and nope, I don’t like ‘em, they’re too drying on my lips. It’s about time I find out if her satin cream formula’s any better. 

👻 Haunting me: 

• NARS All That Glitters Light Reflecting™ Cheek Palette - I’m not convinced this blush palette’s much different from some of NARS’s other palettes. I love NARS powder blushes but prefer the singles over the palettes (though I do have a couple palettes). And these palettes usually end up having very similar color stories. Hmm… I should go swatch this palette in person soon. 
  
  
• Kilian Rose Oud Eau de Parfum - I’m not normally a fan of rose-forward fragrance, and I already know this one doesn’t actually contain any oud (it has an oud accord instead). I’ve never even smelled Rose Oud in person. But something about the fragrance notes keeps me interested. Reviews (at various sites and forums) are rather polarized, so there’s also an “I wanna see for myself” curiosity driver. I suspect the price will keep me from buying, though: I love some Kilian fragrances and will pay their prices (well, with a discount 😄 ), but this could end up being one that’s not worth the money. Really wish there was a travel size I could buy instead. 

[Titian06]

@WinglessOne - I have Gucci Long Lasting Satin Lipstick 202 Moira Sienna.  It's probably my favorite Gucci color (not that I have an extensive collection).  It should look great on you! 😘

[WinglessOne]

Thanks @Titian06 😊 and good to know you love Moira Sienna! 

[missjeanie]

@WinglessOne You've got a great selection of practical and fun here.  I can't wait to see what you pick up!

[WinglessOne]

Thanks @missjeanie !

[Mel231]

@WinglessOne Your post makes has me intrigued about the rose oud fragrance.  I will have to check that out.

[WinglessOne]

@Mel231  This reminds me to try tracking down a sample before the sale ends, so I can maybe save myself $212. 😅 The lychee accord piques my interest; it’ll smell sweet but I do like lychee scents. Hopefully it’s not overly sweet. 

[CynthieLu]

@WinglessOne it releases tomorrow! 🥳🥳🥳

[WinglessOne]

@CynthieLu  I know! I saw Danessa’s palette demo (and envied the lucky folks who got a free palette) where she announced Sephora’s early preview date. 🙂 Are you picking it up? 

[CynthieLu]

I also got a Rouge Reward this month and this palette is what I'm spending it on 😁 

I was watching the live too! I was sooo praying to be a lucky soul who got her old Transendance palette and this new one. (What a surprise? She's so fun and generous✨ 💖)

@WinglessOne I am going to be doing the affirmations and I just thought the whole idea was beautiful. 

(Read the "how to" to instruct for this one on this site, it's even on there too 😉 ☯️)

[WinglessOne]

@CynthieLu  Congrats on getting a Rouge Reward! I was kinda hoping I’d be a V+IV winner too, even though I already have IV; I’d have gifted my extra to someone. 🙂 Oh well, I’m happy for the winners anyway! 

Early access is app-only… ugh… I went ahead and reinstalled the app, made this Lightwork V purchase, and then promptly re-uninstalled the app. 😂 (Sorry Sephora but, I don’t like your app. Don’t take it too personally: I hate shopping via app in general, regardless of retailer, and will always choose to shop via site unless I absolutely must use the app for something. Plus, iOS & iPadOS like to pop the app instead of opening links in browser tabs.) But yay, I can scratch Danessa’s latest palette off my holiday list now! Maybe it’ll be replaced by Natasha Denona’s midi Xenon, if that palette hits Sephora during this sale. 

Lightwork V’s naming theme and Danessa’s suggested affirmation approach might seem a bit much to some folks. But I’ve spent a lot of this year in full blown anxiety attack mode, so the whole approach speaks to me. Though I probably won’t be saying all the affirmations: I can’t say “I am enough” without crying and, you know, that’s kinda problematic for eyeshadow application. 🤣 I hope the affirmations help you ground and center. 

[CynthieLu]

I think if someone already felt in thier soul the words of her affirmations, maybe the thought she intended would be lost on them. ( maybe not thou 😉) But for many of us, we don't feel it. That's so regrettable because we are all Enough,  Wanted, Inspiring and every word in her palette. Truly you are enough and every word she chose @WinglessOne. 🩷🌠

I try to be kind too myself but my thoughts are often too self deprecating so I thought the whole idea Danessa had with this "I am Palette" was a little misty eye making myself. 🥹💔

[Mel231]

@WinglessOne Those scrunchies are such a pretty color.

[WinglessOne]

@Mel231  Right? They also come in black, but Sephora doesn’t carry that color—and I already have plenty of black silk scrunchies anyway. 😄 I need another set of these pretty sage green silk scrunchies because I’m prone to losing scrunchies; I like to have at least 5 of one color, just in case I lose one. Someday I’ll find the secret hideout where scrunchies, single socks, small hair clips, and bobby pins congregate. 

In case anyone’s curious about Crown Affair vs. Slip’s small scrunchies: I find Slip’s stretch out much faster than Crown Affair’s do. It seems Crown Affair uses a stronger elastic, though their scrunchies aren’t headache-inducingly tight. Also, Crown Affair’s are a bit wider than Slip’s. Here’s a comparison photo I took last year: 

The Slip scrunchie's a bit stretched out; the Crown Affair scrunchie is brand new, not yet worn.

[zolotoi]

Thank you for comparing! I was curious! 

[missjeanie]

@WinglessOne The comparison I needed!!! Many Thanks!

[SportyGirly125]

@TeamBIC @I just added Love Shack Fancy Forever in Love 

[mariajo]

I’m so excited, I’m always on the hunt for clean beauty that helps this aging face look it’s best! Some new brands I’m excited to try! Looking at Kora for now but I’m sure my cart will be filled with more!

[gonerogue]

Not gonna lie, wasn’t expecting the sale to be so soon but here’s my first draft for my potential cart. Focused on some holiday releases, “nice to have” items, restocks and travel sized items that have proven essential during my recent travels.

Also, that YSL rep at Sephoria totally sold me on their cologne. It’s going to make a nice “just because” gift for my bf 🥰